Artifacts Collected

 

Grant Application page one
Grant Application page two
Grant Application Essay

Description of Group Project
Directions for Group Project
Survey from Group Project
Survey results from Group Project
Program flow diagram from the group solution
Program code solution from the group Pt 1
Program code solution from the group Pt 2

Purpose The purpose of my Action Research is to lead the development of my class of Java Programming class so that they will be more intrinsically motivated and more engaged in constructing their own learning. I chose to accomplish this development through opportunities in three different areas; community service, authentic project based learning, and team building.
Situation I am in my third year of teaching Java programming at my school. This year I have 11 young men and 1 young lady. The class as a whole often has a difficult time staying on task and focusing on a particular concept. The class is composed of students from two different first year classes who elected to move on to year two. It seems that each class developed their own "community" in the first year and when they combined, sparks began to fly! Also, in years past, by the time the winter break rolls around, students begin to disengage and allow their minds to wander - and not come back. At the very time the curriculum is ramping up to an end-of-course exam, students are ramping down at a steep angle.
  I would like to improve the social interactions in the class as well as their dedication to their work through some teambuilding, community service and project based authentic learning.
The Question If I foster social ties among my students and engage them in project work, will this result in more focused and effective programming skill?
Resources

Some of the resources that have helped me the most are included in the curriculum for Curriculum Design and [to be updated this week 2-15-04]

I consider my professional community of practice a great resource. I work among 6 other business teachers who teach similar but not identical subjects as myself. Their experience and knowledge is very valuable to me since I began teaching 9 years ago. Two teachers are new to my department and I have become an informal mentor for one and a formal mentor for another through my course work at Pepperdine. Even though these two teachers are new to my school, I find that they are very insightful and skilled. Our mentor mentee relationship is reciprocal in many ways.
Community of Practice I also consider my class of java students as a COP because we are "going through something together". I am not sure how this fits into a formal definition of a COP, but I know that they are very much a part of what I do, and I take their opinions very seriously. Even though this is my third year though the Academy curriculum, I feel as though I am still developing my style for teaching this difficult subject and I depend heavily on feedback and performance from my students.
The Actions

Community Building Activities:1. Students will participate in a community service activity. I have applied for a Youth Services grant from the City of Hampton. The (hopefully) $1000 grant would be used to purchase computer parts. The students will meet after school for several days and assemble two computers which would be donated to two students in the building who are trying to learn highly technical classes and do not have computers at home.

2. Students will come to my house Friday night (February 20th to watch the movie Sea Biscuit and have a discussion of mentoring. My principal will also attend.

3. Students will attend a business "Meet and Greet" function where they entertain business persons, school officials and parents to show off their portfolio of work from the class.

Project Based Learning Activities:

1. Conduct a group project where students must cooperate in order to complete a project. I will allow a short period of time and will not be available for assistance. (done)

2. Contact an elementary school class who will imagine/draw a game that would assist them in learning some facts on the end of course Standards of Learning Tests. The Java Programming students will then create and refine the game for the students.