Artifact #10- Research Proposal

Description:

My research proposal was developed in Spring 2024 for the course Research in Instruction with Professor McNary. For this assignment, a research proposal was written applying accepted procedures in qualitative and quantitative inquiry in the field of instructional technology. 

My research proposal suggested a mixed-method research design that will answer the research question: How does using digital game-based learning in the primary grades impact student achievement, classroom climate, and student engagement? My literature review includes information on many studies that support the effectiveness of digital game-based learning (DGBL) and additional findings could be critical to how instruction is taking place. My study proposes research in my school at the time, Magnolia Elementary in Harford County Public Schools, with two classes of about 20 students with varying needs that are divided into 2 groups of similar ability levels and diversity. The proposed study is an experimental design study where one group will participate in DGBL 3 times a week for 20 minutes and the other group will act as a control group with traditional curriculum and no DGBL. The anticipated outcome of the study is that students who participated in DGBL will have greater gains academically, as well as being more engaged and having a more positive classroom learning experience. All of the components are laid out in this proposal including a literature review, hypothesis, method, measures, procedure, design, data analysis, timeline, anticipated outcomes, and references.

 

Standard Alignment:

Standard #6- Data Driven Decision Maker

6a. Assist educators and leaders in securely collecting and analyzing student data.

This research proposal can be used to provide educators with a research design to collect and analyze student data in regards to the benefits of digital game-based learning according to student achievement, classroom climate and student engagement. If this research study is conducted, the findings could be critical to how instruction is taking place to support the wide range of needs, learning styles and class sizes that are occurring in schools today. 

6b. Support educators to interpret qualitative and quantitative data to inform their decisions and support individual student learning.

The research proposal on DGBL is a mixed method study and provides the researcher with a procedure on how data collection will occur and then be analyzed in terms of the qualitative and quantitative data that is collected. An analysis of variance will be used to look at and compare test scores between the control and experimental groups which will allow the researcher to identify any significant differences. Then, observations will be analyzed over the timeframe and all of these steps are laid out on a timeline for the researcher. The analysis will inform educators so they are able to make informed decisions and support student learning.

 

Reflection:

My research proposal assignment was based around Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) and the potential benefits and developed with the intention of the research study being conducted at Magnolia Elementary School, a title 1 school in Harford County Public Schools. The classes intended to be used with the design were 2 first grade classes with students of varying ability levels. For the design of this research study, students within the two classes would be regrouped so that the classes had groups of about 20 students of a more similar ability level and diversity. The study in the design is a mixed method study with an experimental design including a control group with traditional curriculum and no DGBL and an experimental group that participates in DGBL 3 times a week for 20 minutes. This study takes place over the course of one school year with the anticipated outcome being that the students who participated in DGBL will have greater gains academically, show evidence of being more engaged and having a more positive classroom environment.

The research proposal developed for this assignment aligns with the ISTE data driven decision maker principle. The research proposal could be used to help educators and leaders in securely collecting and analyzing student data by laying out a plan and research design to conduct this research related to DGBL. The findings could be critical to how instruction is taking place to support the wide range of needs, learning styles and class sizes that are occurring in schools today. Also, this proposal could support educators to interpret qualitative and quantitative data to inform their decisions and support individual student learning. The proposal provides the researcher with a procedure on how data collection will occur and then could be analyzed in terms of the qualitative and quantitative data that is collected. The timeline and components for the measure are outlined in the proposed research design.

This research proposal has not been used for a research study yet, but I do believe that it could be beneficial for educators and leaders if it is ever conducted. I know the data gained from the study would be valuable in terms of planning lessons and designing curriculum for the future.