This action research project report was conducted in order to increase motivation and engagement in elementary and middle school students through technology-supported learning environments. The study was conducted from August 27, 2012, through December 14, 2012 with 116 participating students in first-, fourth-, fifth- and eighth-grade classes. To…

This study describes a program designed to improve reading comprehension through the selection, application, and transfer of appropriate reading strategies with both fictional and informational texts. The targeted population consisted of seventh and eighth grade middle school students in a middle-class community in the western suburbs of Chicago,…

This report describes a program implemented to raise the awareness of the dramatic increases of reported academic cheating, to influence the attitudes of the targeted students towards cheating, and ultimately to reduce incidents of cheating in the targeted classrooms. The targeted populations consisted of middle school students in growing…

This report describes a program for increasing student reading comprehension. The targeted population consisted of seventh grade students in a growing middle class community located in Illinois. The problem of low reading comprehension was documented through teacher, student, and parent surveys. In addition, reading interest inventories, and…

The purpose of the study was to compare two methods of learning multiplication facts in order to develop speed and accuracy. The researcher conducted the action research project with a seventh grade enrichment class, which met for seven weeks during the school year. As part of the curriculum students were provided with activities to refine their…

This report describes a program for improving reading comprehension through cooperative learning. The targeted population consisted of elementary and middle school students in growing middle class communities, located in northern Illinois. The problems of reading comprehension in content areas were documented through teacher observation and…

This action research project was designed to implement a language arts program using multiple intelligences to develop more positive attitudes toward grammar instruction and to help promote the transfer of grammar skills to daily writing and speaking tasks. The targeted population consisted of second, fourth, and eighth grade students in four…

An action research project was designed and implemented to improve student motivation and performance levels in middle school music performance programs. The targeted population consisted of 43 eighth-grade band and choral students in two diverse suburbs of a large Midwestern city. The problem of lack of motivation to achieve high levels of…

This report describes a program for improving student vocabulary skills. The targeted population was fifth and sixth grade students in two growing middle class communities located north of a large midwestern city. The problem of low vocabulary skills was documented through observation of student reading and writings, teacher surveys, classroom…

This paper describes a program designed to compare students' attitudes towards the use of traditional and alternative assessment practices. The targeted population consisted of a second and third grade general education class, a third grade physical education class, and an eighth grade applied technology class in three communities in northern…

This report describes a program for advancing character education by expanding school goals of respect and responsibility and developing emotional intelligence by using the current curriculum. Targeted population consisted of elementary students in one first grade class and one fourth grade class, and middle school students in one sixth grade…

This study describes a program for students in the target 4th, 7th, and 8th grades who exhibit low achievement in writing. This low achievement affects behaviors, attitudes, and peer interactions. Discipline referrals, district assessments, and teacher written assessments substantiate this dilemma. Probable cause for lack of writing skills has…

An action research project was developed and implemented using student self monitoring of higher order thinking skills and task management to improve the music skills of a fifth grade beginning band (n=30) from a small middle school located in a rural midwest village. Evidence of the problem was documented with a performance test, a written test,…

This report intends to describe a program designed to enhance reading comprehension. Reading comprehension relies on skills that enable students to remember facts, draw out main ideas, make inferences, and relate reading to personal experiences. The focus group consisted of middle and high school students in a metropolitan area in northern…

This report describes a program designed to empower students through the use of the democratic classroom to improve students' attitudes toward school. Targeted population consisted of sixth grade students in a growing middle class community, located in a major midwestern city. The problem of poor student attitude was documented through data…