Date

2009

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Department

Teacher Education

Abstract

Teaching the required 9th grade curriculum was leaving my students bored and unsuccessful in my class. I wanted to try and find a way to motivate my students using the curriculum to be more successful. Thus I created my action research thesis that posed the question what will be the effect of using a thematic based curriculum be on my teaching? The research was based on my observations of one of my 9th grade classes, and the daily reflections on how to improve future lessons. I looked at previous research on the reasons for the lack of student motivation, as well as topics such as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, student collaborations, and teacher-student relationships. The three major findings of the observations were that the students were motivated most when they got to work with their fellow classmates in partners or groups. Also when they got to do hands-on activities such as using whiteboards for assignments. And last, that in order to build intrinsic motivation the students need initial immediate feedback so they know they are doing their work correctly, or else they will quit. With my findings and the research that I did I can continue to build my curriculum so that I keep it motivating for my students, and so they can be successful in my class.

Comments

Thesis (M.A.) Teacher Education Department

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