Peer Review Final Project-Part One
Ashford University: EDU 694
Part One: Research Report Analysis
| Provide the complete 6th edition APA citation for the action research proposal you are reviewing.Wiebelhaus, S. E., & Hanson, M. F. (2016). Effects of classroom-based physical activities on off-task behaviors and attention: Kindergarten case study. The Qualitative Report, 21(8), 1380-1393. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/docview/1813537829?accountid=32521 |
| TitleProvide the title of the research proposal. It is usually a statement based on the research question—short and to the point. | Effects of Classroom-Based Physical Activities on Off-Task Behaviors and Attention: Kindergarten Case Study |
| Research TopicDescribe the specific topic to be studied in a paragraph | The research topic is to determine the perceptions of three specific students with ADHD by implementing physical activity. The students were given the opportunities for physical activities in between curriculum. These activities gave them brain breaks to decrease off-task behavior. The activities stimulate the student’s bodies, which in turn strengthens their cognitive abilities. |
| Research ProblemProvide a brief statement that adequately describes the problem being addressed. | According to the NCLB Act, “To receive federal school funding, states had to give assessments to all students at select grade levels, If adequate yearly progress was not demonstrated, schools and administrators could be penalized” (Thomas & Brady, chap. 3). The demands of the NCLB Act increased the teacher’s challenges in academics and student behaviors. The student’s academics were challenged by prolonged sitting, leading to an increase of off-task behavior (especially those with ADHD). |
| Research PurposeWrite a brief statement that fully describes the intent of the study or the reason for conducting the study. | The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of physical activity in the classroom on off-task behaviors and how schools and teachers can provide the movement the students need for academic development. |
| Research ParticipantsDescribe in detail the participants of the study. | The elementary school in which the participant was chosen consisted of 84.8% of low-income students. The researcher and main author of the study were employed at the elementary school. There were eighteen students in a kindergarten class. Thirteen of the students were excluded due to their enrollment in the ELL program. The authors wanted to make certain the students understood the questions. From the five remaining students, one student was retained from the study. The four remaining students were given consent forms for the study. Only three students returned the consent forms with parent signature; these became the three (5 & 6-yr. olds), kindergarten participants (Emily, Mike, and Lauren). |
| Research Question(s)List the primary research question and any sub questions addressed by the proposed study. The primary research question should flow logically from the problem statement and purpose statement and be very similar in wording although phrased as a question. | Primary Question: (Self-awareness) Do you pay attention in class, and is it hard for you to sit still for a long time?Sub-questions:What do you like-dislike about kindergarten?What makes it hard for you to pay attention in class?Do you like movement breaks? (the associated reasons for liking/disliking). |
| Literature Review SectionProvide a brief overview of the conceptual framework upon which the study is based. Identify the seminal research and theories that inform the study. Discuss the topics and themes that are used to organize the literature review. | Fryer, Hanson, & Wiebelhaus, (2016), refer to the National Center for Education Statistics, “the mean number of minutes for recess per day in the central part of the United States was 30.2 minutes for grade 1” (2005). Murray and Ramstetter (2013, as cited in Fryer, Hanson, & Wiebelhaus, 2016), discuss how the Center for Disease Control and Prevention have shown recess to benefit the development of social skills as well as a child’s cognitive, physical, and emotional being. Fryer, Hanson, & Wiebelhaus reviewed four studies involving student behavior with the implementation of recess and physical movements in the classroom. Each study had initial participant observations of off-task behavior before physical movement. The studies included all students in the classroom but focused on students who were the least on task (some studies had specific students with ADHD). |
| Research DesignDescribe the research design and state the type of approach used (e.g., quantitative or qualitative). | The research is a qualitative instrumental case study that validates its findings with several credible studies. According to Mertler (2017), qualitative research methodologies necessitate the collection and analysis of narrative data (e.g., observation notes, interview transcripts, journal entries (chap. 1.1). The research is an 8-week study that values the participant’s perception of self-interpretation. The study seeks out the importance of the physical activity to strengthen cognitive skills, by conditioning the mind and body. The study begins with all the students being videotaped during a group lesson. There were two videos taken in the first week, one before the gross motor activity and one after the activity as a baseline for off-task behavior. The students participated in physical activities for gross and fine motor skills at stations. “These physical activities focused on a child’s balance, hand I coordination, pincer grasp, and core strength. Students participated in activities such as walking on a balance beam, jumping on mini trampolines, crawling on mats, using tweezers, and tracing a variety of lines with a finger all students participated in rotated through two to three stations daily” (Wiebelhaus et al. 2016). During the first week of the study first week, the three participants were interviewed about their perceptions of being focused during group instruction. During the interview, the students were asked their perception of how well they paid attention during class. The interviewer asked the participants “liked and disliked about kindergarten, what made it hard for them to pay attention, and whether they liked movement breaks and the associated reasons for liking or disliking the movement breaks” (Wiebelhaus et al. 2016). The researcher and co-author used inductive reasoning to simultaneously analyze and collect data with a constant comparative method: For the next 7 weeks of the study, the participants were observed for off-task behavior before and after the stations. Off-task behavior data was collected through observation, videotape, interviews, frequency charts, and field notes. In the final week of the study, the participants were individually interviewed. The interview consisted of the same questions asked in the initial interview with an additional three questions. The participants were asked if they “liked the stations, what they liked about the stations, and how the stations help focus attention during instruction if at all” (Wiebelhaus et al. 2016). |
| Ethical ConsiderationDescribe all ethical considerations and provide a rationale for the considerations. | The study consisted of minor children in an elementary school. The ethical considerations protected the minor student’s identities by using their first names only. The protection was consented with a written agreement and signature by the student’s parent(s). The researcher and main author chose the participants carefully. The school in which the students were enrolled was 84.8% low income and 90% English Language Learners. The study omitted the ELL students to ensure their understanding of all interviews, communications, and fulfillment of the study. |
| Research FindingsReport all research findings and conclusions found from the study. | After using videotaped observations, frequency charts, field notes, and interviews of participants documented student attitudes, thinking, and behavior the researcher and co-author accurately accounted for the classroom setting. According to Wiebelhaus (2016), “field notes in interviews were read once to identify common strands and patterns and then re-read by the researcher, and co-author to identify verbal and nonverbal behaviors as noted in the field notes for themes that related to the studies research question” (para. 22). Words and word patterns were then put into a program called Wordle to create a word map. According to Creswell (2009, as stated in Wiebelhaus, 2016), “To ensure reliability and validity, peer debriefing sessions took place once a month with the researcher’s advisor/coauthor and on-site colleagues. “Triangulation of the data sources was used to build a justification for the themes which in turn added validity to the study” (para. 19). During the initial interview, two of the participants found it hard to sit still when required. During the frequency chart completion, all three participants showed a slight increase in off-task behavior on one or two days within the first two weeks. When asked during the individual post-interview, each participant felt the gross motor stations were a fun exercise that helped them to sit still during the required times. The frequency charts validated all three participant’s self-perception showing off-task behaviors generally decreasing after participating in the gross motor stations. According to Wiebelhaus (2016), Children who are 5 and 6 years old can be self-aware and aware of their surroundings to accurately perceive and reflect on their abilities to pay attention” (supported by the Mantzicopoulos study, 2006). |
| Need for the StudyDescribe the need for the study. Provide a rationale or need for studying a particular issue or phenomenon. | The study is vital in showing the need to implement physical activity in the kindergarten classroom. The study is an aid for administrators and teachers to advocate the need for brain breaks for young children. Within the study, the participant’s personal perspectives are accounted for in qualitative data. The social-emotional need for physical activities is apparent in the participant’s response, both verbal and non-verbal. |
| Practical ImplicationsDescribe any stated practical implications. | The practical implication of the study refers to three main limitations. The study consisted of an eight-week duration. The study would be more practical, with an increase in the duration of the study. Given more time to collect data with the participants would show the long-term effects of the need for physical activity to decrease off-task behavior. The age range of the participants is another limitation of the study. The study has validity to the 5-6-year-old participant’s capability to perceive their self-awareness. However, According to Wiebelhaus (2016), “5-year-olds are still learning how to process questions and their answers in an articulate manner” He continues to say, “The small sample of children involved in an analysis prevents the transfer of the results to another setting” (para. 44). Given the ethical considerations at the beginning of the study, the team was left with three participants. Due to the lack of participants, short duration, and young age group, the team sees room for improvement in the study. |
References
Mertler, C. A. (2017). Action research: Improving schools and empowering educators (5th ed.) [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/
Thomas, J. Y., & Brady, K. P. (2005). Chapter 3: The Elementary and Secondary Education Act at 40: Equity, Accountability, and the Evolving Federal Role in Public Education. Review of Research in Education, 29(1), 51–67. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X029001051
Wiebelhaus, S. E., & Hanson, M. F. (2016). Effects of classroom-based physical activities on off-task behaviors and attention: Kindergarten case study. The Qualitative Report, 21(8), 1380-1393. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/docview/1813537829?accountid=32521
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