Research Plan

 

Step 1 - Identify the question and purpose for research

                  With so many ways of writing literature, textbooks usually only present reading material in 2 ways. Expository where they are explaining a subject with facts, or Narrative where someone is explaining their story . But when struggling students check out library books for class readings they tend to focus on books with the fewest words, Comics. Yet despite few words comics do present lots of information. This intrigued me to question is their a better way to present science  in textbooks that will enable such student to understand the subject and keep up with their peers.
Having to have only one question I desided on "How can I determine which form of literature struggling students prefer that will help them learn more in science?  (such as hard copy, digital, comic, fictional or nonfiction)"

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Step 2 - Generate a plan on how to conduct the research
              I could not deviate from the current class requirements, which was the districts purchase of Amplify Science, instead I incorporated it as part of the reading styles, I purchased science books which explain their current subject in different formats to see if these alternate formats would improve their understanding and grades.
Since in class we had student create comic strips to explain their knowledge, I also Incorporated this as a way to understand how comics and student cognition worked.
 

Step 3 – Find 2 or more credible resources to use that meet with
               current lesson

               I went to my local library and researched online for alternate formats of science books. I found few written in other formats or that dealt solely to the subject we were currently conducting. I desided on "The cartoon guild to chemistry by Larry Gonick & Craig Criddle" as my starter because it dealt with what we were teaching. My other choose is "Whats chemistry all about? by Alex Frith" Just a change in format but would this help struggling student?

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Step 4 – Create a student survey to answer question.
                 I created a questionnaire to ask students their thoughts on the various formats explaining science to get their incite on learning.
This also verified that they read the books. I also reviewed their grade to to see if their was any improvement within this assignment.

 

Step 5 – Make a list of possible students for participation in research
                My 8th grade science class and school is filled with struggling students, most of them is due to attitude, the prefer to socialize rather than pay attention to their work assignment. I choose those who were struggling yet put in the attempt to learn

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Step 6 – Assign students' instructions and resources to conduct
               investigation
               I was able to locate these book on the internet as free downloads, and assigned students who admitted to owning a computer and could do the assignment. I created a handout and asked students to read these books over the next 7 days and return the information to me. Those without a computer I assigned my book with the same directions.
 

Step 7 – Conduct assignment

                   •Collect any reading material or student work

                   •Reflect on responses
 

Step 8 – Use results and reflections, to develop 3-5 concrete
               recommendations to other literacy teachers

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