1. Problem/Topic The effects that the transition from junior high to high school has on the academic performance of students 2. Why does this need to be investigated? The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the transition to high school and academic performance of freshman students and how the transition affects the academic performance of those students, specifically the academic performance of students enrolled in a high school algebra one class. 3. Research Question/Hypothesis How does the transition from junior high to high school effect the academic performance of ninth grade students enrolled in an algebra one class at Hallsville high school?
It is hypothesized that the transition from junior high to high school negatively affects the academic performance of ninth grade students in that students exhibit a lack of motivation due to many aspects of high school, including social pressure, rigor of classes, intimidating teachers, etc. 4. Limitations that are Expected The limitations that are expected will be that the study will take place in one classroom of students, and it will take place over a span of one school year. The biases that I will have to overcome would be that the students observed would be my own students and in my own classroom, and I will be looking for specific reasons how their academic performance is affected by the transition from junior high. Another limitation/bias that I will have to overcome would be that I am a former student of the school that the study is taking place, and I will be biased towards my own experiences during the same transition.
I will overcome these biases by keeping an open mind during the research despite my biases, and look for the unexpected. 5. Literature Review Topics to search (keywords) Transition to high school, effects on academic performance, differences between eighth grade math classes and ninth grade math classes, student expectations of high school, and high school programs that ease the transition to high school Possible Articles Cullen, M., & Robles-Pina, R. (2009). Grade transitions from elementary to secondary school: What is the impact on students?. Southeastern Teacher Education Journal, 2(1), 31-38. Cohen, J. S., & Smerdon, B. A. (2009). Tightening the dropout tourniquet: Easing the transition from middle to high school. Preventing School Failure, 53(3), 177-184. McIntosh, J., & White, S. H. (2006). Building for freshman success: High schools working as professional learning communities. American Secondary Education, 34(2), 40-49. Ellerbrock, C. R., & Kiefer, S. M. (2014). Supporting young adolescents' middle-to-high- school transition by creating a ninth grade community of care: Implications for middle grades educators. Middle School Journal, 45(3), 3-10. Neild, R. (2009). Falling off track during the transition to high school: What we know and what can be done. Future Of Children, 19(1), 53-76. Hauser, G. M., Choate, K., & Thomas, T. P. (2009). A two-year study of stakeholder perceptions associated with the transition from 8th grade to high school. International Journal Of Learning, 16(3), 315-326. 6. Qualitative Research Method My study will be an action research study because I will be the teacher investigating the effects of the transition from junior high to high school on the academic performance of my own students. 7. Setting/Participants/Sampling The study will take place in my freshman algebra one classroom at Hallsville High School located in Hallsville, Tx. The study will take place over the course of one school year, which is from late August to the end of May. The participants will be eighty ninth graders ranging in ages from thirteen to fifteen. I will also be an active participant as the researcher and the teacher. The sampling will be purposive because I will be the one choosing the participants. 8. Trustworthiness In order to ensure credibility I will spend a whole school year in the field collecting as much data as possible. I will also complete many observations that will take place daily within the school day, do peer debriefing, triangulate the data collected from many data sources, and do member checks. To ensure transferability, I will collect and keep very detailed and organized records of data. To ensure dependability, I will overlap methods and develop an audit trail so that my peers, professor, or principal can examine the processes of data collection, analysis, and interpretation and make reasonable conclusions based on the data I have collected. In order to ensure confirmability I will practice triangulation and intentionally reveal any underlying assumptions or biases that may cause me to formulate a set of questions or present my findings in a particular way by keeping a journal as a record of my reflections and musings of my observations. 9. Types of data The types of data that will be included in my study will be interviews of students before the school year begins and after the school year ends, observations within the classroom, my own reflections based on observations, and student reflections of their high school experiences as they happen. These types of data will help me ensure that my findings are accurate and supported by the data collected. 10. Data Analysis/Coding Data analysis and coding will take place as the data are being collected. I will keep the data organized based on themes that appear during observations, interviews, and reflections. The data will be color coded on index cards to remain organized, and the observations, interviews, and reflections will be collected with the setting, date, and time noted. Deep thought will take place during the data analysis and coding process to ensure organization and valid conclusions based on the data collected.
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