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Research Problem . In one sentence, describe the problem that is the focus of your classroom research project about student learning : Students are not adequately prepared for class preventing them from gaining the full benefits of active learning activities Student attitude or motivation
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Research Problem In one sentence, describe the problem that is the focus of your classroom research project about student learning: Students are not adequately prepared for class preventing them from gaining the full benefits of active learning activities • Student attitude or motivation • Inadequate tools for preparation This leads to students that I **believe** could succeed dropping, failing or under-succeeding.
Research Question • What is your research question? How does concept mapping affect student motivation in individuals with low initial motivation and/or decreases in motivation? • What is the context (e.g. class setting, student audience) in which you will conduct your research? • Introductory, non-majors Biology course (Human Biology) • 30-40 students per section • ~ 13 sections per semester (I teach 3, ~ 7 instructors) • General education course for transfer to a 4 year institution (UC/CSU) • Very diverse student body
Research Methods My primary research methods include: • Qualitative Assessment • Survey on science motivation – pre/post (Glynn 2011), and/or science attitudes (CLASS-BIO) • Coding of focus group of students with low motivation prior to intervention (select students) • Coding focus group of students after intervention (select students) • Coding written reflections of concept mapping (all students) • Coding of interviews/videos where students construct concept maps at end (high and low motivators) • Quantitative Assessment • Rubric score on higher level exam questions (all students) • Rubric score on selected concept maps (all students)
Research Methods I will collect these data: • Motivation Survey/Attitude survey (3 time points) • Focus group conversation from students with low motivation (compare to students with high motivation?) start and end of semester • Introducing concept mapping at different time points • Scores on specific exam questions • Interviews of students making concept maps at end of semester (select students that reflect specific types of change in motivation) • Rubric score for middle and “final” concept map(s) • Written reflections I will analyze the data by: • Comparing pre-intervention motivation to post-intervention motivation (and a mid point), descriptive/frequency • Checking for a correlation between motivation changes and exam scores in sections with different time point interventions and in sections taught by other instructors • Coding student comments in focus groups and comparing before/after intervention • Coding student responses to written reflection • Analyzing potential correlation between concept map scores and exam question scores
Alignment of Research Question and Methods This is why I think it aligns: • Identify students with low motivation/low class success • Track changes in motivation after two intervention time points The data will help me answer my question by: • Measuring change in motivation at three time points in semester • Correlating change in motivation with and without intervention