SLO #3 - Research Skills
Professional educator demonstrates research skills by designing and conducting research ethically and effectively and presenting their findings at a professional level in oral and written forms.
Artifact –
Action Research Project - The impact of competitive collaborative game play on achievement and attitude in Advanced Placement physics. Over the past two years I have researched articles, designed a study and executed that study on the effect of playing physics games of my own design on the test achievement and attitudes toward physics of my AP physics students. I created not only an action research written presentation, but also a slide presentation of my study. Both the study and the slide presentation are available on my website.
Explanation –
Much of my time and energy in the masters program has gone into the design, execution and reporting of my action research study. Early in the program, I spent a lot of time analyzing other studies, learning not only what other researchers have found, but also how to present findings in a professional manner. Learning APA style was a major challenge and source of laughter and frustration for myself and my colleagues throughout the program. I feel I have nearly mastered APA and the journal style of presentation for an action research study. I also learned many interesting concepts that sparked many more questions in my mind. The one that I identified with the most was concerning the impact of collaboration and game play. I love playing academic games with students, but could not find data that suggested it was beneficial, as I believed it to be. I decided that in order to continue using my valuable class time for games, I had better be sure that these games were actually helping students. I decided to look at two aspects of my class that are very important to me, achievement and affinity towards physics. Not only would I design a study to determine the impact of game play, but I would also create a new physics game that I felt would help students. I designed specific games based on what research I found on positive aspects of collaboration, competition and game play. I designed tests for my study to measure achievement and attitudes using at least three measurement tools to create triangulation and increase validity and reliability. I had to come in for extra help to learn to analyze the data I collected and how to interpret meanings from that analysis. I then spent innumerable hours recording, analyzing and weaving the data together to tell the results of my study. I found that achievement results were mixed, showing both increases and decreases. I also found that student attitudes increased or remained positive toward physics. I made many mistakes along the way, which also taught me a great deal. I learned that my measurement tools were flawed and that if I repeat my experiment how to better design my tests to properly measure achievement. I learned a great deal about writing my action research study and am indebted to Prof. Rivas, Prof. Cheng and my colleagues for all the editing, suggestions and constructive criticism.
Reflection –
Now that my study is complete, I am filled with a sense of relief and a great sense of accomplishment. I can remember the first semester of the program, hearing a long list of tasks that we would complete while in the program and feeling very overwhelmed. I continued to feel very overwhelmed while the program continued, and seemed to barely keep up with the large work load. I read a ton of research and wrote many analysis papers about that research especially for Prof. Rivas. It was here that I was inspired to try something new and to follow my own beliefs, because they seemed to line up with other research. I always felt lost and that I was learning on the job, making lots of mistakes and asking the wrong questions. Eventually, the study was complete and I was no longer a novice. I am be no means an expert, but I have really learned a lot about conducting research and know that next time it will be even better and may be a lot easier now that I know what to expect and what to avoid. I was a little disappointed that I designed some of my data collection tools wrong. I think I that my study would have shown increased achievement if I had created the correct measurement tools. I did not realize they were wrong until after the study was completed and it was too late to go back and retest. Although it is painful to realize that I made mistakes, I learned a lot from making those key mistakes and realize how to critique and analyze other research better. Gaining some mastery and knowing that I have created a work of research that I am proud of has filled me with a great sense of accomplishment. It goes with one of my life mottos: "the greatest rewards in life come from the greatest challenges." Because of this project, and the encouragement of Prof. Rivas, I have applied to present my research findings at next year's NSTA conference. I never would have dreamed that I would someday present at a major conference. I am now looking forward to sharing what I have learned with those that are interested. This project and the masters program has definitely changed me.