Friday 9 March 2007

Action Research in the stars'land school booni

Action Research plan

By syed Muzafar Hussain


Problem: why do class 7 students not have good reading habits?

Reading is considered one of the central dimensions of the learning process. We learn from our environment, books alongside other learning materials. All these resources contribute to the enhancement of our knowledge. Many school teachers have observed that students do not adopt particular reading habits. There is a lack of awareness about the many important benefits of reading, especially regarding the improvement of their knowledge.

Overview
I teach social study and English in class 7, I also noticed the same situation in my class, therefore to find out the root causes of this problem I selected class 7 students in my school for my research study. My aim was to trace out the reasons for a lack of interest in reading, thereby allowing me to improve the learning habits of my students.

Aims and Objectives
The purpose of this study is to explore the techniques required to motivate class 7 students to adopt, both directly and indirectly, the types of reading habits that will have positive benefits for their education in the most broadly conceived manner. There is a need for great attention to be invested in this important educational issue. As educationalists we hope that the students will realize the importance of the benefits of reading for the enhancement of their knowledge and understanding. Students should adopt reading habits with the aim of enjoying reading rather than conceptualizing it as a burden

Significance of the study
This issue is not a central issue only for my school, but for schools across the Chitral region. If strategies are successfully applied in my school which brings positive changes to the behavior of my students, then the findings of the study can be useful for other schools in chitral as well, not least because it has been a common issue in most of the schools in the area. It will not only enhance my own understanding but other teachers can also be helped related to the same issue.

Research question
 How can I help students of class 7 in my school, improve their reading habits?

Subsidiary questions
 What type of activities are the students engaged in to enhance their reading habits?
 Why the students do not have reading habits?
 What strategies can be helpful to develop the reading habits among the students?

Methodology

This study aims to develop reading habits among the students. I think the best way to achieve this target is to deploy action methodology. First, I shall make plan, act accordingly, observe it and reflect on tenuous points during my research.

Action
I shall make groups of different students and assigned them various reading activities. I shall give them books to read at home and ask them to write down some interesting points from the books. Students will be encouraged to collect informations from the books they have read. Students will be allowed to select books of their own interest. Use of the library will be open for all. Students will not only be given task to do at home to improve their reading, but at school they will also be taught different techniques including, reading practice, sessions to discus the content of the given text and cooperative learning method will be adopted in order to encourage the students to become good readers.

Sampling
The research study will be carried out in my own school named stars’land Grammar school Booni. Research will be conducted on the students of class 7; the whole class will be involved in the process. The main factor to choose this class is - this is the most senior class in the school, withen three years time will their secondary exam and take admission in the high secondary classes, therefore the habit of reading will be helpful for them if it was adopted early age.

Entry Negotiation
Field work will be started after negotiations with the students of class 7th. I shall also share my research plan and research schedule with them and take their signs on consent forma for the research purpose.

Data gathering tools
I shall use the following tools for the data collection purpose.
 Observation
 Interviews
 Field Notes
 Reflective Journals
 Document Analysis

Observation
I shall observe the students reading skills, one before each study and at least five times after implementation of the plan. I shall observe the class twice in a week.

Interviews
I shall take interview from each student, one before the implementation and the rest after the action plan. The interviews will focus on the reading set to the students, their understanding of the texts they have read, and importantly the modes of enjoyment they experience during the reading of the books.

Field notes

Field notes provide important information. Thus, students will be observed when reading their books in the class and the actions of the students will be noticed and noted down.

Reflective journal
Teacher’s personal not book or diary can be used to reflect on field notes in order to find out proper ways for the revise plan, thus, all teachers involved in the process will be asked to keep a personal diary during the course of the project. This would also help while writing the report in the end of the research period.

Document analysis
Weekly and monthly tests will also be conducted in the schools: these tests will be designed to explore the level of understanding of the students. I shall analysis those documents in order to their validity as data.

Data analysis procedure
Data analysis will be a continuous process through out my research study. I shall go through this data in order to find out the results of the action taken during the study.

Ethical considerations
The whole research plan will be discussed with the research participants. I shall not disclose any details concerning my research participants. During this period of the research the data will be used for the research purpose only. Instead of real names pseudonyms of the research participants will be used.Concent forms will be filled and signs of each of the research participants will be taken.

Time line for action research

S.No Activity Time line Remarks
1. Entry negotiation The 2nd two weeks of march 2007 Students, parents and staff will be informed about the research study.
2. Reconnaissance 15 march to 30 march 2007 An interview will be conducted in order to know about their activities at homes. Time table will be managed for their activities at home.
3. Data collection process march15– 2005 to 15th april-2007. During this period lesson planning, action, observation interviews, discussions field notes, document analyzing and strategies will be applied.
4. Data analysis and writing. April 16 – 2007 to 1st may 2007. After 16 april 2007 data will be analyzed, and report writing will take place. The first draft will be shared with the concerned supervisor in PDCC.
5. Submission of Action Research Report. 1st may 2007. Final paper will be submitted in PDCC.

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