Planning: Action Research Proposal

First thoughts on planning for action research proposal:

• Introduction and setting
• Collection of data
• Hypothesis and rational
• Intended Solution
• Theories: Kurt Lewin's cycle of planning action and fact finding on action research. Specific or ambiguous. Reconnaissance process of observations. Piloting first solution. Plan amended then second cycle of pilot.
• Theories: Kolb's cyclical model of experiential learning.
• Theories: Schon's reflection in-action and on-action.
• Theories: Cohen & Manion on question formats.
• Product - what do I want to produce / achieve 
• concerns and summary

What aspects of my professional practice am I currently interested in developing: 

First idea: resources

1. Better access to shared resources
2. Development of contextual resources designed to empower students to take responsibility for their learning and to encourage self reflective practice, as this seems to be the initiative for employers today.
3. Where and how resources are saved and the format in which resources are developed.

Second idea: teaching strategies

1. To explore strategies that help disengaged students to re-engage with learning.
2. Classroom strategies for managing the NEET learner
3. Behavioural strategies for the NEET learner
4. Development of emotional strategies for helping NEETs to express and overcome individual barriers to learning.

Third idea: Evaluation of induction process to see if it can be changed to;

1. Enhance tutor group cohesion.
2. Improve retention of students
3. Improve attendance and punctuality
4. Promote and encourage more proactive learning from students

Raising The Age of School Leavers

Ed Balls wants to raise school leavers age to 17 years by 2013 and 18 years by 2015. On the 4th November 2007 it was also suggested that 9.4% of young people aged 16 to 18 years of are were classified as NEETS

BA Research Module Log

The following are my thoughts and ideas for my BA Research Module over the past couple of weeks:

28th January 2009 - To do list:

1. Locate module 5 of Cert Ed and evaluate letter of authorization letter used for action research.
   
2. Think about what research methods compliment my intended area of research.
3. Consider what kind of questionnaire needs to be created for my intended area of research.

Have just done an internet search on "strategies for teaching NEETs" - there does not seem to be any obvious websites etc. and no books. Maybe I am using the wrong phrases in the search engines. However did find out the Japanese work used to describe NEETs :

Hikikomori, which literally means 'pulling away and being confined'. This is the Japanese term to refer to teh phenomenon of reclusive individuals who have chosen to withdraw from social life. Hikikomori refers to both the sociological phenomenon in general use, as well as to individuals belonging to this societal group.

Currently 620,000 NEETs in Japan who are not proactively seeking employment or training. Japanese NEETs is used to include people aged 15 to 34, whereas over here in the UK we use it to describe those aged 16 to 18 years of ages.