Steps to Implement Action Research

Examining the Work: Setting the Foundation

Through meetings and collaboration with all of the stakeholders on campus who work closely with and/or teach student-athletes the issue of student-athlete grade variation from season to season is identified as a concern and the need for an academic support system for athletes is suggested.

Analyzing Data

Look at student-athlete grades for each six weeks and academic performance in / out of season.  Use results of surveys and research to determine positive factors identified by both students and staff.  Interview students and staff as needed to clarify findings. 

Developing a Deeper Understanding

Initial review, survey, and research have potential to reveal additional factors and re-occurring tendencies that vary with gender and age.  I will probably need to interview student-athletes and compile data based on gender and grade level within sports and their seasons.  Discussions with personnel and campuses that currently have procedures which provide academic assistance to student-athletes will be beneficial in getting a better understanding of how to best provide a support network for our student-athletes.

 

Engaging in Self-Reflection

As a current coach and hopeful athletic administrator, I am excited about this research and being able to discover ways to help our student-athletes be successful academically throughout the entire school year.  I am confident that I will be able to gather the information necessary to reveal the elements influencing academic achievement for student-athletes and steps to providing a support network for them.

Exploring Programmatic Problems

Speak with coaches, athletic coordinator, administrators, and site supervisor to discuss and gather various opinions of increasing positive factors and decreasing negative factors.  Also, collaborate with them to determine the pros and cons of different methods of an academic support network to weed out procedures that would not benefit our stakeholders.

Determining Direction

I will need to make adjustments in my timeline as needed in order to acquire and analyze all needed data.  As other factors are revealed, I may need to subgroup research information as well as create plans of intervention and assistance that are more specific to each subgroup.

Taking Action For School Improvement

I will utilize groups such as coaches to assist me in my action research project.  I will submit the information gathered to athletic director, Kyle Craighead, and principal, Virdie Montgomery, for review before implementation.

Sustained Improvement

Results will be shared with the entire coaching staff to show the specific factors that have an effect on our student-athlete grades, and how and why averages differ from season to season with them.  Also, results of how academic support networks have helped in improving student-athlete performance throughout the entire school year and how implementation of such on our campus can benefit the culture and climate of our school.