Case Study

Alpha and Sara

Backgrounds

Alpha Entered 11th grade Taught alpha

general anatomy and physiology

Reading level 6th grade

Sara Entered 10th grade Taught general

anatomy and physiology and AP biology

Reading level on or above above grade level

Social differences

Alpha Very happy to come Made friends very

easily Optimistic outlook

on life Accepted into social

group

Sara very happy to come Made friends less

easily, had smaller group of friends

Optimistic outlook Disappointed in

social group

Writing samples “The experiment was a good

experiment for me and I enjoyed it. It wasn’t the best lab I’ve done before, but it was different. I was impress by temperature part of the experiment I’ve should of expected water to be the warmest temperate from boiling things. I didn’t know that much about the elements except water to really predict anything for the outcome for the experiment. I like that procedure of the experiment and how the elements had reacted. The Elements reacted in temperature excepted HCl which stayed at 0. I learned stuff from working with these elements and what they could do.”

As temperature increased, catalase reactions decreased. For the cold temperature, the height was 6 centimeters, however, for room temperature, it dropped to 5 centimeters. When the catalase was placed in hot water, the catalase was nearly inactive with only .2 centimeters of bubbles. According the data of the experiment testing pH and catalase activity, the closer to neutral acidity the solution was, the more active the Catalase. A strong acid (pH of 1), HCl, produced no bubbles, however, with a neutral acid (pH of 7), H2O, produced 4 centimeters of bubbles. A weak acid, (pH of 3) CH3COOH (diluted), resulted in 3 centimeters of bubbles.

Behavior in class

Alpha No behavior

problems Wanted to learn,

tried, participated Knew social cues

well

Sara No behavior

problems (chatty, giggled)

Worked very well with others, helped those that needed it

Note- taking

Alpha Struggled with

notes Listened well, but

did not translate into good notes

Wrote down what was on the board but little else, missed cues, often missed asking questions

Sara Great note-taker Listened well, asked

good questions Took great notes Clear that she

thought metacognitively

Reading level

Alpha Poor reading skills 6th grade reading

ability, although understood content when listening

Trouble with reading textbook

Knew when he didn’t understand, didn’t know what to do

Sara Needed some

confidence but read well

High metacognition and good reading strategies

Self-Efficacy

“A high degree of self-efficacy is associated with high academic performance and the use of self-regulatory strategies”

(Bembenutty, p. 458)

Both alpha and sara needed encouragement, but alpha by far how lower self-efficacy.

Sara merely needed to see that she could actually do it

Self-efficacy- Maladaptive homework behavior

Alpha Misregulation-

› doing homework with bad habits, TV, rushing

Underregulation› Setting poor

standards› Doing only the

minimal

Sara Defensive

pessimism› Seen more in

beginning Sometimes self-

handicapped› Poor planning› Other

commitments

Self-regulation

Alpha Wants to do well but

doesn’t understand the strategies

Tries to do homework, often reflecting no understanding

Doesn’t reread

Sara Sets internal goals Asks questions

Self-regulation

Involves Attention Organization Elaboration Critical thinking Rehearsal Learning strategies Monitoring ( Bembenutty p.

456)

Alpha needed help with elaboration, rehearsal, and learning strategies

Sara needed help with critical thinking, learning strategies, and some elaboration

Action Plan-self-efficacy

Alpha Building smaller

goals in tutoring More appropriate

tasks “linking new work to

recent successes” (Margolis & McCabe,

2004, p 241)

Sara Encourage “reinforcing effort”

Action plan -Motivation

“Two of the more important components were controlling task difficulty and sequencing tasks from easy to difficult”

(Margolis & McCabe, p.241)

For goals to positively influence self-efficacy and motivation, then need to be personally important to struggling learners, short-term, specific, and achievable.

(p. 245)

Action Plan- Motivation

Alpha- In tutoring, set goals

for studying and homework

Teach him to set goals

Show him how to study (sequencing tasks)

Design plans with this in mind

Sara Allow time for her to

talk through the lesson (class discussions)

She should have that opportunity to grapple with the material, challenge

Sequencing is important, but move to difficult faster

Action plan- Learning strategies Elaboration

› Graphic organizers› Mind mapping› K-W-L

Rehearsal› Use of mnemonics› “DeNaIn”› “Alligator in Moat”

((Roe, Stoodt-Hill, & Burns, 2011)

Critical thinking- learning transfer

Elaboration Rehearsal

Action Plan - Learning strategies- both students Building reading

skills- reading with metacognition› INSERT› Marking the text

Studying- › teach study skills,

flash cards, post-its› Review, reread› Goals for studying

((Roe, Stoodt-Hill, & Burns, 2011)

Action plan – Self regulationhomework Teachers should

“help learners to be self-regulated and to use their volition and willpower to avoid distraction, sustain motivation, regulate emotions, and manage actions”

(Bembenutty, H, 2011, pg. 452)

Teachers should provide meaningful homework assignments to stimulate interest.

“assign homework that has a clear purpose and rational and is meaningful” (pg 453)  

References

Bembenutty, H. (2011) Meaningful and Maladaptive Homework practices: The role of self-efficacy and self-regulation. Journal of Advanced Academics. 22(3). p. 448-473

Margolis, H & McCabe P. (2004). Self Efficacy, A Key to Improving the Motivation of Struggling Learners. The Clearing House. 77(6). P. 241-248

Gillis, V. R. & MacDougall, G. (2007). Reading to learn science as an active process: using learning cycles in the classroom can actively engage students in thinking, talking, reading, and writing about science. Science Teacher, 74 (5). 45-50.

Roe, B, Stood-hill, B, & Burns, P. (2011). Secondary School Literacy Instruction. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.