1. Action Research Project EDUC 6322 Spring 2009 Ranelle Woolrich

2. 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?

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

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

8. Participants & Setting 4 th week: Character Development

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

10. 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

11. Procedures & Data Sources Sample of Character in words:

12. Procedures & Data Sources Sample of Character in pictures:

13. 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.”

14. Results: There was a total of 32 students

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

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

17. SOURCES http://education.smarttech.com/NR/rdonlyres/E7D303C7-3C92-48E4- AE2F-AF83ACE38958/0/developingCharacSettingUK.gif http://education.smarttech.com/NR/rdonlyres/E7D303C7-3C92-48E4- AE2F-AF83ACE38958/0/developingCharacSettingUK.gif http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2113/1685488441_acef6407d3.jpg?v=0 https://hokonuicluster.wikispaces.com/file/view/The_Curse_of_Being_Phar aoh.gif https://hokonuicluster.wikispaces.com/file/view/The_Curse_of_Being_Phar aoh.gif Developing Character Through Courage. Discovery Channel School (2006). Retrieved April 25, 2009, from Discovery Education: http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/ Marzano, R., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. (2001) Classroom Instruction that Works. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.