Jacinta+Ford

= **My Profile:** = = **Action Research Project Planner:** = = = Which area/s of your practice would you like to improve?
 * = ** Stage 1 ANALYSE ** – =
 * Question:** why are the students at Aitken College becoming disengaged from Indonesian in mid year 8, and what can be done to help turn this around?


 * How can we find out why students are becoming disengaged?**
 * student surveys
 * round table discussions with students of Indonesian; both those who are engaged and disengaged-both with year 8 and year 9 students
 * discussions with members of the LOTE faculty


 * What do we want as the end results to be?**
 * higher retention rates
 * higher levels of motivation
 * Possible survey questions:**
 * What is your favourite aspect of Indonesian? Why?


 * What is your least favourite aspect of Indonesian? Why?


 * What activities do you like doing? Why?


 * What activities don't you like doing? Why?


 * Do you want to continue with Indonesian in year 10? If so, why? If not, why not?


 * In your opinion, what could be done to improve the Indonesian course?


 * What do you see as your weaknesses in Indonesian?


 * What do see as your strengths in Indonesian?


 * How would you rate your efforts in Indonesian in a scale of 1-10?


 * How happy are you with your results in Indonesian on a scale of 1-10?


 * Do you think your results reflect the effort you put into your work?


 * What kind of assessment tasks are your favourite do to? (e.g. tests, role-plays, etc)

What will be your focus for this project in 2011? ||
 * * Survey students
 * Develop a unit of work based on student wants
 * Purchase necessary resources
 * Deliver unit of work that has been developed based on students' responses. ||
 * = ** Stage 2 - PLAN ** =

__ Timeline for 2011: __

** Stage 1: **


 * Meet with Faculty members to discuss project
 * Brainstorm and create survey (survey monkey)
 * [|Year 8 survey]
 * [|Year 9 Survey]

** Stage 2: **


 * Survey year 8 and year 9 before term 1 to determine their current attitude to studying Indonesian
 * Collate results
 * Compare differences between year 8 and year 9

** Stage 3: **


 * Determine what students prefer and like within their Indonesian classroom based on their survey answers
 * Choose a unit of work in year 8 to be delivered near end Term 3
 * Brainstorm ways using student suggestions, on improving unit of work
 * Determine resources needed
 * Budget for resource grant
 * Purchase resources
 * Create unit of work
 * Deliver unit of work end Term 3

** Stage 4: **
 * Immediately Re-survey students and compare with year 9 results

__ Timeline for 2012: __

** Stage 5 **


 * Collate results
 * Compare differences

** Stage 6 **

What did you do?
 * Do evaluation ||
 * == ** Stage 3 – ACT ** ==
 * == ** Stage 3 – ACT ** ==


 * Stage 1: ** Meet with Faculty members to discuss projectBrainstorm and create survey (survey monkey)[|Year 8 survey][|Year 9 Survey]

** Stage 2: **Analysis results.Below is the Studying Indonesian in Glenarthur (the year 8 and 9 section of the school) survey analysis[|Studying Indonesian in Glenarthur.docx]

** Stage 3: **Share results with LOTE Faculty membersHas the survey result data confirmed or rejected our hypothesis (that students in year 9 are disengaged and do not enjoy learning Indonesian). Based on the survey data it appears that the majority of our students enjoy studying Indonesian, therefore our original hypothesis has been rejected. Due to this surprising revelation our original plan of action (see above) needs a total re-think and has caused other questions to be raised.

** Stage 4: **During Term 1 holidays met up with my other team member, Joyce Tabone, to discuss new strategy and approach based on the survey results. We decided on a new plan of action to no longer include year 8s in our research: it is evident that they enjoy and are generally engaged in learning a language. Instead, we decided to focus on year 9s only, and, based on activities students have indicated they enjoy, create a unit of work, including resources. This unit of work will be distributed to all Year 9 LOTE teachers and delivered at the same time.- Once the unit of work has been delivered, we plan to re-survey Year 9 students, using the same survey to see if there are any improvements. If there is a marked improvement, other units of work can be created based on the same formula; however, the survey results presented more questions. In particular, if students are generally engaged and enjoy learning Indonesian, why are the retention rates so low for year 10?

** Stage 5: **Retention rates at year 10-discussed this issue with the Director of curriculum, as students indicated that at year 10 there are many electives to choose from. The Director of Curriculum was very interested in this finding and will bring this issue up with the Curriculum Committee, and perhaps a solution can be found. Ideas that have been branded included students needing to select at least one elective from various stream. Currently Indonesian at year 10 is a year-long elective; perhaps we can have two electives, one as currently is, and also offer a semester study. There seems to be a general consensus within the school hierarchy, teachers and students that students do not like studying a language, however this perception is incorrect. There is a need to promote the language positively. Therefore, Joyce organised with the Deputy Principal to present our preliminary findings at the next staff meeting. The staff meeting will be held 1st June 2011. A copy of the staff presentation [|Indonesian staff presentation.pptx]

Finally, students have indicated that they will not continue with Indonesian at year 10 because they cannot see the relevance. This issue needs to be addressed. At tonight's LOTE faculty meeting, (9th May 2011) I bought this issue up and suggested that as well as creating a unit of work based on how students want to learn, we should also consider creating a mini unit of work of maybe one or two lessons as to why learning Indonesian is relevant.

Things we can consider are:
 * The Australia-Indonesia relationship
 * Global economy
 * Business Council laments lack of students learning Indonesian
 * Business partnership with Asia Institute
 * VCE study scores (Perhaps careers counsellors can help with this)

Joyce spoke to our careers counsellors and they are very happy to assist. They will be coming into our classes to deliver a 15 minute talk about how studying Indonesian can assist students with gaining entry to their preferred university course as well as how Indonesian can assist them with their careers. Refer to the Mini Unit of Work document for dates and times.On the 24th May 2011, Joyce and I have been given time release (half day) to map out the major unit of work, as well as the mini unit of workDraft mini unit of work including worksheets[|Mini Unit of Work.docx]

Mini unit of work includes :
 * careers counsellor sessions
 * Discussion using recent newspaper articles
 * Viewing mini videos from Asia Link website
 * Student worksheet

Draft major unit of working including lesson plans[|Week Beginning.docx]Activities in the major unit reflect what our students have indicated they prefer doing and includes using As well as the above we will also be using the textbook and workbook for comprehension and listening tasks
 * mobile technology (ipods)
 * filming using flip cameras
 * using ICT, in particular
 * creating their own Indonesian games using Languages Online Game maker
 * creating a digital photo story, that incorporates images, text and audio
 * creating an advertisement (print or film) using Publisher or Film editing software
 * creating a cartoon using Cartoon Story maker that incorpates images, text and audio
 * hands on activities including Read and Draw
 * Excursion
 * Incorporating the Year 9 City Experience day, students visit the Botanical Gardens
 * Create a photostory using their images, etc.

We are still awaiting for the funding to become available; once this is done we can purchase ipods and apps which could be relevant in our teaching. Research has already been undertaken regarding which ipod apps would be appropriate. Please refer to the Week Beginning document.

** Stage 6: **Another initiative to improve year 10 retention rates was the creation of a letter to be sent to parents of year 9 students who, based on their past results and attitude, we believe have the ability to do well in year 10 and VCE. This letter was drafted with input of all the LOTE teachers as well as our careers counsellor, and informs parents that not only does their child have the ability to do well in Indonesian, but also the benefits of learning the language including learning about another culture, VCE study scores and career opporunities. This letter will be sent to the selected year 9 students' parents the week before year 10 subject selections.

** Stage 7: **Equipment - 6 Ipods were purchased and received Friday 17th June at a cost of $317 each. These ipods have been uploaded with a number of free apps, including Puppet Pals, Doodle Buddy, Dress the Monkey, Indonesian Dcictionary, Indonesian Flash Cards, Pocket Home, Story Kit, and Talking Tom. The IPODs will be given to all year 9 LOTE teachers so they can play with the apps and become familar with them with the aim that they will be used in the classroom beginning term 3.

Apps that we will be using are:
 * Puppet Pals: to create animations using voice recordings
 * Doodle Buddy: can be used as a pictionary game
 * Pocket Home: will be used to design a loungeroom and will use prepositions, for example the blue lamp is on top of the table, etc.
 * Talking Tom: will be used to record students.
 * The other apps will be trialled by staff and depending on usefulness consideration will be given in purchasing full versions.

** Stage 8: **2012 Enrolments: The year 9s have now made their elective selections for 2012. Today, 29th August, I received the numbers of how many students will be undertaking year 10 Indonesian in 2012. The good news is that 18 students have enrolled for 2012. This is amazing when compared to this time last year when we had 6 students enrolled. Through trialing various strategies it appears this may have contributed to a 300 percent increase in enrolments. The question now is: was this a one off co-incidence. Next year the same strategies must be done so I have actual evidence that the increase in enrolments is not a co-incidence but due to the strategies that have been put into place.

As an aside, another interesting fact to emerge from the enrolment numbers is that there is no real difference between gender from the 18 students who have enrolled there are 8 boys and 10 girls.

I have spoken with the Head of Languages and the next approach is to survey the 18 students to determine why they selected Indonesian as their elective in 2012. The original plan was to survey all the year 9s; however, I am not sure what the benefit of that would be. By surveying the 18 students I can determine what was their motivation or reasons for selecting Indonesian and based on their answers develop strategies for implemention in 2012.

With the assistance from the Director of Teaching and Learning we have created the attached survey: [|Year 9 Indonesian survey 2.docx]

Over the past two days, September 1 and 2, students were asked to complete the survey. Results have been collated; it would appear that the main reasons students are continuing with year 10 is the VCE study scores as well as their like for the subject, their teacher encouragement and the letter being sent home.

Attached are the results with strategies for 2013: [|Year 9 Indonesian Survey 2 Results.docx]

The results have been emailed to all Faculty members for their input.

** Stage 9: **Continue with the above activities in 2012. Careers Counsellors have agreed to participate in the "Why Learn Indonesian" forum to be held in the first week of Term 3. Dates, venues and classes have already been organised.

Continue to source and use the ipods, new apps have included using QR codes

Continue to source and use web 2.0 tools in the classroom including using bighugelabs, edmodo

The school has purchased 5 class sets of ipads. Explore apps that can be used and integrate these into the classroom. Some apps that I have used successfully so far include iDrawing, Suzy Dress Up, Puppet Pals, Sock Puppets. || What did you notice?
 * == ** Stage 4 - OBSERVE ** ==
 * == ** Stage 4 - OBSERVE ** ==


 * What I noticed and have learnt from our initial stages is that what teachers, faculties or schools perceive might not necessarily be the perception of our students. For example, at the beginning we created a hypothesis that our year 8 and 9 students are disengaged with learning a language. This perception was taken from listening to the minority of our students, and was perpetuated by the LOTE faculty teaching staff, teaching staff outside of the LOTE faculty and in fact our school management team. The general perception was that our students do not like Indonesian. However, when we give our students an opportunity to respond to a survey which is anoymous, it is quite amazing and surprising to discover what they actually think.


 * Another observation is that when students are given information as to how studying a language can benefit them, students are very receptive and their own perceptions can change and they can see the value.


 * Without the strategies put in place throughout the year, our Year 10 2012 enrolments would have been 6 students with a possibility of up to 10 students, going by enrolment numbers of previous years. Due to interconnecting reasons our enrolments of 18 students is unprecedented.

The mentoring project sounded good in theory, however, due to distances and other issues we did not meet with my mentor throughout the duration of this project except for the organised MLTAV days. The project was done with personal motivation and the support from my schools LOTE faculty. || What would you do the same/differently in the future? ||
 * == ** Stage 5 - REFLECT ** ==
 * == ** Stage 5 - REFLECT ** ==
 * The project was a good experience, and something the whole of the LOTE faculty became involved with. It was beneficial as it got us thinking about motivations for learning LOTE and how we can help to increase those motivations in students. The positive results that we achieved are evident, but I think that in order to determine whether the increased enrolment numbers this year are due to the project or are just coincidental and due to the cohort of this year's year 10 students, we need to repeat the project for a few more years.

It was good to receive the funding to purchase resources to help the students with their motivations and engagement levels. I think, though, that in the future it would be easier to conduct such a project as a school, rather than involving others outside the school. It is beneficial to hear others' ideas and experiences from other school environments, but in terms of organising meetings with someone from another school, realistically, when the year gets going and everyone gets so busy, it is very difficult to find the time to make this happen.

Into the future I will take with me the idea that, to an extent, we must teach in accordance with the ways students want to learn, and that teaching them reasons for learning what they are learning is effective. I will also be continuing to try to incorporate more and more resources into my classes. As I gain more experience teaching, I imagine this will become increasingly easier. ||