ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT

                                                          Desmond E. Duncan Jr.

                                                          2003 TITLE V GRANT

 

(Document #1: Action Research Plan, Duncan, 2003)

U.S. GOVERNMENT/POS 2041/CRN 12289

 

IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEM AND CLEAR GOALS

 

Some who have studied Abraham Lincoln would suggest that “… his view of American government presupposes that Americans know enough about the institutions of their government to want to change them and that they care enough about their political system to get involved.” Today those sentiments are scarcely demonstrated. Instead, survey after survey indicates that the vast majority of students in particular and citizens in general are ill informed about the institutions and the political process. Hence, they have inculcated disillusioned and distrustful attitudes of government. To modify these attitudes, many instructors of government have implemented the use of current affairs. Though their approaches may differ, there is a collective belief that the implementation of current events provides the students with real life examples which are very helpful in understanding the course materials. I unquestionably support this belief.

 

By monitoring the mass media consistently and effectively throughout the semester, students will develop a better understanding and appreciation for the institutions of the national government and the political process. This will enable students to:

 

                        1.         Write well organized essays.

                        2.         Use computers to access the internet for pertinent information.

                        3.         Demonstrate effective decision making skills.

 

This project will inform my teaching practices by:

 

                                    Validating or invalidating the significance of my requirements for the daily monitoring of the mass media, and using the information acquired as specific examples in answering essay questions, during class discussions and in the semester research project to demonstrate understanding of what is being discussed or describe.

 

ADEQUATE PREPARATION

 

Many educators throughout the world have used and are currently using a variety of techniques to stimulate learning in their classes. In the social sciences the use of current affairs is very prevalent and there is a multiplicity of approaches in its application. The lenses through which I arrived at my goal are my students, my peers, seminars I have attended, the literature I have researched and my critical reflection.

 

A.        Students

 

To better determine how students acquire their informal information about government and the political process, pre and post surveys of students’ media monitoring habits will be conducted during the 2003 Fall semester. (Attachment)

 

B.        Peers

 

On February 18^th, 2003, a five-question questionnaire (Attachment) was sent out to six faculty members who teach U.S. Government at Valencia Community College. Five responded, and their comments are as follows:

 

                        1.         Students are more engaged in the course work when they are required to submit weekly reaction papers to news articles.                        

                        2.         Monitoring the mass media ties in reality to principle.

                        3.         Allows students to gauge the utility of International Relations theory to real-life events.

                        4.         Students learn to comprehend when and under what circumstances states will work within inter-governmental organizations.

                        5.         Students gain a greater awareness of the variety of factors that can influence inter-state behavior.

 

                                    These comments suggest that students become aware of the relevance of the course to their daily lives and thus become more engaged in the course when currents are incorporated into the curriculum.

 

C.        Literature

 

 

Angelo, Thomas A. & Cross, Patricia K. (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques:

A Handbook for College Teachers.

Brookfield, Stephen D. (1995). Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher.

Dixon, D. A. (1996, April). Teaching democracy as a “practical” science:

Reorganizing the curriculum at institutions of higher education for active citizenship.

Hopkins, Gary. (1998). “Why Teach Current Events?”

Huba, Mary E. & Freed, Jann E. (2000). Learner-Centered Assessment on College

Campuses: Shifting the Focus from Teaching to Learning.

Jamieson, K. H., & Cappella, J. N. (1996). Bridging the disciplinary divide.

Palloff, Rena M. (1999) Building Learning Communities in Cyberspace.

Thomas, Matthew M. (1998 Fall). Aligning Student Development Theories with

College Classroom Pedagogy and the Implications for Student Affairs Professionals.

Tothill, Ann. (1995). “The Internet and Teaching Political Studies.”

Wlodkowski, Raymond J. & Ginsberg, Margery B. (1995). Diversity & Motivation:

Culturally Responsive Teaching.

 

 

                                                                                                                                              Hours: 9

 

 

D.      Self

                                                                                                                                                                       

POS 2041, U.S. Government, is a required course at Valencia Community College. It focuses on “Theory, organization, principles and functions of the national government, stressing relationships of individuals to all levels of government in the political system.”  Many students voice and demonstrate a lack of interest and concern for this course. If we are indeed the beacon of democracy to the world, then it is critically important that the citizens of this country understand and appreciate what it is that we are trying to promote around the world. Hence, in order to bring this course to life, monitoring and accessing the mass media for course relate information can be stimulating. This project will assist me in verifying and or modifying my assumptions that with consistent and effective monitoring of the mass media, students will acquire a better understanding and appreciation for the institutions of the national government, and a quantifiable appreciation of the political process.   

 

 

Seminars & Roundtables attended:

            Introduction to Action Research

            Kick Off – Dr. Stephen Brookfield

            Survey Methods – Patty Derbyshire

            Assessment  – Wendi Troxel

            Learning Communities – Ed Dolan

            Inclusion seminar – Susan Ledlow

            Technology Showcase

            Core Competency

            Assessment Roundtable

            Technology Roundtable

            Outcomes Roundtable

            Core Competency Roundtable

            Inclusion Roundtable

 

                                                                                                                                            Hours: 31

 

 

Outcomes:

 

                                    Dr. Craig, the first president of Valencia Community College, had a vision of developing a more civic minded student when he mandated the study of the U.S. Government as a core course in the AA degree program at this institution. In the attempt to support this vision, implementation of the proposed required learning outcomes will be very instrumental. One would then expect to see students who have developed an interest in not only becoming casual observers of the news and political programs on a daily basis, but also demonstrate the desire to participate in civic activities including voting. This could be assessed on the pre-media monitoring survey. (See Attachment)

           

 

 

APPROPRIATE METHODS

 

1.         Learning Outcomes

a.         Write well organized essays that integrate the ideas and values of various groups

            in the political process. (TVC)

            b.         Demonstrate the ability to use the computer and access the internet in a

                        comprehensive collaboration on the semester research project. (TVCA)

            c.         Demonstrate effective decision making skills when deciding on the appropriate

                        contemporary specific examples to be used in essays, during classroom

                        discussions and semester research project. (TVCA)

                                                                                       

2.         Performance Criteria

             a.        Write well organized essays that will include a basic essay structure with

                        introductory, body and conclusion paragraphs that will accurately explain or

                        describe information with supporting appropriate specific contemporary examples

                        and analyses. 

            b.         Use the computer and internet in collaboration, research information on the

                        impact of industries on the political process, and present their findings in power

                        point and orally.

 

3.                  Assessment Techniques

To determine the impact of consistently and effectively monitoring the mass media on students understanding and appreciation of the national government and the political process, a variety of assessment techniques will be use. Participation points will be awarded to students throughout semester who initiate discussions on current events that are relevant to course materials. The application and integration of current events in essays will be evaluated for their relevance. Collaboration and cooperation points will be awarded for group assignments. As a Learning Communities activity, students will grade theirs and others research project. The Self-Assessment Sheet will be used to evaluate themselves and members of their group on their contributions, and the Research Project Grading Sheet will be used to evaluate the quantity, quality and understanding of the oral presentations from other groups.   

 

4.         Instructional Strategies

            In the U.S. Government, POS 2041, course syllabus, and on the first day of classes during

            introductions, students will be informed of the requirement to monitor the           mass media daily

            and effectively for lessons relevant current events to be used as specific examples during class

            discussions, on essay questions and the semester research project.  This assignment will be

            re-emphasized by the instructor on a weekly basis throughout the semester. To encourage

            student initiated discussions on course related information found in the mass media, the

            instructor will model this behavior in the absence of student discourse.

 

            One week prior to tests, students will be provided with a list of essays to review.  During

            the class meeting before the first test, students will be separated into groups of four to

            review one of the essays. They will discuss amongst themselves, using the essay format

            sheet that’s attached to the course syllabus, how they would answer the question. At the

            end of this group exercise, a spokesperson from each group will discuss with the class the

            groups’ strategy. 

 

LEARNING PLAN AND ASSESSMENT