Providing+Choices

Name: Victoria Agcaoili SPED 843  Dr. Aronin  Spring 2011

Providing Choices __Description of Intervention Method __ This intervention supports the idea of letting the child decide on what to do next as long as the goal is met. When given choices, children stretch their minds and create new and unique combinations of ideas and materials. Giving children choices helps them feel like they have some power and control over what they do.

__Types of Students Who Benefit from the Method __ One can use this strategy, providing choices, to almost all grade levels from pre-school to college.

__Qualifications for Using the Method __ Individuals who use giving choices in the classroom should be licensed teachers or teachers presently working on their certification. Para-professionals can assist but then they need to be supervised by a licensed teacher.

__Costs of Using the Method __ Giving choices requires very minimal time and training. Below is a link on how to go about giving choices to students.

Link : http://betterkidcare.psu.edu/TIPS/TIPS309.pdf

__Potential Risks with Using the Method __ The cost of providing that flexibility is that students may not receive the same level of learning experience. As a result, their overall performance, and grade can be affected. By allowing students to select a perceived “easier” choice homework or task, we are potentially providing a disservice to them in both their final grade in the course, and the knowledge gained.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Benefits of Using the Method __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The benefits of giving choices to children are :

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1) Giving children choices teaches them how to make decisions <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2) It builds their self esteem. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3) It develops problem solving skills, independence and makes them feel more powerful and in control of their lives. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4) It teaches them to take ownership of their choices, the value of sacrificing one thing for another and makes them feel that their point of view is valued. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">5) Providing the child with a choice helps to avoid power struggles and reduces frustration while gaining the child's cooperation.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Settings for Method Use __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">· Classroom Setting <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">· Home Setting <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">· Clinical Setting

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Field’s Attitude Towards the Method __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Giving choices to children is a widely used strategy both by teachers and parents. Most of the practitioners feel that this strategy empowers children in a controlled manner.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Summary of Research Study

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Fulton, S., & Schweitzer, D. ( 2011). Impact of Giving Students a Choice of Homework Assignments in an Introductory Computer Science Class. [|www.usafa.edu/df/dfe/dfer/centers/accr/docs/fulton2011a.pd]f

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Description of Subjects __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">To investigate the impact of student choices in our introductory computer science class, we collected survey and performance data from 521 students who took the course in spring semester 2009. We also canvassed the 16 instructors teaching the course to get their input on why students selected a particular choice, the relative amount of work, and student reactions. The Choice Homework occurred late in the semester after 65% of the course points had already been awarded. The homework itself was worth 100 points, or 10% of their course grade. Students had a choice of either a RAPTOR programming assignment, or an application-oriented assignment consisting of analyzing a problem and using various software tools to solve and document it. The only 6 remaining graded event after the homework was the final exam which that was worth 25% of their final grade.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The focus of the study was to answer two basic questions: 1) why did students choose the option they did, and 2) what impact, if any, did the choice have on their final performance and grade in the course. Each of these will be examined in more detail.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Description of Research Design __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">To determine why students made the choice they did, we conducted a survey of all students taking the class. The survey specifically asked three questions: Which choice homework did you choose, why did you choose the assignment that you did, and do you feel that you learned something from the assignment. Out of a total of 521 registered students, we received 386 usable responses. These responses provided a view of the rationale behind the student choices.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Dependent Variable __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The dependent variable in this study is the quality of turned-in assignments by allowing students a choice in what homework to do having in mind “equality”, ensuring an equal learning experience for all students regardless of their choice of homework assignments.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Independent Variable __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The intervention used in this study is providing choices to the students on what homework assignments would they like to do.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Summary of Results __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Providing students with a choice of homework assignments may offer some qualitative increase in student enjoyment of the course by allowing them to feel like they have some control of their destiny. However, the cost of providing that flexibility is that students may not receive the same level of learning experience. As a result, their overall performance, and grade can be affected.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The results of this study reinforce what instructors have believed to be the case based on personal observations in the classroom. By allowing students to select a perceived “easier” choice homework, we are potentially providing a disservice to them in both their final grade in the course, and the knowledge gained.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">In general, as evidenced in our study, simply ensuring that assignment options have a similar required level of effort and are graded equitably is not sufficient. Consideration must be given to the learning experience gained from different choices, and their overall impact on the student. Even when student choices are aligned with course objectives, the results may not be equitable. Rather, it is critical to balance the advantages gained from providing students with choices with the overall student learning experience.