1. Research Problem In one sentence, describe the problem that is the focus of your classroom research project about student learning: Students are not adequately prepared for class preventing them from gaining the full benefits of active learning activities Student attitude or motivation Inadequate tools for preparation This leads to students that I **believe** could succeed dropping, failing or under-succeeding.

2. Research Question What is your research question? How does concept mapping affect student motivation in individuals with low initial motivation and/or decreases in motivation? What is the context (e.g. class setting, student audience) in which you will conduct your research? Introductory, non-majors Biology course (Human Biology) 30-40 students per section ~ 13 sections per semester (I teach 3, ~ 7 instructors) General education course for transfer to a 4 year institution (UC/CSU) Very diverse student body

3. Research Methods My primary research methods include: 1. Qualitative Assessment Survey on science motivation – pre/post (Glynn 2011), and/or science attitudes (CLASS-BIO) Coding of focus group of students with low motivation prior to intervention (select students) Coding focus group of students after intervention (select students) Coding written reflections of concept mapping (all students) Coding of interviews/videos where students construct concept maps at end (high and low motivators) 2. Quantitative Assessment Rubric score on higher level exam questions (all students) Rubric score on selected concept maps (all students)

4. Research Methods Group 1ObsIntObsIntObs Group 2Obs- IntObs Qualitative Data Attitude/mo tivation survey focus groups, written “pre- flection”? Attitude/moti vation survey focus groups concept map interviews written reflection Quantitative data GPA (?)Exam question scores Exam question scores, concept map rubric scores

5. Research Methods I will collect these data: Motivation Survey/Attitude survey (3 time points) Focus group conversation from students with low motivation (compare to students with high motivation?) start and end of semester Introducing concept mapping at different time points Scores on specific exam questions Interviews of students making concept maps at end of semester (select students that reflect specific types of change in motivation) Rubric score for middle and “final” concept map(s) Written reflections I will analyze the data by: Comparing pre-intervention motivation to post-intervention motivation (and a mid point), descriptive/frequency Checking for a correlation between motivation changes and exam scores in sections with different time point interventions and in sections taught by other instructors Coding student comments in focus groups and comparing before/after intervention Coding student responses to written reflection Analyzing potential correlation between concept map scores and exam question scores

6. Alignment of Research Question and Methods This is why I think it aligns: Identify students with low motivation/low class success Track changes in motivation after two intervention time points The data will help me answer my question by: Measuring change in motivation at three time points in semester Correlating change in motivation with and without intervention