Title

A Project Based Learning Approach to the Development of Environmental Awareness and Altruistic Behaviors in Low Income Minority Students.

Methodology

Participants

            The target population of this study will be students in grades 4-5 in a public elementary school (100 students in each grade equally 200 students total in the study).  The sample to be used will be one class from each grade level (20 students in each class for a total sample of 40 students).  The sample classes would be selected randomly. 

            The demographics of the students in the study will be ages 10-12.  Ethnicity is 91% Caucasian, 3% Latino, 2% Asian, 2% African American, and 3% as Other. Of the 200 students, gender will be 140 Female and 160 Male. 

Research Questions

How will students’ participation in a classroom business effect motivation?

How does the integration of altruistic projects effect motivation?

How does the type of learning model (business vs. traditional) effect motivation?

What business skills will students gain?

How will participation in an altruistic learning project affect students emotionally?

How does collaborating with the community affect the learning project?

What insight will the families of participating students provide?

Instruments

The measurement to be used is the Children’s Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (CAMIAI ). According to the Mental Measurements Yearbook the purpose of the test is: “'To measure academic intrinsic motivation ... defined as enjoyment of school learning characterized by an orientation toward mastery, curiosity, persistence, and the learning of challenging, difficult, and novel tasks” (Gottfried, A. 2006).  The test was developed by Dr. Adele E. Gottfried in 1986. It is to be used with grades 4-8.  It can be given whole group and requires one hour to administer. 24 Likert scaled items are used to answer 44 questions.  The test attempts to measure student’s intrinsic motivation for four academic subject areas: Math, Science, Social Studies and Math; however it also measures “the child’s overall orientation towards learning” which is of most interest to this study.  Understanding the student’s overall scaled interest in the non-classroom business model and then in the post classroom business model is of interest. Internal consistency for the test is .83 to .93.  Reliability confidents in retests ranged from .66 to .76.  There was a shared variance of .15.

Procedures

            Students are inventoried with the instrument (CAMIAI) (pre-test) at the beginning of the school year when there is no classroom business (treatment) in place in the Art Room.  The student’s are then introduced to their jobs to create and maintain the classroom business (treatment) of selling student created Glass Art.  After one academic year of working in the classroom business, the same students are inventoried again using the CAMIAI test (post test).  The pre and post program CAMIAI scores are analyzed for change.  Informal qualitative input will also be gathered by parents and students throughout the program (in the forms of interviews and focus groups) to acquire additional information for the researchers.

Basic Research Designs

            The research is an Experimental Design.  It uses a quantitative measurement (CAMIAI) to identify if a new program / treatment (classroom business) effects student motivation.  Pre and Post Test design is employed.  Random sample and assignment is used.

Works Cited

Gottfried, Adele E. (2006). Children’s Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory

(CAIMI). In N. Salkind (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Measurement and Statistics.

(pp. 138-139).Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Measurement to Be Used: Children’s Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (CAMIAI )

Review of the Children's Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory by C. DALE POSEY, Licensed Psychologist, C. M. E. Psychology Consultants, Boca Raton, FL:

The Children's Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (CAIMI) is based upon a theoretical model of academic motivation conceived by Adele Gottfried, the author of the test. Intrinsic motivation is conceptualized as being specific for each primary subject area. There is also a general motivational variable related to the child's overall orientation toward learning. Thus, the CAIMI is comprised of four content scales related to reading, math, science, and social studies attitudes. There is also a separate scale related to 'general orientation toward school learning.' Each specific scale is comprised of 24 Likert-scale items and two forced-choice items. The general scale is made up of 18 Likert-scale items. The items are presented in a rather unusual format. There are 44 questions; the 26 relevant to the specific scales each require four responses, one for each content category. Thus, each question requires four responses on different Likert scales. In spite of this seeming complexity, the items appear to be understandable for students at least in the fourth grade, and scoring is surprisingly simple, requiring no templates or scoring keys. The author has, thus, developed an economical and simple method of obtaining a substantial amount of information.

The CAIMI was developed in three stages. An initial pool of theoretically derived items was administered to 141 white children attending one public school. Items demonstrating internal consistency and positive correlations with the total scale were retained. A biracial group from another public school was then used to assess racial and intellectual moderation, select additional items, and to investigate reliability. A third group of private school students was given the complete battery and further reliability studies were done.

An attempt was made to control for response bias. A social desirability scale was found to be uncorrelated with CAIMI scores, and items were balance-keyed to counteract yea-saying or nay-saying. Reverse-keyed repeated items were also included.

Reliability of the CAIMI appears to be adequate. Two-month retest coefficients ranged from .66 to .76. Internal consistency coefficients range from .83 to .93. Thus, reliability has been demonstrated, with no differences found as a function of race, sex, or IQ. An average shared variance of .15 indicates relative independence of the CAIMI scales.

CAIMI scores were significantly correlated with achievement test results on matched subject areas. Correlations ranged from .24 to .44. Thus, measured intrinsic motivation was related to achievement, but the two variables were largely independent. Achievement accounted for no more than 18 percent of the variance in matched subject CAIMI scores. Math CAIMI scores were especially strongly related to math achievement.

CAIMI scores were found to be negatively correlated with measures of subject-related academic anxiety (r = -.38 to -.52). Thus, intrinsic motivation is inversely related to anxiety within each subject area. In addition, the General CAIMI score was significantly correlated (r = .49 to .62) with the children's ratings of their academic competence. Teachers' ratings of a child's intrinsic motivation were significantly related to CAIMI Reading (r = .27), Math (r = .22), and General Motivation (r = .25). CAIMI Reading and Math scores were also correlated with these areas of achievement after controlling for IQ. Finally, the CAIMI was found to be significantly correlated with another measure of intrinsic motivation (r = .17 to .64).

In summary, the CAIMI appears to be a reliable and unique measure of an attribute labeled 'academic intrinsic motivation.' The operational definition of this construct is provided, and is based upon internal cognitive constructs. Studies of convergent and discriminant validity indicate these scales provide a fairly good measure of a child's academic ability, thoughts regarding self efficacy as it relates to school work, and teacher perception of a child's motivation. Academic intrinsic motivation also appears to be independent of intelligence and largely independent of achievement. The scales appear to be free of sex and racial bias, and should be fairly resistant to response sets. The only problem noted in the scale's development is the size and representativeness of the normative sample. The samples were adequate for the development of a research scale, but a commercially marketed scale should have national stratified norms. The scale is promising, but the author must conduct a more extensive normative study. Further validity studies would also be helpful in behaviorally defining academic intrinsic motivation. It is recommended that the scale be used, but caution should be exercised in drawing unreplicated conclusions. As part of a larger battery it may provide useful information regarding academically unsuccessful children.

---

Original Mental Measurements Yearbook citation:
Test Name: Children's Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory
Acronym: CAIMI
Author: Gottfried, Adele.
Publication Date: 1986
Publication Information:Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc., 16204 N. Florida Avenue, Lutz, FL 33549-8119; Telephone: 800-331-8378; FAX: 800-727-9329; E-mail: custsupp@parinc.com; Web: www.parinc.com.
Purpose: 'To measure academic intrinsic motivation ... defined as enjoyment of school learning characterized by an orientation toward mastery, curiosity, persistence, and the learning of challenging, difficult, and novel tasks.'
Test Category: 12
Administration:Individual or group.
Population: Grades 4-8
Scores: Reading; Math; Social Studies; Science; General
Time: (20-30) minutes for individual administration; (60) minutes for group administration.
Number of Reviews: 1
Reviewer:Posey, C. Dale.
References: See T5:464 (5 references); for a review by C. Dale Posey, see 10:54
Price: 2006: $162 per introductory kit including 50 test booklets, 50 profile forms, and manual (24 pages)
Yearbook: 10
Record Source: Mental Measurements Yearbook and Tests in Print.
Accession Number: 10120394

Copyright © 2010. The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska and the Buros Center for Testing. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. Buros Center for Testing, Buros Institute, Mental Measurements Yearbook, and Tests in Print are all trademarks of the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska and may not be used without express written consent.

Purpose of the Study and Research Questions

Purpose of the Study and Research Questions

                              

Purpose Statement

The purpose of the study is to investigate if altruistic behaviors can be developed in low income minority students as a result of engagement in project based learning centered around an environemntal theme.  The study will attempt to measure the student's intrinisic motivation throughout the Arts based service learning project and predict from those outcomes if the student will engage in future environmental  leader roles without extrinsic motivators. 

Purpose of the Study

            Engaging students in authentic learning linked to post secondary or real life applications is the studies main focus.  The study will measure engagement attitudes of students in grades 3-5 before and after running a classroom business.  The students will be using Art class to create, promote, sell, and budget for their business.  Students will also be mindful that a portion of their profits will benefit charity.  Art is cross curricular and integrates the areas of Design alongside those of Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Cultural Studies.

Guiding Questions

1.      How does the integration of altruistic projects effect engagement?

2.     

3.     

4.     

5.      Will collaboration with local community partners increase the community learning goals of the center's leadership objectives?

6.      Will families of participating students report change in altruistic behavior?

7.     
8.  In what ways will intrinsic motivation increase throughout the project?
9.  After the project will student's become more invested in seeking to become environmental role models to peers.
10.  How will student's communicate the project to others after the project?
11.  Will the student exhibit future altruistic behaviors without teacher support?

First Art Show to Promote our Classroom Business

This was the press release explaining how our students are using micro-economies in their classroom-run business to support our humanitarian projects.

http://www.sunartgallery.net/SJES-Auction-2011.html

Annotated Bibliography

Abrahams, A. S. et.al. (2010). An active, reflective learning cycle for e-commerce classes: Learning about e-commerce by doing and teaching.  Journal of Information Systems Education. 21(4). p. 383-90.

            This article details a research project where ‘experiential learning, e-commerce and entrepreneurship’ is created in the classroom by creating and managing a non-profit.  The article chronicles the creation of a new non profit for a technology course.  Students created an Online Business Guidebook where they compiled information and published information on how to start an online business.  This information is important to the research question because it details how to start up a business using students.  These students are college aged, but they are utilizing web based technologies to create, maintain and market their website.  These components are important to the research question whereas the students will be asked to maintain and promote the sale of their art through their business.  ‘Active learning and real world scenarios’ are detailed as highly engaging to the students.  Assessment was evidenced through participants self evaluation and team evaluations.

Adejumo, C.O. (2010). Promoting artistic and cultural development through service

learning and critical pedagogy in a low-income community art program. Visual Arts Research. 36(1) pp. 23-34.

            This article is a series of observations as part of a larger longitudinal study by the author as part of a community art program incorporating children in a low income area of Ohio.  The results of the article suggest that the children have a more authentic and retention of lessons learned when the art projects were incorporated and taught as part of a real life scenario delivery.  When students understood their art was being used for real world programming to convey history and to enhance communicating aspects of the community, engagement and participation increased.  This research is useful to our research question because it begins to chronicle how students desire to participate increases when authentic representati8on to real world meaning is incorporated into the curriculum and learning.  Our research question and goals wish to uncover why student’s motivation may increase and if they at the elementary level perceive artwork as a way to change people’s lives. 

Buffington, M.L. (2007). The big idea: Service-learning and art education.  Art Education

60(6) pp 40-5.

            This article speaks to the issue of teacher’s instruction of pre-service art teachers in teaching Big Ideas in art.  Big Ideas are the topic of Florida Sun State Standard overhaul this year and directly reflect the curriculum mandated by the state of Florida to art teachers in the most recent re-writing of the standards.  This article is of particular interest to the research question because it involves teaching curriculum planning to address Big Ideas during instruction.  Big Ideas for the research question revolve around integrating concepts from STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) alongside art specific Design elements to provide for spiraling Big Ideas in the elementary art curriculum.  In this article the author reflects on the main idea of the article pertaining to keeping art in schools revolving around centering the theme around the Big Idea of Art being a real world vehicle for problem solving.  This helps the research question by providing a foundational basis of art instruction to be grounded in creating agents of change in students; creation of social and political / environmental change through art issues.

Evenson, R. (2009). How the 3 R’s can help you create a culture of service.  Association for career and technical education. 84(8) p. 8-9.

            Customer service skills for post secondary transitions is discussed in this article.  ‘Using the three R’s’ in this article refers to: Responsibility, Respect and Relationships.  Using these core beliefs and practices in teaching is attractive and desirable in the hopes of leading students to a more authentic and skills based learning environment, gearing up for real world problem solving and positive social interactions.  This article is useful in the addressing the problem statement of classroom micro economies by giving sample evidence and strategies on creating and applying business skills for the classroom business.

Hutzel, K. (2007). A service-learning approach to teaching computer graphics. Art Education 60(1) p. 13-19.

The article explains how college students and neighborhood children were integrated into a formal series of classes to teach Adobe Photoshop.  Using the technology based design approach; the teacher was able to integrate a lot of service learning principals and teach an employability skill that is in high demand.  This research is appropriate for the research question because we anticipate having to teach Photoshop as employability and design skill; whereas it also has major implications in serving our needs to teach mass communications skills to communicate about our humanitarian projects.  The author concludes by recommending the program cited in the research as a model to launch similar service-learning projects to strengthen community partnerships with youth; our research will use this as a model to justify the need for the Photoshop lessons as a communications tool for our service learning / humanitarian project.

Hutzel, K., Russel, R., & J. Gross (2010).  Eight-graders as role models: A service-

learning art collaboration for social and emotional learning. Art Education 63(4) pp.12-18.

            Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the focus of this article as the researchers observe an art program (service learning) where eighth graders are partnered with pre- school children to collaborate on art projects.  The findings of the research were that the older students wanted to inherently ‘help’ the younger students and displayed role model behavior when presented as the teachers to the younger students.  These were students who had displayed behavior issues in the general educational setting with like-aged peers.  This research effects our research question by outlining a very detailed curriculum sequence of teaching points when preparing a similar program.  Data and Assessment was achieved through reflection of participants.  Strategies offered in the project reflect a need to teach students: “self esteem, hope, responsibility, empathy, and resiliency.”

Innella, V. (2010). Curriculum and the gallery space: A service–learning partnership. Art Education 63(3) p. 46-52.

            This article details a service learning program in Wisconsin which combines art gallery staff and curators with college and school aged children in a community service learning project.  The article reflects on true service learning as benefiting the community and creating agents of change in the people involved.  The authors reflect on service learning’s ability to teach critical thinking skills in their program and end results are meant to have ‘specific outcomes in mind.’  The gallery setting where students make, curate, exhibit and sell artwork is conducive to the understanding of the core curriculum as well as teaching an employability skill while tapping prior knowledge and tying the curriculum into a real world situation.   This research benefits the research question by addressing the active and scripted projects definitions.  Assessment was evidenced through targeted reflections.

Kielsmeier, J. (2011).  Service-learning: The time is now. The Prevention Researcher

18(1) p. 3-7.

            This is an article written as an overview on service-learning (SL); some of the foundational principals and also today’s resurgence toward activism in schools through SL.  The article discusses the 2009 re-affirmation of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act by President Obama and the main lender of support for programs as the Learn and Service America program an extension of the Corporation for National and Community Service.  These highlights within the article are beneficial to the research question and goals by supplying these key funding partners and legislation as essential starting points to start up our research program for the wells in Pakistan (our humanitarian project we will raise funds for through the sale of student artwork).  The article also has good visual graphs that compare and contrast traditional learning features and service learning and standards for quality practice in SL.

Krensky, B. & Seana L. Steffen (2008). Arts-based service learning: A state of the field.  Art Education 61(4) p. 13-18.

            The method for this research was exploratory analysis with a purposeful sample of 435 art colleges and educational institutions to determine why an increase in the decline in social and civic activities in America were on the rise in the last 10 years.  The article states that service learning research is a newer topic of study but contends that service learning is a fundamental aspect of democracy.  This article furthers the research question by justifying the need for more research of how integrating art education and service learning may tackle several of the questions goals.  The researchers noted some gaps in their collection techniques.  The article uses the phrase ‘thoughtfully organized service’ whereas in our research question we used ‘scripted projects.’  This article’s findings help to bolster our research question by supplying a lot of the fundamental research regarding service learning; especially from governmental agencies like the National Endowment for the Arts.  The article also has a long comprehensive list of arts facilities studied, many in cooperation with major universities which is helpful when reviewing model programs.  Conclusion of the study was increased student engagement during service learning project.

Lawrence, M. N., et. al. (2010). Becoming aware of the challenges of helping students

learn: An examination of the nature of learning during a service-learning experience. Teacher Education Quarterly. 37(1) p. 155-75.

            This is research done under the qualitative method.  Pre-service teachers were being asked to help with booths for a Family Science Night event at an elementary school.  The main goal of the study was to measure pre-service teacher’s abilities to interact with students they were paired with based on their background science specialties.  Data was collected such as essay questions, fill in the blank and open ended questions to gather the pre service teacher’s readiness for the classroom.  The final data collection was a focus group interview during the Family Night Science event.  This was of particular interest to the research question, as part of the task is to create an Art Family Night or monthly workshops to integrate families into the humanitarian project and micro economies the students work on during the school day.  Bringing together information for the Art workshops taken from this study will be beneficial.

           

Lawton, P. H. (2010). Hand-in hand, building community on common ground. Art Education 63(6) p. 6-12.

            This article’s research explains a project that collaborated homelessness initiatives (humanitarian project) to artists and art educators.  It dealt with inviting homeless people to an art studio to work with local artists and pre-service art teachers.  The ultimate goal was to explore how art can be used in real life ways to help advocate for the less fortunate.  This correlates well with the research question we are investigating as it shows a model program where conclusions and observations were derived given the project’s scope to make art a catalyst to helping others in a measureable way.  In terms of measurable, the project followed its homeless participants to find housing and employment.  This was a domestic study in North Carolina and was implemented by a professor at the University of North Carolina, in conjunction with local arts and community teachers.

Lopez, A & Hall, M. (2007).  Letting in the sun: Native youth transform their school with

murals.  Reclaiming Children and Youth 16(3) p.29-35         

            This article highlights learning on a reservation school with the population of Native American children.  The difference in educating Native children (as the article refers to the population) with non-Native students is the expectation of the Native’s culture to teach through: “experiential, nature based, visual based, and value based learning.”  Compared to non-Native instruction which is based on assessments and state mandated learning curriculum which has been criticized as being theoretical in scope instead of based in real world problem solving.  A shift has been occurring in arts education in the last five years whereas teachers and researchers are beginning to understand the importance of student’s perception of relevance in the curriculum.  The research in this article helps the research question by providing the Native’s expectation of cultural relevance evidenced in the curriculum; with end results in service learning.

Loveland, E. (2009). Empowering the poor: Interview with Nobel Prize recipient M. Yunus. International Educator 18(3) p. 28-32.

Critical thinking skills and hands on learning with real world application results were evidenced by Professor Yunus in this writing concerning his American students.  Using humanitarian avenues of teaching, he explains how his micro economies have served to aid in poverty relief around the world.  As the research problem is concerned with using micro economies in the classroom as a means to provide monies for humanitarian projects, this article responds to that need.  The article explains how students can be explicitly taught strategies using cooperative and critical skills in the classroom to provide social justice.  Models of programs are provided as well as thirty years of planning.

Nelson, J. A., et. al. (2011). Ensuring quality service-learning experiences for at-risk adolescents. The Prevention Researcher 18 (1) p. 14-17.

            This article was written almost as a meta-analysis of a variety of research devoted to at risk behavior adolescents and how service learning was having a positive impact on a variety of their school related issues.  The researchers point out many research studies that provide information that service ;earning projects have increased student motivation and engagement and have decreased behavior driven referrals of students involved in the service learning projects.  There is a also a lot of foundational definitions of service learning, and statistics about referrals nationwide and the increase of referrals and general decrease in civic learning projects offered to students in the U.S.  The article is beneficial to the research question because it offers a variety of instances where service learning has benefited students and outlines various programs that have s=had success in providing scripted programs that students could become engaged in compared to traditional classroom approaches that had failed with those students, some classified as Special Education.

Roach, C. (2011). Community-based service-learning: An interview with Carla Roach of

the Innovation Center for Community Youth and Development.  The Prevention Researcher, 18(1), 19-20.

            This article is an interview with Carla Roach who is the funding director for an initiative which brings youth directed service learning projects together for financing / funding.  The article talks about ways the first year of the initiative has been funded and how collaborations have affected the overall success of the programs.  Three programs are highlighted, each with older students than we are researching within our research; however the funding aspects that Ms. Roach identifies are important to new emerging programs like ours.  ‘Collective leadership’ or sharing of administration responsibilities has been one of the major findings from Ms. Roach in the success of funding the programs.  Partnering with Chambers of Commerces and identifying existing Community Based Organizations (CBOs) who invest stock in emerging programs are important for successful programs.  Ms Roach’s major function is in the important task of “engaging new partners-whether foundations, national organizations or community-based agencies.”  This in itself is highly useful for our research as we explore the multitude of funding possibilities for our emergent program.

Russell, R.L., et. al. (2007) Promoting social and emotional learning through service-learning art projects.  Art Education  60(3) p. 6-11.

            This article is focused on discussing Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) as it relates to students in an elementary art service learning program.  The authors assess that there is a lack of literature based on SEL measurements and art education.  Related issues discussed are concerned with the attitudes and characteristics of students who will be successful in post secondary transitions because they have been taught how to conduct themselves in leadership roles.  These leadership roles that are desirable to teach students revolve around helping others, self efficacy, classroom management and outcomes associated with involving students in collaborative service learning with the community.  This particular study is useful to the research question because it begins to attempt to create a model of integrating social justice and curricular units in art education.  The article cites using art for “social change and political awareness” as one of the main objectives of the study, which is characteristic of the goals of the research question.           

Stavrianopoulos, K. (2008). Service learning within the freshman year experience.

College Student Journal 42 (2) p. 703-12.

            This research used a pre and post questionnaire to find out if students perceptions (freshman college) of community service changed after working in a service learning environment for the college.  Results were that students were engaged in the service learning program to the extent of increased feelings of social involvement and increased desire to continue service after the initial requirements were completed.  The research study is beneficial to our research question because although it deals with older students, and we have dealing with elementary, it shows a positive correlation of increased student perceptions of their responsibility to communities.  Using this information may serve to justify teaching younger students these key elements of service earlier on than college.

Richstad, B. H. (1998). Educated candies: A classroom business planned and managed by students. The Clearing House 72(1) p. 51-4.

            Although this article discusses from a teacher’s perspective and observations how a classroom business was set up step by step, it is not a scholarly article.  It was accessed from the Clearing House magazine and was informal in tone, with overviews, observations, discussions and lacked measurement scales.  With that said, the article is extremely useful for the research question in many ways.  It identifies step by step the process including general technical terminology for the set up of the class business.  For example the article describes setting up such things such as: Market surveys, profit and loss statements, types of manufacture, overhead, cash flows, ratios, percents, economic theories, expenses, earnings, milestone plans and many others.  These are especially helpful to the research question, as it lays a foundation for many of the same principals the project will hinge on when selling the art in a small micro economy within the classroom. 

Shinn, S. (2010). Going global: What’s next? BizEd. 9(3) p. 40-2, 44, 46-9.

Schools collaborating together internationally for business and the arts are the central focus of this article.  American schools are using this model to learn from other countries, especially China.  Understanding what business and real world models will be seeking in students and schools in the future is the main goal for educators as they prepare their students for 21^st Century learning and teaching.  By collaborating in observational roles, students, teachers and schools are able to learn from one another and begin developing partnerships to increase problem solving.  This article addresses the research problem by giving insight to the international interdependence of our students and schools and provides models for learning specific skills abroad.  Teamwork, leadership and working together are also identified as crucial goals for students to be able to actively engage in from a cultural perspective which are key responses to the research problem.

Ulbricht, J. (2005).  What is community-based art education? Art Education, 58(2), 6-12.

            This article discusses how community service programs involving students and art delves deeper into the social and local psyches than previously observed.  The research the articles cites community service learning and public art projects as linking such entities as: healthcare initiatives, environmental causes, conflict, disability issues, community regeneration and many others.  The research here is cited as using these programs to rejuvenate collaborations in communities based on art principles previously not seen as activated by art.  The issues brought up in the article address some of the core values to be explored in the research question such as: art as a mass communication vehicle driven by students to become agents of change in the community and around the world in a global market.

Problem Statement

                    Problem Statement

The Topic

The researcher will develop and analayze the effects of teaching the arts through a project based and servive learning design.  The project will encompass the cross curricular core standards of the visual arts, music and science through an environmental themed unit. Students will be surveyed to understand how the project impacts their ability to understand the depth of environmnetal need in their community and their and the predictibility to continue altruistic projects in the future.

The Research Problem

The problem is the low income minority students served by the community recreational center do not exhibit altruistic behaviors or intrinsic motivation. 

Background and Justification

Dr.Roach explains her observations of student engagement as it relates to service learning projects: “So far, the interview and focus group data suggest that adult staff can foster youth civic engagement by encouraging young people to step into leadership roles that draw on their strengths and then introducing opportunities to build new skills and competencies” (Roach, 2011 p. ***).

Learning, sharing resources and working together are core principals in education.  Engaging students in projects that benefit others through service learning while teaching core stanadrds needed for a global economy is paramount. “Community-based/public art can be a means to enhance traditional goals for teaching art while promoting social justice education, a crucial aspect of community-based art education” (Garber, 2006).

The Kagan Cooperative Learning Model and the Stephen Covey Leader in Me principals are two programs that promote student leadership roles.  Shifting leadership to the students successfully trains them for interdependence in a global marke reinforcing why authentic service learning skills are necessary.  “These projects can involve students in thinking critically about social issues that impact all segments of society, such as environmental issues or empowering the disenfranchised” (Ulbricht, 2005).

Deficiencies in the Evidence

When reviewing the literature, the need for this topic of research is evident.  Very little is available concerning how altruistic projects effect student motivation and engagement.  There is some information that is available however that explains how micro economies and on campus businesses foster cross curricular standards while increasing rigor and relevance in a real world setting.  These classroom economies have been researched to positively effect retention of core academic concepts.  Gaps in the literature remain as to if these two issues are relatable: altruistic projects alongside a micro economy to teach academics and global civic skills.

Audience

Those affected by this topic are students, teachers, families and recipients of aide.  Global audiences are affected as well.  As we begin to review East-West relations and determine our position as educators in the 21^st Century, interdependence is essential.

                                                                References

Garber, E. (2006). Why teach public art? A high school primer. Public Art Review, 17(2),

28-29.

Roach, C. (2011).  Community-based service-learning: An interview with Carla Roach of

the Innovation Center for Community Youth and Development. The Prevention Researcher, 18(1), 19-20.

Ulbricht, J. (2005). What is community-based art education? Art Education, 58(2), 6-12

Operational and Conceptual Definitions

                                            Conceptual and Operational Definitions

       By Jessica Scott Dunda

  Nova Southeastern University

            February 14, 2011

Research Question

 Will student self efficacy increase directly after involvement in classroom humanitarian projects?

Two Variables: 

1.   Structured humanitarian projects.

2.      Student’s existing self efficacy.

Independent Variable: Structured humanitarian projects

Dependent Variable: Self efficacy

Conceptual Definition : Independent Variable: Structured advocacy projects

 “Step by step projects designed to engage students in a humanitarian project(s) where the intent to help others is explicitly taught.”

Conceptual Definition: Dependent Variable :  Self efficacy

  “How effective one feels about their abilities in a particular area.”

Operational definition of Independent Variable structured humanitarian projects

I will have to create a rating scale for this.

Operational Definition of Dependent Variable Self Efficacy

 Motivated Strategies for Learning Scale (MSLS) a Rasch measurement rating scale is to be used to measure motivational attitude toward participant’s pre and post humanitarian project.  Students will participate in a humanitarian project and then will be given the MSLS test. We will find pre and post humanitarian project difference if any.  Control group takes pre and post  (1991) by Pintrich, Paul R.; Smith, David A. F.; Garcia, Teresa; McKeachie, Wilbert J.  Accessed on Database: Mental Measurements Yearbook with Tests in Print. 

 Reference

Pintrich, Paul R.; Smith, David A. F.; Garcia, Teresa; McKeachie, Wilbert J. (1991).

     Motivated strategies for learning scale (MSLS) Mental Measurements Yearbook with  

     Tests in Print accessed online ERIC February 10, 2011.

Qualitative Review of Parental Involvement Study

                         Review of a Qualitative Research Report: Parental Involvement

        by

                  Jessica Scott Dunda

            Nova Southeastern University

                                                          February 1, 2011

Introduction

            The background rationale for this study was in understanding why parent involvement drops off when children reach middle school age.  When parents are involved in their child’s education, student achievement increases.  When students enter middle school, a decrease in parent involvement and a decrease in student achievement tend to rise in some sub populations.

 Two sub populations in the study were Special Education students and Low Income Family households.  These two sub-group’s children had a decreased achievement level and decreased parental involvement rate when student’s reached middle school.  So what is the reason?  What happens between elementary and middle school that may lead to this behavior.  Is it reversible?  Is one party at fault?  This study attempts to look at why student achievement decreased alongside parental involvement decreasing in middle school aged students.

Methods

            (Focus groups) Parent focus groups were compiled.  One set of parents were from ‘academically successful’ students and the other set of parents were of students who had ‘high referral rates and were academically disadvantaged.’ The researchers used a qualitative, action research model, engaging parents in a survey about their beliefs of barriers as a parent to their child’s education or achievement.  The problem of the study is ‘barriers to student achievement.’ 

            Twenty-nine parents of students from a rural middle school were surveyed. ‘Purposeful and convenience sampling’ were used for participants.  13 of the 16 parents from the first focus group (academically disadvantaged) were available for the study.  The parents were recorded after being asked pre-arranged questions.  The authors of the study interacted with the groups, listening and asking questions to further conversation.  Later the video, audio and notes were analyzed using inductive analysis. 

            Three questions were asked which all dealt with barriers to education issues.  What are main barriers and what are parents and community resources to combat the barriers.  The researchers coded and analyzed their data from the transcripts of the tapes and their notes on the interactions with the focus groups. 

Analysis

            The researchers used their coded data and created a table of themes surrounding barriers to student achievement.  Some general topics were identified as: lack of differentiation and parental education, no teacher communication with parents, low student comfort levels and teacher’s preconceived notions.  They also had a category of what parents felt could remedy these problems. Two specific remedies included ‘affordable summer programs and a welcoming school environment.’

Findings

            The major finding was that both parties of parent focus groups felt they needed to participate more.  The application of the findings for Districts was to increase the participation of: ‘School-Family-Community Collaboration Activities.’  They also felt a support group for them with resources and to network together would help their student’s success.  Another major finding was the feeling of parents to be regarded by teachers with respect and as ‘experts of their children.’  Increased communication among all parties was favored.  The authors detailed many factors that could have contributed to the invalidity of the design, but stressed the middle school in a rural setting allowed for this open exchange of dialogue and collaboration among parents.

Future directions for the study would be the creation of a phone directory for parents to call one another, list of resources to parents, and collaboration activities for the community, families and the school to engage.

Reference

Griffin, D., et. al., Parent perceptions of barriers to academic success in a rural middle school. Professional School Counseling v. 14(1)  p. 87-100.

           

Jessica Scott Dunda Dissertation Intro

My name is Jessica Scott Dunda.  I am creating this blog to organize information devoted to my Dissertation in Special Education: Supporting Families Research at NOVA's Fischler School of Education.  Currently I teach K-5 Art and am interested in how using humanitarian service oriented projects and micro-economies in the classroom will impact student engagement.