***For this assignment you will need to create at least 5 essential questions that relate directly to your hypothesis Please state your hypothesis and then the questions directly related to them. Using the same format as the file attached, create you own questions and complete the form for at least 3 of your references.

The problem question:
How can I help my student who struggles with making meaning out of text?

The problem statement:
My middle school student with learning disabilities struggles specifically with the automatic use of multiple strategies to read and comprehend text.

The problems significance:
The student exhibits successfully acquired beginning reading skills but fell behind in his ability to deal with school reading tasks. This behavior includes demonstrating fluency in decoding without the ability to activate prior knowledge before, during and after reading; decide whats important in a text; synthesize information; draw inferences during and after reading; ask questions; and self monitor and fix flawed comprehension. When the student does not know how to read strategically he is unable to think with the text. The disengagement between the student and the text causes inconsistent work performance and he appears bored or inattentive. This behavior distracts him from the classroom environment and also can distract other students.

The if/then statement:
If reading in the content area is introduced, the student will exhibit increased text comprehension.

Independent Variable:
Reading In Content Areas: prioritized set-aside time for explicit and direct teaching of the five strategies successful readers use to make meaning of text (Summarizing, Visualizing, Questioning, Making Connections, and Making Inferences) as they strengthen content area knowledge.

Dependent Variable:
Struggling Reader: tends not to ask questions at any time as he reads-before, during, or after, is disconnected, inactive and passive

Please come up with an action plan for middle school student, especilly in highschool admission counseling.

Please follow each steps

1 Rationate Why you choose to do the plan.
2 Reference Point
3 Program Goals and Behavior Objectes
4 Subjets and/or Audience
5 Action plan
6 Evalustion If you could attempt the plan, what do you think it would be?
7 Milestones How the students progresed/Where are you starting from?

paragraph 1 is a summary of following article
paragraph 2 is a reflection of the article
paragraph 3 is a suggestion/s for classroom implemation

Why Is It Important to Examine the Transition from Middle School to High School?
The transition from middle school to high school is accompanied by both anticipation and anxiety (Mizelle & Irvin, 2000; Morgan & Hertzog, 2001; Zeedyk, Gallacher, Henderson, Hope, Husband, & Lindsay, 2003). Transition is receiving increased attention due to the fact that ninth grade course failures and high school dropout rates exceed all other grade levels (Hertzog & Morgan, 1998; National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2003; Roderick & Camburn, 1999). While a long history of research on the transition to college (Tinto, 1987) and transitions for students with disabilities (Letrello & Miles, 2003; Rogan, Hunt, & Wagner, 2002) exist, there is little empirical research examining the transition from middle school to high school for the general education population (Akos & Galassi, 2004; Mizelle, 1999).

Schiller (1999) defined academic transition as "a process during which institutional and social factors influence which students' educational careers are positively or negatively affected by this movement between organizations" (pp. 216217). This definition points to the shared responsibility of middle school and high school personnel for guiding young adolescents through this major educational transition.

Research on Impact of Transition on Student Outcomes
Currently, there is a lack of research on the impact of transition on students/families, and/or the potential of programs to assist students in the seamless transition from middle school to high school. Policy researchers have examined databases such as the National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS) 1988/2000 (NCES, 2002). Results of this inquiry show that students from different middle schools attending the same high school (Schiller, 1999) and participating in full or partial transition programs (Catterall, 1998; Smith, 1997) transition with ease from middle school to high school. While the use of NELS provides valuable information about the impact of transition on student academic and social outcomes, the database is almost 20 years old. The primary data research approaches used to study transition issues include survey research (Akos & Galassi, 2004), longitudinal studies (Isakson & Jarvis, 1999), qualitative studies (Kinney, 1993; Morgan & Hertzog, 2001) and mixed-method designs (Smith, 2006).

Current research on transition from middle school to high school has shown

Students experience a decrease in achievement from middle school to high school (Alspaugh, 1998a, 1998b; Isakson & Jarvis, 1999). This achievement loss may represent the first time high-achieving students experience grades lower than As.
In an ex post facto study of 48 school districts, Alspaugh (1998a) found that students attending school districts with transitions at grade six and grade nine experienced greater achievement loss than students in districts organized K8. Seidman, Allen, Aber, Mitchell, and Feinman (1994) called the effect of multiple transitions on academic and social outcomes "double-jeopardy."
In addition to academic struggles, behavior problems in the form of suspensions and expulsions appear to increase significantly early in the ninth grade year (Graber & Brooks-Gunn, 1996).
Middle grades students identified academic ability as especially important to making it in secondary school (Zeedyk et al., 2003). After entering high school, students in the study added time management, ability to stay on task, social skills, and behavior as essential elements in success. Social matters such as bullying, getting lost, and establishing peer relationships at secondary school overshadow concerns about academics.
Kinney (1993) found that expanded social experiences in high school represent a new opportunity for students who experienced exclusion in middle school. He described social networks in middle schools as being limited to a dichotomy of popular students versus the rest of the student body. Students in high school were able to establish new social networks or cliques that did not exist in their respective middle schools.
Akos and Galassi (2004) found that students look forward to making new friends, having more freedom, and attending school events as they transition to high school. Students' greatest concerns revolved around the amount of homework, class difficulty, and organizational issues (e.g., getting lost). Conversely, parents were concerned that their children would feel negative peer pressure in both academic and social realms. The study also indicated teachers' concerns that students would feel pressure to do well in class, experience challenging courses, and have difficulty making new friends. Teacher perceptions were found to be different from students' perceptions in regard to worries about homework, and if transition programs are oriented purely around the teacher assessments of student worries, efforts may be misdirected (Brown & Armstrong, 1982).
Parents can play an important role in helping their children during the transition from middle school to high school. Falbo, Lein, and Amador (2001) found that students whose parents monitored their activities and intervened positively (e.g., schoolwork, peer networks, and direct participation at the school) were more likely to have a smooth transition from middle school to high school. Furthermore, it was noted by Feuerstein (2000) that increased school contact with parents typically resulted in reciprocal parent contact, improving overall communication between the schools and families.
What Do Effective Transition Programs Look Like?

Successful transition programs must involve collaboration between eighth and ninth grade buildings/personnel (Mizelle, 1999). Feeder middle schools and receiving high schools should communicate to identify what Gibson (1969) called the distinctive features of academic, social, and organizational logistics and philosophies in middle school and high school. Transition programs that consistently ask students to reflect on and to experience the complexities and nuances of the distinctive features of high school will have greater impact than isolated information sessions (Mizelle & Irvin, 2000).
Programs designed to reduce high school dropout rates must address the challenges associated with the transition to high school and provide targeted early intervention in order to promote academic recovery in failing students (Roderick & Camburn, 1999). Colleges have long used this approach to assist students entering college with academic deficiencies (Abelman, & Molina, 2001; Garing, 1992).
Successful transition programs address the information gap by providing students and families with a wealth of information about the academic, social, and organizational similarities and differences between middle school and high school (Mizelle, 1999). Zeedyk and associates (2003) suggested the following: expanding the number and duration of visits between schools; allowing students to spend a day with secondary school students; inviting secondary school students and teachers to speak at the feeder schools; providing mentoring to middle school students by secondary school students, etc.
High school dropout rates are significantly lower in school districts that have explicit middle school to high school transition programs (Morgan & Hertzog, 2001; Smith, 1997). Effective programs address curriculum (e.g., academic rigor of courses); facilities (e.g., location of classrooms, restrooms); and safety and discipline (e.g., rules and discipline code); and provide accurate information (e.g., organization and logistics) (Mac Iver, 1990).
Reframing the Transition Construct
While there is increased attention on transition programming, it tends to occur in isolated informational settings around curriculum selection or physical tours. Furthermore, there is little evaluation data showing that transition programming reduces students' perceptions of dsconnect in social, academic, and organizational expectations. In 2002, National Middle School Association, along with the National Association of Elementary School Principals, put out a comprehensive joint position statement on supporting the elementary to middle school transition (NMSA, 2002). Many of the recommendations from the joint position are transferable to the middle school to high school transition. For example, the position paper points to the importance of involving families, recognizing the anxieties that accompany transition, and seeing transition as an ongoing process. In addition to building on those sound recommendations, practitioners and researchers need to further reframe the construct of transition to align with the This We Believe characteristic "a shared vision that guides decisions." First, it is important to stress the concept of the period of transition as starting in the middle of eighth grade and spanning the entire ninth grade year. Second, high schools and their feeder middle schools need to identify and share their unique academic, social, and organizational attributes (e.g., course grading, rigor of courses, disciplinary procedures, length of periods, extra-curricular activities available, role of guidance counselors). Next, each organization needs to reflect on the consistency of messages presented to students and families explaining the similarities and differences in academic, social, and organizational expectations (Akos & Galassi, 2004). Finally, we need rigorous primary data research focused on the transition from middle school to high school. Findings from these important studies are needed to inform local and national decision makers about issues ranging from curriculum conversations to dropout prevention, school configuration, and cross-building planning.

I will need a title page, APA format, 12 font times new roman, a reference page (please do a reference page instead of a bibliography).
The intervention project (paper) needs to be 15 pages. The primary purpose of this project is to research and create an intervention proposal using at least one theory of counseling.


A. Statement of the Problem: What is the problem, issue, or subject that
your addressing? I want to address drop out rates among minority students. I
want the dropout prevention intervention to focus on middle school students.

B. Statement of Significance: Why is this issue important to address? What
would be the the importance of your proposed intervention?

C. A Literature Review: This is a brief summary ( 3-7 pages) of the existing
research on the subject you wish to address. In other words, summarize how
previous research has attempted to address this problem. Be sure to use APA
style in citing any/all research in the custom paper.

D. Intervention: Develop an intervention that will address the problem that
you have identified (ex. a dropout prevention conference for 6, 7th and 8th
graders OR a one day a week four week series of workshops at the school to
promote high school and college education OR some sort of afterschool
club/activity OR a combo of all of the above or whatever you think will be best)

You will want to include demographic information regarding the population
you're interested in working with. You will need to describe the intervention in
some detail and include information on how you would measure the
effectiveness of your interventiohn (ex. pre-post testing OR something else you think will
work for this custom paper topic) Money is no object when developing an
intervention

You will need 6 references on the topic. At least 3 should be from a
research-based journal (ex. Journal of Counseling and Development). The custom paper
must use at least one Theory of Couseling either in the Literature Review or
to support the intervention.

E. Discussion Section: This is the conclusion of the paper where you need to
discuss the type of results that you might expect, potential problems with
the intervention, and how your intervention would generalize in helping society
at large.


You can e-mail me at this address or call me at 520-237-4322.

Thank you,

Shelly

GROUP COUNSELING AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR THE PREVENTION OF ACAMEDIC
FAILURE AMONG MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS







By
Wanda I. Matos Arroyo







A Reading Seminar Term Paper Submitted to the
SUAGM (Florida Campus)
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of Master of Guidance and Counseling









Universidad del Turabo
2011


Approval Page
This Reading seminar term paper was submitted by Wanda I. Matos Arroyo under the direction of the persons listed below. It was submitted to the Florida Campus and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Guidance and Counseling at Universidad del Turabo.



____________________________________ _____________________
Nelson Torres, Ed.D Date
Committee Chair




_________________________________________ __________________________
Elvira Costa, MBA. Date
Director













Table of Contents

Acknowledgement

Abstract

Chapter One: Introduction

Introduction

Statement of the Problem

Justification

Definition of Term

Chapter Two: Review of Literature

Introduction

Historical Background

Review of literature
Conclusion

Chapter Three: Methodology

Introduction

Importance of the study

Procedure

Chapter Four: Discussion and Conclusions

Introduction

Discussion and Conclusions

References

Appendixes







Acknowledgements
(From 50 to 100 words in this section)

























Abstract
(This section should be Block Format, single spaced and around 250 to 400 words.)





Chapter One: Introduction
(250 to 1,000 words, double spaced, Arabic numbers, top right from here on)
Introduction
The interest of this research will focus its interest in .
Statement of the Problem



Justification




Hipothesis
..
..;





Definition of Terms
The following concepts are the most important and relevant terms that helped the researcher in defining the ideas entwined in this investigation.
*(Example of what should be included in this section. Please include definitions of important terms related to the thesis you are going to prepare. Include references of definitions of terms in the references section.)
Group counseling = .
Prevention =..
Academic Failure =..



Chapter Two: Review of Literature
(From 2,000 to 8,000 words, double spaced)
Introduction
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Historical Background

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Implication of Review
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Conclusion

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------













Chapter Three: Methodology
(From 500 to 1500, double spaced)
Introduction
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Importance of the Study




Procedure



Instruments
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Data Collection
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Four: Discussion and Conclusions (250-500)

Discussion



Conclusions






References





Appendix


The thesis must be prepared by you, not copied because the University checks for plagiarism and copyright violations. I live in the Orlando, FL area. Therefore the study should make reference to group counseling in schools in this area. If you believe that the topic is too specific you can suggest other topics. Can you specify if the thesis is a quantitative or qualitatve one? Please include questionnaires and surveys if required. Please use simple conversational English.

NO OUTSIDE RESOURCES. Use at LEAST 10 of the resources I provided.

PLEASE DO NOT MAKE THE ENTIRE PAPER QUOTES. USE QUOTES FROM RESEARCH ARTICLES BUT SPARINGLY

INCLUDE TITLE PAGE AND REFERENCE PAGE
Title: "How do you motivate middle school students to read?"

INTRODUCTION, Clarity of Purpose: Question is clearly stated so the reader has no confusion about what the project will address
CONCLUSION: Conclusion pulls together the paper/project in response to the initial question
ADDRESSING MOTIVATION TO LEARN IN AN ARE IDENTIFIED IN INTRODUCTION: Student clearly addresses motivation to learn as it relates to the chosen area of interest. Multiple references are used appropriately.
ELABORATION OF IDEAS: Ideas are developed in the students own words. There are useful examples and/or insightful connections.
CLARITY OF LANGUAGE: Paper is well written. The conventions of standard written English are effectively used.
ORGANIZATION OF PAPER: Paper is well organized with an introduction that forecasts the content of the essay, good transitions, and conclusion. Every paragraph is fully developed.
DOCUMENTATION OF SOURCES: References are accurately addressed, summarized, and cited. APA is used appropriately.

Look at motivation to read.The paper will be a research and critical analysis (I'm leaning more towards a research paper with a touch of critical analysis). Analyzing topic in relation to several aspects of psychology and education. I was thinking about having paper talk about students lack of interest in reading, how to tell when they can't read or are struggling to read or just plain not interesting in reading, then discuss strategies and theories to get them motivated (which includes as many of the folllowing that you can touch basis on and still make the paper flow in uniform) assessment, interest reading, self regulate, self efficacy,attribution, goal orientation/theory, engaging, disengagement, engagement model,CORI, incentives, intrinsic motivation.


GOALS:
Critically address a topic of your choice.
Begin to become proficient at database searches.
Develop arguments using higher-level, critical thinking.
Demonstrate the ability to write using higher order thinking.
Demonstrate the ability to use APA formatting.

WHAT IS THE TASK?
Explore the various positions taken on the question by experts in the area through research and other scholarly articles. do this by writing a traditional paper as a basis on which to build your argument.

HOW DO I GET THERE?
critically analyze and research the issue rather than simply jumping to an opinion without looking at various points of view. Therefore, address the various points of view on the subject as well as possible results for specific subgroups or in different situations.

Please contact as much as possible. This is a model /example paper that I wil be using. There will be no time for a rewrite. Contact for any clarification.If articles are too scatter edas far as topics please let me know. I tried to make them all relate to motivation or reading but I needed to touch basis / cover some of the different topics and strategies.
There are faxes for this order.

research-supported essay
expository essay

the resource material is provided below are abstracts

Learning Physics with Digital Game Simulations in Middle School Science.
Authors:
Anderson, Janice L.
Barnett, Mike
Source:
Journal of Science Education & Technology. Dec2013, Vol. 22 Issue 6, p914-926. 13p.
Document Type:
Article
Subject Terms:
*ELECTROSTATICS
*PHYSICS -- Study & teaching
*COMPUTER games
*MIDDLE school education
*TECHNOLOGICAL innovations
*COMPUTERS in education
*CONTROL groups (Research)
Author-Supplied Keywords:
Electromagnetism
Electrostatics
Middle school science
Supercharged!
Video games
Abstract:
The purpose of this work is to share our findings in using video gaming technology to facilitate the understanding of basic electromagnetism with middle school students. To this end, we explored the impact of using a game called Supercharged! on middle school students? understanding of electromagnetic concepts compared to students who conducted a more traditional inquiry-oriented investigation of the same concepts. This study was a part of a larger design experiment examining the pedagogical potential of Supercharged! The control group learned through a series of guided inquiry methods while the experimental group played Supercharged! during the laboratory sections of the science course. There was significant difference, F(2,91) = 3.6, p < 0.05, ?2 = 0.77, between the control and experimental groups on the gains from pre- to post-assessment. Additionally, students in the experimental group were able to give more nuanced responses about the descriptions of electric fields and the influence of distance on the forces that charges experience due to their interactions with the Supercharged! game. Results of this study show that video games can lead to positive learning outcomes, as demonstrated by the increase in test scores from pre- to post-assessment and the student interviews. This study also suggests that a complementary approach, in which video games and hands-on activities are integrated, with each activity informing the other, could be a very powerful technique for supporting student scientific understanding. Further, our findings suggest that game designers should embed meta-cognitive activities such as reflective opportunities into educational video games in order to provide scaffolds for students and to reinforce that they are engaged in an educational learning experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Science Education & Technology is the property of Springer Science & Business Media B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)





Acceptance of game-based learning by secondary school teachers.
Authors:
Bourgonjon, Jeroen
De Grove, Frederik
De Smet, Cindy
Van Looy, Jan
Soetaert, Ronald
Valcke, Martin
Source:
Computers & Education. Sep2013, Vol. 67, p21-35. 15p.
Document Type:
Article
Subject Terms:
*LEARNING
*EDUCATIONAL games
*HIGH school teachers
*CLASSROOMS
*DECISION making
*VIDEO games
*PREDICTION models
*TECHNOLOGY Acceptance Model
NAICS/Industry Codes:
541515 Video game design and development services
414210 Home entertainment equipment merchant wholesalers
339930 Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing
511212 Video game publishers
Abstract:
Abstract: The adoption and the effectiveness of game-based learning depend largely on the acceptance by classroom teachers, as they can be considered the true change agents of the schools. Therefore, we need to understand teachers' perceptions and beliefs that underlie their decision-making processes. The present study focuses on the factors that influence the acceptance of commercial video games as learning tools in the classroom. A model for describing the acceptance and predicting the uptake of commercial games by secondary school teachers is suggested. Based on data gathered from 505 teachers, the model is tested and evaluated. The results are then linked to previous research in the domains of technology acceptance and game-based learning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Computers & Education is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)




Learning Physics with Digital Game Simulations in Middle School Science.
Authors:
Anderson, Janice L.
Barnett, Mike
Source:
Journal of Science Education & Technology. Dec2013, Vol. 22 Issue 6, p914-926. 13p.
Document Type:
Article
Subject Terms:
*ELECTROSTATICS
*PHYSICS -- Study & teaching
*COMPUTER games
*MIDDLE school education
*TECHNOLOGICAL innovations
*COMPUTERS in education
*CONTROL groups (Research)
Author-Supplied Keywords:
Electromagnetism
Electrostatics
Middle school science
Supercharged!
Video games
Abstract:
The purpose of this work is to share our findings in using video gaming technology to facilitate the understanding of basic electromagnetism with middle school students. To this end, we explored the impact of using a game called Supercharged! on middle school students? understanding of electromagnetic concepts compared to students who conducted a more traditional inquiry-oriented investigation of the same concepts. This study was a part of a larger design experiment examining the pedagogical potential of Supercharged! The control group learned through a series of guided inquiry methods while the experimental group played Supercharged! during the laboratory sections of the science course. There was significant difference, F(2,91) = 3.6, p < 0.05, ?2 = 0.77, between the control and experimental groups on the gains from pre- to post-assessment. Additionally, students in the experimental group were able to give more nuanced responses about the descriptions of electric fields and the influence of distance on the forces that charges experience due to their interactions with the Supercharged! game. Results of this study show that video games can lead to positive learning outcomes, as demonstrated by the increase in test scores from pre- to post-assessment and the student interviews. This study also suggests that a complementary approach, in which video games and hands-on activities are integrated, with each activity informing the other, could be a very powerful technique for supporting student scientific understanding. Further, our findings suggest that game designers should embed meta-cognitive activities such as reflective opportunities into educational video games in order to provide scaffolds for students and to reinforce that they are engaged in an educational learning experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Science Education & Technology is the property of Springer Science & Business Media B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)



Students' and Teachers' Perceptions of Using Video Games to Enhance Science Instruction.
Authors:
Marino, Matthew
Israel, Maya
Beecher, Constance
Basham, James
Source:
Journal of Science Education & Technology. Oct2013, Vol. 22 Issue 5, p667-680. 14p.
Document Type:
Article
Subject Terms:
*VIDEO games
*SCIENCE -- Study & teaching
*EDUCATIONAL change
*READING -- Ability testing
*CHI-squared test
*VOCATIONAL guidance
Author-Supplied Keywords:
Adolescents
Disability
Reading ability
Science
Video games
NAICS/Industry Codes:
414210 Home entertainment equipment merchant wholesalers
541515 Video game design and development services
511212 Video game publishers
339930 Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing
624310 Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Abstract:
Science education video game research points toward promising, but inconclusive results in both student learning outcomes and attitudes. However, student-level variables other than gender have been largely absent from this research. This study examined how students' reading ability level and disability status are related to their video game-playing behaviors outside of school and their perceptions about the use of science video games during school. Thirty-four teachers and 876 sixth- through ninth-grade students from 14 states participated in the study. All student groups reported that they would prefer to learn science from a video game rather than from traditional text, laboratory-based, or Internet environments. Chi-square analyses indicated a significant association between reading ability level, disability status, and key areas of interest including students' use of video games outside of school, their perceptions of their scientific abilities, and whether they would pursue a career in the sciences. Implications of these findings and areas for future research are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Science Education & Technology is the property of Springer Science & Business Media B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)



The Use of Video-Gaming Devices as a Motivation for Learning Embedded Systems Programming.
Authors:
Gonzalez, Jesus
Pomares, Hector
Damas, Miguel
Garcia-Sanchez, Pablo
Rodriguez-Alvarez, Manuel
Palomares, Jose M.
Source:
IEEE Transactions on Education. May2013, Vol. 56 Issue 2, p199-207. 9p.
Document Type:
Article
Subject Terms:
*VIDEO games
*VIDEO games in education
*EMBEDDED computer systems
*SCHOOLS
*CELL phones
*COMPUTER programming
Author-Supplied Keywords:
Educational institutions
Embedded software
Embedded systems
Embedded systems teaching
firmware development
Games
mobile and personal devices
Open source software
open-source development tools
Program processors
Programming
student motivation

Abstract:
As embedded systems are becoming prevalent in everyday life, many universities are incorporating embedded systems-related courses in their undergraduate curricula. However, it is not easy to motivate students in such courses since they conceive of embedded systems as bizarre computing elements, different from the personal computers with which they are familiar. This problem has been overcome at the University of Granada, Spain, by taking advantage of the connection many students have with video games. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of IEEE Transactions on Education is the property of IEEE and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)



A Study on Exploiting Commercial Digital Games into School Context.
Authors:
Panoutsopoulos, Hercules
Sampson, Demetrios G.
Source:
Journal of Educational Technology & Society. Jan2012, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p15-27. 13p.
Document Type:
Article
Subject Terms:
*EDUCATIONAL games
*EDUCATIONAL technology
*CONCEPT learning
*SIMULATION games in education
*MATHEMATICS -- Study & teaching (Middle school)
*VIDEO games
*STUDENTS -- Attitudes
Author-Supplied Keywords:
Commercial off-the-shelf games
Game-supported educational activities
School math teaching and learning

Abstract:
Digital game-based learning is a research field within the context of technology-enhanced learning that has attracted significant research interest. Commercial off-the-shelf digital games have the potential to provide concrete learning experiences and allow for drawing links between abstract concepts and real-world situations. The aim of this paper is to provide evidence for the effect of a general-purpose commercial digital game (namely, the "Sims 2-Open for Business") on the achievement of standard curriculum Mathematics educational objectives as well as general educational objectives as defined by standard taxonomies. Furthermore, students' opinions about their participation in the proposed game-supported educational scenario and potential changes in their attitudes toward math teaching and learning in junior high school are investigated. The results of the conducted research showed that: (i) students engaged in the game-supported educational activities achieved the same results with those who did not, with regard to the subject matter educational objectives, (ii) digital game-supported educational activities resulted in better achievement of the general educational objectives, and (iii) no significant differences were observed with regard to students' attitudes towards math teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Educational Technology & Society is the property of International Forum of Educational Technology & Society (IFETS) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Please answer the 6 questions relating to quantitative analysis, some of which require example questions. Resources will be uploaded. Answers must demonstrate critical analysis and deep understanding of the topics covered.

For each of the following items, answer in at least the specified number of pages, if pages are required. You need not use citations, but please use 12-point font and one inch margins.


1. In the context of student engagement within mathematics, create a set of dependent measures. Follow the rules for writing test items, and please include the correct answers, as well.
a. 5 multiple-choice items
b. 5 True-false items
c. A matching section with 5 items.

2. After reading the article addressing middle school student note taking, discuss the value of each phase of the study. That is, describe the value of the experimental phase, and then do the same for the qualitative phase. Next, be critical of the study. What, in your opinion was lacking? What were possible weaknesses (e.g. you might address the use of the Latin square design)? Finally, comment on the value of using both quantitative and qualitative phases together in a single study. (2 pages)

3. Assume you are creating a Likert-type scale addressing teacher interest of teachers engaged in a professional development activity. Include 10 items and two versions of the anchors??"one set of four anchors and one set of six anchors.

4. Using the research website www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/index.php distinguish the differences among Likert-type, Gutman, and Thurstone scales. Next, describe your opinion of their usefulness in research by creating a rank order of them. Describe why you have ordered them that way. In other words, which do you believe is best, second best, and worst? (1 and half pages)

5. Consider the differences in the experimental research designs discussed in class (NOTE: refer to the powerpoint slides). Also consider your areas of interest. Generate two examples of each of the following designs, describing the Dependent and Independent variables for A, B, and C, and only the two levels of independent variables in D.

a. One-group
b. One-group pre-test post-test
c. Static-group comparison
d. Two-way factorial (2x3)

6. A colleague of yours is interested in conducting a correlational study. However, he does not seem to understand the difference between correlation and causality. Explain it to him using plain, conversational language and two practical examples: one for correlation and one for causality. Please make up these examples. There is no need to cite actual research. Rather, you should be creative. Do NOT use examples from the PowerPoint slides. (1 page).

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This is a reflective paper written as a reflective practitioner, a constructivist educator empowered to create changes in the classroom and lives of middle school students-7th gr. social studies.Discuss changes made and illustrate the growth the teacher and students made as a result of a 2 year study. Write it in 1st person and use liberal references to the following: In Praise of Education by John I Goodland,Motivating Students to Learn by Jere Brophy, The Caring Teacher's Guide to Discipline 2nd edition by Marilyn E Gootman, Learning Styles & Strategiesby Harvey F Silver / Robert Hanson, and the following Study guides used by Lee Canter/Olivet Nazarene University masters program: The High Performing Teacher,Effective Classroom Management,Motivation and Instruction,Current Issues/Technology,Learning Styles/Multiple Intelligencies, Instuctional Strategies, Curriculum Design and Assessment, Parental Involvement, Inclusion of Students wit Special Needs. Objectives: Examine, question, and reflect on the growth as a professional educator as a result of being in a masters program, provide a capstone, overview piece for the books/study guides,document growth as a professional educator and changes within a 7th grade social studies class-lives of the students, improved student learning, changes in the classroom.Original program goals-all students can learn, life long learners. AVOID:slang,colloquialism,contractions,and jargon DO NOT number the title page, no abstract DO USE APA style PUBLICATION MANUAL 5th edition

Mark Ryan?s lectures state that service learning is both a philosophy of education and an instructional method with direct ties to the school?s curriculum. Create a service learning program that connects students to their community by actively engaging them in the learning process as they meet human needs with conscious educational development. Write a 500-word essay based on your original service learning project.

Copy of Lecture:

Ask the Teacher
By: Mark Ryan


What is Service Learning?

Dear Dr. Ryan:

How can we get the students and the community, made up of people from different backgrounds, to feel more connected to their schools?

Answer:

One way is to set up a curriculum that permits students as directed by the school curriculum to perform a service to the community, which in turn can grow into a lifelong habit.

In order to do this students (and teachers) have to understand the nature of democracy (from the Greek: demos means people, kratos means govern) and the notion of civic responsibility.

From this foundation, grass roots social action in a school''s community can get an ever more culturally and linguistically diverse group of students and citizens to fulfill the collective goals of a democratic society.

The base philosophy can be found in the writings from Sophocles and Plato to Locke and Friere.

Service learning proposes to strike a healthy balance between our civic rights and obligations while bringing everyone under the big tent of civic responsibility. Unfortunately, many times community and schools can still be socially segregated even when people are living in the same neighborhoods or attending the same school. In other words, geographical proximity does not equal social integration.

However, when people are working together toward a common goal (e.g. literacy campaigns, voter registration, and awareness of community issues) the opportunity for people of diverse backgrounds to appreciate the efforts of all can become a reality.

Service learning proposes to reach out and build bridges to the community by integrating projects into the school''s academic curriculum designed to provide a service that is mutually rewarding.

Specifically, service learning can occur within a wide range of curricular activities:


Ecology class students cleaning litter from storm drains in order to restore streams, rivers, and/or oceans.
High school English class students tutoring elementary and middle school students in reading and writing.
Auto shop students providing free oil changes to low income families in the neighborhood.
Biology students growing food in school gardens to provide fresh produce to needy members of the community.
Music class students touring local hospitals and senior centers to bring song and dance to those socially shutout from their surrounding community.

These and a host of other activities benefit the school, the community, and the young people involved.

There are another values to service learning programs. Because the community sees that the school is responsive to their needs, vital community support for education can result.

Significantly, there is research evidence that a service learning curriculum leads to a decrease in truancy and vandalism and an increase in student achievement.

As the community, and the students in particular, become more aware of the balance between rights and responsibilities, they become more attentive to the reasons for a quality educational experience.

It is an experience that embraces civic commitment to our local community, while strengthening the democratic traditions of our nation.




Linking Students in the Classroom with Their Communities Through Service Learning

Dear Dr. Ryan:

How is service learning different from community service or internships? Aren''t there already a number of volunteer programs in schools that do the same thing?

Answer:

Service learning is different from a school''s volunteer programs. In essence service learning is both a philosophy of education and an instructional method with direct ties to a school?s curriculum.

Philosophically, service learning promotes the idea that education should put a high value on social responsibility in preparing students to live in a democratic society.

As a methodological approach, service learning is a blend of service activities with the academic curriculum in order to get students actively involved in meeting genuine and indigenous community needs.

There is another difference among service learning, community service and internships.

In volunteer community service (e.g. working in a soup kitchen) the primary beneficiary is the individual being served.

In an internship (e.g. student teaching) the service provider is the one who primary benefits.

In service learning we get the best of both worlds. Service learning provides that both the service providers and the service recipients derive a benefit. Seen from the vantage point of school curriculum, service learning contextualizes student academic achievement and social growth.

It provides an atmosphere where students can develop problem-solving, organizational and team skills to help them in future work and learning.

In other words, service learning is geared to connect students to their communities by actively engaging them in the learning process as they meet human needs with conscious educational development.

Correspondingly, service learning exposes students to work with diverse groups of people from different backgrounds, ages, and cultures while making them aware of community issues rooted in the school''s curriculum.

Another way to define service learning is through the worthwhile activities in which the students are actively engaged.

Let''s look at a concrete example of service learning.


In a high school class English speaking students are given English as Second Language texts to review.
Under faculty supervision, the high school students administer a pre-test to a group of middle school students to determine the younger students'' comprehension level.
Next, following a brief training period, the high school students offer one-on-one lessons in English that are geared to the middle school students individual language needs.
Then, the high school students administer a post-test to determine how effective their lessons were and what kind of language learning occurred.
A mirror image if this program can be accomplished by using high school students who speak a language other than English (e.g. Spanish) and having them extend their abilities and talents to English speaking middle school students.
The results of both programs'' a more biliterate school and society.

America''s school age population wants to do better in school, but they also want and need a better knowledge of the ever more culturally and linguistically diverse culture in which they live.

Service learning can actively help students learn, develop and apply academic skills to address the real life needs of their specific communities.

Thesis question for reseach :
What is the impact of transtioning Middle School students of special needs into High School inclusion classes.
I have already written the introduction to the thesis and will fax it to you. I don't have access to a fax machine at home but I will send it to you ASAP.
I will need the following for the thesis:
1} An Abstact statement
2} Table of contents
3} A Bibliography Page
4} All Citations must be listed
5}Chapter Two: The literature review Has to be 17-20 pages long; with 15-20 Scholarly sources.
6} The Methodology section has to be at least 5 Pages in length.
7} Section three: {Methods,Results,Discussion}
Thesis Type: Results and discussion of the reseach
This has to be at least 15-20 pages.
8} Closing: thesis type: Conclusions and implications

The thesis has to be written in APA Style. I will list how the formatting and typing of the thesis has to be completed.

!} Font: 12 Point Times Roman or Courier
2} Titles: Either italicize or underline the title of books and periodicals in the text and references, but do one of the other consistently.
3}Identation: Indent the first line of every paragraph, with a tab set at 5-7 spaces. { about 0.3 inch}
4} Margins: The left margin has to be one and one half inches for binding. All other margins should be one inch.
5}Headings: Main section headings should be in bold print and centered.
6} Line spacing: The entire paper must be double spaced, including the abstact and the references, except for tables in which double spacing would look awkward in appearance.
7} All pages leading up to the statement of the problem{the table of contents, copyright and abstract pages} should be numbered in lower case Roman Numerals in the center of the bottom margin.The first page of the statement of the the problem should not be numbered. The subsequent pages should be numbered in the top right corner beginning with 2. Numbers should be continued throughout the body of the thesis.

I hope this company does complete and excellent work. I will expect this paper to be exceptable to a graduate school Professor.




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Please uses these references:

Jitendra, A. K. (April 2011). Reading Comprehension Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities. Focus on Exceptional Children , Vol. 43 Issue 8, p1-16, 16p. http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&hid=110&sid=b22a2d19-6bf9-416a-9c5b-31d5c71469ef%40sessionmgr112

Kathleen, K. M. (2001). A primary subject goes secondary. Education Week, 20(31), 13-13,17. http://search.proquest.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/docview/202710720?accountid=6579

Dexter, D. D., & Hughes, C. A. (2011). Graphic organizers and students with learning disabilities: A meta-analysis. Learning Disability Quarterly, 34(1), 51-72. http://search.proquest.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/docview/889930469?accountid=6579; http://www.cldinternational.org/Publications/LDQ.asp

McCray, A. D. (2001). Middle school students with reading disabilities. Reading Teacher, 55(3), 298-300. http://search.proquest.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/docview/62269800?accountid=6579

Misulis, K. E. (2009). Lifelong study strategies for middle grades learners. Middle Ground, 13(1), 16-17. http://search.proquest.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/docview/216684780?accountid=6579

Hilbert, T. S., & Renkl, A. (2008). Concept mapping as a follow-up strategy to learning from texts: What characterizes good and poor mappers? Instructional Science, 36(1), 53-73. doi:10.1007/s11251-007-9022-9 http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&hid=110&sid=3342a812-2d8a-4985-a1c6-25455230f27c%40sessionmgr110

Hutchins, Elizabeth J., and Heidi Anne E. Mesmer. "Using QARs with charts and graphs. (Teaching Ideas)." The Reading Teacher 56.1 (2002): 21+. Academic OneFile. Web. 20 May 2012. http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE|A91707952&v=2.1&u=novaseu_main&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w

Raphael, T. E., & Pearson, P. D. (1985). Increasing students awareness of sources of information for answering questions. American Educational Research Journal, 22(2), 217-235. doi:10.3102/00028312022002217
http://www.jstor.org.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/openurl?issn=0002-8312&date=1985&volume=22&issue=2&spage=217

Michigan DOE
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Final_Parent_Involvement_Fact_Sheet_14732_7.pdf
6 Parent Teacher Association

Santa, Carol M., Havens, Lynn T. and Maycumber, Evelyn M. (1996) Project CRISS: Creating Independence through Student-Owned Strategies. 2nd ed. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.

Reading Disabilities: The EarlyWarningSigns
Philip Levin, Ph.D, Director, The Help Group/UCLA Neuropsychology Program
http://www.thehelpgroup.org/pdf/adhd-dys/Levin_ReadingDisabilities.pdf


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Request writer 'rbwpenn'

Description of assignment

Choose a topic of interest to you.
Part 1. Worksheet: to be completed by filling in topic, Key words, and databases searched.
Part 2. The five segments of the final assignment are:
01 Title page
Each line is centered
The title is all in capital letters
Course name and number
Instructors name
Student name, and date
02 Topic Statements
A complete and full description of your research topic
1 page or less
03 Search Strategies
A complete and full description of the search strategy explaining in detail how you went about researching the topic, including your research strategy and databases searched. Include reflections/insights garnered from the readings (Mann, Brem, Tutorials, etc).
1-2 pages
04 Annotated Bibliography
13 items in APA format. In the annotations describe the content of the publication, explain why you think that the item is of value to your research, and why included it in the bibliography.
The annotated bibliography consists of the following items:
1. Overview article from an encyclopedia
2. 2 Books
3. 3 Articles from scholarly journals
4. Article from a newspaper or the popular press
5. Review article
6. Dissertation
7. Psycholosocial instrument or case study
8. Web site
9. Web page
10. New type of media (Blog, Podcast, etc)


Arrange the list alphabetically by author, if there is no author by title.
Single space your reference (as per Saybrook Style)
Double space your annotations (your text, firs line indent for paragraph format)
05 Evaluation of learning experience
A description of what in the course was benefit and what was not.
1 Page or less

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saybrook University library database
1. dessertation

Retreave ProQuest Database


ProQuest (database) / dissertation
1. Title: Acculturative stress and post-traumatic stress disorder among Latino and Asian immigrants

Reference
http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.humanisticpsychology.org:2048/pqdweb?index=0&sid=5&srchmode=2&vinst=PROD&fmt=6&startpage=-1&clientid=20668&vname=PQD&RQT=309&did=2383635061&scaling=FULL&pmid=66569&ts=1328586262&vtype=PQD&rqt=309&TS=1328586330&clientId=20668

Villeda, Y.. Acculturative stress and post-traumatic stress disorder among Latino and Asian immigrants. M.S. dissertation, The University of Texas at Arlington, United States -- Texas. Retrieved February 6, 2012, from Dissertations & Theses: Full Text.(Publication No. AAT 1494073).

Abstract (Summary)

Acculturative stress and post-traumatic stress disorder among Latino and Asian immigrants
by Villeda, Yajaira, M.S., The University of Texas at Arlington, 2011 , 51 pages; AAT 1494073

Mental health needs for immigrants are complicated by previous trauma and living in a new country. This study examined acculturative stress (AS) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among immigrants by conducting a secondary data analysis of the 2002 to 2003 National Latino American and Asian American Study (N=3,259). The primary acculturative stressors identified were limited contact with family and friends, difficulties interacting with others due to language limitations and not receiving the same respect as in the country of origin. Latinos experienced more acculturative stress than Asians. Measures of sex, age, race, education, age of immigration, length of stay in the U.S. were used as independent variables to assess differences between Latinos and Asians in both PTSD and AS. Latinos experienced more AS factors than Asians and Asians experienced more PTSD than Latinos. Implications and recommendations for social work practice and policy are discussed along with recommendations for future research.

2. Title: Implementation of the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) with Spanish-speaking, immigrant middle-school students: Is effective, culturally competent treatment possible within a public school setting?


Reference
Feldman, E.. Implementation of the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) with Spanish-speaking, immigrant middle-school students: Is effective, culturally competent treatment possible within a public school setting? Ph.D. dissertation, The University of Wisconsin - Madison, United States -- Wisconsin. Retrieved February 6, 2012, from Dissertations & Theses: Full Text.(Publication No. AAT 3261445).

Implementation of the Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) with Spanish-speaking, immigrant middle-school students: Is effective, culturally competent treatment possible within a public school setting?
by Feldman, Elizabeth S., Ph.D., The University of Wisconsin - Madison, 2007 , 147 pages; AAT 3261445

Abstract (Summary)
The central purpose of this study was to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility and effectiveness of The Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS; Jaycox, 2002) as implemented in Spanish with Latino immigrant students in an Englishdominant, suburban public school in the Midwest United States. The study also attempted to identify rates of exposure to traumatic events and rates of symptomology related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in a population of Spanish-speaking students enrolled in an English Language Learner program in the school. As secondary points of interest, the study aimed to pinpoint some of the challenges inherent in the implementation of a school-based intervention with this group and to identify specific measures that could be taken to address these challenges and maintain program efficacy. Questions regarding observed challenges to program implementation and related modifications were considered discussion topics rather than specific research questions, primarily due to the constraints on researchers' ability to examine these points empirically. Throughout the study, researchers documented ways in which the students' (and their parents') linguistic and cultural backgrounds may have limited the ability of CBITS to be appropriate, meaningful, and effective; and also attempted to delineate ways in which modifications were made to the program structure and delivery so as to maximize treatment acceptability and effectiveness with this population in particular.
Twenty-nine sixth- and seventh-grade Spanish-speaking, immigrant students were screened to determine their history of exposure to traumatic events and the presence of symptoms related to PTSD. Of those 29 screened, eight students qualified for program participation. Results suggested that rates of exposure to trauma and resulting PTSD symptoms were quite common. Nearly 80 percent of students screened had experienced at least one traumatic event and approximately half reported having multiple symptoms of PTSD. Data collected indicated that the CBITS program could be implemented in a suburban, English-dominant, public middle school with Spanish-speaking immigrant students and that the program could be modified so as to be highly acceptable to students and their parents. Results also suggested that the program may have contributed to a significant reduction in participants' anxiety-related symptoms both immediately following the group implementation and at a four-month follow up. Implications of these findings for future research and for practice are discussed including recommendations for surmounting likely challenges to program delivery with similar student populations.

Saybrook University Library

2.Books


Retreave: Retrieved from PsycBOOKS database and EBSCO host

(American Psychological Assoc.)


http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.humanisticpsychology.org:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&hid=110&sid=01785471-281c-452a-9fe0-00c0677ab9e0%40sessionmgr113


References
Incln, J. (2003). Class, culture, and gender in immigrant families. In L. B. Silverstein, T. Goodrich, L. B. Silverstein, T. Goodrich (Eds.) , Feminist family therapy: Empowerment in social context (pp. 333-34). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/10615-025


2. Retreave: Retrieved from PsycBOOKS database and EBSCO host
http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.humanisticpsychology.org:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&hid=110&sid=01785471-281c-452a-9fe0-00c0677ab9e0%40sessionmgr113

Reference
References
Boutakidis, I., Guerra, N. G., & Soriano, F. (2006). Youth Violence, Immigration, and Acculturation. In N. G. Guerra, E. Smith, N. G. Guerra, E. Smith (Eds.) , Preventing youth violence in a multicultural society (pp. 75-99). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/11380-003



Saybrook University Library

3. Journal
1. Retrieve Eric journals
References.
Hall, M., Greenman, E., & Farkas, G. (2010). Legal Status and Wage Disparities for Mexican Immigrants. Social Forces, 89(2), 491-513.

http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.humanisticpsychology.org:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&hid=110&sid=cd44e030-2085-42d7-bf51-5377af8ed2be%40sessionmgr114

2. Retrieve Eric Journals
Reference

References
Kandel, W., Henderson, J., Koball, H., & Capps, R. (2011). Moving up in Rural America: Economic Attainment of Nonmetro Latino Immigrants. Rural Sociology, 76(1), 101-128.
http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.humanisticpsychology.org:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&hid=110&sid=cd44e030-2085-42d7-bf51-5377af8ed2be%40sessionmgr114




There are faxes for this order.

Customer is requesting that (rbwpenn) completes this order.

Directions will be uploaded in a PDF. I will upload a course catalog as well.

Required task: Define and describe the role of the campus administrator in coordinating,
attending and supervising two (2) after-school events. Participate as administrator in charge of
at least one of the events.

I am in charge of this event.
The first after school event is PM Bussing. We have around 300 bus students in my school that take the bus home and i was put in charge of coordinating students and which bus they will be going on based on their addresses and i supervise the end of the day bussing time in the auditorium when all of the students come together and sit with their bus.. i have the help of a few school aides and paraprofessionals. They range from kindergarten through 6th grade. Some students can get rowdy and it is a diverse population with mostly Chinese speaking children so the younger children can be more difficult to communicate but we get it to run smoothly each day. We have a chinese speaking paraprofessional which helps with translating. Any issues that come up during that time such as student illness, fighting, parents coming to pick children up, i have to deal with. Student missing their stops and being returned to school is also something that happens from time to time. Also teachers not sending their students down to bussing on time and them missing the bus as a result.

This is the The second activity is called Test Sophistication. The Assistant Principal in charge of this after school activity chooses the teachers who will be working it as well as the material that will be taught and supplies test prep materials as well. Test Sophistication is for high performing middle school students on the state ELA and Math exams. This program is given to them as a preparation for the upcoming state tests the next spring. The assistant principal will pop in from time to time to observe during the program as well. Any issues that come up during this after school time the assistant principal is responsible for, as all other staff has left the building. I am a teacher in this program for 7th graders and i interviewed my AP as well to find out her responsibilities.

The paper being written will be an Action Research paper. Which means the paper is based on things I am testing and collectiong data about technology being used in my classroom. Some forms of technology that may possibly be included are the use of a SMARTBoard, computers (brainpop.com, sratfall.com, unitedstreaming.com), Powerpoint based lessons, and devices such as a listening center, DVD player, etc..

Listed below are the requirements for the paper as supplied by my university. All examples given in the text below are from the university and are not pertinent to my paper

CHAPTER 1
Introduction:
The first chapter provides the overview of the project. You may use personal pronouns in your writing, since you are describing your own classroom and teaching practice. . The important of the problem or issue would be noted and a rationale for why you have chosen to undertake the study. Remember, this is an introduction it sets the stage for the next sections, so you would also briefly outline the following sections of this chapter.

Background and statement of the problem:
This purpose of this section is to provide a discussion of how the problem has been dealt with in the past. This section presents the big picture and provides the context of previous studies and relates to the present research.You may want to include in this section:
The issues and problem(s) from a school and/or district perspective (i.e., statistics, literature and research).
Describe the issues and problem(s) from your classroom (or program) perspective (i.e., statistics, literature and research)
If appropriate, provide literature describing the lack of relevant research
Provides historical perspective leading to the present concerning the problem

Purpose and research questions:
Based on the rational and perspectives you described above, outline the purpose of your study, using the research you cited above to support your statement. You will state specifically the purpose of your study, or what you will discover, describe, examine, investigate, etc. State your research question in terms of a what, how or why format.

Context of the action research study/project:
Typically an action research project has significance for your own teaching practice or immediate educational environment. Describe the context in which you will implement the study. Include information about the following:
Community
District and school
Classroom
gender
grade
specific needs of students (disabilities, second language learners, gifted, etc.)
content area, subjects or behavioral focus
levels
other significant information
Audience (if a guidebook, curriculum, staff development, policy paper)

Definition of terms:
Define major variables, concepts or terms that are specific to this study or are new or novel to the reader. Define important terms that may have multiple definitions and need to be clarified. If needed, please provide citations. Introduce the words that will be defined, i.e. For purposes of this study, the following words are defined:

IEPs. (Use level 4 heading for each term defined).
Write the definition in complete sentences.

Summary
Provide a brief summary of this chapter and be sure in the summary to link to the literature review in Chapter 2.

CHAPTER 2
Review of the Literature:
Review relevant literature as appropriate for the project. This should provide an interpretative summary of the topic. The purpose of the literature review is to provide a summary of current research developments on your topic. Research that is evidenced based and peer reviewed should be examined for this review. A good review critiques the research studies and show how the findings relate to the problem under study. This chapter provides the link between existing knowledge and the problem being studied. Use your purpose to focus your reading and literature search.

The introduction is untitled. Provide a reorientation to the purpose of the study and refer to the topics to be covered in the chapter. The order of topics is from the global view to the specific. Generally one paragraph is sufficient. In the introduction, briefly re-state the rationale for your study.

Based on the literature you have gathered, identify the three or so big ideas or concepts/ideas related to your topic that you will review. Describe the relationships between these ideas. Each of the big ideas you have identified in the literature will become a heading or section of the review. These section are centered with capital letters. For example:
Behavior Modification

Describe each main idea and explain the importance of this idea or concept. Introduce the sub ideas that relate to the main idea. For example, your first big idea may be behavior modification as an overall approach to working with students with disabilities. Sub topics might include instructional approaches, behavior change strategies, and cognitive behavior therapy. Or you may want to start with a historical overview of services for students with specific learning disabilities or autism. Your sub ideas would be related kinds of interventions used with these students during different time periods.

You would summarize the research related to the main idea then describe important studies related to that idea.

Sub Idea for First Big Idea:
Following the description and discussion of the research for the first big idea,
transition to the sub ideas and follow the same pattern. First describe the sub idea, how it relates to the big idea and its relationship to the other sub ideas. Discuss the research and related literature. End with a summary of this section, and provide a transition to the next sub idea.

Continue the process describe above until you have discussed the big ideas and related sub ideas that you discovered in your literature search. Be sure to provide brief summaries of what was discussed in each section.


Conceptual Holes, Problems and Needs:
In this section, describe any conceptual holes you may have found in the literature, if any. You may not have found specific research related to your topic. For example, you may have found research about teaching math to middle school students, but no specific studies related to your classroom population. In this section you may note problems with the research you found (a number of poorly completed studies), or you may note the need for studies in the area you of your own research.


Implications for Practice:
In this section of the review you will discuss the implications for educational practice raised by the literature you have reviewed. Given what the research says, what does this mean for your program, for other teachers, or the school, etc. Specifically, you need to focus this section on ---what aspects of the literature review have influenced you to pursue the project proposed in Chapter 3? Use the literature reviewed in Chapter 2 as a rationale for your project in Chapter 3.


Implications for Inquiry:
What implications for future research can you draw from the literature you have reviewed? In other words, based on the research reviewed, what additional kinds of studies should be completed? This is where your own research fits in to the discussion. Educators often choose to complete an action research study on a classroom practice they are using, because there is very little information available about that practice. You can also discuss the kinds of research that would add to the growing body of literature on a topic

Rationale for Action Research Question and Study Design:
This section is where you connect your research question(s) and study design (action research) to the literature reviewed. Briefly describe why your question fits into the literature, what your study may add to the knowledge base and how your design will help you answer your question.

CHAPTER 3
Research Design:
This section of the proposal begins with an introduction that is not subtitled. This gives the reader direction for the content covered in this chaptr. Generally one paragraph is sufficient. This chapter is written in future tense for the proposal and past tense for the final project and is a step-by-step guide for the research. The design for the research is directly connected to the purpose and research questions asked in Chapter 1.

You might start the chapter The purpose of Chapter 3 is to describe the action research design and procedures that will be used to answer the research question(s) presented in Chapter I: (repeat the question exactly as stated in Chapter 1).

Action Research Plan:
?Summarize the key findings from the Review of Literature (Chapter 2) that provide support and a rationale for your inquiry and action research question.
?Describe the action strategy or intervention to be implemented and studied. Connect this to the research as well
?Describe the rationale for the intervention/action strategy. Why did you select this particular intervention?
Remember to protect the privacy of your participants (students, parents or teachers), by either assigning them pseudonym, letter or number.

Data Gathering Methods and Procedures:
Describe the methods used to gather information about the effects of your intervention. You will need to use multiple methods in order to provide triangulation for your data. The multiple data sources will add validity to your findings. Talk about the different measures and sources of information. Chapter 3 and 4 of the Mills text contains many examples of ways to gather data. Some examples include: interview or survey;
teachers journal or anecdotal notes/field notes; systematic observations of student behavior; document analysis; assessments or performance measure.

Describe in detail how you will implement each of the data collection methods, including a timeline and process for ensuring consistency and reliability in your data collection procedures. Include an alignment chart to illustrate the design integrity of your study. The alignment chart or matrix can be included in the body of your paper or as an appendix. It is often helpful to create this chart and then use it to describe in detail your procedures. The IRB committee wants to see what kind of data you plan to collect and how you plan to gather those data.

Ethical Considerations:
Discuss ethical considerations and the review process that should be followed. Discuss risk/benefit ratio and identify steps to minimize any risks. Include a letter to your school administrator describing your study and requesting permission to complete the study. Place cover letter and/or consent forms in appendix.

Data Analysis:
Describe the plan for data analysis. How will demographic data be analyzed? How will you analyze the data you have gathered in terms of procedures (percentages, identifying themes and patterns, tabulating totals, etc). How will the data be used to answer the study question(s)? Outline how you plan to compile the information in order to discuss the results (which you will do in Chapter 4).
Summary

Provide a brief (one paragraph) summary of this chapter. Use the section headings to briefly review what you will be doing in your study.

CHAPTER 4
Data Analysis and Discussion:
An introductory paragraph starts this chapter. Briefly restate the purpose of your action research project. Briefly describe how you gathered your date. This chapter is written in past tense, since you have already collected your data.

Findings:
This is a presentation of the results of the data you have gathered. You may organize this by the kinds of data collected and how each is related to the research question. Data presentation should be factual and tables or charts are utilized to illustrate information when appropriate. Tables, charts and graphs should be placed as close to the narrative as possible rather than at the end. (Refer to APA Manual and Appendix C in the Mills text for examples of how to display your data).
Sub sections

Use sub headings in the Findings sections to organize your results. Organize findings in relation to each research question, or parts of the question. Discuss the analysis process you used for each of the data collection methods and describe the results for each method.

Discussion:
This section includes a discussion of the major findings. The discussion often relates what you have found to what others have found in similar research. Organize this discussion to follow the findings describe in the about section.

Limitations:
Limitations are the weaknesses that impact the results of the study. Describe the limitations that exist due to factors that you could not control that impacted the study. These are compromises to the goodness of the data collected. Some examples might be the small sample size, or other factors that affected your study and the results (poor attendance, interruptions in the action research plan, etc.).


CHAPTER 5
Summary and Conclusion:
Start with an introductory paragraph, again briefly stating the purpose of your study and how it was conducted. This chapter has three main sections, conclusions, implications for teaching and implications for future research and is written in past tense, since your research has been completed.

Conclusions:
What are the conclusions of your study? How were the research questions answered? What was learned about the intervention or about the participants? Discuss the general, overall conclusions and summarize the related evidence

Implications for Teaching Practice:
In this section discuss the implications of your study as they relate to your own teaching practice. Use the conclusions from above to personalize the results and talk about how the study has impacted you as a teacher. What will you change or do differently? What did you learn about self as a teacher, student learning, teaching practices and/or other related professional issues? Finally, describe how your findings may have implications for others in the field?

Implications for Further Research:
Identify the implications for further research. . Outline how you might want to either continue the study along with considerations for the next inquiry question, data gathering methods and data sources. Based upon what you found in your study (conclusions) what needs to be studied in the future? Research is a cycle, so what are the next logical questions to come out of this research for you, and for others to pursue?

**IF THE PAPER NEEDS TO BE LONGER THAN 45 PAGES, PLEASE CALL ME AND LET ME KNOW
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Use correlational research methodologies


Instructions and requirements of proposal:
The research proposal is a hypothetical experiment. (You will not necessarily complete your study during the course of this session).

Threats to internal validity are found in Chapter 9: Internal Validity. Note: There are no subject characteristic threats in this particular design that not accounted for by the design. The twelve threats to validity are listed along with the twelve designs on page 283 in Chapter Thirteen. These are fully explained in Chapter Nine. Internal validity refers to the possibility that some other hypothesis might account for the changes in the treatment or intervention group. Stated differently, internal validity means that observed differences on the dependent variable are directly related to the independent variable, and not due to some other unintended variable (p. 179).

The research proposal is a detailed plan written in the future tense and using third person pronouns (No I etc.) It is intended to provide information to anyone monitoring the research and to permit replication of the research. It is also a tool for brainstorming and clarifying the experiment to prevent problems.

The sections of the research proposal are explained in Chapter 24, pp. 595-601. A sample research proposal is also included in Chapter 24. Keep in mind that this is just a sample and the text is single spaced to conserve text space. See APA manual for spacing requirements.




SEE SAMPLE TABLE OF CONTENTS ON NEXT PAGE!





TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introductory section (No heading)
Title Page (With Running Head and page header)
Table of Contents
Main Body (Intro statement with no header)
I. Problem to be investigated (Level 1 heading)
A. Purpose of the study (including assumptions) Level 3 heading for A-E
B. Justification of the study
C. Research question and null hypothesis
D. Definition of Terms
E. Brief overview of the study

II. Background and review of related literature (Level 1 heading)
A. Theory, if appropriate (Level 3 heading A-C)
B. Studies directly related
C. Studies tangentially related

III. Procedures (Level 1 heading)
A. Description of the research design (Level 3 heading A-F)
B. Description of the sample
C. Description of the instruments used (scoring procedures; reliability; validity)
D. Explanation of the procedures followed (the what, when, where, and how of the study)
E. Discussion of internal validity
F. Discussion of external validity

References

Appendices (Level 1)
A. Consent form (Level 3)
B. Permission to conduct the study (Level 3)
C. Instrument (if available, or an explanation of what the researcher-constructed instrument will include and the scoring method) (Level 3)


Proposal Requirements


Related literature should be from peer-reviewed journals of recognizable merit and scholarship. There are a number of journals that furnish opinions; do not rely on these. Also, beware of using secondary sources. Do not use any material from digests as references; you may use these for general information only. If the material is cited in the paper, it must match the list of references and the articles you include.

Sample Research Proposal
READING STRATEGIES FOR LOW ACHIEVING STUDENTS










The Effects of Coaching Low Achieving Middle Grades Students in Reading Strategies
(Insert Your Name)
University of West Alabama




















Dr. Laura Grounsell, Professor
ED-504 ??" Techniques of Educational Research
University of West Alabama
Livingston, Alabama
(Date)
Abstract
This study investigates the problem of whether or not coaching low achieving middle grades students in reading strategies will result in an increase in reading comprehension. The strategies are: text comprehension using frame of reference/background knowledge, predicting, and use of anticipation guides. Answering this research question will directly impact student success in schools. The experimental research design uses quantitative methodology with a randomized pretest/posttest control group. The purposive sample will be taken from the population of sixth grade students enrolled in LMS with a GPA of 2.0 or below.
















TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Problem to be investigated 4
A. Purpose of the study 4
B. Justification of the study 4-5
C. Research question and null hypothesis 5
D. Definition of Terms 5-6
E. Brief overview of the study 6
II. Background and review of related literature 7-10
A. Theory 7
B. Studies directly related 7-10
III. Procedures 10
A. Description of the research design 10
B. Description of the sample 11
C. Description of the instruments used 11-12
D. Explanation of the procedures followed 12-13
E. Discussion of internal validity 13-14
F. Discussion of external validity 14
References 11-12
Appendices 32-33
A. Consent form (not applicable) 0
B. Permission to conduct the study 15
C. Instrument 16-31

An ever-increasing population of struggling middle grades readers is emerging. Without specific strategies in place to counteract this problem, student performance across content areas will continue to deteriorate. The experimental design of this study seeks to determine the effectiveness of three specific reading comprehension strategies, by supporting the hypothesis that coaching low achieving middle grades students in reading strategies will result in an increase in reading comprehension. By combining some of the most successful strategies employed in previous research efforts, this study seeks to develop a comprehensive method of instruction to be used by teachers in all content areas to address struggling readers comprehension levels to bridge the existing disparities among readers.
Problem to be investigated
This study investigates the problem of whether or not coaching low achieving middle grades students in reading strategies will result in an increase in reading comprehension.
Purpose of the Study
The studys purpose is to determine if students reading comprehension levels are increased as a result of receiving coaching in three specific reading strategies: text comprehension using frame of reference/background knowledge, predicting, and use of anticipation guides. It is assumed if the study is proven effective, teachers could implement the coaching strategies in content area classrooms without the need for separate reading classrooms at the secondary level; thereby closing the increasing gap among proficient readers and low achievers.
Justification of the study
Reading is a fundamental skill central to daily life and comprehension of materials read is essential for the overall functioning of society. Answering the studys research question will directly impact student success in schools. Students struggle with minimal reading skills, as evidenced by students CRCT scores, which affects their success across all content areas, often resulting in a grade point average of 2.0 or below. Assessing the effectiveness of specific coaching strategies will improve the educational practice of teachers and directly impact the academic success of students.
Research question and null hypothesis
The research question is: Does coaching low achieving middle grades students in reading strategies result in an increase in reading comprehension? The null hypothesis is: Coaching low achieving middle grades students in reading strategies will result in an increase in reading comprehension. The hypothesis suggests a relationship between the dependent variable comprehension level, and the independent variable coaching in reading strategies.
Definition of Terms
Constitutive Definitions, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary (1985):
Low ??" below an average or standard
Achievement ??" to accmplish something successfully
Middle ??" designating a division between an earlier and a later division
Grade ??" a class or the pupils in it
Student ??" one who attends a school
Reading ??" the act or practice of a reader
Strategy ??" a plan of action resulting from the practice of strategy
Comprehension ??" to grasp mentally; understand or know
Operational Definitions:
Low achievers (achieving) will be defined as students functioning in a reduced capacity and/or ability to demonstrate accomplishment of some outcome for which learning experiences were designed, (Arizona State University, 2006) with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or below, and will not include students receiving special services.
Middle grades students will be defined as students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades.
Reading strategies will be defined as techniques used to help students achieve their literacy (Tennessee State Board of Education, 2001).
Reading comprehension will be defined as understanding a text that is read, or the process of "constructing meaning" from a text (The Partnership for Reading, 2001).
Brief Overview of the Study:
The research will support the hypothesis ??" Coaching low achieving middle grades students in reading strategies will result in an increase in reading comprehension. The research will occur over a period of two consecutive nine-week terms of the academic school year at Loganville Middle School (LMS) in Walton County, Georgia. The purposive sample will be taken from the population of sixth grade students enrolled in LMS with a GPA of 2.0 or below. Using two groups of no less than 30 subjects in each, the resulting subjects will be placed in the groups by employing random assignment. The study will be conducted in sixth-grade Language Arts classrooms at LMS. The treatment group and control group will be administered a pretest during the same time at the onset of the first 9 weeks to measure students reading comprehension level. Thereafter, the treatment group will receive coaching in the following reading strategies: text comprehension using frame of reference/background knowledge, predicting, and use of anticipation guides. The control group will receive no coaching in the reading strategies. At the completion of the second 9 weeks, the treatment group and the control group will be administered a posttest during the same time to measure students reading comprehension level.

Background and Review of Related Literature
Theory
The demands from general education classrooms to read and learn from text are substantial. (Klingner, Vaughn, Arguelles, Hughes, and Leftwich, 2004, 292) Struggling middle grades readers are often viewed as low achievers and as deficient in cognitive competencies including reading comprehension. Guthrie and Davis (2003, 60) sought to explain struggling students lack of motivation in reading and found that these struggling students are externally motivated by teacher expectations and grades, and find little internal motivation to read for their own fulfillment. A formidable problem for todays educators then is ensuring students grasp the complex task of comprehending what one has read, and then being able to apply that knowledge in content areas.
Studies directly related
Learning to read is a primary focus in elementary school, whereas students entering the secondary level phase of their academic careers are often faced with the harsh reality of being on their own when it comes to being a struggling reader. Snows (2002, 6) research of reading for understanding revealed that Content area teachers presuppose adequate literacy skills among their students and they are typically not well prepared to teach students with below-average literacy skills. At the same time, specific reading comprehension tasks must be mastered in the context of specific subject matter. Much research exists on effective literacy strategies including comprehension, as evidenced by The National Reading Panel Report (NICHD, 2000), in which after an extensive review of literature, the panel determined an abundance of research exists supporting that middle grades students are capable of learning the use of strategies, which increases their comprehension. As Kozen, Murray, and Windell (2006, 196) aptly explained in their study using and adapting anticipation guides, struggling readers may need to be taught specific strategies to employ when they encounter reading comprehension difficulties, especially in middle grades where focus is on content and not on addressing reading deficiencies.
In the absence of explicit instruction, many middle school struggling readers cannot learn the comprehension strategies needed for their content learning (Guthrie and Davis, 2003, 66). Three effective strategies for addressing reading comprehension struggles across content areas for low achieving middle grades students are: text comprehension using frame of reference/background knowledge, predicting, and use of anticipation guides.
The first strategy considered is text comprehension using frame of reference/background knowledge. Taylor, Pearson, Peterson, and Rodriguez (2003, 6) established in their study of the influence of teacher practices in literacy learning, when students are engaged in higher-level thinking about text, they are making connections to their prior knowledge, considering thematic elements of the text, interpreting characters motives and actions, and so on (Taylor, Pearson, Peterson and Rodriguez, 2003, 6). Zygouris-Coe, Wiggins, and Smith (2005, 381 & 383) affirmed that the goal of maximizing students interaction with the text can be achieved by drawing on prior knowledge. Successful readers use existing knowledge to decipher information being presented. The greater the students involvement with the text, the more likely comprehension will take place.
A second strategy for improving reading comprehension is predicting. Predicting is essential, as Greenway (2002) noted in her intervention to improve reading comprehension study because,
The very process of stating the main idea of what you have read and asking questions of clarification, interpretation and prediction are seen both to improve comprehension and to permit students to monitor their own understanding. For example, summarising the main idea of a paragraph of text helps students to not
only connect what they already know to this piece of text, but also to predict what might happen in the next paragraph and how to generalise the ability to summarise the next paragraph to check their prediction. (p. 114)
Shippen, Houchins, Steventon, and Sartor (2005, 176) determined in their study of a comparison of two, direct instruction, reading programs that students inability to draw on predicting skills must be counteracted by employing precise instructional strategies. Effective readers make predictions about what they are reading, figure out the meanings of unknown words in context, reread sentences or passages for understanding, and self-monitor their comprehension (Pressley, Roehrig, Bogner, Raphael, & Dolezal, 2002) (Shippen, Houchins, Steventon, and Sartor, 2005, 176).
Finally, the third strategy is a pre-reading technique involving the use of anticipation guides that can be used across content settings. An anticipation guide can be effective in promoting decoding skills, enhancing word meaning, and strengthening comprehension. In addition, as students move through statements, they use prediction, controversy, and activation of prior knowledge about the topic as motivational devices to get them involved in the material they will later read.
Once students complete a reading assignment, they may choose to uphold or alter their initial thoughts about the passage. At this stage of the reading process students begin to develop or enrich their vocabulary, increase their comprehension of more difficult material, and practice using higher order thinking skills (Kozen, Murray, and Windell, 2006, 196). An anticipation guide is one way to accomplish the demandson students at the middle-school level, as it is imperative that students read to understand the material and read to learn and remember. (Lipson & Wixson, 1997) The anticipation guide is a culmination of all three strategies, as it encompasses the skills of: prediction, acknowledging students knowledge about a topic/personal experience, and serves as an excellent resource for students encountering difficulties with content comprehension. (Kozen, Murray, and Windell, 2006, 199)
A review of the literature indicates that in order to meet the increasing demands of the content areas in general education classrooms, specific reading strategies must be employed to serve the struggling middle grades reader. Attention must be paid to the changing environment faced by the student exiting the elementary setting and entering the middle grades setting. In order to succeed in the more challenging environment, struggling readers must receive explicit instruction in effective strategies such as, text comprehension using frame of reference/background knowledge, predicting, and use of anticipation guides. Children will take personal responsibility for their education when they learn to pursue their own inquiries, expand ideas and reflection, and develop individual strategies allowing them to read without assistance. (Jacobsen, Bonds, Medders, Saenz, Stasch, and Sullivan, 2002, 158)
Procedures
Description of the Research Design
The design will use an experimental randomized pretest/posttest control group design to test effectiveness of whether coaching students in specific reading strategies results in an increase in comprehension level. To determine the effectiveness of the design, participants in the control group and the treatment group will receive an identical multiple-choice pretest/posttest of the released edition of the 2001 Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) ??" Reading Content Pretest/Posttest Form #046. Students will record their individual responses on a Scantron sheet.



Description of the Sample
The purposive sample will be taken from the population of sixth grade students enrolled in LMS with a GPA of 2.0 or below. The studys intended sample consists of two groups of 30 subjects each of sixth grade students enrolled in Loganville Middle School (LMS) with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or below, and who do not receive special services. The demographics of the sample will include students with an age range of 11 ??" 12 years old, with a gender representation of 50% boys and 50% girls. Ethnicities will be represented as follows: 86% Caucasian and 14% minorities to include equal representation of Hispanic, Asian, and African American, to remain consist with the schools demographics. The study will take place in 6th grade Language Arts classrooms at LMS. Twenty-two percent of the sample will represent students who are eligible for free/reduced meals. The control group and the treatment group will each consist of 30 subjects that will be randomly assigned to each group. The sample will be obtained by querying a report printout of 6th grade students enrolled at LMS with a GPA of 2.0 or below. Removing names of the subjects from all data collection forms and assigning a number to each subject will ensure confidentiality.
Description of the Instrument Used
The type of instrument to be used to measure the variables in the study is a subject-completed instrument: written-response. This study will use an existing instrument: the released edition of the 2001 Criterion-Referenced Competency Test ??" Reading Content Pretest/Posttest Form #046. In response to the No Child Left Behind legislation, Georgia combined Reading and Language Arts into one test. This increased the validity of the CRCT assessments for Georgia and provided an increase in the reliability of the CRCT results. Tests with more items garner more reliability than tests with fewer items. (State of Georgia Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook, 2003, 58) The research plan is set up so that the researcher can use the test-retest method, inasmuch as the pre-test and posttest will be administered in a relatively short timeframe of one another. To ensure reliability and validity of results obtained with these instruments, the researcher will administer the retest in a timely fashion, so no egregious lapse of time occurs to lower reliability and validity of the results. To ensure internal consistency, the split-half procedure will be used to determine the degree in which the instrument measures results consistently. Reliability will be checked over time by using equivalent forms/retests with a time interval in between. Evidence supports the validity of the instrument, in that the CRCT has been developed by experts and approved by the States legislators. Scoring of individual student responses will be tabulated using a Scantron scoring machine to evaluate the responses on the Scantron sheets.
Explanation of the Procedures Followed
Group 1 (non-treatment group) and Group 2 (treatment group) were randomly assigned based on the criteria of the demographics of the study and possessing a GPA of 2.0 or below, and who do not receive special services. Group 1 consists of 30 students, 15 boys and 15 girls. Group 1 will receive regular classroom instruction in Language Arts ??" that is, Group 1 will not receive coaching in specific reading strategies during the two consecutive nine-week terms of the study. Group 2 will not be advised that they are in a treatment group, but will receive direct coaching in specific reading strategies.
Day One ??" Group 2 will be administered the pretest and will record their responses on the Scantron sheets provided to them by their Teacher.
Day Two ??" End of Week Three ??" Group 2 will receive coaching in text comprehension using frame of reference/background knowledge. In addition to coaching, the Teacher will model the skill by reading a passage and relating his/her understanding based on personal frame of reference/background knowledge. Students will then read passages in their literature book and additional materials provided by the Teacher to practice the current skill.
Day One of Week Four ??" End of Week Six ??" Group 2 will receive coaching in predicting. Again, in addition to coaching, the Teacher will model the skill by reading a passage and then predicting what will happen next based on the passage. Students will then read passages in their literature book and/or listen to a story read aloud by the Teacher to practice the skill of predicting.
Day One of Week Seven ??" Thursday of Week Nine ??" Group 2 will receive coaching in a pre-reading technique that involves the use of anticipation guides. Concurrently with coaching, the Teacher will model how to use an anticipation guide. Students will then fill in the blanks and/or answer questions to complete an anticipation guide as they listen to or read a passage provided by the Teacher.
Final Day of Week Nine ??" Group 2 will be administered the posttest and will record their responses on the Scantron sheets provided to them by their Teacher.
Discussion of Internal Validity
A potential threat to the internal validity of this study is data collector bias. The observer has knowledge of teacher expectations affecting quantity and type of observed behaviors of a class. This will be controlled by standardizing all procedures, which will require training of the data collectors and ensuring the data collectors lack the information they would need to distort result evaluation (planned ignorance).
Attitude of the Subjects, or Hawthorne effect, is a potential threat because improvements may occur because the treatment group is under the impression they are receiving special treatment, rather than the treatment itself causing the improvement. This will be controlled by not announcing that the instruction is part of research being conducted.
The final potential threat is the subjects characteristics, or attitude. When working with two or more characteristics of individuals, the possibility exiss that other characteristics may be the actual cause of any differences measure. This will be controlled by performing the statistical technique know as partial correlation.
Discussion of External Validity
External validity will be generalized to the accessible population of all 6th grade students enrolled in LMS with a GPA of 2.0 or below, who are not receiving special services and to the target population of low achieving middle grades students in Georgia. The sample may not be representative of all middle school students in the state of Georgia with regard to gender, ethnicity, and or socioeconomic status (as defined by eligibility to receive free/reduced meals) Ecological validity cannot be generalized because LMS is a rural school with a low minority population and is unlikely to be representative of urban and/or suburban school environments and may not generalize to other conditions present across all settings.











APPENDIX A
Loganville Middle School
Dr. Eugene Williams, Principal
152 Clark McCullers Road
Loganville, Georgia 30052
770-466-0713

August 13, 2006

Dr. Tim Lull, Superintendent
Walton County Board Of Education
200 Double Springs Church Road
Monroe, Georgia 30656

Dear Dr. Lull,

The Counseling Department of Loganville Middle School would like to conduct a research study of the effectiveness of coaching specific reading strategies to 6th grade students at LMS with a grade point average of 2.0 or below, who are not receiving special services. The results of this study will improve the educational practice of teachers and directly impact the academic success of students. The study will take place from October 1, 2006 to December 31, 2006. It will be conducted by Mrs. ( ), our School Counselor.

I have reviewed this research study and feel that it is a very worthwhile endeavor for our students and school. Please review the enclosed information in order to make a decision concerning our schools ability to conduct this research. A consent form has not been included because the students will not be aware they are part of a study, and no potential harm exists.

Sincerely,


E. Williams
Principal








APPENDIX B
This study will use an existing instrument: the released edition of the 2001 Criterion-Referenced Competency Test ??" Reading Content Pretest/Posttest Form #046. In response to the No Child Left Behind legislation, Georgia combined Reading and Language Arts into one test. This increased the validity of the CRCT assessments for Georgia and provided an increase in the reliability of the CRCT results. Tests with more items garner more reliability than tests with fewer items. (State of Georgia Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook, 2003, 58)
















References
Arizona State University and the Arizona Board of Regents. (2006, February 2). Retrieved June
17, 2006, from http://artswork.asu.edu/arts/teachers/assessment/glossary.htm
English/Language Arts Curriculum Standards, Approved by the Tennessee State Board Of Education. (2001, August 31). Retrieved June 17, 2006, from www.state.tn.us/education/ci/cistandards2001/la/cilaglossary.htm
Georgia Department of Education. (2002). Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test Released Test Form Reading Content Pretest/Posttest Form 046. 1-19.
Greenway, C. (2002). The process, pitfalls and benefits of implementing a reciprocal teaching intervention to improve the reading comprehension of a group of year 6 pupils. Educational Psychology in Practice, 18(2), 114.
Guthrie, J. T., & Davis, M. H. (2003). Motivating struggling readers in middle school through an engagement model of classroom practice. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 19, 60-66.
Jacobsen, C., Bonds, M., Medders, K., Saenz, C., Stasch, K., & Sullivan, J. (2002). An intersession model for accelerated literacy learning. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 18,
158.
Klingner, J. K., Vaughn, S., Arguelles, M. E., Hughes, M. T., & Leftwich, S. A. (2004). Collaborative strategic reading: Real world lessons from classroom teachers. Remedial and Special Education, 25(5), 292.
Kozen, A. A., Murray, R. K., & Windell, I. (2006). Increasing all students chance to achieve: Using and adapting anticipation guides with middle school learners. Intervention in
School and Clinic, 41(4), 196-199.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the
scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction (NIH Publication No. 00-4769). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Shippen, M. E., Houchins, D. E., Steventon, C., & Sartor, D. (2005). A comparison of two direct instruction reading programs for urban middle school students. Remedial and Special Education, 26(3), 176.
Snow, C. (2002). Reading for understanding: Toward and R & D program in reading comprehension. (p. 6). Santa Monica, CA: RAND.
Taylor, B. M., Pearson, P. D., Peterson, D. S., & Rodriguez, M. C. (2003). Reading growth in
high-poverty classrooms: The influence of teacher practices that encourage cognitive
engagement in literacy learning. The Elementary School Journal, 104(1), 6.
The American Heritage Dictionary. (1985). (2nd College Edition). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
The Partnership for Reading. (2001). Retrieved June 17, 2006, from
www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/adult_reading/glossary/glossary.html
United States Department of Education. (2003). State of Georgia Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook. 58. Retrieved July 23, 2006, from http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/_documents/support/plan/ayp_app.pdf
Zygouris-Coe, V., Wiggins, M. B., & Smith, L. H. (2005). Engaging students with text: The
3-2-1 strategy. The Reading Teacher, 58(4), 381-383.

There are faxes for this order.

Mid-semester reflection paper
Consider each of the NCTM Process Standards (Problem Solving, Reasoning & Proof, Communication, Connections, and, Representation). Explain how each these have been addressed in classroom/ homework activities.

Problem Solving
Instructional programs from prekindergarten through grade 12 should enable all students to--
build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving;
solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts;
apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems;
monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving.
Problem solving is an integral part of all mathematics learning. In everyday life and in the workplace, being able to solve problems can lead to great advantages. However, solving problems is not only a goal of learning mathematics but also a major means of doing so. Problem solving should not be an isolated part of the curriculum but should involve all Content Standards.
Problem solving means engaging in a task for which the solution is not known in advance. Good problem solvers have a "mathematical disposition"--they analyze situations carefully in mathematical terms and naturally come to pose problems based on situations they see. For example, a young child might wonder, How long would it take to count to a million?
Good problems give students the chance to solidify and extend their knowledge and to stimulate new learning. Most mathematical concepts can be introduced through problems based on familiar experiences coming from students' lives or from mathematical contexts. For example, middle-grades students might investigate which of several recipes for punch giving various amounts of water and juice is "fruitier." As students try different ideas, the teacher can help them to converge on using proportions, thus providing a meaningful introduction to a difficult concept.
Students need to develop a range of strategies for solving problems, such as using diagrams, looking for patterns, or trying special values or cases. These strategies need instructional attention if students are to learn them. However, exposure to problem-solving strategies should be embedded across the curriculum. Students also need to learn to monitor and adjust the strategies they are using as they solve a problem.
Teachers play an important role in developing students' problem-solving dispositions. They must choose problems that engage students. They need to create an environment that encourages students to explore, take risks, share failures and successes, and question one another. In such supportive environments, students develop the confidence they need to explore problems and the ability to make adjustments in their problem-solving strategies.

Reasoning and Proof
Instructional programs from prekindergarten through grade 12 should enable all students to--
recognize reasoning and proof as fundamental aspects of mathematics;
make and investigate mathematical conjectures;
develop and evaluate mathematical arguments and proofs;
select and use various types of reasoning and methods of proof.
Systematic reasoning is a defining feature of mathematics. Exploring, justifying, and using mathematical conjectures are common to all content areas and, with different levels of rigor, all grade levels. Through the use of reasoning, students learn that mathematics makes sense. Reasoning and proof must be a consistent part of student's mathematical experiences in prekindergarten through grade 12.
Reasoning mathematically is a habit of mind, and like all habits, it must be developed through consistent use in many contexts and from the earliest grades. At all levels, students reason inductively from patterns and specific cases. For example, even a first grader can use an informal proof by contradiction to argue that the number 0 is even: "If 0 were odd, then 0 and 1 would be two odd numbers in a row. But even and odd numbers alternate. So 0 must be even."
Increasingly over the grades, students should learn to make effective deductive arguments as well, using the mathematical truths they are establishing in class. By the end of secondary school, students should be able to understand and produce some mathematical proofs--logically rigorous deductions of conclusions from hypotheses--and should appreciate the value of such arguments.



Communication
Instructional programs from prekindergarten through grade 12 should enable all students to--
organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking through communication;
communicate their mathematical thinking coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and others;
analyze and evaluate the mathematical thinking and strategies of others;
use the language of mathematics to express mathematical ideas precisely.
As students are asked to communicate about the mathematics they are studying--to justify their reasoning to a classmate or to formulate a question about something that is puzzling--they gain insights into their thinking. In order to communicate their thinking to others, students naturally reflect on their learning and organize and consolidate their thinking about mathematics.
Students should be encouraged to increase their ability to express themselves clearly and coherently. As they become older, their styles of argument and dialogue should more closely adhere to established conventions, and students should become more aware of, and responsive to, their audience. The ability to write about mathematics should be particularly nurtured across the grades.
By working on problems with classmates, students also have opportunities to see the perspectives and methods of others. They can learn to understand and evaluate the thinking of others and to build on those ideas. For example, students who try to solve the following problem algebraically may have difficulty setting up the equations:
There are some rabbits and some hutches. If one rabbit is put in each hutch, one rabbit will be left without a hutch. If two rabbits are put in each hutch, one hutch will remain empty. How many rabbits and how many hutches are there?
They may benefit from the insights of students who solve the problem using a visual representation. Students need to learn to weigh the strengths and limitations of different approaches, thus becoming critical thinkers about mathematics.


Connections
Instructional programs from prekindergarten through grade 12 should enable all students to--
recognize and use connections among mathematical ideas;
understand how mathematical ideas interconnect and build on one another to produce a coherent whole;
recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics.
Mathematics is an integrated field of study, even though it is often partitioned into separate topics. Students from prekindergarten through grade 12 should see and experience the rich interplay among mathematical topics, between mathematics and other subjects, and between mathematics and their own interests. Viewing mathematics as a whole also helps students learn that mathematics is not a set of isolated skills and arbitrary rules.
An emphasis on mathematical connections helps students recognize how ideas in different areas are related. Students should come both to expect and to exploit connections, using insights gained in one context to verify conjectures in another. For example, elementary school students link their knowledge of the subtraction of whole numbers to the subtraction of decimals or fractions. Middle school students might collect and graph data for the circumference (C) and diameter (d) of various circles. They could extend their previous knowledge in algebra and data analysis to recognize that the values nearly form a straight line, so C/d is between 3.1 and 3.2 (a rough estimation of ).
The opportunity to experience mathematics in context is important. Students should connect mathematical concepts to their daily lives, as well as to situations from science, the social sciences, medicine, and commerce. For exaple, high school students worked with a drug store chain to determine where it should locate a new pharmacy in their neighborhood on the basis of analyses of demographic and economic data. Students should recognize the value of mathematics in examining personal and societal issues.



Representation
Instructional programs from prekindergarten through grade 12 should enable all students to--
create and use representations to organize, record, and communicate mathematical ideas;
select, apply, and translate among mathematical representations to solve problems;
use representations to model and interpret physical, social, and mathematical phenomena.
Representations are necessary to students' understanding of mathematical concepts and relationships. Representations allow students to communicate mathematical approaches, arguments, and understanding to themselves and to others. They allow students to recognize connections among related concepts and apply mathematics to realistic problems.
To become deeply knowledgeable about fractions, for example, students need a variety of representations that support their understanding. They need to understand various interpretations of fractions, such as ratio, indicated division, or fraction of a number. They need to understand other common representations for fractions, such as points on a number line.
Some forms of representation--such as diagrams, graphical displays, and symbolic expressions--have long been part of school mathematics. Unfortunately, these representations and others have often been taught and learned as if they were ends in themselves. This approach limits the power and utility of representations as tools for learning and doing mathematics.
It is important to encourage students to represent their mathematical ideas in ways that make sense to them, even if those representations are not conventional. At the same time, students should learn conventional forms of representation in ways that facilitate their learning of mathematics and their communication with others about mathematical ideas. The integration of technology into mathematics instruction further increases the need for students to be comfortable with new mathematical representations.


There are faxes for this order.

APA Style and 12 font double spaced. Responses need to be complete sentences and paragraphs

W. James Popham - Transformative Assessment: Chapter 3 Teachers Instructional Adjustments
Douglass Fisher - Checking for Understanding: Chapter 1
Susan M. Brookhart - Advancing Formative Assessment in Every Classroom: Chapter 1 Essential Elements of the Formative Assessment Process (Handout posted on the courses Main Page in Week 3 section.

Step 1: Begin by reading through each of readings listed from above. Then address the following questions for each of the readings:

Popham:
1. Step-Taking. How might you implement one or more of the four steps in a classroom?
2. Traditional Classroom Assessment Options. What are some traditional evidence-gathering assessments with which you are familiar?
3. Novel Classroom Assessment Tactics. In Chapter 3, Popham identifies and briefly describes several atypical assessment procedures (e.g., the traffic-signal technique). Select one of these assessment approaches and describe how it might be used in a classroom.
Fisher:
1. Discuss the differences between formative and summative assessments. When is each appropriate for use in the classroom? (Figure 1.1 is also on the 2nd page of the Brookhart handout. You might find this helpful as well.)

2. Discuss the differences between checking for understanding and understanding by design. Do these two ideas complement each other?

3. Discuss the relationship between for understanding and differentiating instruction? Do these two ideas complement each other?

Brookhart:
1. Develop a brief explanation for each of the following concepts (if these are not familiar you will need to do a little research online).
a. Learning Target (review and describe)
b. Metacognition
c. Resilient Learner
d. Tests vs. Assessments
e. External vs. Internal Motivation

2. Examine Figure 1.2 (5th page of the handout). If you are in the classroom describe 3 of the practices (shown in the 2nd column) that you have used or would like to try. If you are not in the classroom then describe 3 of the practices that you think would be effective for a teacher to use as part of formative assessment.

3. Examine the Figure 1.4 (13th page of the handout). Use the descriptions listed in the two columns to summarize the value of formative assessment for the teacher who is teaching and the students who are learning.

Step 2: Based on the three readings develop a reflective summary of what you have learned about formative assessment both in terms of its theory and the practices related to it. If you are in the classroom describe any formative assessment practices that you have used and any new practices that you might begin incorporating. If you are not in the classroom then focus of the larger picture of what you understand formative assessment to be and to what degree you think that it would enhance student achievement.


THIS IS THE HANDOUT FOR BOOKHART


Advancing Formative Assessment in Every Classroom
by Connie M. Moss and Susan M. Brookhart
Chapter 1. The Lay of the Land: Essential Elements of the Formative Assessment Process
When teachers join forces with their students in the formative assessment process, their partnership generates powerful learning outcomes. Teachers become more effective, students become actively engaged, and they both become intentional learners.
We can use the metaphor of a windmill to visualize the formative assessment process and its effects. Just as a windmill intentionally harnesses the power of moving air to generate energy, the formative assessment process helps students intentionally harness the workings of their own minds to generate motivation to learn. Propelled by the formative assessment process, students understand and use learning targets, set their own learning goals, select effective learning strategies, and assess their own learning progress. And as students develop into more confident and competent learners, they become motivated (energized) to learn, increasingly able to persist during demanding tasks and to regulate their own effort and actions when they tackle new learning challenges.
When a windmill whirls into action, its individual blades seem to disappear. The same thing happens to the six elements of the formative assessment process. These interrelated elements are the following:
? Shared learning targets and criteria for success
? Feedback that feeds forward
? Student goal setting
? Student self-assessment
? Strategic teacher questioning
? Student engagement in asking effective questions
As teachers and students actively and intentionally engage in learning, the individual elements unite in a flurry of cognitive activity, working together and depending on each other. Their power comes from their combined effort.
What Is Formative Assessment?
Formative assessment is an active and intentional learning process that partners the teacher and the students to continuously and systematically gather evidence of learning with the express goal of improving student achievement. Intentional learning refers to cognitive processes that have learning as a goal rather than an incidental outcome (Bereiter & Scardamalia, 1989). Teachers and their students actively and intentionally engage in the formative assessment process when they work together to do the following (Brookhart, 2006):
? Focus on learning goals.
? Take stock of where current work is in relation to the goal.
? Take action to move closer to the goal.
The primary purpose of formative assessment is to improve learning, not merely to audit it. It is assessment for learning rather than assessment of learning. Formative assessment is both an "instructional tool" that teachers and their students "use while learning is occurring" and "an accountability tool to determine if learning has occurred" (National Education Association, 2003, p. 3). In other words, to be "formative," assessments must inform the decisions that teachers and their students make minute by minute in the classroom. Figure 1.1 compares the characteristics of formative assessment and summative assessment.
Figure 1.1. Characteristics of Formative and Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment
(Assessment for Learning) Summative Assessment
(Assessment of Learning)
Purpose: To improve learning and achievement Purpose: To measure or audit attainment
Carried out while learning is in progress??"day to day, minute by minute. Carried out from time to time to create snapshots of what has happened.
Focused on the learning process and the learning progress. Focused on the products of learning.
Viewed as an integral part of the teaching-learning process. Viewed as something separate, an activity performed after the teaching-learning cycle.
Collaborative??"Teachers and students know where they are headed, understand the learning needs, and use assessment information as feedback to guide and adapt what they do to meet those needs. Teacher directed??"Teachers assign what the students must do and then evaluate how well they complete the assignment.
Fluid??"An ongoing process influenced by student need and teacher feedback. Rigid??"An unchanging measure of what the student achieved.
Teachers and students adopt the role of intentional learners. Teachers adopt the role of auditors and students assume the role of the audited.
Teachers and students use the evidence they gather to make adjustments for continuous improvement. Teachers use the results to make final "success or failure" decisions about a relatively fixed set of instructional activities.

Here are some examples of the formative assessment process in the classroom:
? A teacher asks students in his 6th grade social studies class to form pairs to generate three strategic questions that will help them better meet their learning target of describing how erosion has produced physical patterns on the earth's surface that have affected human activities.
? Before a lesson on creating a family budget, a consumer science teacher statesthe goals for the lesson and asks the students to paraphrase the goals.
? In a high school English class, students use a rubric that they generated as a class to plan their essays, monitor their writing, and edit their drafts in order to meet the criteria for a successful essay.
? In his feedback to a 1st grade student, a teacher shows the student what she did correctly in her attempt to draw the life cycle of a frog. Then the teacher gives the student a strategy to use to improve the accuracy of her drawing before she turns in her final sketch.
? A middle school student decides to use a story map to plan his short story depicting life in the Victorian era. It will help him reach his goal of improving the organization and sequencing of his story.
What Three Questions Guide the Formative Assessment Process?
The formative assessment process aligns what happens in the classroom??"day to day and minute by minute??"with three central questions:
? Where am I going?
? Where am I now?
? What strategy or strategies can help me get to where I need to go?
These central questions guide everything the teacher does, everything the student does, and everything teachers and their students do together. The questions are deceptively simple, yet to address them students and teachers must become skilled assessors who can gauge the gap between the students' current level of understanding and the shared learning target. Only then can they choose appropriate strategies to close the gap.
This continuous process of setting a learning target, assessing present levels of understanding, and then working strategically to narrow the distance between the two is the essence of formative assessment. Once a learning target is mastered, a new "just right" target is set and the process continues forward. It comes down to the Goldilocks Principle: to generate motivation to learn, the level of challenge and the level of support must be just right. And that means all classroom decisions??"those made by the teacher and those made by the students themselves??"must be informed by continually gathering evidence of student learning.
The three central questions of the formative assessment process are a great starting point for school leaders as they help teachers recognize and use formative assessment in their classrooms. The questions can guide teachers as they (1) plan their lessons, (2) monitor their teaching, and (3) help their students become self-regulated learners. Teachers can display the questions in their classrooms and remind their students to think about them before, during, and after each learning experience.
How Does the Formative Assessment Process Affect Student Learning and Achievement?
There is a firm body of evidence that formative assessment is an essential component of classroom work and that its development can raise standards of achievement. We know of no other way of raising standards for which such a strong prima facie case can be made.
??"Paul Black & Dylan Wiliam,
"Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards Through Classroom Assessment"
The research is clear: formative assessment works. It works because it has a direct effect on the two most important players in the teaching-learning process: the teacher and the student.
In too many classrooms, teachers and their students are flying blind. Teachers cannot point to strong evidence of exactly what their students know and exactly where their students are in relation to daily classroom learning goals. The lack of detailed and current evidence makes it particularly difficult for teachers to provide effective feedback that describes for students the next steps they should take to improve. Students are operating in the dark as well. Without the benefit of knowing how to assess and regulate their own learning, they try to perform well on assignments without knowing exactly where they are headed, what they need to do to get there, and how they will tell when they have arrived.
Effects on Teacher Quality
Teacher quality exerts greater influence on student achievement than any other factor in education??"no other factor even comes close (Darling-Hammond, 1999; Hanushek, Kain, O'Brien, & Rivkin, 2005; Thompson & Wiliam, 2007). Formative assessment affects teacher quality because it operates at the core of effective teaching (Black & Wiliam, 1998; Elmore, 2004). Engaged in the formative assessment process, teachers learn about effective teaching by studying the effectiveness of their own instructional decisions. This practice promotes professional learning that is relevant, authentic, and transformational.
Despite professional development efforts focused on training teachers to use best practices in their classroom, studies clearly show that teachers do not always teach in ways that research supports as best practices for student learning. Rather, teachers teach in ways they believe to be best, often ignoring the findings of educational research. The distinction here is critical. Teachers' beliefs not only determine what they do in the classroom but also influence what they count as evidence that learning has occurred. And unless professional learning experiences help teachers examine their working assumptions about how students learn and how good teaching supports learning, they will not make meaningful changes in their teaching practices (Moss, 2002; Schreiber, Moss, & Staab, 2007).
Formative assessment can have a transformational effect on teachers and teaching (see Figure 1.2). In a very real way it flips a switch, shining a bright light on individual teaching decisions so that teachers can see clearly (and perhaps for the first time) the difference between the intent and the effect of their actions. Armed with this new perspective, teachers can take constructive action in their classrooms. They begin to collect and use strong evidence of exactly what works and exactly what does not work in their classrooms, with their students. And as they critically examine their own knowledge, practices, and working assumptions??"during each day, during each lesson, and during each interaction with their students??"they become inquiry-minded and keenly aware of exactly where they need to focus their change and improvement efforts in order to raise student achievement.
Figure 1.2. Impact of the Formative Assessment Process on Teachers

Teachers Adopt a Working Assumption That Teachers Take Constructive Action to
Students learn more effectively when they know and understand the learning goal. ? Bring precision to their planning.
? Communicate learning goals in student-friendly language.
? Unpack the exact criteria students must meet to succeed on each task.

To help each student succeed, I must know precisely where that student is in relation to the learning goal. ? Continuously collect evidence of student learning to monitor and adapt their teaching during a lesson.

Effective feedback provides specific suggestions for closing the gap between where students are and where they need to be in relation to the learning goal. ? Give feedback that is focused, generative, and descriptive.
? Develop a repertoire of feedback strategies.

One of the most important skills I can teach my students is how to regulate their own learning. ? Teach their students how to self-assess.
? Make rubrics, checklists, guides, and other metacognitive tools an integral part of what students do before, during, and after learning.

Meaningful learning happens between minds, during strategic conversations, and when students become models of success for each other. ? Encourage students to become learning resources for each other.
? Plan for and ask strategic questions that will produce evidence of student learning.

Motivation isn't something I can give to my students; it is something I must help them develop. ? Align appropriate levels of challenge and just-right support.
? Intentionally create learning experiences in which students learn what they do well, what they should do more of, and how to focus their efforts to maximize sucess.


Effects on Student Learning
The effects of the formative assessment process on students are just as dramatic because it engages students in learning how to learn. Students learn more, learn smarter, and grow into self-aware learners who can tell you exactly what they did to get to exactly where they are. In other words, students become self-regulated learners and data-driven decision makers. They learn to gather evidence about their own learning and to use that information to choose from a growing collection of strategies for success. And students not only learn how to take ownership of their learning but also increasingly view themselves as autonomous, confident, and capable.
This combination of learning factors??"ownership, autonomy, confidence, and capability??"fortifies students with increased levels of resilience. Raising student resilience can derail a dangerous cycle for many students who attribute their failure to perform well on classroom tasks to a lack of academic ability. Judging themselves to be incapable of achieving and powerless to change things, they become discouraged and quit trying (Ames, 1992; Boston, 2002; Vispoel & Austin, 1995). Resilient learners, on the other hand, bounce back from poor performances and adversities. They attribute their failures and their successes on learning tasks to factors within their control. They rebound rather than giving up in the face of a challenge. Resilient students believe in their capacity to adapt what they are doing and how they are doing it in order to succeed.
And although formative assessment has a significant effect on learning for all students, it "helps low achievers more than other students and so reduces the range of achievement while raising achievement overall" (Black & Wiliam, 1998). For reasons we mention here and for many more we explore in later chapters, the formative assessment process is a compelling force for increasing student learning and closing the achievement gap.
How Does Formative Assessment Forge a Teacher-Student Learning Partnership?
High-quality formative assessment blurs the artificial barriers between teaching, learning, and assessment to forge a culture of collaborative inquiry and improvement in the classroom. As this learning partnership grows stronger, conversations about learning become the rule of thumb rather than the exception to the rule. Teachers and students work together to gather information about the strengths and weaknesses of their performances in ways that inform all learners and all learning in the classroom. They do this by talking with one another, planning with one another, comparing evidence of learning, and setting shared learning goals that establish the parameters of what counts as evidence that learning has indeed occurred.

The bottom line is that formative assessment fundamentally changes the quality and quantity of teacher-student interactions. And every day, throughout the day, what happens in the classroom focuses squarely on student achievement.
What Common Misconceptions Might Teachers Hold About Formative Assessment?
Misconceptions are the inevitable result of misunderstanding and often cause teachers to question the formative assessment process. Clearly these misconceptions can dilute the effectiveness of formative assessment and block its consistent use in the classroom. School leaders can take an active role in helping teachers build accurate understandings of what formative assessment is and, perhaps most important, what it is not. They can include strategic talking points in their initial and ongoing conversations with teachers about formative assessment. Here we identify common misconceptions and suggest strategic talking points for each.
Misconception #1: Formative assessment is a special kind of test or series of tests that teachers learn to use to find out what their students know. This is probably the most common misconception regarding formative assessment. It is directly related to our sometimes careless custom of using the terms assessment and test interchangeably. Is it any wonder teachers mistakenly assume that formative assessment is a special kind of test item, test, or series of tests??"something that they must administer to their students in order to audit learning?
Strategic talking points school leaders can use to address this misconception include the following:
? Formative assessment is not a test item, a test, or a series of tests.
? Formative assessment is an intentional learning process teachers engage in with their students to gather information during the learning process to improve achievement.
? Formative assessment is a learning partnership that involves teachers and their students taking stock of where they are in relation to their learning goals.
Misconception #2: Formative assessment is a program that teachers adopt and add to what they already do. This misconception can be traced directly to traditional inservice workshop models of professional development. More times than not, teachers are asked to enact a program or technique prescribed by outside experts and presented to them in a one-shot workshop. It stands to reason, then, that teachers often view formative assessment as a program or method they must learn and add to what they already do. This misguided view often leads teachers to wonder how they will find time to "do formative assessment" along with everything else they already "do" in their classrooms. This additive perspective makes it particularly difficult for teachers to recognize formative assessment as a dynamic process that shifts the classroom focus from instruction to learning and represents much more than simply adding a new technique to what currently exists.

Strategic talking points school leaders can use to address this misconception include the following:
? Formative assessment is not a prepackaged program or set of techniques that teachers adopt and enact.
? Formative assessment is a philosophy of teaching and learning in which the purpose of assessing is to inform learning, not merely to audit it.
? The formative assessment process is a fundamental reframing of the work teachers and students do day to day and minute by minute in the classroom.
Misconception #3: Any practice that gathers information for the purpose of improving programs or improving teaching is a part of formative assessment. The final misconception lies at the core of what qualifies a practice as formative assessment. Some educators mistakenly conclude that when teachers use assessment information to redesign or change a lesson, they meet the criteria of formative assessment. For example, a high school history teacher notes a troubling pattern on the final exam for her World War II unit. Half of her students mistakenly identified Germany as the country that suffered the most lasting damage from the war. As a result, she plans to change the way she teaches that content to her students next year. She intends to spend more time discussing the concept of lasting damage so that her future students can draw conclusions that are more accurate. In this example, the teacher uses information gathered after instruction to plan improved learning experiences for future students. Although the teacher's plan is laudable, it is not an example of formative assessment.
Strategic talking points school leaders can use to address this misconception include the following:
? To be considered part of the formative assessment process, information gathered must be used to inform the learning of current students.
? Although the quality of teaching rises as a result of formative assessment, the intended outcome must be to raise the learning and achievement of the students currently in the classroom on the concepts, processes, and skills that formed the basis for the assessment.
What Is the Connection Between Formative Assessment and Motivation?
The term motivation comes from the root word motive, which means "something that causes a person to act." Using that root, we can define motivation as something that energizes, directs, and sustains behavior toward a goal. Another way to say this is that motivation is goal-directed behavior combined with the energy and the intention to work toward that goal. In a very real way, motivation gets students learning, points them in the right direction, and keeps them engaged.
Although teachers cannot "give" motivation to their students, they can nurture, foster, and help their students develop more of it. Many educators view motivation as something that comes from external factors such as rewards, incentives, punishments, and warnings??"carrots and sticks. This view is not exactly flawed, because one form of motivation, extrinsic motivation, fits nicely into this description. The crux of the matter, though, is that extrinsic motivation applied to the classroom requires that the teacher use rewards (such as stickers, grades, free time, bonus points) and punishments (such as loss of recess, detention, lowering a grade) to control the motivation of students. It follows that students will only be motivated as long as they are under the control of the teacher. Without the teacher, the motivation disappears. So much for lifelong learning!
In fact, research tells us that extrinsic rewards can actually undermine a student's internal (intrinsic) motivation over time. The most detrimental practices involve giving rewards as a direct function of a student's performance. These rewards follow a common pattern. Students who perform the best get the most rewards, and those who perform less well get fewer or no rewards. For students who cannot meet the requirements, this type of external control chips away at them over time to weaken their motivation to learn, undercut their performance, and leave them demoralized (Deci, Koestner, & Ryan, 1999). Understanding this effect, then, teachers should use extrinsic rewards sparingly and always as part of a plan to activate intrinsic motivation so that the external rewards can be gradually decreased and eventually removed.
In contrast, the formative assessment process has no downside. In fact, it is strongly linked to increased intrinsic student motivation. Like the windmill, formative assessment helps students harness the workings of their own minds to continuously generate and strengthen these four important components of motivation to learn:
? Self-efficacy??"A learner's belief in his ability to succeed in a particular situation
? Self-regulation??"The degree to which a learner is metacognitively, motivationally, and actively participating in her own learning
? Self-assessment??"A learner's act of observing, analyzing, and judging his own performance on the basis of criteria and determining how he can improve it
? Self-attribution??"A learner's own perceptions or explanations for success or failure that determine the amount of effort she will expend on that activity in the future
Throughout the remaining chapters, we will further unpack what we call the "motivation connection" by examining how the specific elements of the formative assessment process link to the components of intrinsic motivation. Figure 1.3 highlights those links and previews our upcoming examinations of the power of the formative assessment process to generate motivation to learn.
Figure 1.3. Links Between Formative Assessment and Intrinsic Motivation
Formative Assessment Elements Help Students Harness the Workings of Their Own Minds in the Following Ways to Generate Components of Motivation to Learn
Shared Learning Targets and Criteria for Success ? Directs students and teachers toward specific goals.
? Increases initiation for the learning task.
? Helps students and teachers monitor learning progress.
? Self-efficacy
? Self-assessment
? Self-regulation
? Self-attribution

Feedback That Feeds Forward ? Enhances cognitive processing.
? Fosters resiliency and persistence in the face of challenge.
? Provides students with specific next-step strategies.

Student Goal Setting ? Increases active student engagement.
? Shifts student focus from performance-directed to goal-directed behavior.
? Induces effort, increases persistence, and promotes development of new strategies.

Student Self-Assessment ? Shifts power from the teacher to the student.
? Engages students in actively collecting and interpreting assessment information.
? Helps students set more realistic and active goals for continuously raising achievement.

Strategic Teacher Questioning ? Directs students and teachers toward salient elements of the content, process, or performance.
? Scaffolds learners as they move beyond partial, thin, or passive understandings.
? Promotes conceptual change.

Engagement of Students in Asking Effective Questions ? Increases intentional and active student engagement.
? Promotes autonomy and independence.
? Develops students' perceptions of themselves as producers of knowledge and generators of important lines of inquiry.
? Gives students confidence to work through difficulties themselves.
How Will I Recognize the Formative Assessment Process When I See It?
Because formative assessment is a systematic and intentional process of gathering evidence of learning, you can observe its effects in the classroom. These effects include what the teacher does, what the students do, what the products and performances look like, and how teachers talk about their students' learning. Figure 1.4 shows some examples of what you can look for inside the classroom. In upcoming chapters we share more "look fors" as we examine the specific elements of the formative assessment process.
Figure 1.4. Recognizing the Formative Assessment Process

Formative Assessment: An active and intentional learning process that partners the teacher and the students to continuously and systematically gather evidence of learning with the express goal of improving student achievement.
Teacher "Look Fors" Student "Look Fors"
Teachers
? Share learning goals in developmentally appropriate ways.
? Adjust their teaching on the fly to deepen student understanding and clear up misconceptions.
? Plan the questions they will ask throughout the lesson to help students focus on salient aspects of important concepts and the criteria for a successful performance.
? Teach specific metacognitive strategies to maximize student success.
? Provide feedback that is clear, descriptive, and task specific, and show students where they are in relation to the goal and what they should do next to close the gap.
? Greet student questions with respect and enthusiasm and respond in thoughtful ways.
? Use provocative questions to prompt student reflection on their understanding and performance.
? Model self-assessment using the kinds of reasoning skills that students will use to succeed at the task at hand.
? Describe student learning along a continuum of progress toward a specific learning goal, noting plans for adjusting instruction and levels of support to promote student growth.
Students
? Understand and can explain what they do well and exactly what they should do next.
? Recognize when they are learning and when they are not.
? Use teacher-made rubrics, checklists, and guides to monitor and adjust the quality of their learning performance.
? Can adapt their learning strategies to meet their learning needs.
? Set their own learning goals and monitor their progress.
? Can assess their own work or performance in relation to the criteria for success.
? Set realistic short-term goals for where they want to be, the strategy they will use to get there, and the criteria they will apply to determine they have succeeded.
? Ask questions that seek clarity concerning concepts, tasks, and reasoning processes.
? Appear confident, engaged, and motivated to learn.
? Describe their learning in terms of where they are in relation to the learning goal and what they intend to do next to keep making progress.

How Can I Model the Formative Assessment Process in Conversations with Teachers About Their Own Profesional Learning?
The formative assessment process constantly uses evidence to guide teaching and learning. When school leaders enter into collaborative inquiry with teachers, they not only model the formative assessment process, they embody it. Research on professional development tells us that when principals engage in periodic, short, focused, individual conversations with a teacher, they advance professional learning and produce positive change in teacher behavior in ways that far surpass the effects of the traditional "sit and get" workshops (Hall & Hord, 2000). In fact, one of the most strategic actions school leaders can take to bring about increased student achievement is to center their efforts directly on the inner workings of the classroom (Elmore, 2000).
School leaders can use formative discussions with teachers to promote "systematic and intentional inquiry" (Moss, 2000; Moss & McCown, 2007) into their classroom practices. Formative assessment operates at the nexus of what teachers believe to be true about teaching and learning, how those beliefs shape the ways teachers choose to teach, and the effects of instructional decisions on student achievement and motivation to learn. Each element of the formative assessment process helps educators assess what they are doing in their classrooms, why they are doing it, and how their choices are affecting their students. And because the formative assessment process requires teachers to use information about student learning to guide and promote student achievement, it helps their instructional decisions become increasingly intentional and scientifically based. The ability of formative assessment to promote and sustain active teacher inquiry that is both systematic and intentional is exactly why it can have a significant effect on daily classroom practices. Simply put, formative assessment situates powerful professional learning in the heartbeat of the classroom and encourages educators to approach their teaching as "intentional learning" (Moss, 2001).
As schools become places of collaborative inquiry, school leaders can use formative discussions to take a collegial rather than a supervisory perspective on professional learning, focus on each teacher's unique expertise and professional learning needs, and promote teacher collaboration to improve instruction (Glickman, Gordon, & Ross-Gordon, 1998). School leaders can use well-chosen starter statements that encourage shared inquiry. These starter statements situate the interaction as a formative conversation, center it on professional self-analysis of patterns of practice rather than ramifications of particular incidents, and keep the dialogue free from judgment or evaluation. The statements signal that the teacher is in charge of his or her own professional learning and indicate interest and support. These formative conversations can preview or follow a scheduled classroom visit with a single teacher. In addition, they can serve or launch collaborative inquiry among individuals in a small group or an entire school.
Strategic conversation starters signal that teachers are in charge of their own professional learning and indicate your interest and support. Here are some examples of how to begin a formative conversation with an individual teacher:
? I know you pride yourself on reaching and teaching all students. I'd like to spend some time thinking with you about ways to collect strong evidence that students are achieving.
? I wanted to catch up and talk with you more about strategies you are using to increase student goal setting and self-assessment.
? The last time we talked you were concerned that your students were not skilled at regulating their own learning and you planned to use rubrics to help them become more competent in that area. Talk with me a bit about your students' self-regulation progress.
Here are some examples of how you might begin a formative conversation with a group:
? We are acutely aware of the need for our students to improve their reading abilities. Think with me about strategies we can all commit to using and monitoring that will increase the quality of reading for understanding across grade levels and the curriculum. In our conversations, let's be sure that these strategies meet the criteria for formative assessment.
? During my classroom walk-throughs this week, I want to focus on the ways we are integrating formative assessment into our daily classroom practice. Think with me about a focus question that would guide the walk-throughs and our lesson planning for the week.
? It looks like we are making great progress in our efforts to provide effective feedback to our students. Let's keep that focus in the mix as we discuss how we can continuously and systematically improve the quality of our student feedback by sharing the feedback strategies that work best for each of us and the evidence that we gather to increase our confidence in these strategies.
Notice that all of the examples open with an invitation to the teachers to think with you. The examples begin a conversation about teaching rather than signal an interrogation. Interrogating can trigger unwanted emotional baggage, derail collaborative inquiry efforts, be interpreted as confrontational, and signal that a grilling is waiting in the wings (Downey, Steffy, English, Frase, & Poston, 2004).
What If?
Given the realities of schools and schooling, there is a good chance teachers are already dealing with a variety of initiatives to improve teaching and learning and may be confused about how formative assessment is distinguished from other forms of assessment or data gathering. What if you overhear a conversation among a group of teachers about how they feel benchmark assessments are the same as formative assessment?
The first point to use to address this misconception is that benchmark assessments are interim assessments??"they take place periodically, and although they are important for gauging student learning relative to content standards at a particular point in time, they do not inform teachers and students minute by minute during the learning process. Formative assessment, on the other hand, is a learning process and a learning partnership. Formative assessment provides students and teachers with the information needed to adjust teaching and learning while they are happening. And although benchmark assessments can tell teachers where students are in relation to the benchmark, the formative assessment process helps both teachers and students gauge student understanding all along the way.
Second, focus the teachers' attention on how the information from benchmark assessments is used compared with how formative assessment informs learning in real time??"day to day and minute by minute in the classroom. Do benchmark assessments inform the learning for current students with the current learning target?
And, perhaps most important, help teachers see that benchmark assessments do not involve students in the assessment process. During formative assessment, students are intentionally involved as active self-assessors, goal-setters, and goal-getters. They need to be gathering information about their own learning process and progress. Formative assessment informs learning??"it puts students in the driver's seat.
Reflecting on the Essential Elements of the Formative Assessment Process
Formative assessment is an intentional learning process that involves teachers and their students in an active partnership focused on improving achievement and generating motivation to learn. As you reflect on the kind of learning environment formative assessment will help teachers in your school create for and with their students, consider the following questions:
? Do both teachers and students intentionally focus on gathering evidence to inform student learning, or are teachers in charge of assessment efforts focused on auditing learning?
? Does everyone in the classroom share responsibility for learning, or is the teacher responsible for saying what has been learned, who has learned it, and what needs to be learned next?
? Are there classrooms where teachers and their students partner in the formative assessment process day to day and minute by minute? Are there classrooms where teachers are using one or two formative assessment strategies in stand-alone ways? Are there classrooms with little evidence of formative assessment? How can you encourage teachers to work together, share their thinking, and view each other as valuable resources as they individually and collectively work to improve the quality of the formative assessment process in their classrooms?
Summing It Up
The formative assessment process is lightning in a bottle! It costs nothing. You can help teachers put it to work for every age and grade level in every subject during each minute of every school day. This powerful learning process enhances the learning of those who are already excelling, jump-starts and sustains learners who are smoldering with potential, and increases student achievement for all students. What's more, formative assessment raises teacher quality and forges learning partnerships between students and teachers that make a huge difference in what happens every day and every minute in the classroom.
One word of encouragement and caution: Even lightning in a bottle takes time to impact the culture of a school. The formative assessment process, like any other reframing of what happens in classrooms, will take time to grow and develop. Keep in mind that it is a learning process for all learners in the school??"the students, the teachers, and the administration. The good news is that when a school commits to creating learning opportunities like the ones we discuss in the remainder of the book, good things begin to happen immediately and multiply quickly. (Chapter 8 explores taking formative assessment school-wide in greater detail.)
In the chapters that follow, we explore the six elements of the formative assessment process. Each chapter includes specific and practical strategies to help you give teachers both the research base and the how-to information that they will need to implement formative assessment in their own classrooms to increase student achievement and motivation to learn.

Writing Assignment #3 will be a research-supported essay.
( A Research-supported essay will analyze the impact of a technological development on a particular aspect of society.)

Topic: Analyze or assess the impact of a television and/or video technology on children?s attention spans.

Outline for the essay:

The essay should have the following elements:

? an engaging introductory paragraph. You might even want to cite sources in the opening paragraph to make your opening engaging to the reader.
? an effective and clear thesis statement
? a statement of definitions and background on the topic on which you are writing.
o You will want to define any terms necessary for the reader.
o You may want to provide a historical background on your topic, perhaps using references from Postman to help the reader understand the impact of technology on the area on which you are writing.
? unified, supported, and coherent body paragraphs that defend the thesis
? sources cited throughout the body paragraphs that support the arguments in the paper
? an effective conclusion
? a ?references? page that lists the sources cited. The references should be listed in APA format.


The sources and citation format for this essay
You are required to use at least six sources for this essay. One of the sources may be one of the essays in your textbook, The Bedford Guide for College Writers.

At least four sources must be acquired through the databases subscribed to by UMUC?s Information and Library Services. In addition, at least three sources are to come from scholarly journals.

Keep in mind that if the sources are scholarly, the argument you make in the paper will be more persuasive. For this reason, feel free to use all scholarly sources if you can.

In addition, please feel free to cite more than six sources. You may find that seven or eight sources (or more) are necessary to establish your argument and defend your thesis. Please do not feel limited to using only six sources. Use more if you would like to or need to.

Please cite your sources and list them at the end of your paper using APA format.


Length: 1300-1500 words



The strategy for this essay:

This essay can be a persuasive essay, in which you try to persuade the reader of a particular position. Or it can be an expository essay that synthesizes material, an essay in which you give information to the reader and synthesize the different viewpoints on an issue. The following examples help illustrate these two approaches.

For a persuasive essay, you could take the position that video games should be integrated into school science curricula to teach middle school students. You would cite articles that demonstrate research studies and other pieces of evidence to support the claim that video games can enhance instruction in science classes and will help middle school students learn science more effectively.

If you write a persuasive essay, please follow one of the following three options for organization:

? Classical (deductive) approach
? Inductive approach
? Refutation approach

Literature Review: Your literature review should be a project or planning method and techniques. You may include a brief paragraph about the topic your project or program is addressing. However, the focus of your paper should be a review of the literature about ?how to plan programs or projects? that are similar to what you are doing. You need to include literature that presents a model of a program/project (or public awareness campaign) that you may want to follow in the implementation of your project. Your literature review should include three to five sources d be three to five pages in length.

For my project, I am educating adolescents in the community (at community centers) about rape and providing information that will enable these individuals to form healthy relationships.

This is my statement of intent (may help with writing the lit review)
Our group has chosen option 2, which involves the planning, implementation, and evaluation of a program with a social change goal. Due to resistance from the major system we would like to engage, the public school system, our program has evolved from educating adolescents about rape to providng information that will enable these individuals to form healthy relationships. While fundraising is a vital and valuable tool in the world of social work, we choose the more difficult option two in order to make a lasting impact on the community and the target population. We chose the subject of healthy relationships because we have noticed through both our past experiences and recent observations the negative and lasting effect of an unhealthy relationship in adolescence.

Our group has a strong commitment to the NASW Code of Ethics tenet of empowering individuals through education and we feel that our program will offer people a way to improve their choices and overall life experience. Another, less altruistic reason for choosing this option is to gain practical career experience in the area of planning and implementing a program to affect the social fabric of our future communities. This reason for choosing option 2 leads directly to what we hope to learn from this project. We hope that by planning and impolmenting a program for social change teach us more effective means of organizing and affecting communities. It is our theory that by having the opportunity to put course material to work in a real life setting will allow us to better understand and utilize the material. Through this project we hope to gain confidence in our own abilities as social workers and improve the way we function in group work settings.

Some sources of lit that may be relevant to use for the 5 pieces of lit:
1 TI: Adolescent sexuality and parent-adolescent processes: promoting healthy teen choices.
AU: Meschke-L.L; Bartholomae-S; Zentall-S.R
SO: Family-Relations. 49(2): 143-154, Apr. 2000.
WEBLH:
Complete Record
In Database: Social Work Abstracts 1977-2004/12.

2 TI: The effects of an abstinence-based sex education program on middle school students' knowledge and beliefs.
AU: Arnold-E.M; Smith-T.E; Harrison-D.F; Springer-D.W
SO: Research-on-Social-Work-Practice. 9(1): 10-24, Jan. 1999.
WEBLH:
Complete Record
In Database: Social Work Abstracts 1977-2004/12.

3 TI: The advantages of experimental designs for evaluating sex education programs.
AU: Metcalf-C.E
SO: Children-and-Youth-Services-Review. 19(7): 507-523, Nov. 1997.
WEBLH:
Complete Record
In Database: Social Work Abstracts 1977-2004/12.

4 TI: Trade-offs in designing a social program experiment.
AU: Dynarski-M
SO: Children-and-Youth-Services-Review. 19(7): 525-540, Nov. 1997.
WEBLH:
Complete Record
In Database: Social Work Abstracts 1977-2004/12.

5 TI: Sex education and abstinence: programs and evaluation.
AU: Besharov-D.J; Gardiner-K.N
SO: Children-and-Youth-Services-Review. 19(7): 501-506, Nov. 1997.
WEBLH:
Complete Record
In Database: Social Work Abstracts 1977-2004/12.

6 TI: Nonexperimental designs and program evaluation.
AU: Kisker-E.E; Brown-R.S
SO: Children-and-Youth-Services-Review. 19(7): 541-566, Nov. 1997.
WEBLH:
Complete Record
In Database: Social Work Abstracts 1977-2004/12.

7 TI: Using self reports to measure program impact.
AU: Sonenstein-F.L
SO: Children-and-Youth-Services-Review. 19(7): 567-585, Nov. 1997.
WEBLH:
Complete Record
In Database: Social Work Abstracts 1977-2004/12.

8 TI: Thinking through evaluation design options.
AU: Devaney-B; Rossi-P
SO: Children-and-Youth-Services-Review. 19(7): 587-606, Nov. 1997.
WEBLH:
Complete Record
In Database: Social Work Abstracts 1977-2004/12.

9 TI: Contraceptive health programs for adolescents: a critical review.
AU: Lagana-L; Hayes-D-M
SO: Adolescence. 28(110): 347-59, Summer 1993.
WEBLH:
Complete Record
In Database: Social Work Abstracts 1977-2004/12.


10 TI: Considering the adolescent's point of view: a marketing model for sex education.
AU: Campbell-T-A; Campbell-D-E
SO: Journal-of-Sex-Education-and-Therapy. 16(3): 184-93, Fall 1990.
WEBLH:
Complete Record
In Database: Social Work Abstracts 1977-2004/12.

11 TI: Utilizing a game for both needs assessment and learning in adolescent sexuality education.
AU: Shifman-L; Scott-C-S; Fawcett-N
SO: Social-Work-with-Groups. 9(2): 41-56, 1986.
WEBLH:
Complete Record
In Database: Social Work Abstracts 1977-2004/12.

12 TI: Another look at sex education in schools: an empirical analysis.
AU: Corcoran-K-J; Plante-C-J; Robbins-S-P
SO: School-Social-Work-Journal. 8(2): 98-107, 1984.
WEBLH:
Complete Record
In Database: Social Work Abstracts 1977-2004/12.

Title (Do Condoms Prevent Teen Pregnency) writing from a persvavise/argumental point of view essay with no more than three references. I am a sixth grade middle school student and I firmly believe that the use of condoms do prevent unwanted pregnancies. This paper is to address the issues of condoms and unwanted pregnancies only. This paper must have some statsand charts as well as my personal opinions on this subject. I can also e-mail the material that I have already written if you want me to. Just let me know.

Annotated Bibliography on Native American Literature for Middle School students
1. BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION in MLA style (Modern Language Association).

Authors last name, first name. BOOK TITLE. City of Publication:
Company name: original publication date

2. BRIEF IDENTIFYING INFORMATION ??" e.g. ISBN; no. of pages; reading level; genre; illustration style; unique format; main theme or issues; awards
(you choose which info bits to include)

3. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE CONTENT??" e.g. IN YOUR OWN WORDS, 3-5 sentences or phrases.

For picture books, include notes on illustrations and, if applicable, unique book format & construction.

4. BRIEF ANALYTICAL COMMENTS
examples:
* some harsh language & unusual idioms
* background historical notes needed for yng readers/listeners
* fine foundation for social studies unit
* excellent theme of acceptance of differences
* details in the illustrations help to tell the story
* colors match the mood of the story --- illustrations change from harsh to soft as the characters get closer to home
* some images might be frightening to the youngest readers


4. FIVE or more brief ideas which can be developed into active-learning lessons for classrooms or libraries.
examples

below is from the class instructor

General Instructions:

While this is intended to be a web search project, you may use any appropriate resource material. Please limit the body of your report to between 500 and 800 words. At the end of your report be sure to include a list of your sources.

No quotes are allowed.

Project 1: Phylum Arthropoda

Search the web or using other materials to find at least five sources that discuss organisms within this phylum. Write a report that introduces this phylum to the reader. This should include but is not limited to general characteristics of the phylum, an overview of the taxonomy within the phylum, the number of organisms within the phylum, were these organisms live, their ecological or economic importance and any interesting facts about organisms within the phylum.

The instructor wants the paper to be written as if I was explaining it to a group of, in my opinion, middle school students. When we use biological terminology she asks us to put it in everyday words.


P.S. I have another paper on Global Warming and a lab report coming up in November, details not known yet. My request is for one person to do all three works to keep the grammar, style, and format the same throughout all three. Can you help?

Writing Assignment #3 will be a research-supported essay.
Analyze the impact of technology on a field of study of your choice.

a. The impact of mobile devices on cybersecurity

Courses that fulfill the General Education Requirements (GERs) at UMUC all have a common theme?technological transformations. In following this theme throughout this semester in WRTG 101, we have read the analyses of various authors on innovations and technological transformations in education and in other fields.
In this essay, you will continue this theme of technological transformations.



Outline for the essay
The essay should have the following elements:

? an engaging introductory paragraph. You might even want to cite sources in the opening paragraph to make your opening engaging to the reader.
? an effective and clear thesis statement
? a statement of definitions and background on the topic on which you are writing.
o You will want to define any terms necessary for the reader.
o You may want to provide a historical background on your topic.
? unified, supported, and coherent body paragraphs that defend the thesis
? sources cited throughout the body paragraphs that support the arguments in the paper
? an effective conclusion
? a ?references? page that lists the sources cited. The references should be listed in APA format.


The sources and citation format for this essay
You are required to use at least six sources for this essay.

At least four sources must be acquired through the databases subscribed to by UMUC?s Information and Library Services. In addition, at least three sources are to come from scholarly journals.

Keep in mind that if the sources are scholarly, the argument you make in the paper will be more persuasive. For this reason, feel free to use all scholarly sources if you can.

In addition, please feel free to cite more than six sources. You may find that seven or eight sources (or more) are necessary to establish your argument and defend your thesis. Please do not feel limited to using only six sources. Use more if you would like to or need to.

Please cite your sources and list them at the end of your paper using APA format.


Length: 1300-1500 words

?

The strategy for this essay:
This essay can be a persuasive essay, in which you try to persuade the reader of a particular position. Or it can be an expository essay that synthesizes material, an essay in which you give information to the reader and synthesize the different viewpoints on an issue. The following examples help illustrate these two approaches.

For a persuasive essay, you could take the position that video games should be integrated into school science curricula to teach middle school students. You would cite articles that demonstrate research studies and other pieces of evidence to support the claim that video games can enhance instruction in science classes and will help middle school students learn science more effectively.

If you write a persuasive essay, please follow one of the following three options for organization:

? Classical (deductive) approach
? Inductive approach
? Refutation approach

More information on these three styles is given in the following video tutorial:
http://info.umuc.edu/academicwrtg/WRTG101_101S/wa3_lecture_f.html

For an expository essay, you could synthesize information on this topic, one that summarizes and analyzes the evidence for and against using video games in school curricula.


Due Date
The final draft of this assignment is due Saturday, March 8.
How to Submit the Essay
You will not be graded on this first draft. You will receive comments from me, and you will revise the paper based on my comments. For this reason, please post your first draft, no matter how confident you feel about the paper. Your instructor will work with you in developing the paper.

Students with Disabilities Contextual Framework

Select one developmental period:

-early childhood
-elementary
-junior high/middle school
-high school
-post secondary

Other references as support, research a specific disability for the transition plan. In your research, include the following:

-identified developmental period
-description of a disability
-developmental, educational, social, and health concerns or needs related to the disability
-a minimum of four supporting research studies related to the disability on the disability description and -concerns/needs related to the disability

Your assignment should be submitted in a minimum of a five-page paper, excluding Title and Reference pages. Your paper should be submitted in APA format and Include appropriate research citations.