Research Proposal

1. Research Proposal Liberty University Sherry Jarvis

2. Abstract • The way a teacher teaches and interacts with students can have a tremendous impact on their success. • It is in everyone’s best interest that teachers try their best to reach all students by: • Having a caring attitude toward students • Not giving up on them, no matter what the circumstances • Previous research suggests there are economic and social costs that are incurred by taxpayers from students dropping out. They include: • Incarceration costs • Social Costs • Health Care Costs

3. Purpose of Study • The purpose of this study is to investigate why students are dropping out from their perspective. • The study will find the various factors that is putting these students at risk and determine ways the teachers can help. • The research will determine what teaching methods are working for students.

4. Research Questions • Why are students dropping out of high school? • What is going on in these students lives that has caused them to get to this point? • What preventions can be put in place to help these students? • Are certain teachers and or teaching methods hindering “at risk” student success?

5. Definitions of Variables and Key Terms • High School Dropout – This term is used in this study to refer to students who were interviewed and did not finish high school. The ages ranged from 16 to 24 (Bridgeland, 2006). • Drop Out Prevention- Are early warning indicators for students who may be considered at risk. Schools have their own methods of determining which students fit into the “at risk” category. Schools will determine how to help these students based on the criteria (Heppen and Therriault, 2008).

6. Key Terms Cont’d….. • At Risk Students- • This is a group that may not be on track for graduation. Due to: • Too many days missed • Failing Classes • Students with reading disabilities are also in this category. • One in six students with reading disabilities by the third grade are four times more likely to not graduate (Hernandez, 2011).

7. Key Terms Cont’d….. • Family- • For this study family has a tremendous impact on these students. • Family can help or hinder a students progress in school. • This study will determine how much a students family negatively impacts their success in high school (Van Brummelen, pg. 249, 2009).

8. Why are they dropping out? Not motivated, and spent very little time completing assignments Had to get a job Became a parent Students said they would consider returning to school if: Teachers attitudes changed Attendance policy changed Review of the Literature From the student perspective: (Bridgeland, DiIulio,Morison, Burke, 2006) (Dunn, Chamber, Rabren, 2004)

9. Review of the Literature Cont’d….. Health Concerns for Dropouts: • A persons level of education is one of the number one predictors of their health. • The higher level of education a person possesses the better housing and medical care they can afford. • Substance abuse and pregnancy is the leading health concern for students (Freudenberg, Ruglis, 2007).

10. Review of the Literature Cont’d Warning Signs or Indicators of a Drop Out: • Poor Attendance • Course Performance • Research suggest that a student who fails one or more courses their first semester freshman year are less likely to graduate compared to the students who pass all courses (Heppen and Therriault, 2008).

11. Review of the Literature Cont’d Prevention Suggestions: • Engage the students by making the curriculum more interesting for students. • Get the teachers to interact more with the students on more of a personal level. • Start some students in vocational training if that is something that is better suited for them (Smith, 2011).

12. Review of the Literature Cont’d • Vocational Training: • This gives students an alternative to the standard learning environment. • This type of training gives students who do not see the value of a traditional education a skill they see as valuable (Berkins and Kritsonsis, 2007).

13. Qualitative Research Design • This design calls for a narrative research design. • This choice is based on the desire to understand what these students are thinking in order to better assist them. • This study focuses on interviewing students who have dropped out of school and ones who are “at risk” in school. • It will not focus on the amount of drop outs because the goal of educators is to help reach all students. • This information can be used to train teachers and administrators.

14. Sampling • This study requires a lot of time on behalf of individuals and researchers. • The sampling procedure will be to select an area where the researchers live in close proximity to. • The sample size will be to select one school district in their area with a high drop out rate. • The students who are “at risk” or who have dropped out have to be willing to volunteer their time to the researchers.

15. Methods of Data Collection • This narrative design will use interviews to listen and gain understanding why students are not motivated in school. • One interviewer will interview all the students from one district, then the interviewers from multiple districts can get together to share the details of their findings. • Questions will be asked: • Are you passing all classes? • Do you think you put forth 100%? • Are your parents aware of your performance? • Do you live with your parents? • Do you have a job? • Do you like your teachers and do you think they care about your success? • Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend who may take up a lot of your time? • How do you prefer a class to be managed and organized? • What is your ideal teacher?

16. Methods of Data Collection Continued…… • Focus groups will be used to conduct the interviews. • These groups will help students become comfortable with the interviewer and the questions being asked. • Students will be broken up into groups depending on their teachers from a particular school district. • This will help determine whether a particular teacher or teaching style has an impact on student success.

17. Data Analysis • This research method does not require the collection of quantitative data. • A report of the districts drop out rates will be included in the study. • These results will be used to identify any additional patterns that can help interviewers reach their conclusions.

18. Data Analysis • The interviewers will keep a log of the persons being interviewed. • The log will: • Take into account non-verbal features • Record the interviewers thoughts and reactions during the interview • Record answers to the questions • The interpretation of the data will focus on an explanation as to why students fail.

19. Ethics and Human Relations • The risks associated with conducting interviews is that the participants may be worried about their information being confidential. To prevent this: • Assure participants that they will remain anonymous. • Assure them that their answers will not be shared outside of the researchers in the study.

20. Ethics and Human Relations Cont’d…. • Interviewers chosen will not have an influence on the participants. To ensure this: • Interviewers will not know the participants personally. • Interviewers will not know the teachers or school administrators personally. • Before interviewing students, researchers will meet with school boards to gain approval.

21. Time Line • The interviews would take place twice a year. • The first interviews would be conducted at the end of the school year to talk with the students who did not finish school that year. • The second phase of interviews would be conducted mid-year. • Interviewers would meet with students who failed a class first semester. • Then they can provide information back to the school districts.

22. References • Allensworth, Elaine M.; Easton John Q. (2007). What Matters for Staying On-Track and Graduating in Chicago Public High Schools: A Close Course Grades, Failures, and Attendance in the Freshman Year. Research Report. Consortium on Chicago School Research. Retrieved on January 31, 2012,from Education Resources Information Center. (Document ID: ED498350). • Berkins, Cynthia Lawry; Kritsonis, William Allan. (2007). Curriculum Leadership: Curriculum For the at Risk Students. Online Submission, The Lamar University Electronic Journal of Student Research. Retrieved on January 31, 2012, from Education Resources Information Center. (Document ID: ED498643).

23. References Cont’d……. • Bridgeland, John M.; DiIulio, John J. Jr.; Morison, Karen Burke. (2006). The Silent Epidemic: Perspectives of High School Dropouts. Civic Enterprises. Retrieved January 31,2012, from Education Resources Information Center. (Document ID: ED513444). • Butts, P.. (2009). FREQUENT ABSENCES? Help Students Keep Up, Not Drop Out. Kappa Delta Pi Record,45(4), 163-165.  Retrieved February 5, 2012, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 1722972071).

24. References Cont’d…… • Conner, E., & McKee, J.. (2008, November). Drop-Out Challenges: Pathways to Success. Principal Leadership,9(3), 39-43.  Retrieved February 5, 2012, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1596697691). • Dunn, Caroline, Chambers, Dalee, Rabren, Karen. (2004). Variables Affecting a Students’ Decision to Drop Out. Hammil Institute on Disabilites and Sage, 25: 314. Retrieved Febuary 25, 2012. • Freudenber, Nicholas; Ruglis, Jessica.(2007). Reframing School Dropout as a Public Health Issue. Public Health Practice and Policy. Vol. 4.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 1, 2012 from Education Resources Information Center. (Document ID: ED399412).

25. References Cont’d….. • Heppen, Jessica B.; Therriault, Susan Bowles. (2008). Developing Early Warning Systems to Identify Potential High School Dropouts. Issue Brief. National High School Center. American Institutes for Research. Retrieved January 31, 2012, from Education Resources Information Center. (Document ID: ED521558). • Hernandez, Donald J. (2011). Double Jeopardy: How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation. Annie E. Casey Foundation. Retrieved on January 31, 2012 from Education Resources Information Center. (Document ID: ED518818). • Monrad, Maggie. (2007). High School Dropout: A Quick Stats Fact Sheet. National High School Center. Retrieved on January 31, 2012, from Education Resources Information Center. (Document ID: ED501066).

26. References Cont’d……. • Russell N Cassel.  (2003). A high school drop-out prevention program for the at-risk sophomore students. Education,123(4), 649.  Retrieved February 5, 2012, from Research Library. (Document ID: 370080721). • Smith, Denise. (2011). Understanding Factors That Influence Academic Performance in Tenth Grade Students. Online Submission from School of Education and Counseling Psychology. Dominican University of California. Retrieved January 31, 2012 from Education Resources Information Center. (Document ID: ED521708). • Van Brummelen, H. (2009). Walking with God in the Classroom: Christian Approaches to teaching and Learning. Colorado Springs, Co: Purposeful Design Publications.