Handouts to Ameliorate Proficiency: An Action Research

College of Teachers Education

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in

EDRES1: Educational Research

Presented by:
Reynante P. Muya
Caong, Vicky A.
Felixberto O. Mahusay Jr.

Presented to:
Prof. Alben Sagpang

June 2016

Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Many argued that mathematics is a drill approach to learning and
divorces the subject from real life. Yet, mathematics is our environment, in
daily experiences, waiting to be discovered and explored (Suzanne, K. &
Pamela, M., 2008). In its context, perhaps the question might be what should be
taught or done so that the reality implications of mathematics would stimulates
students to learn its importance deeply and dig on with their own interests?
Evidently, mathematics has been taught long before throughout the
globe and it commonly started in the school milieu. Teachers and learners are
commonly involved to fare teachinglearning process. We are aware of the
intricacy of mathematics in the first place; the fact that almost of the people,
even we, could tell that it is the roughest subjects in all. Hence, it would not
new to the teachers that their students somehow would not be able to master
and even comprehend the information taught to them in mathematics facilely in
a little period of time. In this manner, spacing effect arises. (Ref)
Accordingly, Rohrer & Taylor (2007) published an experiment in their
paper, The Shuffling of Mathematics Problems Improves Learning, in
California, San Diego to find out the tendency of students to disremember the
lesson, specifically in mathematics; and this was due to spacing effect. This
denotes that, spacing over single-day intervals of a particular lesson is slowly

abbreviated its retrieval strength, and storage strength growth is quickly

narrowed or getting low. In short, learners unlearned the topic that instructed to
them for the next day because new lesson is introduced and it was not reviewed
anew, this is now considered as a result of time interval. You may also read the
sequel of their published experiment paper, Spacing Effects in Learning: A
Temporal Ridgeline of Optimal Retention, by Rohrer, et. al. (2008).
This circumstance never choose whom to be tagged, because as human
there have been always bit of information that could never reached long-term
memory (Ormrod, 2011), thats why this is conventionally cannot be shunned.
Thus, in most cases, learners are the customarily marks for this situation whom
they forgot their lessons after it was discussed. Learners tend to disremember
the lesson is also because after attending to it they didnt continue to process it,
so it went no further than working memory, Ormrod (2011) added. It couldnt
be escaped but this nut could somehow be managed and supervised, perhaps
this time, there is a need for an extension of learning.
Our local town, Davao City, also not been excused of this phenomenon
because its truly exists in the behaviour of the learners the fact that, we
interviewed certain students in University of Mindanao Basic Education,
Matina, and found out that majority of them said that they really forgot their
lessons after it was discussed.I didnt find difficult when the teacher taught the
lesson because I understand, but the next day around it seems to be forgotten
until I didnt remember it all, one of the students said.

We critically evaluated and analyzed the difficulties of learners that

encompass mathematics learning through gap analysis to What Should Be
and What is Actual after the observation and interview. Afterwards, we used
to determine the mean root causes of the problem through problem tree and
followed by the opportunity tree as its solutions. After all of these, we ranked
them using the critical thinking tool and found out that most of the students
didnt master the topic after it was discussed ranked first. Thus, this is now the
core of this study.
Nobody has to be blamed for this trouble because no one desired it to
happen. Therefore, we are challenged to establish a potent scheme to address
this difficulty promptly because this has been an erstwhile knot up to the
present-day. In this context, we are to evaluate the efficiency of handouts aimed
to enrich the students proficiency of a particular lesson. Thereupon, we came
up with a title Handouts to Ameliorate Proficiency for this action research.

Statement of the Problem

There are many reasons why handouts are much accompanied to use
mostly in any educational event because it contains supplementary and
necessary information that you want to address to your students. Atherton
(2013) mentioned that handouts are an integral part of the teaching and learning
system, which makes then the teaching process being easy and well prepared.
However, isnt it more impressive and interesting if the teacher employing
handouts together with its purpose or objective? Accordingly, handouts can be

used by the teacher to help improve the proficiency of ones student. In

addition, the development of the handouts must also come across with its
format or designed. In some article, Hayes & Pugsley (2012) suggest that
handouts need to be designed so that they are relevant, easily attainable by the
reader and written in a way that will engage and inform. In this action research,
the following questions must be answered after the study:

1. What are the proofs that show that handouts ameliorate the proficiency
of the students?
2. What should be the best structure of the handouts to utilize?

Review of Related Literature

Handouts are an integral part of the teaching and learning system
because they make a contrast with other component systems (Atherton, 2013).
This means that, they are imperative in teaching-learning process since it
covers the general effective upshot to every individual, regardless of their
status. Of course there are quite a few considerations that must be undertaken
in order to bag the effectiveness upon using handouts (discuss later). Handouts
provide applicability to the teaching process whatever the course it is, because
they are very universal in its purpose it only matters the way it is constructed.
Thats why it is not new to us that they are primarily used for travels,
businesses, offices, homes and most importantly in schools. Handouts really

served much significance to the teachers in school depending on the purpose

they used to imply.
In teaching, the teacher could best employ the use of handouts if he/she
primarily concern with the proficiency of his/her students, the reason that the
teacher could not even hold control the capacity of the learners to remember
the information that was previously discussed to them if they really cannot
recall on it. This is actually true to the students, in fact Ormrod (2011) clarifies
that a major trade of information that the students have encountered never
reaches long-term memory. Perhaps, students didnt pay attention to the
information taught to them, so it never went beyond the sensory register. Or
maybe after attending to it, they didnt continue to process it, so it went no
further than working memory. And this is usually the malpractice of the
students that the teacher usually observed - the discontinuing processing of
information. Though there are exceptions, but it is more productive if both
parties helping each other. Teachers, in this context, are the primary concern for
this practice because it is in them that the students depend on. So, how can we
help the learners forget no more the things theyve learned? Kirby (2013)
makes some suggestions so that the learners would likely to remember the
learned information, these are: (1) extension and dedication practice must be
distributed over time, (2) keep learners learning after they learned the
information, and (3) assessing students frequently in remembering the
information.

We cannot deny that in school there has a limited time of consuming

ones subject in order to attain all courses provided in that particular grade level
every day. So, it is not an ordinary that sometimes the students made hard in
grasping the information discussed in a particular course. Through these, the
teacher might make an assumption that his/her students lack in grasping
information which might go further into low proficiency. Thats why, there
should always have an intervention that the teacher would require the students
to attain with that would provide mastery acquiring and interesting learning to
the students -- and this is to send home handouts. When sending home the
handouts this could serve as an extension and dedication practice of learning
and a continuous processing of information to the students, as one of
Willinghams suggestions. Schwertly (2013) implies that the handouts are the
things that the learners actually take home and might look at next day or week
when the teacher flown back home. Evidently, Couchenour (2014) cites some
significance of an at home learning that is (1) it will encourage students
interests and curiosity, (2) listening to students ideas and questions, (3)
praising students motivation to learn, (4) guiding student as they make
discoveries, (5) monitoring student to help maintain their focus, and (6)
discussing students understanding.
Learning at home is very fun and interesting but somehow it possesses
some disadvantages on the other side, thats why it is very important that the
teacher send at home the material, the handouts, that is very interesting to use
by the learners. This involved, most importantly, the learning content of the

handouts, because the content of it is considered to be the framework in

acquiring information. The content of the material could also determine how
your students are working and underlying to their progression. Even the
variation of information could signify effects and suggestions from the
students. Therefore, the content matters the most in this context. Hayes &
Pugsley (2012) suggest that the content of the handouts must be concise and
clear and they are certainly not intended to be a textbook, and the language
used should be straightforward and readily accessible with clearly defined
learning outcomes. In addition, the handout should summarize key points and
drive follow-up and personal interaction (Schwertly, 2013).
Monitoring of the learners progress in using the handouts is somewhat
long distant but even if it is so, the content of the handouts could contribute a
great help for this situation. It is encouraged that the content of the handouts
must include exercises or activities that the students are engage to solve or
answer questions or problems. Engaging them also in solving problems add
more of their competence skills to develop and could, somehow, construct their
personal discoveries; and providing such learning activities in the handouts are
the best way to determine the progress of the learners particularly, the mastery
of the lesson. Through this, the teacher is dealing with an assessment to the
students. Because, Popham (2008) said that when it comes to determining how
well students have mastered a particular skill or knowledge, teachers must have
to undertake an assessment tools at their disposal.

The design of handouts also sends a message to students about your

approach to teaching. Thus, the format or the style of the handout the way it is
constructed should not be threatened like any other material that consist lot of
information that are unnecessary for a particular discussion (Atherton, 2013).
So, in designing handouts there is a must that you should look first the
priorityof the users with respect to their stage and their interest the way they
learned. It is not simply as it is to work on because the design of the handouts
will also affects the learning outcome of the learners. This could be one of the
precise things to be considered in making a handout. Hence, the handout should
look attractive and be easy to read (Hayes & Pugsley, 2012).
In conclusion, handouts are meant to help improved the proficiency of
the learners in a way that it suffice the needs of the learners to forget no more
the lesson theyve learned. It doesnt take any worriedness because it is not
kind of homework but it is a home based-learning. The style of using handouts
is evidently helpful among learners and teachers. Learners can acquire
information and maintains the retention of this information because they are
free enough to use handouts anew. Through this, the learners would slowly
enrich their proficiency in acquiring information until they will manage it all.
The ability of the learners to do it by themselves would also be started to
evolve. Through this, the activeness of the students is merely developed and
improved and through handouts, students discovery skill being molded as well.
Moreover, by constructing handouts, teachers always designed it carefully and
appropriately. The creativeness of teachers is being challenged for this matter.

This is not just a paper work that could be easily printed or constructed because
there is a need for critical evaluation before it comes out as an effective
handouts. In this manner, learners are not just developed and improved but
teachers are too.

Significance of the Study

If found effective this research is proved useful to the following:
School Administrators and Supervisors. The outcomeof the
study may encourage school administrators and supervisors to help their
teachers depletes their stressful job. This would also allow the school
administrators and supervisors develop their school into a more
convenient mode of learning.
Teachers. It has a higher influence to the teacher after the result
of this research because, aside from their burdens reduced, the limited
time for discussion will be expended effectively without doing a review
repeatedly. It offers more convenience in teaching.
Students. The students will develop much more of their
competence in conceptualizing mathematics because it serve as an
extension of their learning; and, probably, will also develop their
activeness and even intrapersonal or interpersonal skills because they
dont just listen, sometimes like at the classroom they may be more
passive, but they will be doing it by themselves or with the help of

his/her relatives. In addition, students enhanced a skill that could make

him/her developed discoveries.

Chapter 2
METHODOLOGIES

Research Design
An action research is a disciplined procedure of inquiry conducted
by and for those taking the action. Primarily, action research is engage to
assist the actor in improving or refining his or her actions (Sagor, 2000).
Though it is often used for project purposes only by teachers, McAteer
(2013) argue that action research, at one level, can be viewed as a pragmatic
approach that suffices the purpose of engaging people in activities that do
explore and seek to understand practice and its impact. Thats why for this
research, our core is to really encourage every participant to engage,
explore, experience and later change.
In this study, we will originally interview students respecting to their
difficulty experienced in Mathematics class. Hence, this is our avenue to
improve or refined their malpractice condition into a more delightful cause
of learning which they are personally involved. Because action research
much useful in improving such educational malpractice and so students,
teachers, school administrators and supervisors become more competent

and effective in what they do (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2006). Thereupon, we

use or apply qualitative data for this action research.

Research Participants
This action research will be conducted to the Grade 11 students of The
University of Mindanao at Matina, Davao City through observations,
assessments and interviews. We are challenge to accommodate the whole class
as participants for this research to really see the effectiveness of the study.

Action Plan
Action planning is a sequence of steps that must be taken,
or activities that must be performed well, for a strategy to succeed (Business
Dictionary).
The followingsteps are the procedures to shoulder for this action
research:
Step 1
During the first step, the researcher will determine a particular
topic. This will involve the inquiry of curriculum from Grade 11. The
researcher will choose the topic which is recently teaches depending on
the date.

Step 2
Next, the researcher will design a handout for Grade 11 students
pertinent to a particular topic. This will involve the preparation of the
content and the configuration of its format.
Step 3
In this time, the researcher will initially conduct the study by
giving the designed handout to the chosen participants. The students will
be bringing the handout to their home and letting them study on it.
Step 4
The next day around, the researcher will slightly interview
students, because they supposed to write their comments in the
handouts, about the reactions of the students after using handout. The
researcher will find out on the misconceptions of the students affiliated
to the content of the handout and their suggestions what has to be done
with the design so that it may more fascinating for them to use.
Step 5
The researcher in this moment will redesign the format of the
handout prior to the suggestions of the students given (Step 4) for the
improvement. This will involve the designing of the handout into a more
compelling design depending on the suggestions of the students.
Contents of the handout would also be edited if necessary.
Step 7

Throughout this duration, the researcher will do the second cycle

of the study by giving them again the revision of the handout. The
students again will be bringing the handout to their home and letting
them study on it.
Step 8
In this step, the researcher will again take a second cycle like
what they did in Step 4 and followed by the next steps until theyll come
up with a successful result. The procedures will be executed a maximum
of five cycles if necessary until it will come up with a perfect design of
the handout.
When teaching, handouts can be both distributed before or after
the session.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Atherton J. S. (2013). Learning and Teaching. Retrieved January 4, 2016 from
http://www.learningandteaching.info/teaching/handouts.htm

Business Dictionary. Retrieved January 26, 2016 from

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/action-plan.html

Couchenour, D. & Chrisman, K. (2014).Families, Schools, and Communities:

Together for Young Children. Wadsworth Cengage Learning. USA pp.
217.

Fraenkel, J. &Wallen, N. (2006).How to Design and Evaluate Research in

Education. McGraw-Hill. Ave. of the Americas, New York .pp. 574.

Hayes, T. & Pugsley, L. (2012).How to Design and Develop Handouts.

Retrieved January 7, 2016 from
http://www.walesdeanery.org/images/stories/Files/Documents/Medical_
Eduction/how_to/How_to_Design__Develop_Handouts.pdf

Kirby, J. (2013). Pragmatic Education. Retrieved January 7, 2016 from

https://pragmaticreform.wordpress.com/2013/11/16/memory/

McAteer, M. (2013). Action Research in Education. SAGEPublications.City

Road,London pp. 11.

Ormrod, J.E. (2011). Educational Psychology: Developing Learners. Pearson

Education, Inc. Suite, Boston pp. 209 Popham, J. (2008).

Transformative Assessment. Association for Supervision and

Curriculum Development (ASCD). Alexandria, Virginia USA.pp. 58.

Rohrer, D. & Taylor, K. (2007).The Shuffling of Mathematics Problems

Improves

Learning.

Retrieved

January

2,

2016

from

http://uweb.cas.usf.edu/~drohrer/pdfs/Rohrer&Taylor2007IS.pdf

Sagor, R. (2011). The Action Research Guidebook: A Four-Stage Process for

Educatorsand School Teams. Corwin: A Sage Company. Thousand Oaks,
California. pp. 1.

Schwertly, S. (2013).Ethos 3. Retrieved January 7, 2016 from

http://www.ethos3.com/2013/05/whats-in-a-handout/

Suzanne, K. & Pamela, M. (2008). The Early Childhood Curriculum: Inquiry

Learning Through Integration. McGraw Hill. Ave. of the Americas,
New York. pp. 79

Gap Analysis

What Should Be?

What is Actual?

Gap

Learners must master the

Most of the learners didn't

Least of the learners

topic after it was

master the topic after it

master the topic after it

discussed.

was discussed.

was discussed.

Learners should participate

Sixty percent of the

Forty percent of the

during the class.

learners didn't participate

learners only participate

during the class.

during the class.

Learners must review their

Half of the class review the

Half of the learners didn't

lessons at home.

lessons on their home.

review their lessons at

home.

Gap Analysis

Based on the gap analysis we made, teachers suggest that learners must
master the topic after it was discussed. However, in an actual situation most of

the learners said that they didnt master the topic after it was discussed. It only
shows that, least of the learners master the topic after it was discussed.
Consequently, learners must also participate during the class but there
are about sixty percent of them didnt participate during the class in an actual
observation. Therefore, we can say that only forty percent of the learners did
the participation in the class.
It is also suggested that the learners must review their lessons at home.
However, only half of them able to review their lessons at home. This signifies
that half of the class also didnt used to review their lessons at home.

Critical Thinking Tool

Relevance
Gaps

Important

Urgent

to the

Doabilit

Goal

Total

Ran
k

Least of the
learners only

19

1st

15

3rd

16

2nd

master the topic

after it was
discussed.

Forty percent of
the learners only
participate during
the class.

Half of the
learners didn't
review their
lessons at home.

Critical Thinking Tool

In reference to the gap analysis, we used to rate each gap in a scale of 1

5, where 5 is the highest and 1 is the lowest, according to its importance,
urgency, relevance to the goal and doability. After that, we ranked the gaps
accordingly from first, second and third.
Consequently, these are the result of ranking: ranked third is the second
gap wherein forty percent of the learners only participate during the class;
ranked second is the third one which is half of the learners didnt review their
lessons at home; and finally, the first gap ranked first wherein least of the
learners only master the topic after it was discussed.

Gantt Chart

Tasks

Date

Time

Data Gathering: record,

survey interview

Assigned

Expected

Member/s

Outcome

Muya,
12/1/15

Mahusay,

Gathered Data

8:00
12:00 PM
Data Analysis: gap
analysis, problem &
opportunity tree, critical

Muya,
12/7/15

Mahusay,

Core Problem

thinking tool

8:00

Concepcion

Title Proposal

12:00 PM
8:00

Muya,

Title

Mahusay
Muya,

Chapter 1 Draft

12/9/15

12:00 PM
Chapter 1 Processing

Library Research

12/14/15

8:00

Mahusay,

12/14/15

12:00 PM
8:00

Concepcion
Muya

RRL

Muya,

Chapter 2 Draft

12:00 PM
Chapter 2 Processing

Library Research

12/21/15

1/4/16

8:00

Mahusay,

12:00 PM
8:00

Concepcion
Muya

RRL

12:00 PM
Finalizing Draft
Submission of Draft

1/7/16

8:00

Muya

1/8/16

12:00 PM
8:00

Mahusay

Final Draft

12:00 PM
Revision of the Final
Research
Oral Defense

Revised Final
1/11/16

8:00

Muya

1/20/16

12:00 PM
8:00

Muya,

12:00 PM

Mahusay,
Concepcion
Muya,

Submission of Final
Action Research

Output

1/20/16

8:00

12:00 PM
Problem Tree

Mahusay,
Concepcion

We choose a particular problem and discussed its possible reasons. Our

chosen topic is why least of the learners only master the topic after it was
discussed. We constructed its possible reason by dividing it into two: (1)
because the learners didnt review their lessons at home and (2) because the
learners didnt understand the lesson well.
We narrowed the first possible reason finding also its possible reason
why does it happen. We came up with, (1) because the learners didnt review
their lessons at home is because the learners dont have material/s for them to
use for study or they do not have time for it. We make it narrower as well and

we thought is because the teacher didnt provide handouts or they are busy with
their routinely activities.
The other one is (2) because the learners didnt understand the lesson
well because they made hard in grasping information easily and they are not
interested. Chunking again this reason is because the learners dont listen
attentively or they are not motivated.

Opportunity Tree

From problem, we now used to find the possible solutions in resolving

the problem to our chosen topic which is least of the learners only master the
topic after it was discussed. We first divide it into two parts and chunk its parts
narrower, these are: (1) the learners must review their lessons at home and (2)
the learners must understand the lesson well.
Chunking the first part, (1) learners must review their lessons at home,
there is a need for a learner to have a material to use for study and learners

must give time for study. Consequently, the teacher must provide handouts
sending at home and learners must monitor by teachers and even parents its
progress.
The next is (2) the learners must understand the lesson well, therefore,
the learners should exert effort in grasping information and they supposed to be
excited every day in the class. Accordingly, learners should always pay
attention in the class and teachers should always provide motivational activities
for students.

Name: Reynante P. Muya

Year: 3rd
Course: BSED Math
Residence: Pob., Caraga, Davao Oriental
Current Residence: San Francisco de Asis, Matina, Davao City
Contact Number: (+63) 907 961 5580
Age: 20
Sex: Male
Religion: Roman Catholic
Saying: Preach by not preaching

Name: Felixberto O. Mahusay Jr.

Year: 3rd
Course: BSED Math
Residence: Makilala, North Cotabato
Current Residence: Grvahan, Matina, Davao City
Contact Number: (+63) 907 661 3617
Age: 25
Sex: Male
Religion: Roman Catholic
Saying: Better late than never

Name: Charwin D. Concepcion

Year: 3rd
Course: BSED Math
Residence: Matina Pangi, Matina, Davao City
Current Residence: Matina Pangi, Matina, Davao City
Contact Number: (+63) 909 443 7873
Sex: Male