Report

Draft 6

Abstract Three classes of students from Qatar Academy (21 Grade One students, 22 Grade Five students, 22 Grade Nine Information Technology students) participated in an action research study investigating the question, “What is the effect of choice on students' performance and motivation?” A three group post-control and post-treatment test design was used, where the sample groups yielded both post control and post treatment data for motivation and performance. Motivation was measured using a Likert Scale Survey, Performance was measured using a common rubric. Post-control, all classes were assessed on a task where they had no choice of content or in how they presented their knowledge. The treatment was the introduction of content and presentation choice along with opportunities to develop understanding of personal learning styles. Students then chose the way they wanted to present their knowledge for another project and were again assessed at its completion. Post- treatment, paired T data analysis indicated that across the sample, there was an extremely significant increase in student motivation and performance.
 * results
 * appendices
 * double check for APA reference
 * check for form when referring to
 * 

Introduction

We are three experienced teachers who teach at an International Baccalaureate school with a high population of national students. Our school has actively embraced and encouraged the 21st Century approach to teaching and learning with emphasis towards differentiation, literacy and technology integration, which strives to promote motivation and success in our students.

The students in this study range from Early, Primary and Middle Years and we have noticed that some of them have a low level of motivation in the classroom situation. We suspect that this may be linked to poor performance and we wonder if the level of motivation and consequent performance of our students could be improved were they to be given more individual choice with their projects.

We feel that this is an area that needs addressing because as IB students, our children are expected to be self- motivated learners. Our school mission states that our students are expected to be, “independent critical thinkers, lifelong learners, responsible citizens, (who) gain entrance to elite universities and colleges.” Bearing this in mind, we were interested in nurturing our students in an environment that would encourage them to, “enjoy doing the kind of work for which (they) were best suited.” (Napoleon Hill, 1883) Our hope was to foster a richer learning environment that supported independent student project choice. We hoped that reflecting student preferences would result in heightened motivation which would, in turn, enhance performance.

While reviewing literature we found that there were conflicting arguments related to providing students with project choices. In certain cases motivation and performance improved but deteriorated under other circumstances. This led us to question what impact providing project choice would have on our students.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Review of Literature

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Researcher on success, Napoleon Hill (1883), stated that, “Everyone enjoys doing the kind of work for which he is best suited.” This sentiment is echoed 119 years later by Powell and Powell (2011) who suggest that allowing students choice that relates to their personal learning styles allows for products that are,“rich in conceptual understanding.” They state, “We know the anxiety and stress of being compelled to work in one’s least preferred production-style can actually serve as an obstacle to cognition. The medium does affect the message.” This line of thought is also explored by Baum and Nichols (2009) when they suggest that providing choice is possibly a more powerful cognitive experience when students have an understanding of their personal learning styles and are sometimes allowed the option of aligning tasks to their learning-style strengths.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Whether choice is matched to learning styles or in some other area, there is much research that suggests that providing students with choice is a key to improving not only motivation but also performance. When reviewing research in this field, Helen Moran (n.d ) states that the results, “clearly show that more choice equates to greater enjoyment, and presumably more engagement” and that a number of previous researchers, “found that student enjoyment is closely linked to engagement, which in turn is linked to levels of performance.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kohn (1993) also links choice and motivation when he asserts that students who are deprived of choice are also likely deprived of motivation. After citing a number of research projects which link student success and high level of motivation, he states,“There is no question about it: even if our only criterion is academic performance, choice works.” Looking beyond academic performance and towards motivation, Stone and Madigan (2008) cite Becker who “suggested that a greater amount of choices available for the student promotes a greater sense of ownership and, consequently, higher levels of motivation and commitment.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, despite the assertions above,there is also a body of research that proposes that offering choice may not always enhance performance and motivation. Patall et al. (2010) suggest that “.... choice may not always be effective or that there are more effective strategies to support motivation.” Furthermore, Kohn (1993), supported by Starnes and Paris(2000), cautions that although choice is generally a desirable option, it also needs to be guided when he states, “Nearly every essay on education by John Dewey, the father of progressive schooling, stresses the importance of adult guidance and derides the idea of “leaving a child to his own unguided fancies.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In fact, Barry Schwartz (2009), referring to Iyenger and Lepper (2000) and Iyenger et al. (2004) points out that “...too many options seemed to produce paralysis rather than liberation.” He expands upon this idea by stating, “If one overcomes paralysis and choose, evidence suggests that the quality of performance deteriorates with increases in the number of options” and summarises the findings “...it now seems clear that whereas choice is good, more choice is not necessarily better.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When Helen Moran asked students to reflect on their experience of choice in the classroom, most students indicated that “...they enjoyed the opportunities, but a small group said they preferred to be told what to do and when, as they had found it hard to manage themselves.” She highlighted the fact that some students might prefer more extrinsic motivation in the form of teacher direction. In contrast, Powell and Powell (2011) state that,“Whenever you can link the classroom curriculum to student interest, you tap into internalized achievement motivation - where goals are personal, motivation comes from within, and achievement is deeply meaningful.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Our goal was to enhance student motivation and performance. While looking at personal learning styles and the consequences of choice in relation to personal learning styles, we were confronted with an array of opposing research. Bearing in mind that the “evidence on choice effects has not been ubiquitously positive” (Patall et al. 2010), we were keen to explore the effects of choice in our own classroom environments by conducting our own research by asking: “How do project choices impact student motivation and performance?”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Method <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Research Design <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In order to answer our research question we designed and implemented an action research treatment with a three group post-control and post-treatment test design for motivation and performance. A Likert Scale Survey was used at the end of the control group phase and at the end of the treatment group phase to assess changes in motivation (see example in Appendix 1).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A common rubric to assess performance was used to grade a project after the control phase, where students had very limited choice regarding project content and presentation options. The common rubric assessed student performance according to elements of the Learner Profile. The same rubric format was used to assess the students’ projects post-treatment (see example in Appendix 3).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A Learning My Way assessment (see Appendix 2) was administered prior to students making project choices and they revisited these after they made their choices. This assessment was not used to gather data, but rather, as a tool to act as a catalyst to get the students thinking about their personal learning styles and options of how to present. The intention was that students make considered choices with an understanding either to follow perceived strengths or explore methods they might not normally choose. The 30 questions grouped answers into 6 areas of strength and interest: Performance, Multi-media, Oral, Artistic, Written, Manipulative.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We hypothesized that post-treatment, student motivation towards presenting knowledge and the quality of product (performance) would increase.This hypothesis suggests a relationship between our two dependent variables, performance and motivation and our independent variable, project choices.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Intervention

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Across the sample, students reviewed prior levels of motivation and performance when they had very limited choice of content and presentation options.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the Early Years, the students were introduced to 6 types of presentation choices (Voice Thread, Poster, Power Point, Information Report with Scribble Press, Models and Performance). The students had some knowledge of some of the choices but had not independently used any of them before to present their own knowledge. In Grades Five and Nine, the students had already been exposed to a variety of project choices and a short time was spent reviewing these particular project choices. In Middle Years, students conducted a discussion on an online forum identifying the possible choices available for their projects evaluating the merits of one option against another.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The whole sample was then given the choice of content (within the boundaries of their current curriculum focus) as well as how they were going to present their knowledge and understanding. They reflected on their personal learning styles and interests (Learning My Way) and discussions were had about different types of presentation options and how they might match or differ from stated preferences in the Learning My Way assessment.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Presentation choices were discussed related to the skills they required and students were encouraged to think about the motivation behind their choice e.g. choosing because they knew they could do something well, trying something new etc. At this point, the Early and Primary Years students had the option of changing their presentation choice. Some did and could give sound reasons for the change, related to the concepts that had been discussed. Others confirmed their choice, also giving pertinent reasons for why they felt their choice was right for them. However, a few students did not exercise this level of considered choice, preferring instead to follow the choices of others. This contrasts to Middle Years where it is a necessary requirement that students following the design cycle process, are expected to reconsider their choices after evaluating limitations in time, resources and skill level.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sample and Setting

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The 65 subjects for this study were taken from three classes across the school: Grade One (Early Years), Grade Five (Primary Years) and Grade Nine (Middle Years). The type of sample is Convenience as this sample is a representation of the students that we teach each day, or in the case of the Middle Years, two periods a week. They range in age from 6-8 years in the Early Years, 10-11 in the Primary and 15-16 years in the Middle Years.There are ten boys and twelve girls in the youngest group, while Grade Five has twelve boys and ten girls. There was an even distribution of boys and girls in the Middle Years. The ethnic breakdown of the sample consisted of Qatari students in Grade Five, while in the other two classes there is also a small portion of students from a variety of nationalities from around the world. The action research study was conducted at Qatar Academy which is located in Doha.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Instrumentation and Data Collection <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Data were collected using three group post-control and post-treatment tests to measure change in motivation and performance. At the end of the control phase all three groups completed a Likert Scale Survey (see Appendix 1) to measure their motivation with regard to a recently completed project where the students had very limited choice over content and how they would present their knowledge. The same format was used at the end of the treatment phase to measure their motivation where they had choice over content and presentation options. This 12 item three point survey included statements such as “I am motivated to do my work”, “I keep working when I really enjoy what I am doing” and “I persist even when a project is challenging for me”. Students were asked to rate their level of agreement to these statements by choosing a happy, neutral or sad face to correspond with each statement. The total score was calculated with a weighting of x3 (happy), x2 (neutral), x1 (sad).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Student performance was graded using a common rubric (see Appendix 3). At the end of the control phase, this rubric was used to grade a project that was recently completed where the students had very limited choice over content and presentation options. The same format was used post-treatment to grade the project where the students were given choice. Areas of assessment were assigned grades of 1 (not at all), 2 (somewhat), 3 (proficient). They were broken into two parts, Process and Product and each entry was listed under a Learner Profile heading. Areas being assessed in the Process category had six statements such as “Level of independence shown with project”, “Effectively communicates information / knowledge of subject” and “Takes responsibility for own learning”. The Product category contained three statements such as “Content presented in a way that shows an understanding of how the presentation choice works” and “Quality of product”. The totals of the responses were weighted x1 (not at all), x2 (somewhat), x3 (proficient).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The post-control and post-treatment scores for motivation and performance were evaluated using paired T-test.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Anecdotal observational records were also kept in order to provide triangulation for our quantitative measures of motivation and performance. Heightened motivation was observed in a number of ways. Firstly, there was evidence of ‘hard fun’ where students worked during break times and demonstrated that they had dedicated more time to their projects in their own time. Secondly, feedback from colleagues interacting with students commented on their apparent raised levels of motivation. Students also observed more keenly what their peers were attempting and emulating the creation of other products. Students were actively engaged in showing off their developments which extended into their own time through collaborations on social networks. A number of students independently stated that they felt empowered and enjoyed the opportunity to make their own choices. Equally, a number of students expressed how they felt successful and were very keen to present their final product. Although not measurable precisely we all felt that the students performance by default also increased. Specifically to grade 9, many of the students were meeting deadlines (in many cases ahead of the deadline) and demanding feedback for their submitted work and requested the opportunity to improve their work after feedback. Attendance

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Threats to Validity

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One of the greatest threats to validity across the sample was the conducting of the Likert Scale Survey. In the Primary and Middle Years the students were curious as to the reason why the survey was being conducted and they may have been influenced by the researcher stressing the importance of the survey. (Instrumentation). They could, possibly have suspected that they were part of a research project. (Hawthorn effect and researcher bias). While in the Early Years the students, being young and enthusiastic, are eager to please their teacher and are already generally motivated. (Subject characteristics: Age).
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Motivation:__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When the post-treatment Likert Scale Survey was conducted, the students in the two upper grades could have been influenced by what they had already answered in the post-control Likert Scale Survey. (Testing). For example, when the students first encountered the Likert Scale Survey, not a lot of emphasis was placed on the importance/ care required to complete it. After seeing the results of this first survey, it was felt that more context was required for a truer reflection, thus more emphasis was placed on the care and thought that should be given to answering the post-treatment Likert Scale Survey. The question to consider would be: Was it over emphasised? Specifically, in Grade Five an additional teacher was available when they were completing the post-treatment survey. The students were encouraged to think carefully about their honesty when completing the survey and should make sure not just to circle ‘happy faces’. This led to some some students noticeably rating themselves more harshly than in the first survey (Implementation).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A threat to validity where performance was concerned in the Upper Grades, was the ‘snowball effect’. In the excitement of having choices, the students shared ideas and in this way they influenced each other’s choices. In the Early Years, it was noted that while the groups were completing their projects, two of the groups had different teachers and were confronted with not only a new environment but also with new and novel presentation options.(Intervention,Location and Technology Facilitator resources)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Performance:__


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Minimising of Threats__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Learning My Way survey was originally considered a threat to validity because the students would be able to spot the cyclically structured questions and manipulate their answers. To minimise this threat, students were strongly encouraged to respond to the questions sequentially.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It was felt that students excited by the new and exciting learning experiences would make impulsive choices. Providing the students in the Early Years with three different opportunities to review their choices allowed them to make considered decisions.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Results

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Discussion and Action Plan <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The results of this study showed that our hypothesis was correct. We observed extremely statistically significant improvement in both student motivation and performance during the project. There are many reasons for this improvement, some of which we noted occurring right from the beginning of the treatment phase. After the Learning My Way survey was administered, the students became interested in how they could use their personal learning skills and were also intrigued about utilising and developing skills in an area they might not normally choose. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">An interesting observation was that many students identified preferences of multi-media, manipulative or performance to demonstrate their knowledge which is in direct contrast to many of the more common options given in teacher led activities based on oral or written assessments. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> By introducing students to the Common Performance Rubric, an environment was created where students felt they could take risks and try new things and that these efforts would be recognized.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Once the concept of choice was introduced, students began to explore a variety of content and presentation options, open to the idea of trying new learning experiences. They were excited to choose their own project content. Prior to making their choice, the students held many animated conversations with their peers, exploring options and sharing ideas which led them to invest and take ownership of their initial project choice.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At this point the students were encouraged to reflect on their choice in relation to their personal learning style, interests, skills and personal objectives. This helped some students to confirm their choice but also led others to alter their choice of content and / or presentation option. By providing a safe learning environment where changes would not be penalised, the students felt secure about navigating their way to a choice that they felt comfortable, enthusiastic and motivated to explore.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ongoing motivation was maintained through the students engagement in new and exciting learning experiences. This further developed their sense of ownership and independence. This momentum was further enhanced by the students’ developing sense of purpose as they recognized that their product was not just to gather grades but would be used in real life contexts that would influence others. They also enjoyed being an active part of the learning process and seeing their teachers as facilitators.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The level of student motivation had a domino effect on performance. Students took independent action in many ways. They worked on their projects in their own time, developed and applied their skills, practiced to enhance their level of performance and taught their peers. This developed their feeling of success and then led to increased confidence.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Generally, the quality of the final projects were higher than they had been on previous occasions. Where projects showed little or no improvement, it could possibly be because the student had taken a risk and tried skills and strategies that were new to them but were unsuited to their personal learning styles. In their reflections, many of the students could identify this as an inhibitor to their performance. Some stated that in the future, they would like to revisit the same learning experiences in order to improve on them and others could state why they would not like to revisit them, relating their reasons to their personal learning styles and preferences. However, by rewarding the taking of risks in the Common Performance Rubric, the risk takers were left feeling that their efforts were both acknowledged and justified. Overall, most of the students suggested that this had been an empowering and enjoyable experience and one that they would like to repeat. Based on the success of this project, this is an experience that all three teachers would also like to repeat after reflection and refinement.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As a team, we intend to routinely provide choices and opportunities for students to have discussions about their choices and to review their choices. We will explore how to apply this strategy for learning across other areas of the curriculum. We want to make time to fully reflect on this experience and develop an implementation plan for applying refined elements of this project into our teaching programmes next year. Specifically, we would like to use the Learning My Way survey near the beginning of the academic year and also administer Likert scales at times throughout the year, with an awareness of the importance of timing when administering it.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After receiving feedback from a number of sources, we recognize the value of the Common Performance Rubric. We will review and refine it as an assessment tool which can be used in a number of areas within the PYP and MYP. We hope that through this tool we can develop a common assessment language across the whole school, improving consistency in school wide assessment. We are already introducing this document to our teams, intend to share it with our wider school community and if it is well received, then present it to others through workshops and also to IB.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As educators, this experience has led to reflection of our practices. An area that we would like to further explore is that of ourselves in the role of facilitators to students who are given scope to work with more independence and responsibility, in a highly motivating environment.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reference

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Baum, S., & Nicols, H. (2009). Your child's style. Retrieved from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.internationalcenterfortalentdevelopment.com/uploads/9/3/2/8/9328117/prototypes_by_baum_and_nicols.pdf__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kohn, A. (1993, September). Choices for children: why and how to let students decide. Kappan, Retrieved from http://scholar.googleusercontent.com/scholar?q=cache:Wc1A9-8y29IJ:scholar.google.com/ giving elementary students choices&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moran, H. (n.d.). Personalised learning- engaging students by providing choice in the classroom. Retrieved from http://kidspeak.wikispaces.com/Personalised Learning - Engaging Students by Providing Choice in the Classroom

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Napoleon Hill. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved February 19, 2012, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/napoleonhi152835.html__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Patall, E. A., Cooper, H., & Wynn, S. R. (2010). The effectiveness and relative importance of choice in the classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(4), 896-915. doi: 10.1037/a0019545, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/edu/102/4/896/__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Powell, P., & Kusuma-Powell, O. (2011). How to teach now:five keys to personalized learning in the global classroom. Alexandria, VA, USA: ASCD. Retrieved from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/111011/chapters/Knowing-Our-Students-as-Learners.aspx__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Schwartz, B. (2009). Incentives, choice, education and. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 391-403.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Starnes, B., & Paris, C. (2000). Choosing to learn. Kappan, 81(5), 392. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Stone, J. A., & Madigan, E. M. (2008). The impact of providing project choices in cs1. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 40(2), 65-68, Retrieved from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1383637&dl=ACM&coll=DL__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendices__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 1:Likert Scale__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 2: Learning My Way Survey__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Grade One version of this survey is a 30 item, three point cyclical survey. This was considered more appropriate for Grade One students. The remainder of the sample used the more age appropriate 30 item, five point cyclical survey. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Grade 1 version__


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Style Inventory

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Products provide students with a way to express what they have learned to an audience. This survey will help to determine the kinds of products YOU are <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__interested__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in creating.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My name is: __________________________________________________________

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Instructions:__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Read each statement and circle the number that shows to what extent YOU are <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__interested__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in creating that type of product. (Do not worry if you are unsure of how to make the product)

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Not At All Interested Of Little Interest Moderately Interested Interested Very Interested || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Example: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Writing song lyrics 1 2 3 4 5 ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. acting out an event 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. designing a computer 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> game

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">talking about my 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> experiences

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">making a clay sculpture 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">of a scene

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">writing an essay 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. constructing a working 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> model

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7. performing music 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8. filming & editing 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a movie

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9. talking about my project 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10. painting a picture 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">11. writing stories 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">12. assembling a kit 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">13. acting out a story 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">14. designing an interactive 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> computer project

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">15. discussing my research 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">16. painting a mural 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">17. writing a report 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">18. repairing a machine 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">19. playing a musical 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Instrument

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">20. filming & editing 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a video

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">21. discussing ideas 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">22. drawing pictures for 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a book

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">23. writing for a magazine 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">24. building a project 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">25. acting in a play 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">26. selecting slides & music 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> for a slide show

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">27. discussing what I have 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> learned

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">28. making a clay sculpture 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> of a character

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">29. writing for a newspaper 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">30. building an invention 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My Way… A Profile

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Instructions:__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Write your score beside each number. Add each <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__ROW__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">to determine <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__YOUR__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> expression style profile.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Products__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Performance 1. _____ 7. ______ 13. ______ 19. ______ 25. ______ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Multi-media 2. _____ 8. ______ 14. ______ 20. ______ 26. ______ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oral 3. _____ 9. ______ 15. ______ 21. ______ 27. ______ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Artistic 4. _____ 10. ______ 16. ______ 22. ______ 28. ______ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Written 5. _____ 11. _______ 17. ______ 23. ______ 29. ______ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Manipulative 6. _____ 12. ______ 18. ______ 24. ______ 30. ______ || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Total__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">______________ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">______________ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">______________ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">______________ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">______________ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">______________ ||



<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Grade 5 & 9 version__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__An s__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (Post Control and Post Treatment)Expression Style Inventory
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px; vertical-align: baseline;">__MY WAY__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Products provide students with a way to express what they have learned to an audience. This survey will help to determine the kinds of products YOU are <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__interested__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in creating.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My name is: __________________________________________________________

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Instructions:__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Read each statement and circle the number that shows to what extent YOU are <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__interested__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in creating that type of product. (Do not worry if you are unsure of how to make the product)

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Not At All Interested Of Little Interest Moderately Interested Interested Very Interested || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Example: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Writing song lyrics 1 2 3 4 5 ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. acting out an event 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. designing a computer 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> game

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">talking about my 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> experiences

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">making a clay sculpture 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">of a scene

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">writing an essay 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 4__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Raw Data__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. constructing a working 1 2 3 4 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">photos of engaged students <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> model

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7. performing music 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8. filming & editing 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a movie

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9. talking about my project 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10. painting a picture 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">11. writing stories 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">12. assembling a kit 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">13. acting out a story 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">14. designing an interactive 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> computer project

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">15. discussing my research 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">16. painting a mural 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">17. writing a report 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">18. repairing a machine 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">19. playing a musical 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Instrument

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">20. filming & editing 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a video

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">21. discussing ideas 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">22. drawing pictures for 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a book

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">23. writing for a magazine 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">24. building a project 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">25. acting in a play 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">26. selecting slides & music 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> for a slide show

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">27. discussing what I have 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> learned

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">28. making a clay sculpture 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> of a character

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">29. writing for a newspaper 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">30. building an invention 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My Way… A Profile

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Instructions:__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Write your score beside each number. Add each <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__ROW__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">to determine <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__YOUR__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> expression style profile.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Products__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Performance 1. _____ 7. ______ 13. ______ 19. ______ 25. ______ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Multi-media 2. _____ 8. ______ 14. ______ 20. ______ 26. ______ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oral 3. _____ 9. ______ 15. ______ 21. ______ 27. ______ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Artistic 4. _____ 10. ______ 16. ______ 22. ______ 28. ______ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Written 5. _____ 11. _______ 17. ______ 23. ______ 29. ______ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Manipulative 6. _____ 12. ______ 18. ______ 24. ______ 30. ______ || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Total__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">______________ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">______________ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">______________ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">______________ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">______________ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">______________ ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 3__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: Common Performance Rubric


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Name: || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Grade: || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Project: ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Scores: 1 = not at all, 2 = somewhat, 3 = proficient ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rubric for Student Performance || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Assessing common elements across grade 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10:


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">POST-CONTROL Performance scores || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Date: ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Process || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1 || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2  || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3  ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Inquirer: level of independence shown with project ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Knowledgeable: content shows deep understanding of topic ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Communicator: effectively communicates information / knowledge of subject ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Risk Taker: challenges self to explore new avenues / aspects within the project ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reflective: organizes self effectively ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Principled: takes responsibility for own learning ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thinker: content presented in a way that shows an understanding of how the presentation choice works ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Effort: project presented as ‘professionally’ as possible / appropriate for individual ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product: quality of product ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product: quality of product ||  ||   ||   ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1: (x 1) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2: (x 2) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3: (x 3) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Total: ( <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pre) ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Comments: ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">POST-TREATMENT Performance scores || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Date: ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Process || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1 || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2  || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3  ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Inquirer: level of independence shown with project ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Knowledgeable: content shows deep understanding of topic ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Communicator: effectively communicates information / knowledge of subject ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Risk Taker: challenges self to explore new avenues / aspects within the project ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reflective: organizes self effectively ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Principled: takes responsibility for own learning ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thinker: content presented in a way that shows an understanding of how the presentation choice works ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Effort: project presented as ‘professionally’ as possible / appropriate for individual ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product: quality of product ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product: quality of product ||  ||   ||   ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1: (x 1) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2: (x 2) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3: (x 3) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Total: ( <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pre) ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Comments: ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 4__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Raw Data__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 5__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Examples of Work__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> / photographic evidence / project outline
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gail:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">photos of the process of choice / video of children explaining their changes of choice
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">photos of students engaged in their studies
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">comments from self assessment?
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jill:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">photos of students engaged in their studies
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Andreas:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">screen shot of forum??
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Links to reflection video
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">links to products


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 26px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Draft 5 **


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">results
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">appendices
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">double check for APA reference
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">check for form when referring to
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">power point
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">project outline - appendix
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">refer to triangulation

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Abstract <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Three classes of students from Qatar Academy (21 Grade One students, 22 Grade Five students, 22 Grade Nine Information Technology students) participated in an action research study investigating the question “What is the effect of choice on students' performance and motivation?” A three group post-control and post-treatment test design was used, where the sample groups yielded both post control and post treatment data for motivation and performance. Motivation was measured using a Likert Scale Survey, Performance was measured using a common rubric. Post-control, all classes were assessed on a task where they had no choice of content or in how they presented their knowledge. The treatment was the introduction of content and presentation choice along with opportunities to develop understanding of personal learning styles. Students then chose the way they wanted to present their knowledge for another project and were again assessed at its completion. Post- treatment, paired T data analysis indicated that across the sample, there was an extremely significant increase in student motivation and performance.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Introduction

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We are three experienced teachers who teach at an International Baccalaureate school with a high population of national students. Our school has actively embraced and encouraged the 21st Century approach to teaching and learning with emphasis towards differentiation, literacy and technology integration, which strives to promote motivation and success in our students.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The students in this study range from Early, Primary and Middle Years and we have noticed that some of them have a low level of motivation in the classroom situation. We suspect that this may be linked to poor performance and we wonder if the level of motivation and consequent performance of our students could be improved were they to be given more individual choice with their projects.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We feel that this is an area that needs addressing because as IB students, our children are expected to be self- motivated learners. Our school mission states that our students are expected to be “independent critical thinkers, lifelong learners, responsible citizens, (who) gain entrance to elite universities and colleges.” Bearing this in mind, we were interested in nurturing our students in an environment that would encourage them to “enjoy doing the kind of work for which (they) were best suited.” (Napoleon Hill, 1883) Our hope was to foster a richer learning environment that supported independent student project choice. We hoped that reflecting student preferences would result in heightened motivation which would, in turn, enhance performance.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While reviewing literature we found that there were conflicting arguments related to providing students with project choices. In certain cases motivation and performance improved but deteriorated under other circumstances. This led us to question what impact providing project choice would have on our students.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Review of Literature

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Researcher on success, Napoleon Hill (1883), stated that “Everyone enjoys doing the kind of work for which he is best suited.” This sentiment is echoed 119 years later by Powell and Powell (2011) who suggest that allowing students choice that relates to their personal learning styles allows for products that are “rich in conceptual understanding.” They state “We know the anxiety and stress of being compelled to work in one’s least preferred production-style can actually serve as an obstacle to cognition. The medium does affect the message.” This line of thought is also explored by Baum and Nichols (2009) when they suggest that providing choice is possibly a more powerful cognitive experience when students have an understanding of their personal learning styles and are sometimes allowed the option of aligning tasks to their learning-style strengths.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Whether choice is matched to learning styles or in some other area, there is much research that suggests that providing students with choice is a key to improving not only performance but also motivation. When reviewing research in this field, Helen Moran (n.d ) states that the results “clearly show that more choice equates to greater enjoyment, and presumably more engagement” and that a number of previous researchers “found that student enjoyment is closely linked to engagement, which in turn is linked to levels of performance.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kohn (1993) also links choice and motivation when he asserts that students who are deprived of choice are also likely deprived of motivation. After citing a number of research projects which link student success and high level of motivation, he states “There is no question about it: even if our only criterion is academic performance, choice works.” Looking beyond academic performance and towards motivation, Stone and Madigan (2008) cite Becker who “suggested that a greater amount of choices available for the student promotes a greater sense of ownership and, consequently, higher levels of motivation and commitment.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, despite the assertions above,there is also a body of research that proposes that offering choice may not always enhance performance and motivation. Patall et al. (2010) suggest that “.... choice may not always be effective or that there are more effective strategies to support motivation.” Furthermore, Kohn (1993), supported by Starnes and Paris(2000), cautions that although choice is generally a desirable option, it also needs to be guided when he states “Nearly every essay on education by John Dewey, the father of progressive schooling, stresses the importance of adult guidance and derides the idea of “leaving a child to his own unguided fancies.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In fact, Barry Schwartz (2009), referring to Iyenger and Lepper (2000) and Iyenger et al. (2004) points out that “...too many options seemed to produce paralysis rather than liberation.” He expands upon this idea by stating “If one overcomes paralysis and choose, evidence suggests that the quality of performance deteriorates with increases in the number of options” and summarises the findings “...it now seems clear that whereas choice is good, more choice is not necessarily better.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When Helen Moran asked students to reflect on their experience of choice in the classroom, most students indicated that “...they enjoyed the opportunities, but a small group said they preferred to be told what to do and when, as they had found it hard to manage themselves.” She highlighted the fact that some students might prefer more extrinsic motivation in the form of teacher direction. In contrast, Powell and Powell (2011) state that “Whenever you can link the classroom curriculum to student interest, you tap into internalized achievement motivation - where goals are personal, motivation comes from within, and achievement is deeply meaningful.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Our goal was to enhance student motivation and performance. While looking at personal learning styles and the consequences of choice in relation to personal learning styles, we were confronted with an array of opposing research. Bearing in mind that the “evidence on choice effects has not been ubiquitously positive” (Patall et al. 2010), we were keen to explore the effects of choice in our own classroom environments by conducting our own research by asking: “How do project choices impact student motivation and performance?”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Method <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Research Design <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In order to answer our research question we designed and implemented an action research treatment with a three group post-control and post-treatment test design for motivation and performance. A Likert Scale Survey was used at the end of the control group phase and at the end of the treatment group phase to assess changes in motivation (see example in Appendix 1).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A common rubric to assess performance was used to grade a project after the control phase, where students had very limited choice regarding project content and presentation options. The common rubric assessed student performance according to elements of the Learner Profile. The same rubric format was used to assess the students’ projects post-treatment (see example in Appendix 3).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A Learning My Way assessment (see Appendix 2) was administered prior to students making project choices and they revisited these after they made their choices. This assessment was not used to gather data, but rather, as a tool to act as a catalyst to get the students thinking about their personal learning styles and options of how to present. The intention was that students make considered choices with an understanding either to follow perceived strengths or explore methods they might not normally choose. The 30 questions grouped answers into 6 areas of strength and interest: Performance, Multi-media, Oral, Artistic, Written, Manipulative.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We hypothesized that post-treatment, student motivation towards presenting knowledge and the quality of product (performance) would increase.This hypothesis suggests a relationship between our two dependent variables, performance and motivation and our independent variable, project choices.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Intervention

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Across the sample, students reviewed prior levels of motivation and performance when they had very limited choice of content and presentation options.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the Early Years, the students were introduced to 6 types of presentation choices (Voice Thread, Poster, Power Point, Information Report with Scribble Press, Models and Performance). The students had some knowledge of some of the choices but had not independently used any of them before to present their own knowledge. In Grades Five and Nine, the students had already been exposed to a variety of project choices and a short time was spent reviewing these particular project choices. In Middle Years, students conducted a discussion on an online forum identifying the possible choices available for their projects evaluating the merits of one option against another.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The whole sample was then given the choice of content as well as how they were going to present their knowledge and understanding. They reflected on their personal learning styles and interests (Learning My Way) and discussions were had about different types of presentation options and how they might match or differ from stated preferences in the Learning My Way assessment.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Presentation choices were discussed related to the skills they required and students were encouraged to think about the motivation behind their choice e.g. choosing because they knew they could do something well, trying something new etc. At this point, the Early and Primary Years students had the option of changing their presentation choice. Some did and could give sound reasons for the change, related to the concepts that had been discussed. Others confirmed their choice, also giving pertinent reasons for why they felt their choice was right for them. However, a few students did not exercise this level of considered choice, preferring instead to follow the choices of others. This contrasts to Middle Years where it is a necessary requirement that students following the design cycle process, are expected to reconsider their choices after evaluating limitations in time, resources and skill level.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sample and Setting

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The 65 subjects for this study were taken from three classes across the school: Grade One (Early Years), Grade Five (Primary Years) and Grade Nine (Middle Years). The type of sample is Convenience as this sample is a representation of the students that we teach each day, or in the case of the Middle Years, two periods a week. They range in age from 6-8 years in the Early Years, 10-11 in the Primary and 15-16 years in the Middle Years.There are ten boys and twelve girls in the youngest group, while Grade Five has twelve boys and ten girls. There was an even distribution of boys and girls in the Middle Years. The ethnic breakdown of the sample consisted of Qatari students in Grade Five, while in the other two classes there is also a small portion of students from a variety of nationalities from around the world. The action research study was conducted at Qatar Academy which is located in Doha.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Instrumentation and Data Collection <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Data were collected using three group post-control and post-treatment tests to measure change in motivation and performance. At the end of the control phase all three groups completed a Likert Scale Survey (see Appendix 1) to measure their motivation with regard to a recently completed project where the students had very limited choice over content and how they would present their knowledge. The same format was used at the end of the treatment phase to measure their motivation where they had choice over content and presentation options. This 12 item three point survey included statements such as “I am motivated to do my work”, “I keep working when I really enjoy what I am doing” and “I persist even when a project is challenging for me”. Students were asked to rate their level of agreement to these statements by choosing a happy, neutral or sad face to correspond with each statement. The total score was calculated with a weighting of x3 (happy), x2 (neutral), x1 (sad).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Student performance was graded using a common rubric (see Appendix 3). At the end of the control phase, this rubric was used to grade a project that was recently completed where the students had very limited choice over content and presentation options. The same format was used post-treatment to grade the project where the students were given choice. Areas of assessment were assigned grades of 1 (not at all), 2 (somewhat), 3 (proficient). They were broken into two parts, Process and Product and each entry was listed under a Learner Profile heading. Areas being assessed in the Process category had six statements such as “Level of independence shown with project”, “Effectively communicates information / knowledge of subject” and “Takes responsibility for own learning”. The Product category contained three statements such as “Content presented in a way that shows an understanding of how the presentation choice works” and “Quality of product”. The totals of the responses were weighted x1 (not at all), x2 (somewhat), x3 (proficient).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The post-control and post-treatment scores for motivation and performance were evaluated using paired T-test.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Threats to Validity

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One of the greatest threats to validity across the sample was the conducting of the Likert Scale Survey. In the Primary and Middle Years the students were curious as to the reason why the survey was being conducted and they may have been influenced by the researcher stressing the importance of the survey. (Instrumentation). They could, possibly have suspected that they were part of a research project. (Hawthorn effect and researcher bias). While in the Early Years the students, being young and enthusiastic, are eager to please their teacher and are already generally motivated. (Subject characteristics: Age).
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">__Motivation:__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When the post-treatment Likert Scale Survey was conducted, the students in the two upper grades could have been influenced by what they had already answered in the post-control Likert Scale Survey. (Testing). For example, when the students first encountered the Likert Scale Survey, not a lot of emphasis was placed on the importance/ care required to complete it. After seeing the results of this first survey, it was felt that more context was required for a truer reflection, thus more emphasis was placed on the care and thought that should be given to answering the post-treatment Likert Scale Survey. The question to consider would be: Was it over emphasised? Specifically, in Grade Five an additional teacher was available when they were completing the post-treatment survey. The students were encouraged to think carefully about their honesty when completing the survey and should make sure not just to circle ‘happy faces’. This led to some some students noticeably rating themselves more harshly than in the first survey (Implementation).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A threat to validity where performance was concerned in the Upper Grades, was the ‘snowball effect’. In the excitement of having choices, the students shared ideas and in this way they influenced each other’s choices. In the Early Years, it was noted that while the groups were completing their projects, two of the groups had different teachers and were confronted with not only a new environment but also with new and novel presentation options.(Intervention,Location and Technology Facilitator resources)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">__Performance:__


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">__Minimising of Threats__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Learning My Way survey was originally considered a threat to validity because the students would be able to spot the cyclically structured questions and manipulate their answers. To minimise this threat, students were strongly encouraged to respond to the questions sequentially.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It was felt that students excited by the new and exciting learning experiences would make impulsive choices. Providing the students in the Early Years with three different opportunities to review their choices allowed them to make considered decisions.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Results

Summary of Data Analysis

GRADE X (X=1, 5, 9+10) || Post treatment phase: GRADE X (X=1, 5, 9+10) || (21 students) || Motivation || MEAN 1 = 32.71 SD 1 = 3.21 || MEAN 2 = 34.38 SD 2 = 2.09 || Motivation increased with decreased mean deviation. || SD 1 = 5.56 || MEAN 2 = 24.76 SD 2 = 3.39 || Performance increased with decreased mean deviation. || (22 students) || Motivation || MEAN 1 = 30.27 SD 1 = 3.1 || MEAN 2 = 30.68 SD 2 = 2.83 || Motivation increased with less mean deviation. || SD 1 = 3.58 || MEAN 2 = 20.45 SD 2 = 3.74 || Performance increased, increased mean deviation. || (22 students) || Motivation || MEAN 1 = 28.64 SD 1 = 4.27 || MEAN 2 = 30.77 SD 2 = 3.15 || Motivation increased with less mean deviation. || SD 1 = 2.69 || MEAN 2 = 20.91 SD 2 = 3.93 || Performance increased with, increased mean deviation. || (65 students) || Motivation || MEAN 1 = 30.51 SD 1 = 3.9 || MEAN 2 = 31.91 SD 2 = 3.2 || Motivation increased with decreased mean deviation. || SD 1 = 4.15 || MEAN 2 = 22 SD 2 = 4.12 || Performance increased with decreased mean deviation. || Table 1
 * ** “What is the effect of choice on students' performance and motivation?” ** ||
 * [[image:choices-for-deliberate-creators.jpg width="160" height="120" align="center"]] |||| Independent Variable: STUDENT CHOICES ||
 * ^  || Post control phase:
 * Dependent Variables || GRADE 1
 * ^  ||^   ||^   |||| Mean 2 > Mean 1, SD 1 > SD 2
 * ^  ||^   || Performance || MEAN 1 = 19.95
 * ^  ||^   ||^   |||| Mean 2 >> Mean 1, SD 1 > >SD 2
 * ^  || GRADE 5
 * ^  ||^   ||^   |||| Mean 2 > Mean 1, SD 1 > SD 2
 * ^  ||^   || Performance || MEAN 1 = 18.09
 * ^  ||^   ||^   ||||  Mean 2 > Mean 1, SD 1 < SD 2
 * ^  || GRADE 9+10
 * ^  ||^   ||^   |||| Mean 2 >> Mean 1, SD 1 >> SD 2
 * ^  ||^   || Performance || MEAN 1 = 17.73
 * ^  ||^   ||^   ||||  Mean 2 >> Mean 1, SD 1 <<<SD 2
 * ^  || All Grades
 * ^  ||^   ||^   |||| Mean 2 > Mean 1, SD 1 > SD 2
 * ^  ||^   || Performance || MEAN 1 = 18.57
 * ^  ||^   ||^   |||| Mean 2 >> Mean 1, SD 1 >SD 2

Chart 1

Chart 2

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Discussion and Action Plan <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The results of this study showed that our hypothesis was correct. We observed improvement in both student motivation and performance during the project. There are many reasons for this improvement, some of which we noted occurring right from the beginning of the treatment phase. After the Learning My Way survey was administered, the students became interested in how they could use their personal learning skills and were also intrigued about utilising and developing skills in an area they might not normally choose. By introducing students to the Common Performance Rubric, an environment was created where students felt they could take risks and try new things and that these efforts would be recognized.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Once the concept of choice was introduced, students began to explore a variety of content and presentation options, open to the idea of trying new learning experiences. They were excited to choose their own project content. Prior to making their choice, the students held many animated conversations with their peers, exploring options and sharing ideas which led them to invest and take ownership of their initial project choice.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At this point the students were encouraged to reflect on their choice in relation to their personal learning style, interests, skills and personal objectives. This helped some students to confirm their choice but also led others to alter their choice of content and / or presentation option. By providing a safe learning environment where changes would not be penalised, the students felt secure about navigating their way to a choice that they felt comfortable, enthusiastic and motivated to explore.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ongoing motivation was maintained through the students engagement in new and exciting learning experiences. This further developed their sense of ownership and independence. This momentum was further enhanced by the students’ developing sense of purpose as they recognized that their product was not just to gather grades but would be used in real life contexts that would influence others. They also enjoyed being an active part of the learning process and seeing their teachers as facilitators.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The level of student motivation had a domino effect on performance. Students took independent action in many ways. They worked on their projects in their own time, developed and applied their skills, practiced to enhance their level of performance and taught their peers. This developed their feeling of success and then led to increased confidence.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Generally, the quality of the final projects were higher than they had been on previous occasions. Where projects showed little or no improvement, it could possibly be because the student had taken a risk and tried skills and strategies that were new to them but were unsuited to their personal learning styles. In their reflections, many of the students could identify this as an inhibitor to their performance. Some stated that in the future, they would like to revisit the same learning experiences in order to improve on them and others could state why they would not like to revisit them, relating their reasons to their personal learning styles and preferences. However, by rewarding the taking of risks in the Common Performance Rubric, the risk takers were left feeling that their efforts were both acknowledged and justified. Overall, most of the students suggested that this had been an empowering and enjoyable experience and one that they would like to repeat. Based on the success of this project, this is an experience that all three teachers would also like to repeat after reflection and refinement.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As a team, we intend to routinely provide choices and opportunities for students to have discussions about their choices and to review their choice for our students. We will explore how to apply this strategy for learning across other areas of the curriculum. We want to make time to fully reflect on this experience and develop an implementation plan for applying refined elements of this project into our teaching programmes next year. Specifically, we would like to use the Learning My Way survey near the beginning of the academic year and also administer Likert scales at times throughout the year, with an awareness of the importance of timing when administering it.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After receiving feedback from a number of sources, we recognize the value of the Common Performance Rubric. We will review and refine it as an assessment tool which can be used in a number of areas within the PYP and MYP. We hope that through this tool we can develop a common assessment language across the whole school, improving consistency in school wide assessment. We are already introducing this document to our teams, intend to share it with our wider school community and if it is well received, then present it to others through workshops and also to IB.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As educators, this experience has led to reflection of our practices. An area that we would like to further explore is that of ourselves in the role of facilitators to students who are given scope to work with more independence and responsibility, in a highly motivating environment.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reference

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Baum, S., & Nicols, H. (2009). Your child's style. Retrieved from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.internationalcenterfortalentdevelopment.com/uploads/9/3/2/8/9328117/prototypes_by_baum_and_nicols.pdf__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kohn, A. (1993, September). Choices for children: why and how to let students decide. Kappan, Retrieved from http://scholar.googleusercontent.com/scholar?q=cache:Wc1A9-8y29IJ:scholar.google.com/ giving elementary students choices&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moran, H. (n.d.). Personalised learning- engaging students by providing choice in the classroom. Retrieved from http://kidspeak.wikispaces.com/Personalised Learning - Engaging Students by Providing Choice in the Classroom

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Napoleon Hill. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved February 19, 2012, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/napoleonhi152835.html__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Patall, E. A., Cooper, H., & Wynn, S. R. (2010). The effectiveness and relative importance of choice in the classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(4), 896-915. doi: 10.1037/a0019545, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/edu/102/4/896/__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Powell, P., & Kusuma-Powell, O. (2011). How to teach now:five keys to personalized learning in the global classroom. Alexandria, VA, USA: ASCD. Retrieved from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/111011/chapters/Knowing-Our-Students-as-Learners.aspx__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Schwartz, B. (2009). Incentives, choice, education and. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 391-403.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Starnes, B., & Paris, C. (2000). Choosing to learn. Kappan, 81(5), 392. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Stone, J. A., & Madigan, E. M. (2008). The impact of providing project choices in cs1. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 40(2), 65-68, Retrieved from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1383637&dl=ACM&coll=DL__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendices__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 1:Likert Scale__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 2: Learning My Way Survey__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(with any kind of overview of results???)) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Grade 1 version__


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Style Inventory

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Products provide students with a way to express what they have learned to an audience. This survey will help to determine the kinds of products YOU are <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__interested__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in creating.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My name is:

Instructions: __<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Read each statement and circle the number that shows to what extent YOU are __interested__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in creating that type of product. (Do not worry if you are unsure of how to make the product) __

__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Not At All Interested Of Little Interest Moderately Interested Interested Very Interested __ || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Example: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Writing song lyrics 1 2 3 4 5 ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. acting out an event 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. designing a computer 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> game

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">talking about my 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> experiences

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">making a clay sculpture 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">of a scene

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">writing an essay 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. constructing a working 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> model

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7. performing music 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8. filming & editing 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a movie

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9. talking about my project 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10. painting a picture 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">11. writing stories 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">12. assembling a kit 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">13. acting out a story 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">14. designing an interactive 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> computer project

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">15. discussing my research 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">16. painting a mural 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">17. writing a report 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">18. repairing a machine 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">19. playing a musical 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Instrument

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">20. filming & editing 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a video

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">21. discussing ideas 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">22. drawing pictures for 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a book

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">23. writing for a magazine 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">24. building a project 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">25. acting in a play 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">26. selecting slides & music 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> for a slide show

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">27. discussing what I have 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> learned

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">28. making a clay sculpture 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> of a character

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">29. writing for a newspaper 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">30. building an invention 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My Way… A Profile

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Instructions:__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Write your score beside each number. Add each <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__ROW__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">to determine <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__YOUR__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> expression style profile.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Products__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Performance 1. _ 7. __13.__ 19. __25.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Multi-media 2. _ 8. __14.__ 20. __26.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oral 3. _ 9. __15.__ 21. __27.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Artistic 4. _ 10. __16.__ 22. __28.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Written 5. _ 11. ___ 17.__ 23. __29.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Manipulative 6. _ 12. __18.__ 24. __30.__ || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Total__ ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Grade 5 & 9 version__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__An s__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (Post Control and Post Treatment)Expression Style Inventory
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">__MY WAY__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Products provide students with a way to express what they have learned to an audience. This survey will help to determine the kinds of products YOU are <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__interested__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in creating.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My name is:

Instructions: __<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Read each statement and circle the number that shows to what extent YOU are __interested__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in creating that type of product. (Do not worry if you are unsure of how to make the product) __

__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Not At All Interested Of Little Interest Moderately Interested Interested Very Interested __ || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Example: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Writing song lyrics 1 2 3 4 5 ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. acting out an event 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. designing a computer 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> game

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">talking about my 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> experiences

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">making a clay sculpture 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">of a scene

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">writing an essay 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 4__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Raw Data__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. constructing a working 1 2 3 4 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">photos of engaged students <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> model

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7. performing music 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8. filming & editing 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a movie

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9. talking about my project 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10. painting a picture 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">11. writing stories 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">12. assembling a kit 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">13. acting out a story 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">14. designing an interactive 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> computer project

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">15. discussing my research 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">16. painting a mural 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">17. writing a report 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">18. repairing a machine 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">19. playing a musical 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Instrument

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">20. filming & editing 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a video

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">21. discussing ideas 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">22. drawing pictures for 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a book

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">23. writing for a magazine 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">24. building a project 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">25. acting in a play 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">26. selecting slides & music 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> for a slide show

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">27. discussing what I have 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> learned

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">28. making a clay sculpture 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> of a character

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">29. writing for a newspaper 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">30. building an invention 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My Way… A Profile

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Instructions:__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Write your score beside each number. Add each <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__ROW__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">to determine <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__YOUR__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> expression style profile.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 3__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: Common Performance Rubric


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Products__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Performance 1. _ 7. __13.__ 19. __25.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Multi-media 2. _ 8. __14.__ 20. __26.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oral 3. _ 9. __15.__ 21. __27.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Artistic 4. _ 10. __16.__ 22. __28.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Written 5. _ 11. ___ 17.__ 23. __29.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Manipulative 6. _ 12. __18.__ 24. __30.__ || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Total__ ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Name: || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Grade: || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Project: ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Scores: 1 = not at all, 2 = somewhat, 3 = proficient ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rubric for Student Performance || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Assessing common elements across grade 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10:


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">POST-CONTROL Performance scores || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Date: ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Process || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1 || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2 || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3 ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Inquirer: level of independence shown with project ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Knowledgeable: content shows deep understanding of topic ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Communicator: effectively communicates information / knowledge of subject ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Risk Taker: challenges self to explore new avenues / aspects within the project ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reflective: organizes self effectively ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Principled: takes responsibility for own learning ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thinker: content presented in a way that shows an understanding of how the presentation choice works ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Effort: project presented as ‘professionally’ as possible / appropriate for individual ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product: quality of product ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product: quality of product ||  ||   ||   ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1: (x 1) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2: (x 2) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3: (x 3) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Total: ( <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pre) ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Comments: ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">POST-TREATMENT Performance scores || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Date: ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Process || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1 || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2 || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3 ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Inquirer: level of independence shown with project ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Knowledgeable: content shows deep understanding of topic ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Communicator: effectively communicates information / knowledge of subject ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Risk Taker: challenges self to explore new avenues / aspects within the project ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reflective: organizes self effectively ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Principled: takes responsibility for own learning ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thinker: content presented in a way that shows an understanding of how the presentation choice works ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Effort: project presented as ‘professionally’ as possible / appropriate for individual ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product: quality of product ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product: quality of product ||  ||   ||   ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1: (x 1) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2: (x 2) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3: (x 3) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Total: ( <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pre) ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Comments: ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 4__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Raw Data__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 5__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Examples of Work__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> / photographic evidence / project outline
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gail:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">photos of the process of choice / video of children explaining their changes of choice
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">photos of students engaged in their studies
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jill:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">photos of students engaged in their studies
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Andreas:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">screen shot of forum??
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Links to reflection video
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">links to products


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 26px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Draft 4 **


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">results
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">discuss the way we knew what a 1/2/3 looked like for the performance rubric then also how we would improve on this next time
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">discussion / action plan
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">appendices
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">double check for APA reference
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">check for form when referring to
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">power point

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Abstract <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Three classes of students from Qatar Academy (21 Grade One students, 22 Grade Five students, 22 Grade Nine Information Technology students) participated in an action research study investigating the question “What is the effect of choice on students' performance and motivation?” A three group post-control and post-treatment test design was used, where the sample groups yielded both post control and post treatment data for motivation and performance. Motivation was measured using a Likert Scale Survey, Performance was measured using a common rubric. Post-control, all classes were assessed on a task where they had no choice of content or in how they presented their knowledge. The treatment was the introduction of content and presentation choice along with opportunities to develop understanding of personal learning styles. Students then chose the way they wanted to present their knowledge for another project and were again assessed at its completion. Post- treatment, paired T data analysis indicated that across the sample, there was an extremely significant increase in student motivation and performance.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Introduction

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We are three experienced teachers who teach at an International Baccalaureate school with a high population of national students. Our school has actively embraced and encouraged the 21st Century approach to teaching and learning with emphasis towards differentiation, literacy and technology integration, which strives to promote motivation and success in our students.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The students in this study range from Early, Primary and Middle Years and we have noticed that some of them have a low level of motivation in the classroom situation. We suspect that this may be linked to poor performance and we wonder if the level of motivation and consequent performance of our students could be improved were they to be given more individual choice with their projects.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We feel that this is an area that needs addressing because as IB students, our children are expected to be self- motivated learners. Our school mission states that our students are expected to be “independent critical thinkers, lifelong learners, responsible citizens, (who) gain entrance to elite universities and colleges.” Bearing this in mind, we were interested in nurturing our students in an environment that would encourage them to “enjoy doing the kind of work for which (they) were best suited.” (Napoleon Hill, 1883) Our hope was to foster a richer learning environment that supported independent student project choice. We hoped that reflecting student preferences would result in heightened motivation which would, in turn, enhance performance.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While reviewing literature we found that there were conflicting arguments related to providing students with project choices. In certain cases motivation and performance improved but deteriorated under other circumstances. This led us to question what impact providing project choice would have on our students.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Review of Literature

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Researcher on success, Napoleon Hill (1883), stated that “Everyone enjoys doing the kind of work for which he is best suited.” This sentiment is echoed 119 years later by Powell and Powell (2011) who suggest that allowing students choice that relates to their personal learning styles allows for products that are “rich in conceptual understanding.” They state “We know the anxiety and stress of being compelled to work in one’s least preferred production-style can actually serve as an obstacle to cognition. The medium does affect the message.” This line of thought is also explored by Baum and Nichols (2009) when they suggest that providing choice is possibly a more powerful cognitive experience when students have an understanding of their personal learning styles and are sometimes allowed the option of aligning tasks to their learning-style strengths.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Whether choice is matched to learning styles or in some other area, there is much research that suggests that providing students with choice is a key to improving not only performance but also motivation. When reviewing research in this field, Helen Moran (n.d ) states that the results “clearly show that more choice equates to greater enjoyment, and presumably more engagement” and that a number of previous researchers “found that student enjoyment is closely linked to engagement, which in turn is linked to levels of performance.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kohn (1993) also links choice and motivation when he asserts that students who are deprived of choice are also likely deprived of motivation. After citing a number of research projects which link student success and high level of motivation, he states “There is no question about it: even if our only criterion is academic performance, choice works.” Looking beyond academic performance and towards motivation, Stone and Madigan (2008) cite Becker who “suggested that a greater amount of choices available for the student promotes a greater sense of ownership and, consequently, higher levels of motivation and commitment.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, despite the assertions above,there is also a body of research that proposes that offering choice may not always enhance performance and motivation. Patall et al. (2010) suggest that “.... choice may not always be effective or that there are more effective strategies to support motivation.” Furthermore, Kohn (1993), supported by Starnes and Paris(2000), cautions that although choice is generally a desirable option, it also needs to be guided when he states “Nearly every essay on education by John Dewey, the father of progressive schooling, stresses the importance of adult guidance and derides the idea of “leaving a child to his own unguided fancies.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In fact, Barry Schwartz (2009), referring to Iyenger and Lepper (2000) and Iyenger et al. (2004) points out that “...too many options seemed to produce paralysis rather than liberation.” He expands upon this idea by stating “If one overcomes paralysis and choose, evidence suggests that the quality of performance deteriorates with increases in the number of options” and summarises the findings “...it now seems clear that whereas choice is good, more choice is not necessarily better.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When Helen Moran asked students to reflect on their experience of choice in the classroom, most students indicated that “...they enjoyed the opportunities, but a small group said they preferred to be told what to do and when, as they had found it hard to manage themselves.” She highlighted the fact that some students might prefer more extrinsic motivation in the form of teacher direction. In contrast, Powell and Powell (2011) state that “Whenever you can link the classroom curriculum to student interest, you tap into internalized achievement motivation - where goals are personal, motivation comes from within, and achievement is deeply meaningful.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Our goal was to enhance student motivation and performance. While looking at personal learning styles and the consequences of choice in relation to personal learning styles, we were confronted with an array of opposing research. Bearing in mind that the “evidence on choice effects has not been ubiquitously positive” (Patall et al. 2010), we were keen to explore the effects of choice in our own classroom environments by conducting our own research by asking: “How do project choices impact student motivation and performance?”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Method <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Research Design <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In order to answer our research question we designed and implemented an action research treatment with a three group post-control and post-treatment test design for motivation and performance. A Likert Scale Survey was used at the end of the control group phase and at the end of the treatment group phase to assess changes in motivation (see example in Appendix 1).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A common rubric to assess performance was used to grade a project after the control phase, where students had very limited choice regarding project content and presentation options. The common rubric assessed student performance according to elements of the Learner Profile. The same rubric format was used to assess the students’ projects post-treatment (see example in Appendix 3).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A Learning My Way assessment (see Appendix 2) was administered prior to students making project choices and they revisited these after they made their choices. This assessment was not used to gather data, but rather, as a tool to act as a catalyst to get the students thinking about their personal learning styles and options of how to present. The intention was that students make considered choices with an understanding either to follow perceived strengths or explore methods they might not normally choose. The 30 questions grouped answers into 6 areas of strength and interest: Performance, Multi-media, Oral, Artistic, Written, Manipulative.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We hypothesized that post-treatment, student motivation towards presenting knowledge and the quality of product (performance) would increase.This hypothesis suggests a relationship between our two dependent variables, performance and motivation and our independent variable, project choices.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Intervention

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Across the sample, students reviewed prior levels of motivation and performance when they had very limited choice of content and presentation options.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the Early Years, the students were introduced to 6 types of presentation choices (Voice Thread, Poster, Power Point, Information Report with Scribble Press, Models and Performance). The students had some knowledge of some of the choices but had not independently used any of them before to present their own knowledge. In Grades Five and Nine, the students had already been exposed to a variety of project choices and a short time was spent reviewing these particular project choices. In Middle Years, students conducted a discussion on an online forum identifying the possible choices available for their projects evaluating the merits of one option against another.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The whole sample was then given the choice of content as well as how they were going to present their knowledge and understanding. They reflected on their personal learning styles and interests (Learning My Way) and discussions were had about different types of presentation options and how they might match or differ from stated preferences in the Learning My Way assessment.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Presentation choices were discussed related to the skills they required and students were encouraged to think about the motivation behind their choice e.g. choosing because they knew they could do something well, trying something new etc. At this point, the Early and Primary Years students had the option of changing their presentation choice. Some did and could give sound reasons for the change, related to the concepts that had been discussed. Others confirmed their choice, also giving pertinent reasons for why they felt their choice was right for them. However, a few students did not exercise this level of considered choice, preferring instead to follow the choices of others. This contrasts to Middle Years where it is a necessary requirement that students following the design cycle process, are expected to reconsider their choices after evaluating limitations in time, resources and skill level.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sample and Setting

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The 65 subjects for this study were taken from three classes across the school: Grade One (Early Years), Grade Five (Primary Years) and Grade Nine (Middle Years). The type of sample is Convenience as this sample is a representation of the students that we teach each day, or in the case of the Middle Years, two periods a week. They range in age from 6-8 years in the Early Years, 10-11 in the Primary and 15-16 years in the Middle Years.There are ten boys and twelve girls in the youngest group, while Grade Five has twelve boys and ten girls. There was an even distribution of boys and girls in the Middle Years. The ethnic breakdown of the sample consisted of Qatari students in Grade Five, while in the other two classes there is also a small portion of students from a variety of nationalities from around the world. The action research study was conducted at Qatar Academy which is located in Doha.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Instrumentation and Data Collection <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Data were collected using three group post-control and post-treatment tests to measure change in motivation and performance. At the end of the control phase all three groups completed a Likert Scale Survey (see Appendix 1) to measure their motivation with regard to a recently completed project where the students had very limited choice over content and how they would present their knowledge. The same format was used at the end of the treatment phase to measure their motivation where they had choice over content and presentation options. This 12 item three point survey included statements such as “I am motivated to do my work”, “I keep working when I really enjoy what I am doing” and “I persist even when a project is challenging for me”. Students were asked to rate their level of agreement to these statements by choosing a happy, neutral or sad face to correspond with each statement. The total score was calculated with a weighting of x3 (happy), x2 (neutral), x1 (sad).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Student performance was graded using a common rubric (see Appendix 3). At the end of the control phase, this rubric was used to grade a project that was recently completed where the students had very limited choice over content and presentation options. The same format was used post-treatment to grade the project where the students were given choice. Areas of assessment were assigned grades of 1 (not at all), 2 (somewhat), 3 (proficient). They were broken into two parts, Process and Product and each entry was listed under a Learner Profile heading. Areas being assessed in the Process category had six statements such as “Level of independence shown with project”, “Effectively communicates information / knowledge of subject” and “Takes responsibility for own learning”. The Product category contained three statements such as “Content presented in a way that shows an understanding of how the presentation choice works” and “Quality of product”. The totals of the responses were weighted x1 (not at all), x2 (somewhat), x3 (proficient).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The post-control and post-treatment scores for motivation and performance were evaluated using paired T-test.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Threats to Validity

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One of the greatest threats to validity across the sample was the conducting of the Likert Scale Survey. In the Primary and Middle Years the students were curious as to the reason why the survey was being conducted and they may have been influenced by the researcher stressing the importance of the survey. (Instrumentation). They could, possibly have suspected that they were part of a research project. (Hawthorn effect and researcher bias). While in the Early Years the students, being young and enthusiastic, are eager to please their teacher and are already generally motivated. (Subject characteristics: Age).
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">__Motivation:__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When the post-treatment Likert Scale Survey was conducted, the students in the two upper grades could have been influenced by what they had already answered in the post-control Likert Scale Survey. (Testing). For example, when the students first encountered the Likert Scale Survey, not a lot of emphasis was placed on the importance/ care required to complete it. After seeing the results of this first survey, it was felt that more context was required for a truer reflection, thus more emphasis was placed on the care and thought that should be given to answering the post-treatment Likert Scale Survey. The question to consider would be: Was it over emphasised? Specifically, in Grade Five an additional teacher was available when they were completing the post-treatment survey. The students were encouraged to think carefully about their honesty when completing the survey and should make sure not just to circle ‘happy faces’. This led to some some students noticeably rating themselves more harshly than in the first survey (Implementation).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A threat to validity where performance was concerned in the Upper Grades, was the ‘snowball effect’. In the excitement of having choices, the students shared ideas and in this way they influenced each other’s choices. In the Early Years, it was noted that while the groups were completing their projects, two of the groups had different teachers and were confronted with not only a new environment but also with new and novel presentation options.(Intervention,Location and Technology Facilitator resources)
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">__Performance:__


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">__Minimising of Threats__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Learning My Way survey was originally considered a threat to validity because the students would be able to spot the cyclically structured questions and manipulate their answers. To minimise this threat, students were strongly encouraged to respond to the questions sequentially.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It was felt that students excited by the new and exciting learning experiences would make impulsive choices. Providing the students in the Early Years with three different opportunities to review their choices allowed them to make considered decisions.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Results

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Discussion and Action Plan

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. content - flavours of choices (Be more explicit in future research to divorce choices in content and choices in presentation)

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. During research it became apparent that we have much to learn about the complex dynamics of motivation and performance of students. In next run of action research make developing our own understanding, knowledge and skills as facilitators of highly motivating and performance inducing environments for our students a focus area. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. Separation of content choices and project choices to establish the impact of flavours of choice on motivation and performance. Compare findings to this research study.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. Additionally, the pre and post Likert Scale Surveys should be conducted with absolute consistency to eliminate avoidable or unconscious influences by using an independent teacher to deliver the surveys. Caution should be exercised not to conduct the test directly after an extreme experience such as tight deadlines that may skew student responses.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. Conduct performance assessment moderation with all three researchers moderating projects from the sample range to ensure researcher consistency.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. Limit the variability of the projects conducted across the three sample groups by delivering ‘similar in nature’ projects with comparable teacher facilitation to eliminate the influence of extraneous factors.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7. Identify waypoints during project at which to record student reflections for qualitative comparison of researcher observations between the 3 sample groups. Reduce subjective more objective reflections.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Review and polish up the common performance rubric.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9. Data Sample Size <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9.1 Roll out the research study to (All grade 1, 5 and 9 classes) next action research when the lesson delivery is more standardised and analyse the larger data sample thus making study more accurate and reflective of our school. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9.12 Consider appending data to existing data set (despite delivery standardisations) to again grow sample. (Caution: earlier point about divorcing choices in content from project choices)

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10. Prepare polished study and findings towards developing publication and presentation at conferences to share findings.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">11. Change the faces on the Likert Scale from sad, neutral and smiling, to neutral, smiling and laughing.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">12. Change our performance rating from 1=no / 2=some / 3=proficient, to 1=beginning / 2=proficient / 3=exceeding

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">13. Action - Grade Five has enthusiastically taken on the Common Performance Rubric and is using it for grading general projects but also for grading the Grade Five exhibition work.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reference

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Baum, S., & Nicols, H. (2009). Your child's style. Retrieved from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.internationalcenterfortalentdevelopment.com/uploads/9/3/2/8/9328117/prototypes_by_baum_and_nicols.pdf__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kohn, A. (1993, September). Choices for children: why and how to let students decide. Kappan, Retrieved from http://scholar.googleusercontent.com/scholar?q=cache:Wc1A9-8y29IJ:scholar.google.com/ giving elementary students choices&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moran, H. (n.d.). Personalised learning- engaging students by providing choice in the classroom. Retrieved from http://kidspeak.wikispaces.com/Personalised Learning - Engaging Students by Providing Choice in the Classroom

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Napoleon Hill. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved February 19, 2012, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/napoleonhi152835.html__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Patall, E. A., Cooper, H., & Wynn, S. R. (2010). The effectiveness and relative importance of choice in the classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(4), 896-915. doi: 10.1037/a0019545, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/edu/102/4/896/__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Powell, P., & Kusuma-Powell, O. (2011). How to teach now:five keys to personalized learning in the global classroom. Alexandria, VA, USA: ASCD. Retrieved from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/111011/chapters/Knowing-Our-Students-as-Learners.aspx__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Schwartz, B. (2009). Incentives, choice, education and. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 391-403.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Starnes, B., & Paris, C. (2000). Choosing to learn. Kappan, 81(5), 392. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Stone, J. A., & Madigan, E. M. (2008). The impact of providing project choices in cs1. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 40(2), 65-68, Retrieved from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1383637&dl=ACM&coll=DL__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendices__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 1:Likert Scale__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 2: Learning My Way Survey__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(with any kind of overview of results???)) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Grade 1 version__


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Style Inventory

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Products provide students with a way to express what they have learned to an audience. This survey will help to determine the kinds of products YOU are <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__interested__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in creating.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My name is:

Instructions: __<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Read each statement and circle the number that shows to what extent YOU are __interested__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in creating that type of product. (Do not worry if you are unsure of how to make the product) __

__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Not At All Interested Of Little Interest Moderately Interested Interested Very Interested __ || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Example: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Writing song lyrics 1 2 3 4 5 ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. acting out an event 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. designing a computer 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> game

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">talking about my 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> experiences

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">making a clay sculpture 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">of a scene

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">writing an essay 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. constructing a working 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> model

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7. performing music 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8. filming & editing 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a movie

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9. talking about my project 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10. painting a picture 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">11. writing stories 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">12. assembling a kit 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">13. acting out a story 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">14. designing an interactive 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> computer project

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">15. discussing my research 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">16. painting a mural 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">17. writing a report 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">18. repairing a machine 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">19. playing a musical 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Instrument

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">20. filming & editing 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a video

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">21. discussing ideas 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">22. drawing pictures for 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a book

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">23. writing for a magazine 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">24. building a project 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">25. acting in a play 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">26. selecting slides & music 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> for a slide show

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">27. discussing what I have 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> learned

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">28. making a clay sculpture 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> of a character

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">29. writing for a newspaper 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">30. building an invention 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My Way… A Profile

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Instructions:__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Write your score beside each number. Add each <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__ROW__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">to determine <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__YOUR__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> expression style profile.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Products__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Performance 1. _ 7. __13.__ 19. __25.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Multi-media 2. _ 8. __14.__ 20. __26.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oral 3. _ 9. __15.__ 21. __27.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Artistic 4. _ 10. __16.__ 22. __28.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Written 5. _ 11. ___ 17.__ 23. __29.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Manipulative 6. _ 12. __18.__ 24. __30.__ || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Total__ ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Grade 5 & 9 version__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__An s__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (Post Control and Post Treatment)Expression Style Inventory
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">__MY WAY__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Products provide students with a way to express what they have learned to an audience. This survey will help to determine the kinds of products YOU are <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__interested__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in creating.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My name is:

Instructions: __<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Read each statement and circle the number that shows to what extent YOU are __interested__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in creating that type of product. (Do not worry if you are unsure of how to make the product) __

__<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Not At All Interested Of Little Interest Moderately Interested Interested Very Interested __ || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Example: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Writing song lyrics 1 2 3 4 5 ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. acting out an event 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. designing a computer 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> game

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">talking about my 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> experiences

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">making a clay sculpture 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">of a scene

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">writing an essay 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 4__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Raw Data__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. constructing a working 1 2 3 4 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">photos of engaged students <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> model

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7. performing music 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8. filming & editing 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a movie

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9. talking about my project 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10. painting a picture 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">11. writing stories 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">12. assembling a kit 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">13. acting out a story 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">14. designing an interactive 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> computer project

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">15. discussing my research 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">16. painting a mural 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">17. writing a report 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">18. repairing a machine 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">19. playing a musical 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Instrument

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">20. filming & editing 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a video

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">21. discussing ideas 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">22. drawing pictures for 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> a book

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">23. writing for a magazine 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">24. building a project 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">25. acting in a play 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">_

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">26. selecting slides & music 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> for a slide show

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">27. discussing what I have 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> learned

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">28. making a clay sculpture 1 2 3 4 5 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> of a character

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">29. writing for a newspaper 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">30. building an invention 1 2 3 4 5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 19px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My Way… A Profile

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Instructions:__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Write your score beside each number. Add each <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__ROW__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">to determine <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__YOUR__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> expression style profile.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 3__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: Common Performance Rubric


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Products__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Performance 1. _ 7. __13.__ 19. __25.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Multi-media 2. _ 8. __14.__ 20. __26.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oral 3. _ 9. __15.__ 21. __27.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Artistic 4. _ 10. __16.__ 22. __28.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Written 5. _ 11. ___ 17.__ 23. __29.__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Manipulative 6. _ 12. __18.__ 24. __30.__ || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Total__ ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Name: || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Grade: || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Project: ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Scores: 1 = not at all, 2 = somewhat, 3 = proficient ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rubric for Student Performance || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Assessing common elements across grade 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10:


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">POST-CONTROL Performance scores || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Date: ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Process || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1 || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2 || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3 ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Inquirer: level of independence shown with project ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Knowledgeable: content shows deep understanding of topic ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Communicator: effectively communicates information / knowledge of subject ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Risk Taker: challenges self to explore new avenues / aspects within the project ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reflective: organizes self effectively ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Principled: takes responsibility for own learning ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thinker: content presented in a way that shows an understanding of how the presentation choice works ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Effort: project presented as ‘professionally’ as possible / appropriate for individual ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product: quality of product ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product: quality of product ||  ||   ||   ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1: (x 1) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2: (x 2) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3: (x 3) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Total: ( <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pre) ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Comments: ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">POST-TREATMENT Performance scores || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Date: ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Process || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1 || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2 || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3 ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Inquirer: level of independence shown with project ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Knowledgeable: content shows deep understanding of topic ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Communicator: effectively communicates information / knowledge of subject ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Risk Taker: challenges self to explore new avenues / aspects within the project ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reflective: organizes self effectively ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Principled: takes responsibility for own learning ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thinker: content presented in a way that shows an understanding of how the presentation choice works ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Effort: project presented as ‘professionally’ as possible / appropriate for individual ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product: quality of product ||  ||   ||   ||
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Product: quality of product ||  ||   ||   ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1: (x 1) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2: (x 2) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3: (x 3) || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Total: ( <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pre) ||


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Comments: ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 4__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Raw Data__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Appendix 5__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Examples of Work__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> / photographic evidence
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gail:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">photos of the process of choice / video of children explaining their changes of choice
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">photos of students engaged in their studies
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jill:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">photos of students engaged in their studies
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Andreas:
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">screen shot of forum??


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 26px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Draft 3 **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Abstract <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Three classes of students from Qatar Academy (21 Grade One students, 22 Grade Two students, 22 Grade Nine Information Technology students) participated in an action research study investigating the question “What is the effect of project choice on students' performance and motivation?”. A three group pre and post-test design was used to measure both motivation and performance in all classes. Motivation was measured using a Likert Scale Survey, Performance was measured using a common rubric. Pre treatment, all classes were assessed on a task where they had no choice in how they presented their knowledge. The treatment was the introduction of project choices along with opportunities to develop understanding of personal learning styles. Students then chose the way they wanted to present their knowledge for another project and were again assessed at its completion. Post treatment, paired T data analysis indicated that across the sample, there was an extremely significant increase in student motivation and performance.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Introduction

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We are three experienced teachers who teach at an International Baccalaureate school with a high population ( <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">92 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">%) of national students. Our school has actively embraced and encouraged the 21st Century approach to teaching and learning with emphasis towards differentiation, literacy and technology integration, which strives to promote motivation and success in our students.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The students in this study range from Early, Primary and Middle Years and we have noticed that some of them have a low level of motivation in the classroom situation. We suspect that this may be linked to poor performance and we wonder if the level of motivation and consequent performance of our students could be improved were they to be given more individual choice when presenting their projects.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We feel that this is an area that needs addressing because as IB students, our children are expected to be self- motivated learners. Our school mission states that our students are expected to be “independent critical thinkers, lifelong learners, responsible citizens, (who) gain entrance to elite universities and colleges.” Bearing this in mind, we were interested in nurturing our students in an environment that would encourage them to “enjoy doing the kind of work for which (they) were best suited.” (Napoleon Hill, 1883) Our hope was to foster a richer learning environment that supported independent student project choice. We hoped that reflecting student preferences would result in heightened motivation which would, in turn, enhance performance.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While reviewing literature we found that there were conflicting arguments related to providing students with project choices. In certain cases motivation and performance improved but deteriorated under other circumstances. This led us to question what impact providing project choice would have on our students.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Review of Literature

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Researcher on success, Napoleon Hill (1883), stated that “Everyone enjoys doing the kind of work for which he is best suited.” This sentiment is echoed 119 years later by Powell and Powell (2011) who suggest that allowing students choice that relates to their personal learning styles allows for products that are “rich in conceptual understanding.” They state “We know the anxiety and stress of being compelled to work in one’s least preferred production-style can actually serve as an obstacle to cognition. The medium does affect the message.” This line of thought is also explored by Baum and Nichols (2009) when they suggest that providing choice is possibly a more powerful cognitive experience when students have an understanding of their personal learning styles and are sometimes allowed the option of aligning tasks to their learning-style strengths.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Whether choice is matched to learning styles or in some other area, there is much research that suggests that providing students with choice is a key to improving not only performance but also motivation. When reviewing research in this field, Helen Moran (n.d ) states that the results “clearly show that more choice equates to greater enjoyment, and presumably more engagement” and that a number of previous researchers “found that student enjoyment is closely linked to engagement, which in turn is linked to levels of performance.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kohn (1993) also links choice and motivation when he asserts that students who are deprived of choice are also likely deprived of motivation. After citing a number of research projects which link student success and high level of motivation, he states “There is no question about it: even if our only criterion is academic performance, choice works.” (pg 7) Looking beyond academic performance and towards motivation, Stone and Madigan (2008) cite Becker who “suggested that a greater amount of choices available for the student promotes a greater sense of ownership and, consequently, higher levels of motivation and commitment.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, despite the assertions above,there is also a body of research that proposes that offering choice may not always enhance performance and motivation. Patall et al. (2010) suggest that “.... choice may not always be effective or that there are more effective strategies to support motivation.” Furthermore, Kohn (1993), supported by Starnes and Paris(2000), cautions that although choice is generally a desirable option, it also needs to be guided when he states “Nearly every essay on education by John Dewey, the father of progressive schooling, stresses the importance of adult guidance and derides the idea of “leaving a child to his own unguided fancies.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In fact, Barry Schwartz (2009), referring to Iyenger and Lepper (2000) and Iyenger et al. (2004) points out that “...too many options seemed to produce paralysis rather than liberation.” He expands upon this idea by stating “If one overcomes paralysis and choose, evidence suggests that the quality of performance deteriorates with increases in the number of options” and summarises the findings “...it now seems clear that whereas choice is good, more choice is not necessarily better.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When Helen Moran asked students to reflect on their experience of choice in the classroom, most students indicated that “...they enjoyed the opportunities, but a small group said they preferred to be told what to do and when, as they had found it hard to manage themselves.” She highlighted the fact that some students might prefer more extrinsic motivation in the form of teacher direction. In contrast, Powell and Powell (2011) state that “Whenever you can link the classroom curriculum to student interest, you tap into internalized achievement motivation - where goals are personal, motivation comes from within, and achievement is deeply meaningful.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Our goal was to enhance student motivation and performance. While looking at personal learning styles and the consequences of choice in relation to personal learning styles, we were confronted with an array of opposing research. Bearing in mind that the “evidence on choice effects has not been ubiquitously positive” (Patall et al. 2010), we were keen to explore the effects of choice in our own classroom environments by conducting our own research by asking: “How do project choices impact student motivation and performance?”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Method <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Research Design <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In order to answer our research question we designed and implemented an action research treatment with a three group pre and post-test design for motivation and performance. A Likert Scale Survey was used at the beginning and end of the study to assess levels of motivation (see example in Appendix <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). A common rubric to assess performance was used to grade a project prior to the treatment, where students had no choice in how to present their knowledge. The same rubric format was used to assess performance after treatment (see example in Appendix <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A Learning My Way assessment was administered prior to students making project choices and they revisited these after they made their choices. This assessment was not used to gather data, but rather, as a tool to act as a catalyst to get the students thinking about their personal learning styles and options of how to present. The intention was that students make considered choices with an understanding either to follow perceived strengths or explore methods they might not normally choose. The 30 questions grouped answers into 6 areas of strength and interest: Performance, Multi-media, Oral, Artistic, Written, Manipulative. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We hypothesized that post-treatment, student motivation towards presenting knowledge and the quality of product (performance) would increase.This hypothesis suggests a relationship between our two dependent variables, performance and motivation and our independent variable, project choices.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Intervention

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Across the sample, students reviewed prior levels of motivation and performance when they had no choice in the way they presented their knowledge.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the Early Years, the students were introduced to 6 types of presentation choices (Voice Thread, Poster, Power Point, Information Report with Scribble Press, Models and Performance). The students had some knowledge of some of the choices but had not independently used any of them before to present their own knowledge. In the Upper Years the students had already been exposed to a variety of project choices and a short time was spent reviewing these particular project choices. In Middle Years, students conducted a discussion on an online forum identifying the possible choices available for their projects evaluating the merits of one option against another.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then the whole sample chose the way they were going to present their knowledge and understanding for the project. They reflected on their personal learning styles and interests (Learning My Way) and discussions were had about different types of presentation options and how they might match or differ from stated preferences in the Learning My Way assessment.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Presentation choices were discussed related to the skills they required and students were encouraged to think about the motivation behind their choice e.g. choosing because they knew they could do something well, trying something new etc. At this point, students had the option of changing their presentation choice. Some did and could give sound reasons for the change, related to the concepts that had been discussed. Others confirmed their choice, also giving pertinent reasons for why they felt their choice was right for them. However, some students did not exercise this level of considered choice, preferring instead to follow the choices of others. This contrasts to Middle Years where students following the design cycle process, are required to reconsider their choices after evaluating limitations in resources, skills or the time available.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sample and Setting

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The 65 subjects for this study were taken from 3 classes across the school: Grade 1(Early Years), Grade 5 (Primary Years) and Grade 9 (Middle Years) The type of sample is Convenience as this sample is a representation of the students that we teach each day, or in the case of the Middle Years, 2 periods a week. They range in age from 6-8 years in the Early Years, 10-11 in the Primary and 15-16 years in the Middle Years.There are 10 boys and 12 girls in the youngest group, while Grade 5 has 12 boys and 10 boys. There was an even distribution of boys and girls in the Middle Years. The ethnic breakdown of the sample consisted of Qatari students in Grade 5, while in the other 2 classes there is also a small portion of students from a variety of nationalities from around the world. The action research study was conducted at Qatar Academy which is located in Doha.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Instrumentation and Data Collection <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Data were collected using three group pre and post-tests to measure change in motivation and performance. At the beginning of the study all three groups completed a Likert Scale Survey (see Appendix <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) to measure their motivation with regard to a recently completed project where they had no choice over presentation options. The same format was used at the end of the study to measure their motivation with regard to the treatment project where they had choice over presentation options. This 12 item survey included statements such as “I am motivated to do my work”, “I keep working when I really enjoy what I am doing” and “I persist even when a project is challenging for me”. Students were asked to rate their level of agreement to these statements by choosing a happy, neutral or sad face to correspond with each statement. The totals of the responses were weighted x3 (happy), x2 (neutral), x1 (sad).

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Student performance was graded using a common rubric (see Appendix <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). At the beginning of the study this rubric was used to grade a project that was recently completed where the students had no choice over presentation options. The same format was used to grade the project where the students had choice of presentation. Areas of assessment were assigned grades of 1 (not at all), 2 (somewhat), 3 (proficient). They were broken into two parts, Process and Product and each entry was listed under a Learner Profile heading. Areas being assessed in the Process category had 6 statements such as “Level of independence shown with project”, Effectively communicates information / knowledge of subject” and “Takes `responsibility for own learning”. The Product category contained 3 statements such as “Content presented in a way that shows an understanding of how the presentation choice works” and “Quality of product”. The totals of the responses were weighted x1 (not at all), x2 (somewhat), x3 (proficient). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pre and post- tests were evaluated using paired T-test.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Threats to Validity

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One of the greatest threats to validity across the sample was the conducting of the Likert scale survey. In the Primary and Middle Years the students were curious as to the reason why the survey was being conducted and they may have been influenced by the researcher stressing the importance of the survey. (Instrumentation). They could, possibly have suspected that they were part of a research project. (Hawthorn effect and researcher bias). While in the Early Years the students, being young and enthusiastic, are eager to please their teacher and are already generally motivated. (Subject characteristics: Age). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When the post-test was conducted the students in the 2 upper grades could have been influenced by what they had already answered in the pre-test. (Testing). For example, when conducting the pre-Likert not a lot of emphasis was placed on the importance/ care required to complete it. After seeing the results of this first survey, it was felt that more context was required for a truer reflection, thus more emphasis was placed on the care and thought that should be given to answering the post-Likert Survey Scale. The question to consider would be: Was it over emphasised? Specifically, in Grade 5 an additional teacher was available when they were completing the post-test survey. The students were encouraged to think carefully about their honesty when completing the form and should make sure not just to circle ‘happy faces’. (Implementation).
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">__Motivation:__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A threat to validity where performance was concerned in the Upper Grades, was the ‘snowball effect’. In the excitement of having choices, the students shared ideas and in this way they influenced each other’s choices. In the Early Years, it was noted that while the groups were completing their projects, 2 of the groups had different teachers and were confronted with not only a new environment but also with new and novel presentation options.(Intervention,Location and Technology Facilitator resources) Again as above, choices were given in content as well as in type of product.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">__Performance:__

<span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Finally, on reflecting on our research we wondered if the units of work, which contained an additional element for choice of content were more effective motivators and performance drivers than presentation choices.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">__Minimising of Threats__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The ‘My Way’ survey was originally considered a threat to validity because the students would be able to spot the cyclically structured questions and manipulate their answers to fit their experiences during previous teacher led projects instead of their actual preference. To minimise this threat, students were strongly encouraged to respond to the questions sequentially.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It was felt that students excited by the new and exciting presentation choices would make impulsive choices. Providing the students in the Early Years with 3 different opportunities to review their presentation choices allowed them to make a considered project choice.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Results

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Discussion and Action Plan

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. content - flavours of choices (Be more explicit in future research to divorce choices in content and choices in presentation)

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. During research it became apparent that we have much to learn about the complex dynamics of motivation and performance of students. In next run of action research make developing our own understanding, knowledge and skills as facilitators of highly motivating and performance inducing environments for our students a focus area. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. Separation of content choices and project choices to establish the impact of flavours of choice on motivation and performance. Compare findings to this research study.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4. Additionally, the pre and post Likert Scale Surveys should be conducted with absolute consistency to eliminate avoidable or unconscious influences by using an independent teacher to deliver the surveys. Caution should be exercised not to conduct the test directly after an extreme experience such as tight deadlines that may skew student responses.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. Conduct performance assessment moderation with all three researchers moderating projects from the sample range to ensure researcher consistency.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. Limit the variability of the projects conducted across the three sample groups by delivering ‘similar in nature’ projects with comparable teacher facilitation to eliminate the influence of extraneous factors.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7. Identify waypoints during project at which to record student reflections for qualitative comparison of researcher observations between the 3 sample groups. Reduce subjective more objective reflections.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">8. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Review and polish up the common performance rubric.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9. Data Sample Size <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9.1 Roll out the research study to (All grade 1, 5 and 9 classes) next action research when the lesson delivery is more standardised and analyse the larger data sample thus making study more accurate and reflective of our school. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">9.12 Consider appending data to existing data set (despite delivery standardisations) to again grow sample. (Caution: earlier point about divorcing choices in content from project choices)

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10. Prepare polished study and findings towards developing publication and presentation at conferences to share findings.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reference

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Baum, S., & Nicols, H. (2009). Your child's style. Retrieved from http://www.internationalcenterfortalentdevelopment.com/uploads/9/3/2/8/9328117/prototypes_by_baum_and_nicols.pdf

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kohn, A. (1993, September). Choices for children: why and how to let students decide. Kappan, Retrieved from http://scholar.googleusercontent.com/scholar?q=cache:Wc1A9-8y29IJ:scholar.google.com/ giving elementary students choices&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moran, H. (n.d.). Personalised learning- engaging students by providing choice in the classroom. Retrieved from http://kidspeak.wikispaces.com/Personalised Learning - Engaging Students by Providing Choice in the Classroom

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Napoleon Hill. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved February 19, 2012, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/napoleonhi152835.html

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Patall, E. A., Cooper, H., & Wynn, S. R. (2010). The effectiveness and relative importance of choice in the classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(4), 896-915. doi: 10.1037/a0019545, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/edu/102/4/896/__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Powell, P., & Kusuma-Powell, O. (2011). How to teach now:five keys to personalized learning in the global classroom. Alexandria, VA, USA: ASCD. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/111011/chapters/Knowing-Our-Students-as-Learners.aspx

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Schwartz, B. (2009). Incentives, choice, education and. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 391-403.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Starnes, B., & Paris, C. (2000). Choosing to learn. Kappan, 81(5), 392. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Stone, J. A., & Madigan, E. M. (2008). The impact of providing project choices in cs1. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 40(2), 65-68, Retrieved from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1383637&dl=ACM&coll=DL__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Appendices


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 26px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Draft 2 **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Abstract <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Three classes of students from Qatar Academy (21 Grade One students, 22 Grade Two students, 22 Grade Nine students) participated in an action research study investigating the question “What is the effect of project choice on students' performance and motivation?”. A three group pre and post test design was used to measure both motivation and performance in all classes. Motivation was measured using a Likert survey, Performance was measured using a rubric. Pre-treatment, all classes were assessed on a task where they had no choice in how they presented their knowledge. The treatment was the introduction of project choices along with opportunities to develop understanding of personal learning styles. Students then chose the way they wanted to present their knowledge for another project and were again assessed at its completion. Post treatment data indicated that <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">***

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Introduction

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We are three experienced teachers who teach at an International Baccalaureate school with a high population (92%) of national students. Our school has actively embraced and encouraged the 21st Century approach to teaching and learning with emphasis towards differentiation, literacy and technology integration, which strives to promote motivation and success in our students.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The students in this study range from early, primary and middle years and we have noticed that some of them have a low level of motivation in the classroom situation. We suspect that this may be linked to poor performance and we wonder if the level of motivation and consequent performance of our students could be improved were they to be given more individual choice when presenting their projects.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We feel that this is an area that needs addressing because as IB students, our children are expected to be self- motivated learners. Our school mission states that our students are expected to be “independent critical thinkers, lifelong learners, responsible citizens, (who) gain entrance to elite universities and colleges.” <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Therefore, we need to provide opportunities for our students to constantly enhance their levels of motivation as well as their levels of performance... take this sentence out?

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We were interested in nurturing our students in an environment that would encourage them to “enjoy doing the kind of work for which (they) were best suited.” (Napoleon Hill, 1883) Our hope was to foster a richer learning environment that supported independent student project choice. We hoped that reflecting student preferences would result in heightened motivation which would, in turn, enhance performance.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While reviewing literature we found that there were conflicting arguments related to providing students with project choices. In certain cases motivation and performance improved but deteriorated under other circumstances. This led us to question what impact providing project choice would have on our students.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Review of Literature

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Researcher on success, Napoleon Hill (1883), stated that “Everyone enjoys doing the kind of work for which he is best suited.” This sentiment is echoed 119 years later by Powell and Powell (2011) who suggest that allowing students choice that relates to their personal learning styles allows for products that are “rich in conceptual understanding.” They state “We know the anxiety and stress of being compelled to work in one’s least preferred production-style can actually serve as an obstacle to cognition. The medium does affect the message.” This line of thought is also explored by Baum and Nichols (2009) when they suggest that providing choice is possibly a more powerful cognitive experience when students have an understanding of their personal learning styles and are sometimes allowed the option of aligning tasks to their learning-style strengths.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Whether choice is matched to learning styles or in some other area, there is much research that suggests that providing students with choice is a key to improving not only performance but also motivation. When reviewing research in this field, Helen Moran (n.d ) states that the results “clearly show that more choice equates to greater enjoyment, and presumably more engagement” and that a number of previous researchers “found that student enjoyment is closely linked to engagement, which in turn is linked to levels of performance.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kohn (1993) also links choice and motivation when he asserts that students who are deprived of choice are also likely deprived of motivation. After citing a number of research projects which link student success and high level of motivation, he states “There is no question about it: even if our only criterion is academic performance, choice works.” (pg 7) Looking beyond academic performance and towards motivation, Stone and Madigan (2008) cite Becker who “suggested that a greater amount of choices available for the student promotes a greater sense of ownership and, consequently, higher levels of motivation and commitment.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, despite the assertions above,there is also a body of research that proposes that offering choice may not always enhance performance and motivation. Patall et al. (2010) suggest that “.... choice may not always be effective or that there are more effective strategies to support motivation.” Furthermore, Kohn (1993), supported by Starnes and Paris(2000), cautions that although choice is generally a desirable option, it also needs to be guided when he states “Nearly every essay on education by John Dewey, the father of progressive schooling, stresses the importance of adult guidance and derides the idea of “leaving a child to his own unguided fancies.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In fact, Barry Schwartz (2009), referring to Iyenger and Lepper (2000) and Iyenger et al. (2004) points out that “...too many options seemed to produce paralysis rather than liberation.” He expands upon this idea by stating “If one overcomes paralysis and choose, evidence suggests that the quality of performance deteriorates with increases in the number of options” and summarises the findings “...it now seems clear that whereas choice is good, more choice is not necessarily better.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When Helen Moran asked students to reflect on their experience of choice in the classroom, most students indicated that “...they enjoyed the opportunities, but a small group said they preferred to be told what to do and when, as they had found it hard to manage themselves.” She highlighted the fact that some students might prefer more extrinsic motivation in the form of teacher direction. In contrast, Powell and Powell (2011) state that “Whenever you can link the classroom curriculum to student interest, you tap into internalized achievement motivation - where goals are personal, motivation comes from within, and achievement is deeply meaningful.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Our goal was to enhance student motivation and performance. While looking at personal learning styles and the consequences of choice in relation to personal learning styles, we were confronted with an array of opposing research. Bearing in mind that the “evidence on choice effects has not been ubiquitously positive” (Patall et al. 2010), we were keen to explore the effects of choice in our own classroom environments by conducting our own research by asking: “How do project choices impact student motivation and performance?”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Method <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Research Design <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In order to answer our research question we designed and implemented an action research treatment with a three group pre and post test design for motivation and performance. A named Likert Scale Survey was used at the beginning and end of the study to assess levels of motivation (see example in Appendix <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). A rubric to assess performance was used to grade a project prior to the treatment, where students had no choice in how to present their knowledge. The same rubric format was used to assess performance after treatment (see example in Appendix <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">independent variable <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dependent variable <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We hypothesized that post-treatment, student motivation towards gathering and presenting knowledge and the quality of product (performance) would increase.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Intervention

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sample and Setting

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The 65 subjects for this study were taken from 3 classes across the school: Grade 1(Early Years), Grade 5 (Primary Years) and Grade 9 (Middle Years) The type of sample is Convenience as this sample is a representation of the students that we teach each day, or in the case of the Middle Years, 2 periods a week. They range in age from 6-8 years in the Early Years, 10-11 in the Primary and 15-16 years in the Middle Years.There are 10 boys and 12 girls in the youngest group, while Grade 5 has 12 boys and 10 boys. There was an even distribution of boys and girls in the Middle Years. The ethnic breakdown of the sample consisted of Qatari students in Grade 5, while in the other 2 classes there is also a small portion of students from a variety of nationalities from around the world. The action research study was conducted at Qatar Academy which is located in Doha.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Instrumentation and Data Collection <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Data were collected using three group pre and post tests to measure change in motivation and performance. At the beginning of the study all three groups completed a Likert Scale Survey (see Appendix <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) to measure their motivation with regard to a recently completed project where they had no choice over presentation options. The same format was used at the end of the study to measure their motivation with regard to the treatment project where they had choice over presentation options. This 12 item survey included statements such as “I am motivated to do my work”, “I keep working when I really enjoy what I am doing” and “I persist even when a project is challenging for me”. Students were asked to rate their level of agreement to these statements by choosing a happy, neutral or sad face to correspond with each statement. The totals of the responses were weighted x3 (happy), x2 (neutral), x1 (sad). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Student performance was graded using a rubric (see Appendix <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). At the beginning of the study this rubric was used to grade a project that was recently completed where the students had no choice over presentation options. The same format was used to grade the project where the student had choice of presentation. Areas of assessment were assigned grades of 1 (not at all), 2 (somewhat), 3 (proficient). They were broken into two parts, Process and Product and each entry was listed under a Learner Profile heading. Areas being assessed in the Process category had statements such as “Level of independence shown with project”, Effectively communicates information / knowledge of subject” and “Takes responsibility for own learning”. The Product category contained statements such as “Content presented in a way that shows an understanding of how the presentation choice works” and “Quality of product”.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Threats to Validity

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One of the greatest threats to validity across the sample was the conducting of the Likert survey. In the Primary and Middle Years the students were curious as to the reason why the survey was being conducted and they may have been influenced by the researcher’s insistence of the importance of the survey. They could, possibly have suspected that they were part of a research project. (Hawthorn effect). While in the Early Years the students, being young and enthusiastic, are eager to please their teacher and are already generally motivated. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When the post-test was conducted the students in the 2 upper grades could have been influenced by what they had already answered in the pre-test. For example, When conducting the pre-likert not a lot of emphasis was placed on the importance/ care required to complete it. After seeing the results of this first questionnaire, it was felt that more context was required for a truer reflection, thus more emphasis was placed on the care and thought that should be given to answering the post-likert motivation scale. The question to consider would be: Was it over emphasised? Specifically, in Grade 5 an additional teacher was available when they were completing the post-test. The students were encouraged to think carefully about their honesty when completing the form and should make sure not just to circle ‘happy faces’. <span style="background-color: #ffff00; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Finally, choices were given in content as well as type of product
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">__Motivation:__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A threat to validity where performance was concerned in the Upper Grades, was the ‘snowball effect’. In the excitement of having choices, the students shared ideas and in this way they influenced each other’s choices. In the Early Years, it was noted that while the groups were completing their projects, 2 of the groups had a different teacher and were confronted with a new environment. Again as above, choices were given in content as well as in type of product.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">__Performance:__


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">__Minimising of Threats__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My Way survey was originally considered as a threat to validity (by its mechanism to determine and thus pigeon hole a student into a particular trail of thought for choosing a particular method of presentation). However, it could be considered a minimiser because students did not recognise the cyclic pattern of questionnaire and consequently considered all options equally without bias. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Providing the students in the Early Years with 3 different opportunities to review their project choice allowed them to get past wanting the new and exciting choice or the easy choice and settled for the particular one where they felt they could have the most success. However, next time, across the sample, the option of content choice would be removed. Additionally, the pre and post Likerts would be conducted with absolute consistency and a suggestion how this could be achieved would be that another teacher deliver the surveys so that the results are not unconsciously influenced.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Results

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Discussion and Action Plan

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reference

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Baum, S., & Nicols, H. (2009). Your child's style. Retrieved from http://www.internationalcenterfortalentdevelopment.com/uploads/9/3/2/8/9328117/prototypes_by_baum_and_nicols.pdf

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kohn, A. (1993, September). Choices for children: why and how to let students decide. Kappan, Retrieved from http://scholar.googleusercontent.com/scholar?q=cache:Wc1A9-8y29IJ:scholar.google.com/ giving elementary students choices&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moran, H. (n.d.). Personalised learning- engaging students by providing choice in the classroom. Retrieved from http://kidspeak.wikispaces.com/Personalised Learning - Engaging Students by Providing Choice in the Classroom

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Napoleon Hill. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved February 19, 2012, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/napoleonhi152835.html

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Patall, E. A., Cooper, H., & Wynn, S. R. (2010). The effectiveness and relative importance of choice in the classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(4), 896-915. doi: 10.1037/a0019545, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/edu/102/4/896/__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Powell, P., & Kusuma-Powell, O. (2011). How to teach now:five keys to personalized learning in the global classroom. Alexandria, VA, USA: ASCD. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/111011/chapters/Knowing-Our-Students-as-Learners.aspx

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Schwartz, B. (2009). Incentives, choice, education and. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 391-403.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Starnes, B., & Paris, C. (2000). Choosing to learn. Kappan, 81(5), 392. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Stone, J. A., & Madigan, E. M. (2008). The impact of providing project choices in cs1. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 40(2), 65-68, Retrieved from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1383637&dl=ACM&coll=DL__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Appendices


 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 26px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Draft 1 **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Abstract

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Introduction

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We are three rocking and dazzlingly handsome teachers who teach at a International Baccalaureate school with a high population (92% primary) of national students. Our school has actively embraced and encouraged the 21st Century approach to teaching and learning with emphasis towards differentiation, literacy and technology integration, which strives to promote motivation and success in our students.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The students in this study range from early, primary and middle years and we have noticed that some of them have a low level of motivation in the classroom situation. We suspect that this may be linked to poor performance and we wonder if the level of motivation and consequent performance of our students could be improved were they to be given more individual choice when presenting their projects.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We hope to foster a richer learning environment that supports independent student project choice that is reflects student preferences our students will demonstrate heightened motivation that will in turn enhance performance.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">IMPORTANCE??

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WITH cHOICES (LINKED TO PREFERENCES) -> MOTIVATION THUS PERFORMANCE

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We were interested in nurturing our students in an environment that would encourage them to “enjoy doing the kind of work for which (they) were best suited.” (Napoleon Hill, 1883) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While reviewing literature we found that there were conflicting arguments related to providing students with project choices. In certain cases motivation and performance improved but deteriorated under other circumstances. This led us to question what impact providing project choice would have on our students.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Review of Literature

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Researcher on success, Napoleon Hill (1883), stated that “Everyone enjoys doing the kind of work for which he is best suited.” This sentiment is echoed 119 years later by Powell and Powell (2011) who suggest that allowing students choice that relates to their personal learning styles allows for products that are “rich in conceptual understanding.” They state “We know the anxiety and stress of being compelled to work in one’s least preferred production-style can actually serve as an obstacle to cognition. The medium does affect the message.” This line of thought is also explored by Baum and Nichols (2009) when they suggest that providing choice is possibly a more powerful cognitive experience when students have an understanding of their personal learning styles and are sometimes allowed the option of aligning tasks to their learning-style strengths.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Whether choice is matched to learning styles or in some other area, there is much research that suggests that providing students with choice is a key to improving not only performance but also motivation. When reviewing research in this field, Helen <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moran <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> states that the results “clearly show that more choice equates to greater enjoyment, and presumably more engagement” and that a number of previous researchers “found that student enjoyment is closely linked to engagement, which in turn is linked to levels of performance.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kohn (1993) also links choice and motivation when he asserts that students who are deprived of choice are also likely deprived of motivation. After citing a number of research projects which link student success and high level of motivation, he states “There is no question about it: even if our only criterion is academic performance, choice works.” (pg 7) Looking beyond academic performance and towards motivation, Stone and Madigan (2008) cite Becker who “suggested that a greater amount of choices available for the student promotes a greater sense of ownership and, consequently, higher levels of motivation and commitment.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, despite the assertions above,there is also a body of research that proposes that offering choice may not always enhance performance and motivation. Patall et al. (2010) suggest that “.... choice may not always be effective or that there are more effective strategies to support motivation.” Furthermore, Kohn (1993), supported by Starnes and Paris(2000), cautions that although choice is generally a desirable option, it also needs to be guided when he states “Nearly every essay on education by John Dewey, the father of progressive schooling, stresses the importance of adult guidance and derides the idea of “leaving a child to his own unguided fancies.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In fact, Barry Schwartz (2009), referring to Iyenger and Lepper (2000) and Iyenger et al. (2004) points out that “...too many options seemed to produce paralysis rather than liberation.” He expands upon this idea by stating “If one overcomes paralysis and choose, evidence suggests that the quality of performance deteriorates with increases in the number of options” and summarises the findings “...it now seems clear that whereas choice is good, more choice is not necessarily better.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When Helen Moran asked students to reflect on their experience of choice in the classroom, most students indicated that “...they enjoyed the opportunities, but a small group said they preferred to be told what to do and when, as they had found it hard to manage themselves.” She highlighted the fact that some students might prefer more extrinsic motivation in the form of teacher direction. In contrast, Powell and Powell (2011) state that “Whenever you can link the classroom curriculum to student interest, you tap into internalized achievement motivation - where goals are personal, motivation comes from within, and achievement is deeply meaningful.”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Our goal was to enhance student motivation and performance. While looking at personal learning styles and the consequences of choice in relation to personal learning styles, we were confronted with an array of opposing research. Bearing in mind that the “evidence on choice effects has not been ubiquitously positive” (Patall et al. 2010), we were keen to explore the effects of choice in our own classroom environments by conducting our own research by asking: “How do project choices impact student motivation and performance?”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Method

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Research Design

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Intervention

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sample

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Instrumentation and Data Collection

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Threats to Validity

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Results

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Discussion and Action Plan

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Reference

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Baum, S., & Nicols, H. (2009). Your child's style. Retrieved from http://www.internationalcenterfortalentdevelopment.com/uploads/9/3/2/8/9328117/prototypes_by_baum_and_nicols.pdf

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kohn, A. (1993, September). Choices for children: why and how to let students decide. Kappan, Retrieved from http://scholar.googleusercontent.com/scholar?q=cache:Wc1A9-8y29IJ:scholar.google.com/ giving elementary students choices&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moran, H. (n.d.). Personalised learning- engaging students by providing choice in the classroom. Retrieved from http://kidspeak.wikispaces.com/Personalised Learning - Engaging Students by Providing Choice in the Classroom

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Napoleon Hill. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved February 19, 2012, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/napoleonhi152835.html

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Patall, E. A., Cooper, H., & Wynn, S. R. (2010). The effectiveness and relative importance of choice in the classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(4), 896-915. doi: 10.1037/a0019545, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/edu/102/4/896/__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Powell, P., & Kusuma-Powell, O. (2011). How to teach now:five keys to personalized learning in the global classroom. Alexandria, VA, USA: ASCD. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/111011/chapters/Knowing-Our-Students-as-Learners.aspx

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Schwartz, B. (2009). Incentives, choice, education and. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 391-403.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Starnes, B., & Paris, C. (2000). Choosing to learn. Kappan, 81(5), 392. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Stone, J. A., & Madigan, E. M. (2008). The impact of providing project choices in cs1. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 40(2), 65-68, Retrieved from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1383637&dl=ACM&coll=DL__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Appendices