CHAPTER III
METHODS and PROCEDURES
This study was concerned about the effectiveness of graphic
organizers and the administration guiding principles for making them effective.
Two subjects areas was selected for this study: Mathematics and Earth Science.
The textbooks used in the investigation were Pre-Algebra (Globe Fearon, 2001)
and Earth Science Workshop 1 (Seymour Rosen, 1988). This chapter discusses the
(a) design of the study; (b) definition of study population or participants;
(c) materials and measures; (d) procedures; and (e) analysis of the data.
Action research strategy was selected to have a greater detail
and likelihood of the participants' performance in using graphic organizers.
Because of the small number investigated and because the study dealt only with
students who are emotionally disturbed with learning disabilities, the
researcher is aware of the fact of being less able to make effective
generalizations to a larger population of cases. In other words, the results
cannot be generalized from the sample of this study to the general population.
Definition of Study Population/Sampling Design
Participants in the study were twelve students with multiple
disabilities at P753K. They are classified as emotionally disturbed and
learning disabilities students. Their behavioral disorders are primarily
externalizing. For instance, they may hit other children, curst at a teacher,
be hyperactive, and steal during lesson (Smith and Luckasson, 1992, p. 307).
Consequently, they are unable to do well in school. Learning disability means
they exhibit a disorder in understanding that manifests itself in imperfect
ability to think, or do mathematical calculations (Federal Register/No. 48,
Volume 64/Sections 300.7(10) (c) (i and ii)/1999). They are ninth grade-level
students, but their reading and mathematics skills are below fourth
grade-level. Categories represented students with African American and
Hispanic background. The age grouping of the male and female students varied
from 16 to 19 years of age. The sample was drawn purposefully. This study
used a non-randomized selection of participants. Participants had met the
following criteria: (a) be a student at P753K, (b) be a student with special
needs, (c) and be in one of the investigator' classrooms.
The class is for Specialized Instructional Environment VII (SIE
VII) students. In other words, the class was composed of students with similar
educational needs. The class-staffing ratio was 12 : 1 : 1, meaning that
twelve students and one full-time special education teacher and one full-time
paraprofessional. The staffing ratio was 12 : 1: 1 because students' academic
and/or behavioral management needs often interfere with the
instructional process. Therefore, one additional adult support or a
paraprofessional was needed to engage students in learning.
Materials and Measures
The methodology for the study involved
collection of data through a variety of ways such as completed graphic
organizers scores, observations, checklist and rubric. The investigator
designed graphic organizers such as sequence chart, polygon charts, map charts,
and descriptive pattern diagram. A sample of each graphic organizer is
included in the Appendix C. Reading passages and mathematics exercises in
textbooks were selected for this study. The length of reading passages per
session was selected within a developmental lesson of a given text not varying
by more than 300 words. The numbers of exercises per Mathematics session were
selected within a developmental lesson not varying by more than 25 exercises.
After the teacher presentation/demonstration of the use of
graphic organizers in guided instruction, participants were required to
complete the students' versions of the graphic organizers with
teacher/paraprofessional directions that explain how to complete the graphic
organizers. A rubric and checklist were used as measuring devices. I used a
scoring rubric to measure performance (see Appendix A). The scoring rubric
included categories such as, «students pay attention to relevant
information,» «organize,» that is, build connections among the
ideas of the text, «connect information with what they already know,»
and «independence». In addition to the rubric, I used a Graphic
Organizers' Workshop Checklist to measure accuracy (see Appendix B).
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