Conclusion
Overall Findings
Throughout the phases of this study some general themes stood out. First, I have found that choice is a positive factor to implement within the classroom. My students expressed enjoying having a choice in their assignments because they got to focus their learning on something they enjoyed. They also conveyed that choice in their assignment provided them comfort and they felt more comfortable and confident in their work. Furthermore, I recognized that it could increase students’ behavioral engagement, more specifically with on-task participation.
While I also came to the realization that choice was a constructive element, I also learned that community service itself is a beneficial implementation. I found my students’ were very passionate in their work and found helping others was something they could relate too. My students expressed the desire to help others and make a difference in their community was something they like to do but did not get many opportunities to do so.
More importantly, I have also learned that choice takes time. I learned that although, even in providing my students with choice, their will always be limitations within the students choices. As learned from Carl Roger’s humanistic pedagogy, people behave in accordance with how they perceive the situation. When providing my students with choices, I now know that I also have to take into consideration what factors might occur or prevent my students from making a choice that they truly desire.
While I also came to the realization that choice was a constructive element, I also learned that community service itself is a beneficial implementation. I found my students’ were very passionate in their work and found helping others was something they could relate too. My students expressed the desire to help others and make a difference in their community was something they like to do but did not get many opportunities to do so.
More importantly, I have also learned that choice takes time. I learned that although, even in providing my students with choice, their will always be limitations within the students choices. As learned from Carl Roger’s humanistic pedagogy, people behave in accordance with how they perceive the situation. When providing my students with choices, I now know that I also have to take into consideration what factors might occur or prevent my students from making a choice that they truly desire.
Limitations
While this practice has been enlightening as an educator, there were some limitations to my study. The first and most overarching limitation was the scheduling and time frame of my study. Due to my own deadlines, I found my students’ overall project being bounded by timeline. Also, the research context itself also provided limitations on time. During the time that this study was conducted several factors such as Spring Break, Testing, and Parent/Teacher conferences all interrupted the regular school schedule therefore classes did not meet as they would normally. This caused gaps in my data and also affected students’ decisions in the choices they made in completing their projects. This area of my research could be improved if there was additional time allotted for each phase of my project, allowing more sufficient data to be collected.
Additionally, with regard to data collection, I found it difficult to track students’ engagement consistently. Often, I found myself engaged within the students’ community service projects and in a discussion with the different groups, I would forget time take proper anecdotal notes on students’ engagement. In Phase Two, I was able to keep track more efficiently when I implemented the Student Engagement Chart but this only showed data for a week.
Lastly, student reflections and feedback could also be viewed as a limitation. While I sincerely believe that my students and I have a strong rapport, it could be possible that the students were not fully frank with me. Although this is only one piece of data collection, it could have impacted my results as it is subjective in nature.
Additionally, with regard to data collection, I found it difficult to track students’ engagement consistently. Often, I found myself engaged within the students’ community service projects and in a discussion with the different groups, I would forget time take proper anecdotal notes on students’ engagement. In Phase Two, I was able to keep track more efficiently when I implemented the Student Engagement Chart but this only showed data for a week.
Lastly, student reflections and feedback could also be viewed as a limitation. While I sincerely believe that my students and I have a strong rapport, it could be possible that the students were not fully frank with me. Although this is only one piece of data collection, it could have impacted my results as it is subjective in nature.
Reflections
Reflecting on the entire process of action research, I believe that it has pushed me beyond my limitations I thought I had as a teacher and student. One of the biggest take away was learning that it isn’t necessarily about gathering the correct amount of data in attempt to have a “perfect” and successful study but more so about the learning process that occurs. As, this was my first attempt in completing action research; a lot more mistakes occurred that I originally anticipated. First, I learned to start small. I was so wrapped up in exploring so many theories and implementing numerous interventions in Phase One that I believe I limited my focus on my overall study. I’ve always been the person who tries to take on more that probably should and always find a way to get it done but I quickly learned that within action research not only can this attempt be overwhelming. I now believe that if my focus was more clear and I had started small within Phase One, I could have resulted in a stronger study overall. Without going into the study with an obvious focus, I learned that the research can be directed in many different ways. Although, being directed in various paths is not necessarily wrong, and with time I would like to explore the many different routes my research did take me. For now though, as a beginning researcher, I learned less is more.
Furthermore, I have gained a greater understanding in providing students with choice in the classroom. I have learned that in offering my students’ with choice also provides them with the opportunity to learn responsibility. As an educator, one of my goals is to foster my students to be lifelong learners who are also self-directed individuals. I believe with providing my student choice, I am also providing them with the opportunity to self-reflect on their choices, whether the outcome is good or bad. Part of being responsible, I believe, is to own and recognize ones failures and successes, which thus leads to becoming a lifelong learner.
Finally, this has thus led to me to reflect on myself as a lifelong learner. The process of action research has also helped me to deeply reflect on myself as a learner. Prior to conducting action research, I viewed myself as lifelong learner and now that I am concluding my first research study, I learned that it’s not actually the end. Action research is a continuous cycle of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. I plan to use the same continuous cycle within my own classroom, as I believe it will help me to become a better educator. Most importantly, I have learned no plan of action will go as planned but it will always leave room for reflection and room to grow.
Furthermore, I have gained a greater understanding in providing students with choice in the classroom. I have learned that in offering my students’ with choice also provides them with the opportunity to learn responsibility. As an educator, one of my goals is to foster my students to be lifelong learners who are also self-directed individuals. I believe with providing my student choice, I am also providing them with the opportunity to self-reflect on their choices, whether the outcome is good or bad. Part of being responsible, I believe, is to own and recognize ones failures and successes, which thus leads to becoming a lifelong learner.
Finally, this has thus led to me to reflect on myself as a lifelong learner. The process of action research has also helped me to deeply reflect on myself as a learner. Prior to conducting action research, I viewed myself as lifelong learner and now that I am concluding my first research study, I learned that it’s not actually the end. Action research is a continuous cycle of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. I plan to use the same continuous cycle within my own classroom, as I believe it will help me to become a better educator. Most importantly, I have learned no plan of action will go as planned but it will always leave room for reflection and room to grow.