plan+for+action+research+papaer

link = http://2014fallspf689.wikispaces.com/Aya%2C+Romaine

Compare the efficacy of analog language learning tools and digital language learning tools. Collect data regarding the efficacy of both analog and digital language learning tools in relation to the students' mastery of the target language. Also collect data about the efficacy of introducing technology to teaching and learning.
 * I. Research idea: **

We would like to improve G4 *__and G5__ foreign language students’ mastery of the target language especially developing their writing skills. We have been perplexed by their wide and varied levels of mastery of vocabulary and sentence structure as a group of 4th and 5th graders. Some students show interests in using more digital tools in Japanese classrooms. We are curious about the efficacy of digital tools such as gamification and/or digital media in motivating students for Japanese language learning. Something we think would really make a difference is making the language class fun and rewarding for students by using different media. Right now, some areas we are particularly interested in are effectiveness of introducing technology to teaching and learning.
 * Rational**

** Research question 1 **

Are 4th __*and 5th__ grade students able to improve their journal writing skills using necessary vocabulary introduced by playing digital learning games prepared by the instructors, compared to using traditional flash cards during a set amount of time?

** Feasible (4) - ** This question is very feasible. In Japanese classes of various levels journal writing is often assigned.

** Clear (4) – ** Improving writing skills is essential for language learning.

** Significant (3) – ** Introducing new tools: gamification for digital natives (students) and digital immigrants (instructors) is essential for success in teaching.

**Ethical (4)** -- There would not be any need to deceive either the teachers or the students. Confidentiality would not be an issue either, since a number could identify each student rather than using names.

** Research question 2 **

Do the attitudes of 4th *__and 5th__ graders differ when completing digital portfolios:e-book style compared to traditional analog products?

** Feasible (4)– ** Digital portfolios are assigned to all levels of learners, thus researchers should not have any problems obtaining data for this research question.

** Clear (4)– ** Digital portfolios will speak for themselves. A set of rubrics measuring students’ attitudes to complete the project will show the effect of digital tools in teaching.

** Significant (3) – ** By introducing vocabulary via digital games, students’ engagement in the target language may be deepened and the students’ positive attitudes toward acquiring Japanese language may influence others who may not yet have caught up with the class pace.

**Ethical (4)** --

There would be no reason to deceive either the teachers, students, parents or the administrators for this research question. The answers would harm no one and if a teacher did not want to use their name, an identification number could be used instead.

** II. Research questions and variables ** What is the effect of digital learning games on developing students’ writing skills and on their eagerness to complete their digital portfolios?

** What will we do to answer our question? **

We will run two journal writing units the first using flash cards to introduce vocabulary and the second using digital games. We will also compare the students’ attitudes to complete their digital portfolios for student-teacher conferences vs. the overall class attitude.
 * Research Idea from Web || Research Question || Rate your research question on a scale from

1 (low) to 4 (high) ||
 * We would like our research project to examine

the affects of using digital media to get students to improve their writing skills. || What is the __effect__ of digital learning games on __developing__ students’ writing skills and on their __eagerness__ to complete their digital portfolios? || Feasible:4

Clear:4

Significant:3

Ethical:4

Shows a relationship Yes ||

Definitions of terms: Underline the terms in your research question that you believe will require definition. Write each term below and provide their operational definitions. Use additional pages as necessary.

a- **Effect:** influence of the digital games on students’ writing skill improvement measured by instructor-prepared rubric.

b- **Developing** measured by rubrics on students’ improvement in their accuracy and sentence structure.

c- **Eagerness** measured by their positive class behavior to complete the task

__ Specific type of Research: __ __Interventional__ __General Type of Research:__ __Action Research__

1. My Hypothesis is: that there will be a meaningful improvement/change in students’ writing skills in journal entries.

2. This //hypothesis// suggests a relationship between these two //variables//:

__Independent:__ Use of digital games

__ Dependents: __ developing students' writing skills their eagerness to complete their digital portfolios

Some hypotheses are directional. That refers to whether or not you are willing to predict that your students will improve after the treatment (one tailed)

3. The //Dependent variables// are: students' writing skills and their eagerness to complete the project

The //Independent variable// is: digital games

4. Possible //Extraneous variables// that might affect our results include:

a. student’s motivation and willingness

b. student’s class schedule

c. student’s exposure to Japanese language outside of school

**III. Detailed description of our intervention:**

For introducing the necessary vocabulary for the journal writing project we will have the students independently or as a group to engage with computer or i-pad games chosen or prepared by the instructors in class. The students will also have the access to the site at home to reinforce their vocabulary building. For the portfolio making project, the class will learn how to make digital portfolio:e-book author, along with the traditional portfolio. We will observe and record the students' attitudes and parents feed back to the project results, and compare with outcomes from the analog portion of our research project.


 * IV. Description of our sample**

At this point Machiko and Reiko are planning on conducting this project together. As we described below we choose examples among Reiko's Japanese as a foreign language class students. Machiko is currently a substitute Japanese language teacher at an international school in Tokyo, and she doesn't have a class where she can direct this research. She will be a guest teacher to Reiko's class for the duration of this research.

Part A Sampling Plan: 1. My intended sample (subjects who would participate in my study) consists of (tell who and how many):

Our intended samples are twenty seven Grade 4 and Grade 5 students in Japanese classes -- 10 students have been studying Japanese for three years and this is their forth year. The rest of the classes have been studying Japanese for only a year, however the end of the year placement screening results qualified them to be in this class. Some have received wide exposure to the language and culture outside of school. Many are regular members of local Japanese baseball teams, gymnastics teams, and some also take dance and piano lessons after school given by Japanese instructors.

At our school, studying Japanese as a foreign language -- the target country language in our case -- is mandatory. We meet for 45 minutes every day. We have NO homework policy for foreign language class at the elementary level, however they occasionally have to work on their catch up work outside their class hours. We run 1-12 project based curriculum.

2. Demographics are as follows:

Many are from highly educated/high income families. They are living in downtown Tokyo because of their parents' occupations and assigned positions-- working at embassies, educational institutions, Fortune 500 companies. In this particular sample group, their home language is English and no Japanese seems to be spoken at home.

a. Age Range _ Forth graders / 9 to 10 years old : male= 9, Female = 6 Fifth graders/ 10 to 11 years old :　male = 6, Female = 6

b. Sex Distribution _ Male = 15 Female = 12

c. Ethnic Breakdown _ 20 Caucasian 7 Asian/Caucasian

d. Location

'The American School in Japan' is the oldest international school in Asia, having been founded in 1902. It is located 12 miles outside downtown Tokyo. Over 30 nationalities are represented by 1500 enrolled students in its Kindergarten through 12th grade program. The Elementary School has 500 students from K through 5th.

e. Other important characteristics

Some students are identified to receive learning support that is provided to increase their success with their classwork. Starting from this 2014-15 school year, the push-in style support (for previous years: pull-out) has been implemented. This change of support-given style forced the Japanese language program to meet the changes. For example the class sizes were much smaller (8-10 students) in previous years in foreign language classes since students with learning needs were not taking Japanese language. The Japanese program needs to be differentiated to meet various students' skills, attitudes and expectations. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

3. The type of Sample

Simple Random _ Stratified Random _ Cluster Random_

Convenience ___X___ Purposive _

4. Explain how you will select your sample. What kind of randomization will you use. Or if you are using a purposive sample, what criteria are you using for selection? Etc. For a convenience sample simply state --

Given the small sample, we are not selecting further. We will be conducting research with the full class (n=16).

Dependent variable — I like to use new words in my journal.
 * V Data collection matrix**
 * We will use a pre and post assessments completed by the students to see the efficacy of the intervention.
 * Efficacy of the intervention will be measured by tallying the numbers of the newly introduced words used correctly in their journal entry.

What is my research question?
 * Data Collection **
 * What is the effect of digital learning games on developing students' writing skills and on their eagerness to complete their digital portfolios? **


 * What are my dependent or outcome variables: **
 * 1. Performance **
 * 2. Attitude **
 * ====**Dependent **====

**Variables **
|| **Student ** || **Teacher ** || **Others ** ||
 * ====** Performance **==== || * ====Pre/post-assessments====
 * Journal writing/portfolio making
 * ====Performance checklist / a can-do self check list ==== || * Teacher observation / anecdotal records
 * Performance checklist / a can-do self check list and rubric
 * Reading/checking journal entry and portfolio
 * Feedback || * Share his/her final product to his/her friends and family.
 * Portfolio ||
 * ====**Attitude **==== || * A Likert scale/attitude scales
 * Self- checklist / self-evaluation sheet ||  ||   ||


 * VI. Likert Scale**

Score statements:

4- Agree （は ~い !）

3- Somewhat in between agree and disagree (<span style="font-family: 'ＭＳ 明朝';">まあまあ )

2- Undecided (<span style="font-family: 'ＭＳ 明朝';">わかんない )

1- disagree (ちょっとちがうな〜）

Stems: I can always complete my writing easily and quickly. My writing is getting much better. I like Japanese writing projects very much. I really like using new words and phrases in writing. I always enjoy journal writing in Japanese class. I always like to use new words in my journal. I absolutely like to work on projects in class. It is always important for me to complete my project well and on time. I absolutely enjoy publishing e-book portfolio. I am very proud of my e-book portfolio. I always like to show my work to my parents and friends.

(all choices are pop-up style, like #2) .


 * 7. Research Design **

Repeated Measures Design This will be used in 4th __& 5th__ grade Elementary School Japanese as a Foreign Language classroom with __XXX16__ students.
 * Repeated measures design (same group –pre/post or post). **

the same vocab test as pretest || Gain change score || Pretest for teacher prepared Unit 2 vocab quiz || Treatment || Post test the same vocab test as pretest || Gain change score ||  || cards || Yes || (subtract pre from post) || Yes || Digital Games || Yes || (subtract pre from post) ||  ||
 * Journal writing unit with new vocabulary introduced via analog |||||||||| Journal writing unit with new vocabulary introduced digitally ||
 * Pretest for teacher prepared Unit one vocab quiz || Treatment || Post test
 * Yes || Flash


 * 8. Threats to validity **

There will be some internal and external threats that may inhibit the validity of this experiment. We are using two classes because there is no other class of the similar level for comparison. The threats to internal validity, which may affect our single-group/repeated measure design, are: __ Testing threat __ – Changes may occur depending on the time of the day the Japanese class is held; there are four homerooms that have different daily schedules. The kind of subject the students engaged prior to the Japanese class are all different among homerooms, and this could be another threat to our experiment. For example when the students come after PE, their concentration span is shorter than after less kinesthetic subject classes, which is especially noticeable among boys. __ Experimental Mortality __ -Some of the students may be relocated to other countries according to their parents’ job assignments during the experiment. __ Selection-Maturation Interaction __ -Some of the students may mature to understand the value of using newly acquired words in his or her journal entry during the course of this experiment. __ History __ -When one of the homerooms has a Japanese culture related project/study during the experiment, and other classes don’t, then the particular students from that class will have extra Japanese vocabulary or opportunity to reenforce their vocabulary study. __ Researcher Bias __ -As one of the teachers has been teaching this class from the beginning of this academic year and the other teacher is new to the class, the different amount of information on the students they have may cause bias when assessing their writing.

Which comparative technique will we use? T-test for paired samples - There is one group only.
 * 9. Data analysis plan **

How will we use qualitative techniques to enhance understanding? We will observe and record each student when different treatments: flash cards and digital games are implemented. We will interview randomly chosen students to get their feedback on their attitudes towards the working on e-book portfolio. We may also interview randomly chosen parents to gain better understanding regarding students' comments on working on the e-book portfolio.

How can we share my results? With whom? ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ We will share our results on our web-page: 勉 強 会 < [] > that we both manage it and have over 50 Japanese language instructors in both US and Japan are currently signed in to be members. We will also share the results with Japanese department at American School in Japan during one of the Professional development day. We will submit our proposal to share the research result at Try it on Monday conference in Tokyo and/or at the American Council on the Teachers of Foreign Languages conference held in the US every fall.


 * 10. Summary of one article **

1. Research Question: What is the effect of digital learning games on developing students’ writing skills and on their eagerness to complete their digital portfolios? 2. When do you plan to start your action research? 3. When do you plan to end your action research? 4. Timeline for implementation of our project: What is the effect of digital learning games on developing students’ writing skills and on their eagerness to complete their digital portfolios? the same vocab test as pretest || Gain change score || Pretest for teacher prepared Unit 2 vocab quiz || Treatment || Post test the same vocab test as pretest || Gain change score ||  || cards || Yes || (subtract pre from post) || Yes || Digital Games || Yes || (subtract pre from ||
 * 11. Final action plan **
 * Journal writing unit with new vocabulary introduced via analog |||||||||| Journal writing unit with new vocabulary introduced digitally ||
 * Pretest for teacher prepared Unit one vocab quiz || Treatment || Post test
 * Yes || Flash