Test Runs

A few of us have conducted test runs of portions of our research to determine if there are any adjustments that need to be made to our data collection or intervention.  I did a test run of my data collection process to ensure that the form I had created would work the way I intended.  I conducted two 15-minute behavior observations at the designated pre-and post-intervention times using the following behavior chart:

I coded behavior for each of my four students: two who are traditionally off-task motor and two who are traditionally off-task passive. This process revealed three things:  

• First, coding data every minute on four different students is not as easy as it sounds. There were times that I spent too much time observing one student and then did not spend hardly any time observing another. Sometimes, I found myself watching the clock almost as much as I watched the students.  
• Second, I needed to add a place to record the type of activity that was being done at the time of the observation, as it was apparent that students were more on-task during some activity and less on-task during others. As a result of this test run, I will be modifying my data collection chart accordingly. 
• Finally, this test run revealed there will be times that I might not be able to observe a student at the designated time because another student asks for assistance. If this were to happen during the formal research process, I will put an "x" in the squares that were missed so that the % of time off-task will be calculated solely on the time that that was actually observed.

Rachel has also conducted test runs, but of her intervention. She introduced the Hoberman Sphere breathing exercise to her 2nd grad students several weeks ago. From this process, she learned that students really enjoy the brain break she intends to use, and even ask for it. She also started to think of the best way to instruct in the handling of the sphere, which will improve the implementation of the brain break when she officially begins using it in January.

Prezi

We've spent the last week wrapping up the details of how we will apply the results of our data collection. When we return in January, we'll be putting our research project into ACTION! In the meantime, check out our presentation here.

Applying the Results

Discussion of Findings
And we're back! This week our team met to discuss how we will apply the results after collecting the data. This entailed revisiting our original research questions, discussing the data sources (e.g., the Behavior Tracking Chart) and ways to graphically display the data, and hypothesizing what the key findings may be. Based on the literature review, it would be expected that immediate effects of the brain break would be noticed in the form of decreased off-task behavior. It is uncertain based on the literature review if overall effects will be seen in this short of a time frame. We therefore hypothesize that the brain breaks will decrease the occurrence of students exhibiting off-task behaviors. If the results conclude that the intervention (brain breaks) successfully decreased off-task behavior, then the findings could be shared with other co-workers.

Once we understand the results of our study, we will be able to establish the subsequent course of action. If the intervention proves successful, the results would add validity to the current literature on the topic, as indicated in our Literature Review. Furthermore, we could re-implement the brain break intervention, explore other types of brain breaks, and/or share the findings with other co-workers. If they are interested in trying the intervention themselves, then we could explain our methodology and explain how we did the intervention.  For those of us on the team who are studying both students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 Plans as well as students who do not, we could compare how well the intervention affected off-task behavior.

Implications for Improving Teaching and Learning

Teachers are always looking for way to educate better, in new ways, seeking effective ways to reach their students. If the breaks result in children being able to re-focus and concentrate, then highly effective teachers will realize how powerful this intervention can be when used proficiently. The more time students spend on-task, the less time the teacher spends managing behavior and the more time s/he spends teaching. Furthermore, the students will learn more, retain information better, and/or achieve a higher level of quality work completion.

Implications for Further Research
If the intervention decreases off-task behavior, then further research could inquire as to whether certain types of brain breaks are more effective than others. 

If the research indicates that short brain breaks do not decrease off-task behavior, further research will be warranted to determine if this outcome is the result of the intervention chosen, the length of the brain break, the activity done during the brain break, or a combination thereof.

Producing the Final Report
Our team agreed that presenting the final report in Prezi format lends itself to a more succinct, dynamic presentation. Prezi also allows for videos to be imbedded in the presentation, which would be helpful for providing examples of different brain breaks in action. 

Thanksgiving

Our team has taken a short break to celebrate Thanksgiving with our loved ones. When we return, we'll be sharing our plans for how to apply the results from our data collection.

Data Collection

Over the last week, we've been developing a plan to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret our data collected during our Action Research project.  A few samples of our data collection tools are below.

DATA COLLECTION SHEET

Student's Name: Class/Teacher: Observer: Week: (Number and A or B): Date:

Identify challenging behavior in observable and measurable terms:  Off-task behavior is being observed and measured using interval recording, behavior will be noted twice per class (pre and post intervention during B weeks) every 30 seconds for 15 minutes.  See key below for behavior definitions and codes.

Start Time

End Time

Behavior - Code Recorded Every 30 Seconds

Total On Task

Total Off Task

Definitions of Behavior 1. Off-task motor (OTM) - Instead of working on assigned task, the student is out of seat (six inches or more from seat) without authorization from the teacher, handling objects not involved in the lesson, physically touching other children when contact is not part of the lesson, making gestures not relevant to the lesson, or throwing things. 2. Off-task verbal (OTV) - Instead of working on assigned task, the student is calling out without being called upon, talking during quiet work time, holding a conversation not related to the assigned task, or making non lingusitic noises. 3. Off-task passive (OTP) - Instead of working on assigned task, the student is looking somewhere other than the acknowledged speaker, the board or screen on which the lesson is occurring, or relevant lesson materials, putting head down on desk or in their hands, or delaying starting the assigned task. 4. On-task (ONT) - The student is engaging in behavior that is directly related to the activity established by the teacher.  None of the above behaviors are occuring

Post Intervention Student Interview Survey

Student Name: 

Date:

1. Do you think the brain beaks helped you focus better/stay on task?

                  Yes                                  No                                     A little   

2. Where do you have the most trouble focusing/staying on task?

                 a. Desk   

                                b. Front carpet     

                                                  c. Guided reading group table  

3. Do you have a suggestion for a brain break the class could try next week ?

         a. Hoberman sphere/breathing exercises    

                    b. Yoga        

                               c. Dance   

                                                d. Go Noodle      

Learning How to Analyze the Data

Over the last week our team has been learning about how to analyze the data that we will collect next semester. We learned about several data analysis skills and tools to analyze quantitative and qualitative  data. For quantitative data analysis, there are two major categories of statistical tools: descriptive statistics (e.g., mean, standard deviation, percentage, and correlation coefficient) and inferential statistics (e.g., t-test, sign test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and chi square analysis). For qualitative data, we learned about several strategies, such as organizing the data; generating categories, themes, and patterns; and testing emergent hypotheses. This week we are meeting to decide which tools we will use to collect data and how we will analyze the data.

The Hoberman Sphere!

 
For my specific intervention, I am going to implement my "brain breaks" using the Hoberman Sphere.  While having the entire class participating in my intervention, I will only be taking data on four individual students: two in my AM class and two in the PM section.  I believe that this tool will provide my students with the calming, relaxing rest they need to refocus and return to the tasks at hand while enjoying themselves in the process.  
I can't wait to share this cool new toy with my students!  I am sure they will enjoy it as much as I do!

Over the past two weeks our team has been solidifying our group methodology.  Since we are teaching different grades with different schedules (e.g., some are departmentalized, some are not), we are also beginning to individualize our methodologies according to our classrooms. We presented our group methodology to our research Grad school class tonight and received some very helpful feedback.  Our classmates appreciated how organized and specific our methodology is so far.  One of our classmates asked about the time interval that some of our group members plan to collect data:  several of us plan to check if students are exhibiting off-task behaviors every thirty seconds during two fifteen minute time periods (one before the brain break and one following the brain break).  Is that too difficult?  Would collecting data every minute suffice?  This is a valid concern, and one that I have wondered about myself.  Based on the research our team conducted for the literature review, thirty seconds is a commonly used time frame for a single subject study (the type of study we are doing) because it shows what students are doing on a regular basis.  Another classmate suggested having a back-up brain break in mind in case the first ones we implement are not effective. We appreciated this suggestion, and recognize that if we did need to do this, we would also need to address it in our analysis.

We are excited that the details of our research project are becoming clearer!

Types of Brain Breaks

There are many different options for types of brain breaks that can be used in elementary classrooms.  Two of these, the Hoberman sphere for breathing, and slap trivia, have already been discussed in this blog.  Here are some additional brain breaks that can easily be incorporated into daily routines.  The following activities all can be done in a timeframe of two to five minutes.

 

• Movement Songs: Sing a song with whole-body movements such as "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" or "The Hokey Pokey.

• Jump Skip Counting: Students count by twos, fives, tens etc. while jumping with each count.

• Exercise Movement Counting: Same as jump counting, but using different types of exercises such as arm circles or knee bends.

• 5-4-3-2-1. In this simple game, students stand up and the teacher (or leader) has them do five different movements in descending order. For example the teacher would say: "Do fivejumping jacks, spin around four times, hop on one foot threetimes, walk all the way around the classroom two times, give your neighbor one high-five (pausing in between each task for students to do it).

• Trading Places Have students stand behind their pushed-in chairs. Call out a trait and everyone who has that trait must change places with someone else (students who do not have the trait stay where they are).

• Dance Party: Put on some music and dance!

• Freeze Dance: Play music and have students freeze when it stops.

• Name Moves Students stand behind their chairs. In turn, each student says his or her name accompanied by a special movement. For example a student might say, "Kayla!" while dramatically dropping to one knee and doing Jazz Hands. After the student does his or her move, the rest of the class says the students name in unison and imitates the move. Then it is the next student's turn.

• Follow the Leader: Students follow the movements of whoever is the leader.

•  Pattern Clap: Clap your hands in different slow and quick patterns and have students copy.

What Type of Brain Break?

A few members of our team are considering using the Hoberman sphere to teach the students deep breathing. Breathing patterns can have a deep effect on our health.  In times of stress, breathing can become fast and shallow. Teaching children deep breathing exercises can help them calm down, focus, and relax.  

How to do it: 

To begin, ask students to breathe in deeply from down in their belly as you slowly expand the sphere.  As children are breathing, you can have them place their hands on their bellies so they can feel it expanding like a balloon.  Once the lungs are full of air and the sphere is round, ask students to hold their breath for a count of three.  Next, have students slowly exhale as you slowly close the sphere.  Repeat this exercise ten to twelve times. (We are planning to have the students pass the sphere around in a circle so each student will have an opportunity to practice deep breathing with it.)

Hoberman Sphere Breathing

Moving Forward

Today, our team met at the Loyola campus in Baltimore.  We shared our progress with regards to defining the methodology for our Action Research Plan.  We discussed different data collection ideas and what intervention treatments each of us are thinking of implementing in our classrooms.  A few team members like the idea of using the Hoberman sphere to teach deep breathing, whereas others are considering a more active agenda, like a brain break from www.gonoodle.com or a Zumba-like activity.

Next, we discussed our team and personal Wikis.  We are in the process of consolidating information so everything is more comprehensive and flows smoother.

Lastly, we touched on the number of participants to use for our Action Research Plan.  Many of us decided to collect data on one or two students in each one of our classes.  Due to departmentalization, some team members have two classes.

On Monday evening, we will meet with our our Research and Inquiry professor and discuss the progress of our plan and our next steps.

Methodology

This week our team has been learning about Methodology.  We're laying out the design of our action research plan.

One major detail that has brought about discussion is our data collection.  How do we do it?  What will it look like?  Who are the participants and how will we select them?  While each teacher seems to have a slightly different plan, we all need to decide how to track off-task behavior.

Here's a quiz from Glanz (2014):

Place a check next to the target behavior that can be observed and measured by two independent observers without defining the behavior prior to observation:

1. Johnny is acting out in class.
2. Natasha says "thank you" during the lesson.
3. Felicia is disruptive during art class.
4. Billy completes his class assignments.
5. Sally is behaving well.
6. Kisha raises her hand to ask or answer a question.

Numbers 2 & 6 are target behaviors that can easily be developed.  The other choices require observers to define what is "acting out," "disruptive," "completing assignments," and "behaving well."  

In my search of a data collection form, I came across this site which has some great tools.

Now, my question becomes, how many behaviors should we track?  Is 1 enough to get a good picture of the student(s)?  Will 2 or 3 behaviors be too hard to track accurately?  

Mindfulness Practice in the Classroom

During a recent meeting between a few of our team members and their PDS Coordinator, the topic of behavior management strategies was discussed. The PDS Coordinator mentioned that 95% of teachers who resign during the first five years of teaching leave due to the stress of behavior management issues in the classroom. We wondered if brain breaks could alleviate some of this professional burnout if they effectively reduce off-task and oppositional behaviors. While conducting our literature review, we came across an article that addresses this very question! 

The article is called Integrating Mindfulness Training into K-12 Education: Fostering the Resilience of Teachers and Students, by J. Meiklejohn, C. Phillips, M. Freedman, M. Griffin, G. Biegel, A. Roach, and A. Saltzman. It posits that both teachers and students can benefit from the calming, focusing, and self-regulating effects of mindfulness practice.

Regarding teachers:

"The brain regions that are impacted by
mindfulness training are implicated in executive functioning
(EF) and the regulation of emotions and behavior. Executive
functioning is an umbrella term for cognitive processes such
as planning, working memory, attention, problem solving,
verbal reasoning, inhibition, mental flexibility, multi-tasking,
and the initiation and monitoring of actions (Chan et al. 2008).
In essence, evidence-based research is indicating that mindfulness
training fosters enhanced resilience and more optimal
brain function in adults." (Page 5)

Regarding students:

"Napoli et al. (2005) conducted a randomized control trial (RCT) with 194 first to third grade students, from nine classrooms in two elementary schools, using the Attention Academy Program (AAP).
Students were randomly assigned to attend AAP or no
intervention. The AAP lasted for 12 sessions over 24 weeks
for 45-min per session and included sitting, movement, and
body-scan meditations as well as relaxation exercises.
Compared with control students, AAP participants showed
reductions in test anxiety and improvements in teacher-rated
attention, social skills, and objective measures of selective
attention." (Page 9)

The goal of our action research project is to find out if brain breaks--which can take the form of mindfulness practices, such as breathing exercises--have a positive impact on student behavior. If these breaks help the teacher, too, and thereby positively affect teacher retention rates in the profession, then all the more reason to incorporate them!

The full article is available here.

Literature Review

This week our team completed a literature review to become familiar with the existing body of knowledge, data, and trends with regards to the effect of brain breaks on student behavior. We discovered the following key points:

• Exercise increases circulation and the flow of oxygen to the brain, which improves cognitive performance. (Jensen, 2000)
• Exercise increases the levels of neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain, which help increase the ability to focus attention and control impulses. (Reilly et al., 2012)
• Breaks are critical to the learning process because our brains require breaks in order to process and encode new learning. (Jensen, 2000)
• Researchers have found that “offering physical activity breaks during standard classroom instruction” results in positive associations with attention/concentration, classroom conduct and/or academic achievement. (Rasberry, et al, 2011)
• There is an increase in the amount of educators who are incorporating the use of “brain breaks” to help their students be academically and behaviorally successful in school. 

Our team consulted the following resources in writing our literature review:

Jensen, E. (November, 2000). Moving with the Brain in Mind. Educational Leadership, 58(3), 34-37.

Mahar, M. T., Murphy, S. K., Rowe, D. A., Golden, J., Shields, A. T., & Raedeke, T. D. (2006). Effects of a Classroom-Based Program on Physical Activity and On-Task Behavior. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 38(12), 2086-2094.

Meiklejohn, J., Phillips, C., Freedman, M., Griffin, M., Biegel, G., Roach, A., & Saltzman, A. (2012). Integrating mindfulness training into K-12 education: Fostering the resilience of teachers and students. Mindfulness, 3(4), 291-307.

Peck, Heather L.; Kehle, Thomas J.; Bray, Melissa A.; Theodore, Lea A. (2005). Yoga as an Intervention for Children with Attention Problems. School Psychology Review, 34(3), 415-424.

Reilly, E., Buskist, C., & Gross, M.K. (2012). Movement in the Classroom: Boosting Brain Power, Fighting Obesity. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 48(2), 62-66. DOI: 10.1080/00228958.2012.680365.

Rasberry, C.N., Lee, S.M., Robin, L., Laris, B.A., Russell, L.A., Coyle, K.K., & Nihiser, A.J. (2011). The association between school-based physical activity, including physical education, and academic performance: A systematic review of the literature. Preventive Medicine,52, S10 –S20.

Wells, Stephanie L., (2012) Moving Through the Curriculum: The Effect of Movement on Student Learning, Behavior, and Attitude, St. Mary’s College of Maryland Department of Educational Studies, Rising Tide, V. 5.

Would you use this type of "brain break" in your class?

Would you use this type of "brain break" in your class?

Slap Trivia! ACTIVE BRAIN BREAK FOR THE CLASSROOM

Problem Statement Revision

The information we found while conducting our literature review prompted us to revisit and revise our problem statement, in order to incorporate the ideas and themes present in the existing literature. 

Problem Statement:
We want our students to have the ability to be optimally focused on learning tasks, and to consistently demonstrate on task behavior, in order to maximize the benefit of instructional time and increase student learning and success.

A frequent problem that teachers encounter is having a few students who regularly lose focus and engage in off task behavior. If we do not work to find a way to help these students stay focused, they will not get the full benefit of instruction and won’t achieve the level of learning and success they are capable of reaching.  Not only will this result in students not adequately learning expected content standards, it will have the more devastating effect of not providing them with the base knowledge and skills they need to succeed in future learning.

We will investigate this problem in an action research project that incorporates short physical “brain breaks” into classroom lessons.  Existing research has demonstrated that physical activity is correlated with improved cognitive functions, including increases in focus and attention.  Incorporating active elements  into classroom routines provides students with needed physical activity to prime their brains for optimal concentration and mental performance.  The current literature tested the results of classroom physical activity sessions that lasted anywhere from five to twenty minutes.  Because of the of the growing pressure on teachers and administrators to maximize time spent on academic instruction, we will examine whether similar positive effects on behavior and attention can be achieved from physical breaks lasting five minutes or less.

Themes in Our Literature Review

While conducting our literature review, our team has noticed some themes in the research:

• Teachers are looking to brain breaks as a way to increase focus and reduce distraction in the classroom.
• There are a variety of types of brain breaks available to use, including yoga, deep breathing exercises, and even movement breaks that have an educational component. 
  
• Several studies have found that brain breaks do increase focus, and reduce off-task and oppositional behaviors.

A question that has arisen out of this research is...

• What happens within the brain during brain breaks that make it beneficial to students including improved behavior and academic choices?

We are refining our problem statement based on the data that we are encountering. Stay tuned!

Reviewing the Literature

This week our team has been reviewing literature applicable to our topic.  

I personally had a lot of trouble finding articles specifically related to "brain breaks."  When I decided to narrow my focus to Yoga specifically, my search was much more successful.  While reading through a few articles, I noticed a couple references to a pilot program in Milwaukee, WI using yoga in an elementary school.  In trying to find out more about the program, I found the website of Growing Minds, the organization that ran the pilot program.  I have had some contact with the Founder and President, who has introduced me to the idea of "mindfulness."  

"Mindfulness means to pay attention to the present moment, with intention, in a non-judgmental way.  It is a practice of awareness and observation." - Jon Kabat-Zinn, a pioneer of Mindfulness in the US and the teacher who brought Mindfulness into the field of medicine and health

Thirty years of empirical research shows that a regular mindfulness practice increases attention, executive functioning (processing information and learning), emotional regulation, stress reduction, empathy, and a variety of other positive effects. 
- http://mindsincorporated.org/mindfulness/

I have already ordered a couple of books on this topic and look forward to learning more about mindfulness, so that I may consider using this when teaching brain breaks to my classroom.  I'll be practicing on my own children as well. 

Writing Our Problem Statement

This week our team discussed the problem statement on which we would like to base our projects. We have decided to study the effects of "brain breaks" on students' ability to stay focused.

Problem Statement:

We want our students to have the ability to be optimally focused on learning tasks, and to consistently demonstrate on task behavior, in order to maximize the benefit of instructional time and increase student learning and success.

Currently, there are a significant number of students in specific classes who frequently lose focus and engage in off task behavior. If we do not solve this problem, these students will not get the full benefit of instruction and won’t achieve the level of learning and success they are capable of. Not only will this result in them not adequately learning the current material, it will have the more devastating effect of not providing them with the base knowledge they need in order to succeed in future learning.

We will tackle this problem by incorporating short physical “brain breaks” into our lessons, providing the students with needed physical activity in order to prime their brains for optimal concentration and mental performance.

Questions:

1.       Will short physical brain breaks during a lesson decrease the occurrence of off task behavior with target students during the class period immediately following the brain break?

2.      Will routinely incorporating physical brain breaks into lessons, and thus providing students with the knowledge that such breaks are coming in each class period, decrease the occurrence of off task behavior with target students overall?

The Big Picture-Action Research and an Overview of Research in Education

Research falls into two broad categories, basic research and applied research.  A major difference between basic and applied research has to do with the fact that applied research is used to answer a specific question that has direct applications to the real world, while basic research tends not to be applicable to the real world in a direct way, rather it is driven purely by curiosity and a desire to expand our knowledge and enhance our understanding.  The main difference between the two types of research is what they will be used for. Will the research be used to help us understand a real world problem and solve it, or will the research further our general information?

Action research is one form of applied research.  Action research is used to address a specific problem using the scientific principles of research, however it utilizes less rigorous methodologies than other forms of applied research.  Action research is done by people, such as educational leaders, while they are carrying out their professional actions from day to day.  There are 3 forms of action research in education:  Individual, collaborative, and schoolwide.  Individual action research is when an individual conducts a research project focusing on a specific class or activity.  Collaborative action research involves a team of individuals and may focus on one classroom or many classrooms.  Schoolwide action research involves the entire community of the school.  The most common use of action research is evaluation research.  Evaluation research is the gathering of data in order to make an informed decision and is used to assess the quality of a particular practice or program in a class or school.

Action research can take either a quantitative or qualitative approach.  Quantitative research relies on numerical data while qualitative research utilizes detailed descriptions of the phenomena observed.  Examples of qualitative methods include ethnography, case study, and historical inquiry.  Quantitative methods include descriptive research, including survey and observational research, correlational research, and group comparison, which encompasses experimental, quasi-experimental, and ex post facto methods.

Learning Lightbulbs has Launched

Learning Lightbulbs’ first week was a busy one!   First, we came together as a team and narrowed our team focus and description.  We have created our team in order to collaborate on designing an action research project to systematically evaluate and analyze our teaching practices as elementary school teachers in order to improve teaching and learning in our schools and increase student performance.

Our team will work collaboratively to design our action research project.  While we may work independently on various small portions of the project, frequent communication will occur during all stages of the project's development.  Team members will meet in person on designated evenings, and will communicate via Smart PD team messages, phone, email, and our team blog between meetings to ensure constant collaboration.

This week our main activities centered on familiarizing ourselves with action research, exploring what it is and how it fits into the greater research picture, and how it can be utilized in educational settings in order to best improve teaching and learning.  Individually each team member read about action research in education, both in our textbook and using online resources, and completed learning activities in order to process and synthesize our new knowledge.  We then used Smart PD team messages to share our thoughts and build upon one another’s ideas, in order to allow all team members to achieve a comprehensive understanding of action research and provide a strong starting point for our work in the weeks to come.