Promoting Student Motivation, Participation, and Achievement:

Learning Activities through Strategic Implementation

Action Research ProposalLaura Murtha

Introduction

Urban public schools struggle with low achievement and high dropout rates.

Motivation is linked to higher achievement and increased participation and engagement.

Incorporating motivation building activities in an urban high school math class can boost achievement and participation.

Purpose of Study

Determine which learning activity or combination of learning activities promotes motivation, participation, and achievement.

Determine which of the following learning activities students prefer:› Discussion› Relationship-building› Video game/interest based› Multiple intelligence› Writing in mathematics

Review of Literature“Social Motivation in the Secondary Classroom: Assessing

Teacher-Student Relationships from Both Perspectives”by H. Gehlbach, M. E. Brinkworth, and A. Harris

The teacher-student relationship is linked to increased motivation and participation.

Building a better relationship with students will boost motivation and participation.

Review of Literature“Mathematics Discussions by Design: Creating

Opportunities for Purposeful Participation”by J. E. Henning, T. McKeny, G. D. Foley, and M. Balong

Students participate more in conceptual discussions that are preceded by a 45 minute learning activity as compared to a warm-up or not activity.

Students participate more in application discussions that are preceded by a group learning project as apposed to a lecture.

Review of Literature“Increasing Student Motivation through Cooperative

Learning, Writing in Mathematics, and Multiple Intelligences”

by C. Klein, B. Pflederer, and M Truckenmiller

Students and teachers expressed positive feelings and increased motivation through the implementation of cooperative learning, writing in mathematics, and multiple intelligences.

Research was performed in an urban high school math class.

Review of Literature“Using Gaming to Motivate Today's Technology-Dependent

Students”by M. Petkov and G. E. Rogers

A study in 2008 found that 97% of 12 to 17 year-olds play video games and 50% play every day.

Incorporating video games or other interest based technologies will boost motivation.

Research Questions

How can a teacher increase motivation, participation, and achievement in an urban high school math class?

During which learning activities or combination of learning activities do students show the most increase in motivation, participation, and achievement in an urban high school math class?

Methodology

Context:› The study will take place in two urban high

school math classes.

Design:› Explanatory, mixed-methods research using

student assessment, journal entries, surveys, and observations.

Data Collection Student Assessments:

› The scores on a summative test will be compared to pre-assessment quiz to quantitatively compare achievement.

› The percentage of homeworks and class works completed will be compared to the previous units to quantitatively and qualitatively compare participation.

Data Collection

Observations:› The teacher will observe the quantitative

and qualitative value of a students participation in a discussion.

Student Surveys:› Both classes will complete a survey which

addresses motivation and participation.

Survey1. What is your favorite concept, activity, or part of your

math class and why?2. What is your least favorite concept, activity, or part of

your math class and why?3. What is your current grade in you math class________4. Do you feel like you learn new things in your math class

Yes No5. In the last month which of the following have you done in

your math class Handed in Homework Found an idea interesting in class or on a homework Volunteered an answer in class Completed class work Listened and took notes in class Enjoyed math class Asked a question in class Attended class regularly (at least 4 out of 5 times a week)

Survey (Continued)

6. On a scale from 0 to 5 how much effort did you exert in your math class, where 0 is no effort and 5 is a lot of effort? ________

7. On a scale from 1 to 10 where 1 represents how you fell when something is so boring it puts you to sleep and 10 represents how you feel when you are at the edge of your seat with anticipation, how engaged are you in math class__________

8. Circle the answer that best describes your feelings to the following statement:

I like my math teacherStrongly agree AgreeNeutral Disagree Strongly disagree

Survey (Continued)9. Write the number in the blank that best describes your opinion:

Your math class is…Easy 1 2 3 4 5 Hard____________Boring 1 2 3 4 5 Fun ____________Important1 2 3 4 5 Not Important _______Illustrates real-life 1 2 3 4 5 Does not illustrate real-life____ 10. Rank the list below where 0 is the least enjoyed activity and 4 is the most

enjoyed activity of this math unit.A. DiscussionsB. Mathematical writingC. Interest based activities(Activities that included video games or technology)D. Multiple intelligence activities(Multiple means of representation or

expression)E. Relationship building(Icebreaker activities)0_______________________________1_______________________________2_______________________________3_______________________________4_______________________________

Data Collection

Journal Entries› Students will write journal entries

expressing the math activities they enjoyed and disliked.

Analysis of Data

To analyze the data, I will establish a quantitative relationship between a learning activity and increased motivation, participation, and achievement.

Since point values are assigned for each correct answer on assessment and positive feed back in the journal entries, the learning activities with the most points wins.

I should be able to determine which learning activities the students enjoy most and which learning activities facilitate higher achievement and participation.

Ethical Issues

All the students will not be exposed to any strenuous activities that lie outside the normal school day parameters.

The student responses to the surveys are anonymous.

All students will be informed of the on going study, so they will be aware of up coming changes in the learning environment.

Disseminating the Results

Who can benefit from this study?› Other urban teachers› Decision makers › Administrators› Curriculum designers

Limitations

It is possible that the positive feed back for a learning activity is only based the fact that the mathematical concept is easy.› Counter: This unit based structure could be

repeated where the mathematical concepts covered vary in difficulty.

Similarly to the other research studies, the data could be inconclusive due to lack of consistency in attendance.› Counter: The study could be minimized to

a small focus group where the students attend consistently.

Conclusion

The purpose of this study is to determine which learning strategies boost motivation, participation, and achievement in an urban high school math class.

If a specific learning strategy or a sequence of learning strategies is proven affective at increasing motivation, then many schools can benefit from the increased achievement and participation that motivation brings.

References Gehlbach, H., Brinkworth, M. E., & Harris, A. (2011). Social Motivation in the

Secondary Classroom: Assessing Teacher-Student Relationships from Both Perspectives. Online Submission, (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED525284)

Henning, J. E., McKeny, T., Foley, G. D., & Balong, M. (2012). Mathematics Discussions by Design: Creating Opportunities for Purposeful Participation. Journal Of Mathematics Teacher Education, 15(6), 453-479.

Klein, C., Pflederer, B., & Truckenmiller, M. (1998, May 1). Increasing Student Motivation through Cooperative Learning, Writing in Mathematics, and Multiple Intelligences.

Murayama, K., Pekrun, R., Lichtenfeld, S., & vom Hofe, R. (2013). Predicting Long-Term Growth in Students’ Mathematics Achievement: The Unique Contributions of Motivation and Cognitive Strategies. Child Development, 84(4), 1475-1490.

  Petkov, M., & Rogers, G. E. (2011). Using Gaming to Motivate Today's Technology-

Dependent Students. Journal Of Stem Teacher Education, 48(1), 7-12.

Questions?

Thanks for your time