1. ACTION RESEARCH PROPOSAL Erik Carroll

2. AREA-OF-FOCUS STATEMENT The purpose of this study is to get kids moving!

3. EXPLANATION OF PROBLEM

4. VARIABLES Experimental Group: Period One 8 th grade females Control Group: Period Two 8 th grade females Experimental group will be grouped by ability, randomly, gender, or given own choice for groups. Control group will only be grouped randomly.

5. RESEARCH QUESTIONS Which grouping strategy will maximize the engagement observed in a given activity in my physical education classes? Is the level of engagement in a given activity more connected to how I group students or the activity itself?

6. LOCUS OF CONTROL I decide the choice of groups I decide the activity The locus of control is definitely with the teacher researcher

7. DESCRIPTION OF INTERVENTION For a given activity I will group my students in a variety of ways including by ability, by gender, randomly, and by student-choice.

8. GROUP MEMBERSHIP 8 th grade female students and the teacher both play vital role for success of this action research project

9. NEGOTIATIONS Permission from students to be able to use their responses Must give assurance their answers are anonymous

10. ETHICS Improving my teaching practice is not an ethical concern. Conducting research on a particular group of students who have a visible deficiency in an area is also not an ethical concern.

11. TIMELINE 3 weeks total Days 1,2,3 Students grouped by their choice Days 4,5,6 Students grouped randomly Days 7,8,9 Students grouped by ability Days 10,11,12 Students grouped by gender

12. RESOURCES Equipment for Activities (i.e. Wall Balls) Surveys Interview Questions Random Number Generator Observation Notes of Students

13. DATA COLLECTION Attitudes towards PE? Attitude Scale, informal ethnographic interview, questionnaire Attitudes toward activity? Attitude Scale, informal ethnographic interview, questionnaire Engaged in activity? Active participant observation, passive observation, questionnaire

14. REFERENCES Bibik, J. M., Goodwin, S. C., & Omega-Smith, E. M. (2007). High School Students' Attitudes Toward Physical Education in Delaware. Physical Educator, 64(4), 192-204. Fagrell, B., Larsson, H., & Redelius, K. (2011). The game within the game: Girls' underperforming position in Physical Education. Gender and Education, 1-18. doi: 10.1080/09540253.2011.582032 Hill, G., & Hannon, J. C. (2008). An Analysis of Middle School Students Physical Education Physical Activity Preferences. Physical Education, 65(4), 180-194. Koca, C. (2009). Gender Interaction in Coed Physical Education: A Study in Turkey. Adolescence, 44, 165-185. Mills, G. E. (2014). Action research: A guide for the teacher researcher (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (1979). Ethical principles and guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research. The Belmont Report. Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/belmont.htmlEthical principles and guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/belmont.html