Campus Violence for K-12 Setting

Campus Violence for K-12 Setting

What measurable outcome do you choose to explain?

I wish to explain the effect that having martial arts-based classes offered as a regular regiment for students would have on the total number of violent incidents, as well as what the severity of this violence is, occurring on campus among students.

How would you measure the outcome?

School nurses, administrators, and teachers would all be asked to keep record of any witnessed or reported violent acts committed on campus at the school where the program would be implemented. The study would ideally take place over the course of an extended period of time so that the gradual changes and variations in data would be evident. The total number of violent incidents occurring each day, each week, each month, and each semester would be calculated, as well as how often medical attention was necessary for the involved parties. Along with the raw data, percentage changes between key markers in time during the course of the study, as well as overall percentage change, would be calculated.

3) Identify a "manipulable" causal influence (intervention) on your chosen outcome?

The casual influence on this study would be the implementation of a program that would offer martial arts studies to students. This program would focus on self-control, anger management, positive outlets, and self-defense.

4) State you hypothesis

If martial arts training and therapy were offered to elementary school students, the students would benefit from the self-control, self-confidence, and other character-building aspects of these teachings. The rates of school violence and the severity of violent incidents would decrease if such a martial arts program were implemented.

5) Design an experimental or quasiexperimental research study in which you can empirically test your hypothesis. In other words, compare an experimental group to a control group. Because randomization is not possible, choose a control group that is similar to the experimental group prior to your intervention.

The data that would be collected over the study of the course of the implemented program would then be compared with past rates of school violence in the same school from previous years before said program existed. Additionally, the statistics would be compared to other schools in the same district from past years as well as the years during which the chosen school implemented the martial arts therapy program. This would provide a wide range of comparisons from which to draw conclusions.