EnglishDynamic - Data Collection Instruments

My Data Collection Instruments

Dear All,

This section will show the instruments I have designed for collecting data through the development of my research project. First of all, I designed “writing rubrics” and a “list of conventions” to let my students know how they will be monitored and taking into account specific mistakes they are making. For that reason, it was necessary to put them in touch with those documents to make them understand the importance of their work during this process. Also, I designed a “Skype chat rubric” that the students will know and take into account before each chat room session. Next, my “lesson plan” “the comments where I will assign specific activities to my students to be discussed during the week or in our chat meetings. Finally, I designed a “Skype chat schedule” for my students to sign in. In other words, I think that providing a specific day and time to them, it will be more effective to get them involved in this project seriously as they will feel that meeting in the chat is a significant responsibility that is part of their face to face class. Also, I consider important the complete presentation of of the project activities, so the information about it is at the end of the following charts:

RUBRIC FOR WRITING

CRITERIA

60 POINTS

20 POINTS

15 POINTS

5 POINTS

TOTAL

POINTS

1. Organization and Structure.

The written Information is in logical, interesting sequence which readers can follow.

Student’s writing paper presents information in logical sequence which reader can follow.

Reader has difficulty following work because student jumps around in his/her writing paper.

Sequence of information is difficult to follow.

2. Content Knowledge

Student demonstrates full knowledge of the topic and his/her writing paper reflects that.

Student is at ease with content, but fails to elaborate.

Student is uncomfortable with content and is able to demonstrate basic concept.

Student does not have grasp of information; student cannot answer questions about subject.

3. Grammar and Spelling.

Student’s writing paper has not misspellings or grammatical errors that cause confusion or misunderstanding.

Student’s writing paper has a few misspellings and/or grammatical errors that do not interfere in the paper understanding.

Student’s writing paper has some misspellings and/or grammatical errors that interfere in the paper understanding.

Student’s writing paper Work has a lot spelling errors and/or grammatical errors that do not permit understanding.

4. Neatness.

Student’s writing paper is neatly done.

Student’s writing paper has one or two areas that are sloppy.

Student’s writing paper has three or four areas that are sloppy.

Student’s writing paper is Illegible.

THE MOST COMMON MISTAKES ON WRITING COMPOSITION

LIST OF CONVENTIONS

W.O	WORD ORDER: Incorrect word order.
S.P	SPELLING: Incorrect words’ spelling.
V.T	VERB TENSE: Incorrect verb tense.
W.F	WORD FORM: Wrong word form.
P.L	PLURAL: Incorrect plural form.
P.T	PUNCTUATION: Incorrect or missing punctuation.
C.P	CAPITALIZATION: Capital letter needed.
M.S	MISSING WORD: A word is missing.
S.S	SENTENCE STRUCTURE: Incorrect sentence structure.
CONN.	MISSING CONNECTOR: Incorrect or missing connector.
UNCLEAR.	UNCLEAR MESSAGE: Misunderstanding writing.
S.V	SUBJECT – VERB AGREEMENT: Incorrect subject or verb.
W.C	WORD CHOICE: Wrong word choice, including prepositions
NONIDIOM	NONIDIOMATIC (Something that is not expressed this way in English)
COH.	COHERENCE: One idea doesn’t lead to the next.
FRAG.	FRAGMENT: Incomplete sentence.

RUBRIC FOR SKYPE CHAT SESSIONS

CRITERIA	40 POINTS	25 POINTS	20 POINTS	10 POINTS	5 POINTS
1. Level of Interaction and Participation with the group	Student actively participates in discussion with the teacher and other participants by asking and answering questions.	Student participates in discussion with the teacher and other participants by asking and answering questions.	Student participates in discussion with the teacher and other participants.	Student poorly participates in discussion with the teacher and other participants.	Student does not participate in discussion with the teacher and other participants
2. Level of Analysis, Argumentation and Discussion.	Student demonstrates full knowledge, understanding and critical thinking of content.	Student demonstrates knowledge, understanding and critical thinking of content.	Student demonstrates some knowledge, understanding and critical thinking of content.	Student demonstrates poor knowledge, understanding and critical thinking of content.	Student does not have grasp of information, so can not answer questions about the subject.
3. Basic Rules for Establishing and Sending the chat text message.	Student fully participates in an appropriate way by respecting turns to write and send messages.	Student actively participates in an appropriate way by respecting turns to write and send messages.	Student participates in an appropriate way by respecting turns to write and send messages.	Student poorly participates in an appropriate way and poorly respect turns to write and send messages.	Student does not participate in an appropriate way and does not respect turns to write and send messages.
4. Good Attitude and Punctuality.	Student’s attitude and punctuality are highly perceived during the session.	Student’s attitude and punctuality are perceived during the session.	Student’s attitude and punctuality are acceptable perceived during the session.	Student’s attitude and punctuality are poorly perceived during the session.	Student’s attitude and punctuality are not perceived during the session.

LESSON PLAN FORMAT

INSTITUTION: LIBRE UNIVERSITY	TEACHER: IBONETH BELTRAN.
GROUP: ENGLISH CLASS – 3 A 1:00 P.M. / 3:00 P.M.	ROOM: BUILDING D - 217

LESSON No.

Population Background

Methodological Background

Communicative Objective

Linguistic Objective

Language Patterns and Vocabulary

Materials and Equipment

Procedure:

Stages	Teacher’s activities	Students’ activities	Resources / Materials	Time
OPENING	Lead – in activity / warmer. Presentation Activity.		.
DEVELOPMENT	Practice Controlled practice. Less controlled practice.
CLOSING	Production (Free practice. Wrap up (consolidation)

Evaluation.

Homework assignment.

CHAT SESSIONS SCHEDULE

STUDENTS’ NAMES	DAY	HOUR

UNIVERSIDAD DE LA SABANA

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND CULTURES

ACTION RESEARCH SEMINAR II

ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT PROGRAM

TEACHER/ RESEARCHER:

CONSUELO IBONETH BELTRAN ORJUELA

TIME FOR DEVELOPING THE PROJECT:

4 WEEKS

TOPIC:

“THE USE OF SKYPE CHAT FOR IMPROVING WRITING SKILLS

IN AN A2 ADULT LEARNERS GROUP”

STARTING DATE:

April 2^nd 2009

COMPLETITION DATE:

May 16^th 2009

Chat is understood as real – time communication over the internet. (Dudeney and Hockly, 2007). Using a chat can be fruitful not only for teachers but also for learners as they are familiar with it when interacting in their social lives. Therefore, this project is challenging as it will be put into evidence the use of Skype chat with a specific academic purpose which is improve writing skills in an adult English language course. For this reason, the teacher must be skillful enough to link classes, topics and groups by working collaboratively in projects based on chat sessions outside the classroom. Thus, the most important issue to bear in mind is that using chat needs to have a clear purpose, a real learning goal and a teaching aim of course. Otherwise, there is not worthy to make students chat without a real reason (Dudeney and Hockly, 2007).

PROCEDURE:

· The students will take a pre-stage questionnaire by clicking the following link: http://www.encuestafacil.com/RespWeb/Qn.aspx?EID=454403 which results will be analyzed by the teacher.

· Students will have a first “Skype chat session” with the teacher.

· Students will get the rubric for chatting and writing and the list of conventions via “Skype chat” using the “send file” option.

· Students will know how the chat sessions methodology will be a meaningful part of their face to face course.

· Students will be informed about the Skype chat room sessions that will be carried out during the week at night.

· Students will give their schedule choice in the next face to face class.

· Students will start the process from the first Skype chat session with the teacher. They will discuss and talk about a specific topic given by the teacher in a concrete activity.

· Students’ writing records will be saved in a Word doc. And in Skype logs.

· The teacher will evidence the coherence of the assigned activities and her regular face to face classes through the use of “lesson plans”.

· The teacher will use her website http://www.freewebs.com/englishfun to keep track of her project through the use of the “Research Diary” option as a “Reflection log”. Also, the teacher will be able to put into evidence all the stages of her action research project.

· The teacher will collect data by analyzing her students’ writing papers done in class, writing records in the chat and the final Skype chat room session where they have to perform a specific task by interacting with some guest participants from different educational contexts.

· Finally, they students will write a “reflection essay” about the experience of working with Skype chat as part of their regular English class and their perception of interacting with their peers and other participants in an academic environment.

· The teacher will design and apply a final questionnaire to measure the impact of using Skype chat in the classroom by using: www.encuestafacil.com

Resources:

· Skype software.

· http://www.freewebs.com

· www.encuestafacil.com

· Websites related to my students’ current class topics or interests such as:

www.ego4u.com

www.esl.about.com

www.edufind.com

PROJECT ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE

WEEK	DATE	ACTIVITIES
	April 1rst, 2^nd and 3^rd	· The students will take a pre-stage questionnaire by clicking the following link: http://www.encuestafacil.com/RespWeb/Qn.aspx?EID=454403 which results will be analyzed by the teacher. · Students will have a first “Skype chat session” with the teacher. · Students will get the rubric for chatting and writing and the list of conventions via “Skype chat” using the “send file” option.
1	April 12^th	There are some students left for joining this first pre-stage of the process, so the teacher will e-mail the group to remind them about the questionnaire and the first session (the main goal is to get this e-communication before our next face to face class next April 18^th)
	April 13^th - 17^th	· Students will know that the chat sessions are part of the methodology of their course. · Students will be informed about the Skype chat room sessions that will be carried out twice a week at night. · Students will choose the more convenient schedule for them.
2	April 18^th	The students and teacher will have the first official Skype session this night where the first activity will be explain and the corresponding “file” will be sent.
	April 20^th - 24^th	The students will have their corresponding Skype chat meetings with their peers and teacher in order to discuss and share what was assigned in the activity previously sent.
3	April 25^th	Students and teacher will reflect on the Skype chat room experience, so students will write a “personal opinion” about it.
	April 27^th – May 1rst	The students will have the second activity assigned via Skype chat, so they will have to start carrying out by the guidance of the teacher.
4	May 2^nd	Students will have to present their product (as they were working in groups) each group will present their work to the class. Finally, the teacher will ask them some questions about their experience and they will answer them in a piece of paper.
	May 4^th - 9^th	The teacher will meet her students on their regular Skype chat schedule to send the file about the final activity, so the whole group will be in contact this week. Finally on May 9^th the group and teacher will arrange the last details of the activity in our face to face class.
	May 14^th - 15^th – 16^th	Final Session This session will be divided in two parts as there are two Skype chat groups. One group will work on May 14^th and the other the 15^th. · Finally students will write a final “reflection essay” about the experience of working with Skype chat as part of their regular English class and their perception of interacting with their peers and other participants in an academic environment. · On May the 16^th a final questionnaire will be e-mailed to them to know the impact of their experience and the perceptions they got during this process.