The findings of my literary review showed a need for implementing classroom action research into secondary Algebra 1 classrooms in order to study the effects of instructional strategies using manipulatives on student achievement and student motivation. The general studies found during my literary review evaluated student achievement in algebra based on different instructional methods. These studies showed that the use of manipulatives in algebra classrooms improved student achievement. However, these studies did not focus on high school Algebra 1classes specifically. Individual studies focusing on the use of manipulatives in Algebra 1 classrooms were virtually non-existent, leading me to believe that this could be a void in educational research that my classroom action research project could fill. Thus, my literary review solidified my focus on my classroom action research question.
The educational research recommends that teachers receive instruction on how to successfully implement manipulatives into their classroom instruction. Without the correct instructional knowledge, many teachers shy away from using manipulatives, because they don’t know how to correctly use the manipulatives to help students. In addition, they believe that adding manipulatives to the instructional period takes too much time. In preparation for my classroom action research project, I would prefer to take a workshop that was dedicated to training teachers on the effective use of manipulatives. In this way, I would have the appropriate skill set to successfully execute the instruction needed for the research project.
There are several items to note when thinking about how to implement this research project. I have come to the realization that I will have to teach two Algebra 1 classes in order to obtain valid comparisons in the data. By teaching both of the classes myself, I will eliminate any variation in instruction that could be caused if the classes were taught by different instructors. One of the classes would be my control class, where instruction would be given without the use of manipulatives. The other class would be assigned as the experimental group, which would receive instruction with manipulatives. In addition, as manipulatives cannot be realistically added to every lesson in a unit of Algebra 1, this study will have to take place over a series of units. I think that four units of Algebra 1 would provide a good basis for this research, which means that the study would take place over a period of approximately eight weeks.
In order to accumulate data on student achievement, I would administer a pretest and a posttest (the unit test) to the two groups for each unit of study. The pretests should generate comparable results from both classes in order for latter comparisons to be valid. The posttests will hopefully show differences between the experimental and control group. Quizzes will be given during unit instruction, so I can also track and compare quiz results between the two classes to provide additional data on student achievement.
Student motivation will only be tracked in the experimental group, because the comparisons in student motivation will be specific to the behavior and attitude of these students before the trial and during the trial. The effects of instruction using manipulatives on student motivation will be assessed in numerous ways. My first method of data collection for student motivation will be teacher’s observations. Beginning a few weeks prior to the start of the research project and continuing through the end of the study, I will observe the experimental class with regard to student behavior and attitude. The observations will be collected in my research journal. With the compilation of observations taken before and during the study, I should be able to make valid comparisons in student motivation.
Additionally, I will track student motivation using a student survey, journal entries, and focus groups. At the beginning of the research study, I will administer a survey to the experimental group to collect baseline data of the students’ perceptions toward math and Algebra 1. On the survey, I will ask questions like:
· How well do you like mathematics?
· How well do you think that you were prepared for Algebra 1 in prior classes?
· What strategies are effective in helping you learn mathematics? (I might suggest some choices like lecture, hands-on activities, group activities, and guided practice, but I will also let them add their own options to this question.)
· What strategies are ineffective in helping you learn mathematics? (I might suggest some choices like lecture, hands-on activities, group activities, and guided practice, but I will also let them add their own options to this question.)
· Do you feel that you have successfully learned the topics that we have covered in Algebra 1 to this point using the current teaching methods?
During the research trial, I will periodically have the students write in their math journals to describe their experiences, questions, interest level, and opinions relating to our Algebra 1 class. At the end of the study, I would like to split the students into focus groups where we can discuss their opinions of the activities that were performed during the trial using manipulatives and how these activities effected their motivation and behavior in the class. I believe that the focus groups will be a dynamic method for gathering student input.
Research Question | Data Source 1 | Data Source 2 | Data Source 3 | Data Source 4 |
Does the use of manipulatives effect student achievement? | Pretests for each unit given to both groups for comparison (Artifact) | Posttests for each unit given to both groups for comparison (Artifact) | Quizzes given to both groups for comparison (Artifact) | |
Does the use of manipulatives effect student motivation? | Teacher observations of the experimental class recorded in my researcher’s journal (Observations) | Student survey administered in the experimental classroom (Interview) | Student journal entries written by students in the experimental classroom (Interview/Artifact) | Student focus groups from the experimental classroom (Interview) |
As shown by the chart above, the methods that I have chosen to collect data cover the three suggested strategies for achieving triangulation of my research data. Using these varied methods of data collection can help ensure that the results of my classroom action research project are reliable and valid.
