This study describes and analyzes the process by which teachers, support personnel, and administration developed homegrown implementation strategies that resulted in an enhanced character education program, improved student behavior, and a strengthened community of practice empowered to find its own solutions. The Review of Literature provided an historical and a theoretical background for this investigation.
This researcher became a catalyst introducing participants to the action research cycle of observe, reflect, and act. Teachers observed student behavior in relation to the simple character education directives that had been grafted onto the daily announcement form, e.g. We come to school on time. School is important. Focus groups reflected upon a variety of teacher strategies, selecting three for implementation by the entire staff. Visuals, additional announcements, and student recognition brought the improvement necessary to upgrade the character education program, energized the people using it, and facilitated a change in student behavior.
The results of the study were analyzed by comparing data from the January interviews to responses found in the June interviews. From principal to five-year-old kindergartener, the empowered community of practice developed a school identity by hearing Hear at Amadeus every day and following the desired behaviors that comprised the character education program. It was simple, doable.
Qualitative methodology was also used to analyze the field notes. The NUD*IST N6 software program codified data pinpointing the evidence of the beneficial changes in both the character education program as well as in student behavior. A descriptive narrative told the story of how the character education program traveled through the daily life of the elementary school. Then a numerical analysis answered the six research questions.
Recommendations for further study include investigation of how changes in administration, staff, especially the catalyst, and student population might affect the efficacy of the action research cycle and the character education program itself. A longitudinal study of these factors is recommended to investigate long-term impact. Research could also give voice to students perceptions of the program. The study of these questions could open new venues for a practitioner looking for solutions to the problems facing todays learning communities.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PITT/oai:PITTETD:etd-07122007-200705 |
| Date | 27 September 2007 |
| Creators | Svirbel, Elizabeth Anne |
| Contributors | Dr. Mary Margaret Kerr, Dr. Carl N. Johnson, Dr. Beverly Melenyzer, Dr. Kathryn S. Atman |
| Publisher | University of Pittsburgh |
| Source Sets | University of Pittsburgh |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-07122007-200705/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Pittsburgh or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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