Sam Henry
Capstone Project
Gardner-Webb University

Action Research is:

"A fancy way of saying let's study what's happening at
our school and decide how to make it a better place."
-Emily Calhoun (1994)

Research Questions:

What impact does SLCs have on academic ownership from the first conference to the second conference?

What impact does sharing academic work with parents have on a student's desire to improve their academic responsibility?

PRESENT at the conference:
Parents
Teachers

The most important person responsible for making CHANGES is not in the room.

A STRATEGY is agreed upon to help the student.

The STUDENT is left to wonder what was decided by the group.

A better line of COMMUNICATION must be established if the student is to have a chance to take ownership.

As a result the student often takes a BACKSEAT to what is being said about them and has almost no ability to defend themselves.

SLCs shift the student from a PASSIVE participant to an ACTIVE communicator between themselves, their parents, and their teachers.

As students enter middle school they are given more FREEDOM and are often left with little parent participation in their academic life.

Sadly most schools do not have anything in place to ENCOURAGE their students to TAKE OWNERSHIP of their learning.

Research shows that SLCs:
1) encourage students to ACCEPT personal responsibility

2) TEACH students the process of self-evaluation

3) FACILITATE students' organizational and communication skills

4) ENCOURAGE students, parents, and teachers to engage in open, honest, and positive dialogue

5) INCREASE parent attendance at conferences

"The world is changing, and so must education. 'Because we've always done it that way' can't be the only reason."
-Ben Schersten (2012)

This public middle school is on the outskirts of a small town in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

The community has strong ties to the school.

900 students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades attend.

This study included 27 eighth grade students and their parents from my four academic classes.

Two rounds of SLCs were conducted over a six week period.

Students:

PREPARED a portfolio of work from all four core classes

BRAINSTORMED academic goals for the next 9 weeks

FILLED OUT self-assessment form

PRACTICED their SLC with another peer in class and received proper feedback

CONDUCTED their SLC after school with parent(s)

COMPLETED survey and open-ended questionnaire

REPEATED six weeks later

Survey ratings:
(1) Never (2) Rarely (3) Sometimes
(4) Often (5) Almost Always

Statement #1-
Setting academic goals help me to focus in my classes.

Statement #2-
SLCs help me focus on improving my grades.

Statement #3-
I put more effort into my work because it could be part of my portfolio.

Statement #4-
Sharing my academic work with an adult has helped me to stay focused.

Statement #5-
SLCs made me take responsibility for my learning.

Frequency Tables on Word Document

STUDENTS:
"I felt very focused on showing my parents what I have been doing."

"I can be more open when my mom asks me 'What did you do today?'"

"Showing my mom my work that I worked hard to get good grades on was the best part."

PARENTS:
"I think she learned how to communicate with me about her strong and weak areas of school."

"I liked the open conversation where at home she may have given us more attitude in delivery of same info."

"The traditional conference doesn't typically involve the student, which when you think about it, doesn't make as much sense."

-longer RANGE of time between SLCs

-more TIME to collect data

-greater TURNOUT of students participating

-more CREATIVE ways to pull in reluctant parents

-more times AVAILABLE for the SLCs to take place

-let teachers select WORK for the students' portfolio

-INCREASE the number of students involved

-have greater DIVERSITY in the students participating

-get other TEAM teachers involved from the beginning

-conduct SLCs EVERY nine weeks grading period

-create different METHODS of collecting data

Thank you for your time!

Please fill out the brief survey and return to the front.

I will be happy to discuss SLCs with you further. Let me know if you need further information. I can send you electronic copies of any material.