1. Week 6 Final Paper I-Esha Rivera EDU671: Fundamentals of
Educational Research (MRD1423B) Instructor: Deborah Naughton
Monday, July 14th 2014 1
2. Does Parental Involvement Help to Improve and Maintain a
Students Academic Standing? 2
3. Area of Focus The purpose of this study is to determine if
parental involvement in students' scholastic activities has a
direct impact on the grades of those students. 3
4. 4 Explanation of Problem Currently, I tutor three boys in
the area of reading who are in the 3rd grade. Their reading scores
are quite low although, the tutoring sessions are helping. However,
there are several issues which led to this study. Currently, there
is no parental involvement in regard to these students, education
is handled solely by the teachers and the tutors of the three
students. There has been interest expressed by the students,
indicating a need for parental involvement. Low grades with
potential for improvement
5. Variables Three, 9 year old subjects of the research. Their
Parents, married, single or otherwise. The length of the study. The
homework packets The general involvement of the parents, the
students and myself regarding this study. 5
6. 6 Research Questions 1. Does parental involvement impact
students on an academic level? 2. Does the education level of the
parent(s) play a part in them assisting their children with their
homework? 3. Do students feel more confident with parental
involvement?
7. Locus of Control There are multiple issues which are outside
of my locus of control. If the parents are going to assist the
students with the packets. If the students are going to work to the
best of their ability. The final grade achieved by the student. I
can not control what the student or the parent are going to do in
regard to the reading packets. 7
8. Intervention/Innovation The intervention will begin on week
1, after a pretest is given to provide a current and accurate grade
of the student. Individual tests will be given on the subject of
reading based upon Common Core Standards for 3rd grade.. Beginning
with week 1, students A, B and C will be given a reading packet
that has to be done with a parent. When the homework is completed,
the parent will need to sign off on it and answer a brief
questionnaire regarding it and they will be asked how they thought
the student performed and if they noticed any likes or dislikes
regarding it. Any information that will help the student move
forward, the parent will be asked their opinion. 8
9. 9 Intervention/Innovation - Continued A sample of the
grading procedure is located below, After the 8th week and average
will be taken of the weeks during the study and that average will
either prove or disprove my study. This in addition to the
questionnaires and the surveys taken by the parents and the
students will be used as well.
10. Group Membership Self- Conductor of the study. Three, 9
year old, 3rd grade boys. (whom I tutor) These are the main
subjects of the study. The Parents Assistants to the main subjects
of the study, to help bring about a certain result. 10
11. Negotiations This study is being conducted by myself,
within my own place of business, with no outside business or
agency. The parents of each of the students will be notified about
the study and if the parents wish their child not to participate
then that child will be removed from the study. 11
12. Ethics The potential challenges regarding this study would
be for me to conduct a fair study. To remove (if) any reservations
and/or biases, that I may have concerning the children or their
parents and proceed in the best interests of the children as well
as the study. 12
13. Timeline 13
14. Statement of Resources Permission from each of the parents
for their childs participation in the study. 8 Reading Packets
containing comprehension, spelling, grammar, sentence composition,
storytelling, etc. Questionnaires for both students as well as
parents in regard to how the study is changing their perceptions on
parent involvement. 14
15. Data Collection 15
16. Week 4 AssiWeek 4 Intervention PlanR eference List 11 16 1
Ferrance, E. (2000). Themes in education: Action research.
Providence, RI: LAB at Brown University. Retrieved from
http://www.brown.edu/academics/education-alliance/
sites/brown.edu.academics.education-alliance/
files/publications/act_research.pdf Chang, J. C. (2005).
Faculty-Student interaction at the community college: A focus of
color. Research in Higher Education. 46(7), 769-802. McNeal, R.
(1999) Parental Involvement as Social Capital: Differential
Effectiveness on Science Achievement, Truancy, and Dropping Out.
Social Forces, 117-144. Retrieved, from
http://sf.oxfordjournals.org/content/78/1/117.short Olsen, G.,
& Fuller, M. (2010, June 16). The Benefits of Parent
Involvement: What Research Has to Say. . Retrieved , from
http://www.education.com/reference/article/benefits-parent-involvement-research/
Walker J, Hoover-Dempsey K, Reed R, Jones K. "Can You Help Me with
My Homework?" Elementary School Children's Invitations and
Perspectives on Parental Involvement. [serial online]. April 27,
2000;Available from: ERIC, Ipswich, MA. Accessed June 26,
2014.
