EDD/581 Action Research Proposal

(Alisha L Boykin)
Action Research Proposal 1

I. Problem Statement

Incorporating a life skill mentoring program for senior athletes which teaches them interviewing tips, professional networking through social media, and resume building for their first out of college professional interview. The problem is a lack of resume skill building not being taught through out a senior athletes four year college training. They learned the skill but how do they land the job? I had the honor in interviewing a legion in the sports industry by the name of June Jones, head football coach for SMU.

I asked June if he agreed with this statement, he answered by stating, I would say that statement is 100% true maybe 10 years ago but many schools including SMU are implementing exactly what the problem statement is suggesting. A lot of schools dont realize how this is an issue for graduates and SMU is actually one of the last schools to realize this is a problem.

Action Research Proposal

II. Problem Description

Personally influencing the problem: Upon narrowing of the problem, a class should be taught four times a year which produces the necessary steps a senior athlete can take to prepare an outstanding unique resume that will transition them from college student to college graduate, land the interview, and advance in there new career. What possible difficulties one may encounter producing such a class?

Junes Response: Getting the students to utilize the resources that are given to them, students are not motivated to want to attend a class.

What are some reasons why the problem has not been addressed?

Junes Response: It starts with the school system, schools are moving away from teaching students a new trade, there taking away opportunities to learn a new trade that can make a future graduate marketable.

If there are difficulties producing a class like this, how can they be fixed?

Junes Response: You have to make it mandatory for these students, find something they are passionate about and make them work hard towards it.

What is the rationale for selecting action research to address the problem?

My Response: action research is initiated to solve an immediate problem. In this problem if I can make a class like this mandatory for all senior athletes I would know that what they can accomplish can help support the next level they are pursuing.

Action Research Proposal

III. Purpose of the Project

The purpose of this project is to form a class that can provide senior athletes the

purpose of preparing for the next level of there life after they graduate, what if you dont make it to the professional league or to the Olympics, so what will your plan be? Questions for June: Do you personally think a class like this can be effective towards senior athletes since they are the target?
Absolutely, here at SMU they have a life skills program for freshman and

sophomores that give them a small lead way in preparing them for after college experiences, now as for the juniors and seniors there life skills class is more detailed. The class is not mandatory and as for my football players, I make it mandatory for them to take, I make them take the life skills class.
What do you think can be accomplished in producing a class like this? I think a students self-esteem and confidence can go way up, these students are motivated to want to learn. If you make it mandatory, let them know they cant graduate unless the class is taken is what will inspire them.

Can you provide any direction on this project?

Like I mentioned before it really needs to be implemented as

mandatory like learning Math or English, this class should be added to any state level college. As a mandatory class to take in order to Action Research Proposal 4 graduate.

IV. Writers Role

How do I relate to this project?
I can relate to this project in one major way, as a senior athlete myself I

wasnt taught the basic skills I needed to land an interview or write a professional cover letter/resume. Thats why I felt Its a subject that needs to be discussed in a students final year of graduation.

Why did I pick this topic?

I picked this topic because I have read way to many stories about athletes

who think they are going to make the professional league and end up injured and out of the game there entire life or just not one of the chosen ones. Its a touchy subject to realize a student will possibly have to get a professional job after practicing a skill there entire life to only be told your not pro material.

How is this topic influences or is influenced by my

role in my current setting?

This topic influences me in my current role because I am a motivator, I

volunteer, and work with a group of people who feel they arent good enough but are willing to work towards getting better. 5

Action Research Proposal

V. Problem Documentation
Students arent motivated to take a class like this, so I

need to find out why.

In the 10-item survey the groups that will be surveyed

are senior athletes that attend Southern Methodist University.

The elements of the problem: I am exploring the purpose

of having a life skills class that prepares a senior athlete for a professional career after graduation. The targeting groups are all senior athletes who attend SMU.

Action Research Proposal

Survey below.

Survey Alisha Boyki n EDD/58 1 Mo nd ay, Fe br ua ry 24, 2 014 Leslie Jo nes

Survey
QUALITY COMPARISON SURVEY
For e ach item identifi ed b elo w, circle the n um ber to the ri ght th at best fits you r j udgm ent of its qu ality . Use the scale abo ve t o select the q ualit y num be r .

Nam e: Age: Gend er:

Scale Item Y e s Item Maybe N o

2. 1 2 3 4 5

Scale Y e s

Maybe

N o

1.

Taking a life skill building class is something that will benefit me after graduation.

Do I reall y need to take a career building course since I plan to make a professional career in athletics? Is basic cover le tter building important to me?

3.

Is basic resume building important to me?

4.

5.

Do I need to kno w h o w to properl y dress fo r an intervie w? Do I need to kno w the proper te rminology to use in an inter vie w? W oman, is it okay to wear loud je welr y and hea vy perfumes on an inte rvie w?

6. 1 2 3 4 5

Do I need to kno w what colors NOT to wear in a n intervie w? Is it okay to be on m y cell phone in the waiting room before my inter vie w? Men, Can I sagg my pan ts or wear jeans in an intervie w?

7.

8. 1 2 3 4 5

9.

10. 1 2 3 4 5

Action Research Proposal

VI. Literature Review

Author of the Study Title of the Study Purpose of the study
Pertinent findings that support your project: Ernie Stringer Writing Formal Reports Section 2: Literature Review, page 131. Resume Ready
Showing participants the way in which data will be used to formulate actions. To describe a complete guide for writing a truly effective resume. Taking a proactive approach to getting what you want out of academic work and being a good colleague.

Chapter 6 of the online eBook Action Research in Education. Document URL:

http://search.proquest.com.ezpr oxy.apollolibrary.com/docview/2 23757510?accountid=458

Lisa Danes

Rebecca Boden Debbie Epstein Jane Kenway

Building Your Academic Career

Document URL:
http://av4kc7fg4g.search.serialssolution s.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/?ctx_v er=Z39.882004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3A UTF8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutio ns.com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx: book&rft.genre=book&rft.title=Building+ your+academic+career&rft.au=Rebecca +Boden&rft.au=Debbie+Epstein&rft.au= Jane+Kenway&rft.series=The+Academi c%27s+Support+Kit&rft.date=2007-0130&rft.pub=Sage+Publications+Ltd&rft.i sbn=9781412907019&rft.externalDocID =9781849202152&paramdict=en-US

Career Confidential, LLC

Job Interview Question -Answer

A free interactive video app that helps you practice your answers to tough interview questions in an easy-to-use mock interview format.
Help businesses and individuals gain a competitive edge by

iPhone app retrieved from:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/j ob-interview-questionanswer/id527637543?mt=8

Shawn E. Gilleylen

Five Fearless Interviewing Tips

Document URL:
http://search.proquest.com.ezpr

Action Goal
The goal of the intervention is to increase effectiveness of college

senior athletes to be motivated in taking the next step in there life serious. It needs to be reported that there is no guarantee that an athlete graduating from college will land a professional sports career. It is determine to guide these students into a back-up plan. Your rsum is your chance to display your qualifications, skills, and ambitions. It is a record of your goals and successes, and a way of communicating your capabilities to a potential employer. The rsum conveys to others what you already know, namely that you are a competent, distinctive, and enthusiastic candidate for the position. A three-prong intervention will be implemented to implement the goal which includes discussing the plan of intervention to the head of the department. This will include teacher/coaches training, support from family, and a semester collaboration Action Research Proposal 9 supported by administration and coaches.

Selected Solutions
The appendix section of this research will provide sample questionnaires,

worksheets, and summarys of information the reader may refer to. Items attached.

Action Research Proposal

10

Calendar Plan, Weeks 1-4

O O O

There will be one class for each fall, winter, spring and summer semester. Two instructors will teach the course, there will be guest speakers, field trips, and one-onone experiences, along with mock trials. Each student will be evaluated after each quarterly week along with constructive feedback with an open question and discussion session.
Weeks 1-4 Teaching Resume Content and Editing

Writing a Resume is an art, not a science. There is no one correct way to formulate your resume, but there are some best practices and standards that this class recommends. Stand out from the crowd with high quality content and a clearly written, error-free document. What to expect: Putting resume in Reverse Chronological Order Adding accomplishment Statements (Bullet Points)

Length of the resume

Using appropriate Margins to catch the readers eye Picking a professional and visible Font Formatting your resume to be consistent Accuracy, your resume must be error free Picking and using High Quality paper

Action Research Proposal

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Calendar Plan, Weeks 5-8

Weeks 5-8 Creating a Cover Letter

The prospect of creating a resume can be a daunting one for a college student. After all what of great significance have you done at this early stage of your life? However, you may be surprised about the types of things that employers value in a college applicant and how simple it might be for you to demonstrate that you have the right stuff, so lets get started! What to expect: Taking inventory of your college experiences, i.e. academics, school activities, community services, athletics, jobs (if any), and internships. Painting a dynamic picture of yourself by using action verbs.

Use responsible and impressive elements of your college experiences.

Adding general positive results that generate accomplishments.

Adding references to your success as a student. Including academic projects such as capstones, senior thesis, and independent studies which showcase writing and presentation skills.
Employers value leadership; here you will include any organizing, recruiting, leading, training, and motivating activities you have been involved with. Obsessively reviewing your document and making sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors.

Action Research Proposal

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Calendar Plan, Weeks 9-12

Weeks 9-12 Interning and Social Media Networking

How important is it really to do an internship before applying for a job? Do you need to get the hands-on experience that is talked about when discussing the importance of internships or is it really a matter of just landing the right job? Over the next four weeks you will understand the importance of getting an internship which can be beneficial to landing your career after college. What to expect: Do you have time to do an internship? School and sports can be over whelming which can keep a student extremely busy, consider interning locally or within your own school. Is this field right for me; internships are a relevant way to gain knowledge, skills, and experience along with networking. Its also a way to find out if a specific field is something you can find yourself doing as a full-time job. Financial consideration. Most intern positions are unpaid, so its good to determine if accepting is suitable financially for you. The benefits of doing an internship.

Creating a LinkedIn page

Creating a professional AboutMe.com page Joining MeetUp.com Joining organizations and attending events where you can pass out business cards and network.

Action Research Proposal

13

Calendar Plan, Weeks 13-16

Weeks 5-8 Creating a Cover Letter

The prospect of creating a resume can be a daunting one for a college student. After all what of great significance have you done at this early stage of your life? However, you may be surprised about the types of things that employers value in a college applicant and how simple it might be for you to demonstrate that you have the right stuff, so lets get started! What to expect: Taking inventory of your college experiences, i.e. academics, school activities, community services, athletics, jobs (if any), and internships. Painting a dynamic picture of yourself by using action verbs.

Use responsible and impressive elements of your college experiences.

Adding general positive results that generate accomplishments. Adding references to your success as a student. Including academic projects such as capstones, senior thesis, and independent studies which showcase writing and presentation skills. Employers value leadership; here you will include any organizing, recruiting, leading, training, and motivating activities you have been involved with. Obsessively reviewing your document and making sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors.

Action Research Proposal

14

Expected Outcomes
O Observable Data: There are many forms of

observational data to be collected in this research study while creating this particular course, here are a few goals listed below: 1. Creating field notes 2. Keeping logs of effective material delivered. 3. Creating narratives 4. Having a checklist 5. Videotaping the mock trial sessions. 6. Using organizational charts/maps
Action Research Proposal 15

Measurement of Outcomes
O The focus on this action research project is to create

a class that can help make college senior athletes more marketable after graduation with learning the proper basic skills needed to prepare for an interview and starting there career.
O Administrated surveys will be given at the

beginning, middle, and end of the semester. O Checklist for discussion groups will be used during the semester. O Collecting data that can be used to improve future courses.
Action Research Proposal 16

Analyzing the Results

O The college senior athletes that are attending Southern

Methodist University are expected to increase by as little as 80% which leaves room for those who simply refuse to answer questions, participate, interact with others in class, and volunteer to want to improve. The outcome was 100%, the other 20% also reflects how the students will take in and use the material that was given to them to be and dress professional at a job interview and learn how to properly prepare a basic cover letter and resume and network with others through attending networking events and through social media sites like LinkedIn and Aboutme.com.
Action Research Proposal 17

Solution Strategy
O Problem = The problem was after graduation from college, senior

athletes felt they deserve the opportunity to pursue a professional sports career, however that does not work for everyone so the purpose of this class is to prepare students for another chapter in there life, if a professional career in sports does not work then marketing yourself to start a career is the next best thing.
O How would I fix the problem = These students need to know there

are always options if you are willing to work hard at making them succeed, the knowledge being learned in this class is being instructed for them to thrive in a world after graduation. The point of instruction is not to make them feel as if they will not succeed in a professional career in sports but to know they have to keep there options open and learn how to be marketable and network if that does not happen.
Action Research Proposal 18

Presenting my findings and to whom

O In an ongoing process, Action

Research continues to observe, reflect, and plan. O My findings of this Action Research would be shared with colleagues, administrators, and other stakeholders. It would also be presented to the proposal department Action Proposal 19 ofResearch SMU.

Photo I took with June Jones, head football coach for SMU.

Action Research Proposal

20

Audio from the interview with June Jones

Click me

Action Research Proposal

21

References
Personal Interview: Jones, J, (2014, February, 4). Personal interview at Sothern Methodist University (SMU).

June Jones is the head football coach at Southern Methodist University (SMU), where he has served as head coach since the 2008 season and former professional football player. Jones was the head football coach at the University of Hawaii at Manoa from 1999 to 2007. Previously, he coached in the National Football League: a three-year tenure as head coach of the Atlantic Falcons from 1994 to 1996 and a ten-game stint as interim head coach of the San Diego Chargers in 1998.

Resume Guide for Teachers. DePaul University Career Center. Retrieved from: http://careercenter.depaul.edu/_documents/Resume%20Guide%20for%20Teachers%20final %20revised.pdf Danes, L. (2007, 08). Resume ready. Aircraft Maintenance Technology, 18, 34-36. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/223757510?accountid=458 Gilleylen, S. E. (2007, May). Five fearless interviewing tips. Washington Informer. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/367483683?accountid=458 Hendricks, C. (2009). Strategies for Collecting Data. Improving Schools Through Research: A Comprehensive Guide for Educators (p. 81-82). Columbus, OH. Merrill Action Research Proposal 22