Action Research Proposal Presentation Jamie Burkley EDU 671 Fundamentals of Educational Research Instructor: Newton Miller Date: March 22, 2015

Contents Area of Focus Explanation of Problem Research Questions Literature Review Intervention/Innovation Population Ethics Timeline Data Collection/Analysis

Area of Focus The purpose of this study is to better improve student development and academics while attending college by improving student housing and other campus facilities

Explanation of Problem Current campus facilities lack certain aspects to accommodate basic campus needs Health and counseling center needed for students to combat illnesses and promote mental stability Campus housing needs to be more sustainable for the future and updated to keep up with new technological advances in society

Research Questions 1.What facilities can the school build/improve on in order to help improve the students’ college experience? 2.Will new residence halls and other campus facilities improve on student retention? 3.How will the building of new campus facilities be funded?

Review of Literature Quality facilities on campus is crucial to adding value to the institution Facilities enhance the schools marketability and strengthens and facilitates in the recruitment of quality staff and students 60% of students in a recent study stated that the quality of the buildings on campus influence their decision to attend a school

Intervention/Innovation Planning IRB permission to conduct research Participant consent Data collection through surveys, formal interviews and focus groups will begin Data analysis and presentation to board Building Upon approval, selection of building site as well as design and construction team Process completion will take approximately months Satisfaction survey at end of building

Population 20 on-campus students: 10 male & 10 female – 6 Caucasian, 6 Black, 4 Hispanic and 4 Asian 2 Housing administrators – Director of Housing & Area Coordinator of Housing Assistant Director of Retention Services Director of Student Affairs 2 Faculty Members

Ethics Philosophy: to help students achieve their goals in a safe and clean environment Social Principles: Equality in the campus community help improve and increase their learning abilities Harm: a campus that is sustainable and updated promotes student academics and campus safety, help the school maintain admissions and recruitment goals, while also keeping up with current trends Protection: Consent will also be obtained form all students and study participants can at any time withdraw from the study without any prejudicial effects to their education Bias: Outside opinions will be an integral part in receiving unbiased opinions while conducting surveys and interviews

Timeline The total time of the process would be an estimated months to completion

Data Collection Research QuestionsData Collection ToolWhy this tool? Justify its use in your study. How does it match with what you are attempting to find and to measure? Time Frame: How and when data will be collected 1.What facilities can the school build/improve on in order to help improve the students’ college experience? Student Survey/ Questionnaire The survey/questionnaire method matches this question because we get to know firsthand from the students what they really want. It will allow the researcher to collect a large quantity of data in a short time. Student surveys will be administered through a secure account and submitted through an interface. The timeline for completion of survey is two weeks 2.Will new residence halls and other campus facilities improve on student retention? Student Focus Group A focus group will allow students to talk freely amongst each other about what will keep them in college until they obtain a degree. The teacher researcher can pose questions to the group and encourage all participants to respond. Study participant focus group will be conducted over the course of two weeks in a off campus meeting room 3.How will the building of new campus facilities be funded? Structured Formal Interviews The interviews will consist of higher administration being asked questions about the funding of new facilities, where the money will come from and what does the administration need to do to make sure this process is done well. Formal interviews will be conducted in an off campus meeting room and the process will take approximately three weeks to complete.

Data Analysis Researchers will use Spearman Rho and Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient to assess instrument reliability and validity. All data collected will be collated and organized into a useable format using measures of central tendency: mean, median and mode and percentages. This phase of the intervention will take approximately10 to12 weeks.

References Carroll, J. X., Carnaghi, J. E., Lempfert, T. J., & Johnes, K. H. (2003). What Comes First: The Program or the Facility? New Directions for Student Services, Falk, C. F., & Blaylock, B. K. (2013). STRATEGICALLY PLANNING CAMPUSES FOR THE “NEWER STUDENTS” IN HIGHER EDUCATION. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, Trinklein, A. I. (2009, April 1). Sustainability and Residence Hall Construction. Journal of College & University Student Housing, Vidalakis, C., Sun, M., & Papa, A. (2013). The quality and value of higher education facilities: a comparative study