Proposed Topic 1A
ImprovingReading is fine. Learning action research is different. Begin by identifying an academic problem at your school–use your school accountability data or student grades. Which subject area is the one in which your school/students performed the lowest? That is your topic.
Part A Proposed Topic (2 points; Due Week 1)
Submit your proposed topic and briefly explain why you selected this topic. The topic must be related to improving student outcomes. Use data to support your rationale.
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Excellent |
Met Expectation |
Expectations Not Met |
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1. Identifies the proposed topic |
Presents an appropriate topic concisely. The topic is clearly related to improving student outcomes. |
Presents an appropriate topic related to improving student outcomes. |
Proposed topic not submitted, not appropriate, or vague/incomplete. |
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2. Expresses the rationale for selecting the topic |
States logical rationale concisely and completely, with supporting data |
States a logical rationale |
Missing, vague, incomplete, or inappropriate rationale |
Note: This school will be Brooks Elementary School in Duncan, Mississippi you can find information from Mississippi Department of Education website
www.mde.k12.ms.us
State the Problem: How is the problem (topic) identified? Use data:
· Accountability data
· Student Grades
· Formative and Summative Assessments
· District Benchmarks
(meet expectations)
Proposed Topic
Improving the Reading Comprehension Skills of ninth-grade Student through Effective Reading Strategies.
Rationale
This action research project will be conducted to improve the students reading comprehension through effective reading strategies, which will be identified through a literature review. I chose this topic because based on the reading scores of my students, they are performing below grade level in reading.
[although this student did not indicate the data source; most likely, the reading scores from an informal reading inventory (or the school accountability data) were used.]
(above expectations)
Proposed topic: Improving Performance in Mathematics of Eighth Grade Students
Rationale for Topic Selection
The purpose of this proposed project is to improve the mathematics performance of eighth grade students at the proposed target school. The setting for this proposed project will be a middle school located in an urban area of South Florida. The community population consists of 2,554,766 according to the 2011 U.S. Census Bureau, with a per capita income of $22,957. The ethnic groups which comprise the community include approximately 63% Hispanic Americans, 20% Black Americans, (Non-Hispanic) White Americans 15%, and 2% Asian Americans. The School district consists of 55 high schools, 59 middle schools and 172 elementary schools. District enrollment is approximately 356,086 at the time of this project.
The State of Florida annually assesses student performance in Reading, Mathematics and
Science and writing through administration of the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT). The mathematics test is scored by levels ranging from a low score of Level 1 to a high score of Level 5. A Level 3 is considered “meeting expectations,” and schools are expected to show that at least 50% of the students meet that expectation. From 2008 to 2010 the mathematics scores and skills of the eighth-grade students at the target middle school have been steadily declining (see
Table 1
). Basically, the problem is that eighth grade students are performing below grade level in mathematics.
Table 1
Results of Eighth Grade, 2008 – 2010, Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test
Students
Year
Expectation
Observation
Discrepancy
8th Grade
N = 30
2010
50% or more will score a Level 3 or higher
27%
23%
8th Grade
N = 30
2009
50% or more will score a Level 3 or higher
32%
18%
8th Grade
N = 30
2008
50% or more will score a Level 3 or higher
39%
11%
Source. Florida Department of Education – Demographics Report