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Six Week Action Research Outcome
When looking back on all data pieces, the results showed an overall small positive change between the pre- and post-test. These results suggested that implementing social-emotional skills had a positive effect on improving competencies in social-emotional development and self-regulation during peer interactions. The images below highlight the changes in the students' learning between the pre- and post-test. The pre- and post-test centered around seven questions. The pre-test was given at the beginning of the six-week action plan research project. Instruction implementing social-emotional skills was provided over a six-week period during a thirty-minute period after specials called social circle. During this six-week period, effects from implementing social-emotional skills were collected in a variety of ways such as social circle, anecdotal notes, pre- and post-survey, weekly check-ins, reflection journals, and daily tally marks. Data analysis for each data collection piece can be found by clicking one of the buttons displayed at the top of the page or under the Data Analysis tab. When the six-week action plan research was completed, students completed the post-test. The results and comparisons between the pre- and post-test are discussed below.
Question One
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Question one asked students how they thought they were doing in school. This question required students to think about school as a whole from academics to their social interactions. In the pre-test a majority of the students felt that they were only doing okay versus in the post-test students had gained more confidence and social-emotional skills that impacted those areas. Majority say they were doing good in this area. However, I found it interesting that doing okay and doing great tied in the post-test. This highlighted the growth that occurred in the doing great category and the decreasing of the doing okay category.
Question Two
Question two asked how do you describe your behavior at home. When looking at the pre-test versus the post-test, I saw that the lowest category of I could be better at home completely disappeared. That was a huge change over time because it shows that students were retaining the social-emotional skills and applying them outside of the classroom. This also shows how students in the I could be better at home category were able to completely shift to another category. However, I did notice that the I am great at home category moved up a little as well, showing that some students were able to maintain the social-emotional skills consistently in order to move to that category confidently. I wonder if this action research plan was presented for a longer period of time, how that might improve student behavior at home.
Question Three
Question three asked how do you describe your behavior at school. This pre- and post-test was one of the few questions that interested me the most because some students went down to the lowest category, I do not think I am doing alright. When this post-test was given, it was during a time when students were starting to have drama over social media and it was impacting the classroom as a whole. A few students did start to decline in social-emotional skills and needed the one-on-one intervention from me or the counselor. However, it is interesting to see that I am good at school increased and I am great at school decreased. I wonder if students having more confidence to discuss situations that happened on social media or text would have assisted with providing one-on-one interventions for students. Would one-on-one intervention in combination with social-emotional skills instructed during social circle assist students from reaching the lowest category.
Question Four
Question four asked how do you act towards others in school. As stated in question three, the students were starting to encounter social media and text drama. I see that I am nice to some of my peer’s category grew from a small percentage such as 6.2% and doubled that amount in the post-test. The data shows that the few who were impacted the most by this drama had a negative change in response. However, even with that increase in I am nice to some of my peer’s category, there was a growth in the I am a great friend to my peer’s category. This is important to see because even through the drama, some students were able to utilize the social-emotional skills to assist their peers in self-regulation and become a reliable classmate who would uplift them in the classroom.
Question Five
Question five asked how do you think others see you as a friend. In this question it was interesting that I have many friends rose, even though the questions of how I act to peers and behavior in school showed some negative changes. This data showed me that while students may not have great behavior towards peers and not always nice to their peers, that they were able to maintain and build new friendships. I believe the drama helped push students out of their normal friend groups and make connections with other peers who helped uplift them. As the positive social-emotional skills were modeled for them by their peers, they were able to apply them. This also makes me question if the students branching out from their friend group gave the perception to their peers that they had more friends than they expected. Hence why they felt others viewed them as having many friends.
Question Six
Question six asked as a learner I feel that I am. This question provided interesting data change compared to some of the other questions because it had the lowest category of I always need help in school appear, while the highest category I never need help in school disappeared from the 6.2% it had originally. As this question focused on academics, I wonder if what content was being taught had played a part in their responses. During the post-test time, we had started to discuss NSCAS and Spring MAP testing along with harder content in math. I question the validity of this question as the students did not feel as confident in their abilities when compared to a non-stressful time both content and testing wise.
6.2%
Question Seven
Question seven asked how they were feeling today. Even throughout the drama, students rated themselves five or higher. This is a drastic change from the pre-test. Students during this six-week action plan research were able to gain self-regulation skills and apply them. This showcases the overall growth the students had made. While they did grow in social-emotional skills, those social-emotional skills still needed to be instructed and practiced for peer interactions. They showed growth within and balanced emotions in order to find solutions to challenges they faced.
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