Action Research Project EDUC 6322 Spring 2009 Ranelle Woolrich

The Question: When students are developing a character is it valuable for them to use pictures instead of words to map out a character idea?

Strategy & Rationale 1. Recognize every student is unique 2. Recognize there is more than one way to reach the end result 3. Nonlinguistic Representations

Participants & Setting 2 groups 6 th grade students Six week course

Participants & Setting 4 th week: Character Development

Participants & Setting Discuss Character traits Assign “Character Journal” First step is a Character Map

Procedures & Data Sources 1. 2 different character maps 1. One character: WORDS 1. One character: PICTURES 1. Student Reflections 1. Choice of character for project

Procedures & Data Sources Sample of Character in words:

Procedures & Data Sources Sample of Character in pictures:

Procedures & Data Sources: Examples of students reflection… “You have to think more when you write, but when you draw you use your imagination more…” “ I think it was easier to do in words because you can really go into a deep description.” “I think in pictures. I like to see something visually. I picture a character in my mind.” “I think it is easier in pictures because the image is in your head, then you can just draw it.” “Words…I could describe it better.”

Results: There was a total of 32 students

Results: 7 students preferred WORDS 25 students preferred PICTURES Reasons why varied All students chose favored character

Analysis of Results: Analysis: Pictures over Words Limitations: Why not do both? Future Implications: Choice for students Use of both words and pictures

SOURCES AE2F-AF83ACE38958/0/developingCharacSettingUK.gif AE2F-AF83ACE38958/0/developingCharacSettingUK.gif aoh.gif aoh.gif Developing Character Through Courage. Discovery Channel School (2006). Retrieved April 25, 2009, from Discovery Education: Marzano, R., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. (2001) Classroom Instruction that Works. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.