As college students we may often find ourselves going through the motions of reading assignments, and at times may not be conceptualizing the material that we are reading. This is an issue that research David Arias a high school science teacher began to notice in his students. Arias argues, that many students are not capable of accessing content through their reading material. In his past classes he noticed his students did not have the knowledge of how to search through a book, however they knew how to decipher good information for the junk.

In his research titled, Action Research Proposal: The effect of conceptual change and literacy strategies on students in high school science classes, California State University, Northridge. In his research Arias was curious to explore the idea of conceptual change, and to find out how students who are consistently being exposed to ideas, and concepts, are still unable to grasp the information. In his proposal Arias states the purpose of his paper is to, “determine how conceptual change that uses literacy strategies affects students’ achievement in a science class. ” In order to receive the data Arias asks the following research questions: Which strategies help students access the content in a biology class or integrated coordinated science class? Can conceptual change affect students’ success in a biology class? Which literacy strategies in conjunction with conceptual change affect students’ prior knowledge? For the purpose of the study conceptual change refers to a teaching strategy that requires students to reorganize the conceptual framework in order to learn something.

The potential participant in the study will be Arias’ current students for the upcoming school year. Arias would potentially be observing three biology classes (38, 10th grade), as well as two integrated coordinated classes (40, 9th grade). The potential participants backgrounds is stated to be diverse, ranging from mixed socioeconomic statuses, race, and gender, with a wide variety of abilities. Class period run for and hour and fifty minutes, except for Tuesdays.

The proposed research will take part over 16 weeks. Arias states in his proposal that the data collection will be scaffold dependent on the data. for each unit studied the students will be given a pre and post test. Questions on the test would vary from true/false, multiple choice, and free response. Survey’s will also be a part of the study, and collected on a bi-weekly basis.

Data collected for the study will be analyzed with regards to the data collected. The students survey results will be coded and reviewed for factors. Inferential statistics will be used only if Arias’ class schedule changes in the upcoming school semester. Any field notes made by Arias will be coded.

Arias’ proposed research seems to be clearly laid out, and he seems to have a good understanding of how his students minds work, and is looking for a way to help them better understand the material. Reading through the proposal he clearly stated his methods, as well as questions he hoped to answer at the end of his study.