1. QUICK DESIGN GUIDE (--THIS SECTION DOES NOT PRINT--) This PowerPoint 2007 template produces a 36x48 inch professional poster. You can use it to create your research poster and save valuable time placing titles, subtitles, text, and graphics. We provide a series of online tutorials that will guide you through the poster design process and answer your poster production questions. To view our template tutorials, go online to PosterPresentations.com and click on HELP DESK. When you are ready to print your poster, go online to PosterPresentations.com. Need Assistance? Call us at 1.866.649.3004 Object Placeholders Using the placeholders To add text, click inside a placeholder on the poster and type or paste your text. To move a placeholder, click it once (to select it). Place your cursor on its frame, and your cursor will change to this symbol Click once and drag it to a new location where you can resize it. Section Header placeholder Click and drag this preformatted section header placeholder to the poster area to add another section header. Use section headers to separate topics or concepts within your presentation. Text placeholder Move this preformatted text placeholder to the poster to add a new body of text. Picture placeholder Move this graphic placeholder onto your poster, size it first, and then click it to add a picture to the poster. RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN © 2012 www.PosterPresentations.com Student discounts are available on our Facebook page. Go to PosterPresentations.com and click on the FB icon. QUICK TIPS (--THIS SECTION DOES NOT PRINT--) This PowerPoint template requires basic PowerPoint (version 2007 or newer) skills. Below is a list of commonly asked questions specific to this template. If you are using an older version of PowerPoint some template features may not work properly. Template FAQs Verifying the quality of your graphics Go to the VIEW menu and click on ZOOM to set your preferred magnification. This template is at 100% the size of the final poster. All text and graphics will be printed at 100% their size. To see what your poster will look like when printed, set the zoom to 100% and evaluate the quality of all your graphics before you submit your poster for printing. Modifying the layout This template has four different column layouts. Right-click your mouse on the background and click on LAYOUT to see the layout options. The columns in the provided layouts are fixed and cannot be moved but advanced users can modify any layout by going to VIEW and then SLIDE MASTER. Importing text and graphics from external sources TEXT: Paste or type your text into a pre-existing placeholder or drag in a new placeholder from the left side of the template. Move it anywhere as needed. PHOTOS: Drag in a picture placeholder, size it first, click in it and insert a photo from the menu. TABLES: You can copy and paste a table from an external document onto this poster template. To adjust the way the text fits within the cells of a table that has been pasted, right-click on the table, click FORMAT SHAPE then click on TEXT BOX and change the INTERNAL MARGIN values to 0.25. Modifying the color scheme To change the color scheme of this template go to the DESIGN menu and click on COLORS. You can choose from the provided color combinations or create your own. © 2013 PosterPresentations.com 2117 Fourth Street, Unit C Berkeley CA 94710 posterpresenter@gmail.com Accelerated Reader is a computer program that helps teachers manage and monitor children’s independent reading practice. In theory, Accelerated Reader presents a great way to help promote student literacy. Contrary to popular belief, there are still many flaws in the system. Upon embarking on student teaching, research showed that 37 out of my 133 students received all 20 Accelerated Reader points required per quarter. This is a mere 27% percent of my students. Research for this project was conducted in a number of ways. Information was gathered from students Accelerated Reader scores from quarter one and two. I introduce a intrinsic motivation to see if this would motivate students are complete all 20 Accelerated Reader points required per quarter. The results indicated that there was only a seven percent increase in the number of students who completed all 20 Accelerated Reader points. Abstract Literature Review In order to accurately measure that success of the students in class, there were a few methods to record their progress. It came to my attention that much of the information is very hard to measure. It is nearly impossible to accurately record how much a student is reading outside of school. In order to make sure the results were as accurate as possible, I looked back at the students previous Accelerated Reader records. At this point, I compared the two quarters that did have the “Accelerated Reader Showdown” to the quarter that did. -The “Accelerated Reader Showdown” was implemented in the beginning of March. - The class with overall highest percentage completed of all 20 Accelerated Reader points would receive a free day. This includes, but is not limited to, food and a movie -Every day, instead of writing journals, students were given 10 minutes to read their Accelerated Reader book. - On Fridays, students were 30 minutes of silent sustained reading. -The students were then given a questionaries' at the end of quarter 3 to assess the efficacy of the accelerated show down. -Questionnaire helped shape the analysis of my research and results. -The questionnaire allowed me to assess what the students would fix with Accelerated Reader AR Showdown Questionnaire AR is a great way to get students read more? Yes No Do you read AR books outside of school? Yes No Do you have other people take the test for you? Yes No Does the AR showdown motivate you to receive most if not all of your points? Yes No Should the school keep AR? Yes No Answer the questions in complete sentences. If you could fix one thing about AR what would it be? What problems do you run into with AR? Should the school keep AR? Why or why not? MethodologyData Table and AnalysisConclusions -The “Accelerated Reader Showdown did increase the overall number of students who received all of 20their Accelerated Reader points. -The results did not yield that numbers I wanted them too. -Motivation did produce a better outcome, however it does not cure the long term problem. While the Accelerated Reader Showdown was able to get students to read more, it is lacking external motivation. -Students were driven by motivating factors and not self improvement. -Once the motivational factors are taken away, students have shown to decline in the amount they read. -Allowing more reading time in class will give students more time to read their Accelerated Reader books. -Students are more likely to be engaged and or motivated in the material of their choice. -Reading is reading. As long as students are reading, there is literacy and cognitive development involved. If we increase the amount of time we give the students to read in class, then there will be an increase in literacy and cognitive development - Accelerated Reader needs to implement reforms in order to be more effective. -Many of the students expressed that they liked to read but the books they read are not in the system. - Students have the ability to request a book to be put in the system, but it could up to days, weeks or even months. -The primary goal of Accelerated Reader is to promote independent reading, why is it limited to books and novels? - Accelerated Reader should find a way to craft a system to promote all forms of reading, whether it be a newspaper or a magazine. - Literacy is not only measured in books, it can be found in many forms of literature. -Accelerated Reader merely asks students 10-20 multiple choice questions upon finishing a book. Does this show students comprehension? - As an educational tool, Accelerated reader should find a way to incorporate short answer questions and or essay questions that will show student comprehension. This will allow students to become stronger writers as well as readers. Accelerated Reader Points by Quarter Questionnaire Results -Accelerated Reader asks students to answer multiple choice questions about a book. -It restricts students’ ability to show comprehension. -None of the tests ever ask for a written assessment, extension activities, or repeated interaction with the text. - Critics argue that motivational theory that will help increase the completion of Accelerated Reader points. - Providing an opportunity to gain something, other than grades; will help motivate students to reach their goal. - Once the motivation is taken away, students interest will also decrease. -There needs to be time devoted silent reading time. - Critics argues that there needs to be more material to be quizzed on other than just books and novels. -Here is the catch, students are more likely to be engaged and or motivated in the material of their choice. -Student’s number one complaint is that they have no time after school because of schools, jobs, or sports. - Devoting time in class to reading -Students are reading for the wrong reasons -Reading for gains, not personal enjoyment - Once the program is done, so is the reading. -Accelerated reader limits the book choice for students. -Accelerated reader is having the students focus on the prize rather than reading. -Accelerated reader is meant o to increase the literacy levels of students. -Focusing on whether the students are reading for enjoyment or for “the prize” is obsolete since that is not their main focus. -Many critics are argue that there is a need to find an answer as to how to get students motivated to read and participate in AR. Emilio Alcaraz Will the implementation of a cross classroom Accelerated Reader showdown motivate student to complete all 20 of their Accelerated Reader points? Accelerated Reader Showdown Results Implications -There was a seven percent increase from quarter two to quarter three. Results showed that many students do read but Accelerated Reader does not support their genre. While students were motivated by a free day, the Accelerated Reader Showdown did not produce the results I wanted.