ACTION RESEARCH: PROVIDING STRATEGIES TO VITh GRADE STUDENTS FOR PROPER MAINTENANCE OF NOTEBOOKS AND TEXTBOOKS

ABSTRACT

The action research was carried out to improve caring and maintenance of text books and note books in B.S.F Senior Secondary school, Jalandhar Cantt.. It was an effort to provide strategies for proper maintenance of text books and note books by the VIth standard students of the school. Interventions focused on problem about improper maintenance of books by VIth standard students so as to make them aware about importance of caring and maintain books to have enhanced teaching learning process, which in a way helps the students to perform and achieve better in academics.

INTRODUCTION

A textbook is a standardised manual of instruction in a particular branch of study. It is a collection of knowledge, concepts, and principles of selected topics. Textbooks are written by one or more teachers, college professors or education experts and published according to the needs of curriculum and educational institutions. In India, National Council for Educational Research and Technology (NCERT) publishes textbooks for different subjects of Classes I to XII to be used in various Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools.

In 19th century, textbooks have become the primary teaching resource for most children. Technological advancement has changed the trend of referring textbooks in schools. The printed format is replaced by use of online electronic books. Online and digital materials are making easy for students to access materials other than the textbook. Students now have access to electronic and PDF books, online tutoring systems and video lectures. Although, there is change in way of accessing learning resources from printed textbook to digital books or resources, there is major emphasis on use of printed textbooks in all schools in India. In Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliated schools, exams are strictly based on the prescribed textbooks published by NCERT. So, it is important to maintain textbook and notebook is critical to academic success.

Notebooks are prime aid for studying as students record their daily notes and exercise. In some schools marks are given for maintenance of notebooks and textbooks with due reason their importance in learning process. There are specific ways of maintaining books and it is found that students are who maintain notebooks with set of notes are more successful. Proper maintenance of notebooks and textbooks are advantageous for students in every step of their academic life. These are resources with balanced, chronological presentation of information.

This action research was done with regard to few VIth standard students were found to have poorly managed textbooks and notebooks. It was my concern and expectation to have proper maintenance of their books for their own benefit in teaching learning process.

When I visited VIth ‘C’ of the school for the first time, I found a student having carelessly maintained books and notebooks which triggered me to check their textbooks and notebooks in random manner. I observed few of students having poorly maintained textbooks and notebooks. This problem seems to be problem for themselves and their subject teachers. It has been concern among teachers for the student’s negligence. A teacher told me that improper maintenance of book was a problem faced in VIth standard. There were cases of giving marks for maintenance of books with due reason to inculcate students the sense of caring books. Teachers say that students used to tear pages from their notebooks and they wrote unnecessary on cover page, sometimes inside pages and damage books. It was a problem amongst other teachers too. In a way I come forward with this area for my research.  

For few days, I was observing, questioning, and taking informal interview so as to know the cause of nook and corner. My approach was to bring a change by directing students to care, maintain and organize books properly through some simple solutions. Instructions, workshop, individualised counseling and guiding students to follow certain procedures and steps of keeping note books and text books with care was prime focus. Book binding, covering book and caring books were emphasised in the workshop, instruction, guidelines and during individualised counseling. After two weeks of continuous remediation and guidance, students were found motivated in caring and maintaining text books and note books properly. 

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Action research on providing strategies to VIth grade students for proper maintenance of notebooks and textbooks is found to help students to success high in their academics. It will be helpful for the students, teachers, parents and to the school. As a student progresses, their care and maintaining textbooks and notebooks is highly demanded. Properly maintained textbooks and notebooks will make students more organised and systematic in their learning life. There are chances of lacking strategies which are critical to school success like effective studying, reading comprehension, test taking, or writing strategies if books are not properly maintained. This lack of effective strategies often leads to frustration, poor grades, weak motivation, and a dwindling self-esteem.

I was trying to help students to encourage them for maintaining their books on a regular basis. Within weeks I noticed that they are more organised, structured, and systematic in their approach on maintaining their books.

The action research was applicable for almost all the school setting and academic institutions. Text books and note books are indispensable part of student’s life. Providing strategies for proper maintenance of text books and note books are very essential steps every teacher has to practice to orient students in learning using these. This will surely make students more organised and systematic in their learning life which indirectly helps the students to achieve better in teaching learning process.

Provision of strategies to care and maintain text books and note books are very essential for the students. This indirectly makes student achieve better by making them engaged which helps in organisation and management by reduced problems. There will be lesser problem of behavior and poor performance academics by the students. Hence, its vital role of teachers and parents in providing strategies to VIth grade students for proper maintenance of notebooks and textbooks is found to help students to success high in their academics.

OBJECTIVES, HYPOTHESIS, RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Proper maintenance of text book and note book is very important in student's life. Physical outlook of notebook and textbook have psychological effect on student's learning. Properly maintained books draw attention and interest of students to use these. This is in a way helps students to study better. On the other hand, students get bored to use damaged books. Its human nature to get bored for using damaged books.

My concern and expectation for proper maintenance of books by the VIth standard students was prime reason to do action research on the topic. Interest in finding solution for the problem and my concern over improving their habit of caring and maintaining books made me to precede this action research. Through informal conversation I come to know that this problem was concern for teachers.

Serious concern over finding solution for the problem directed me to find a solution for it. With these concerns I have done the action research for fulfilling some more objectives. The major objectives for working on the action research are as listed below:

1. To understand student's habit of maintaining books. 
2. To find solutions for improper maintenance of books by VIth standard students. 
3. To teach how to cover books. 
4. To enable the students to cover books. 
5. To guide students about book binding i.e an important life skill. 
6. To develop sense of caring and keeping of books. 
7. To orient students for proper maintenance of books through workshop. 
8. To make students accountable for proper maintenance of books. 
9. To improve proper maintenance of books. 
10. To improve student learning through properly maintained text books and note books.
11.  To improve instructional practices through properly maintained textbooks and note books. 
12. To ensure and improve success for all students through properly managed books.

What impact can properly maintained text books and note books have to students? How can properly maintained text books and note books improve student’s ability to achieve better? How will properly maintained books affect students overall learning? How can implementing the proper maintenance of books will help student?  These are various research questions which stroke me. More over these questions are helpful me to find out solution for proper maintenance of books by VIth standard students.

METHODOLOGY SAMPLE, DATA COLLECTION, DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERVENTION

During the first weeks of teaching internship at B.S.F Senior Secondary school, Jalandhar Cantt. I checked VIth grade student’s books randomly after observing one of student’s careless maintenance of books. It has been concern of mine to have properly maintained textbooks and notebooks like many other teachers are very much concerned on this issue.  Majority of students have maintained their books nicely. There are few students whose books are not in good condition, uncovered, damaged, unbind, and broken spine and hinge of textbooks. So, to orient them to maintain their books properly this action research was done.

After knowing the entire VIth standard student’s way of maintaining books, I had referred the teachers teaching them. They have similar concern. Many suggested that if students don’t maintain their books properly then they won’t be taking interest in referring books. A student who doesn’t refer books will not be studying properly. Some teachers said that with implementation of Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE), they have to check notebooks regularly. It has been their action to allot marks for maintenance of books. Regarding textbooks, teachers says that they have habit of giving directions in maintaining it properly at least twice a week whenever textbooks are used in the classroom for reading and class work. Even then there was problem regarding improper maintenance of books by students.

My approach was to bring a change by directing students to care, maintain and organize books properly through some simple solutions. Instructions, workshop, individualised counseling and guiding students to follow certain procedures and steps of keeping note books and text books with care was prime focus. Book binding, covering book and caring books were emphasised in the workshop, instruction, guidelines and during individualised counseling.

Firstly for few days, I was observing, questioning, instructing and taking informal interview so as to know the cause of nook and corner. So, to find out cause of problem it was my effort to take an informal interview with students who do and don’t keep their books properly.

In that unstructured interview, I administered following questions:

1. Do you like to read textbooks?  
2. Are you taking notes given by teacher in the classroom in your notebook? 
3. Do you study the notes written in your notebooks? 
4. Is your teacher strict regarding maintenance of books? 
5. Why you don’t keep your books properly? 
6. Are your parents strict in checking your books? 
7. How will you study if your books are not in condition to study properly? 
8. Do you want to keep your books properly? 
9. What else you refer for preparation of exams?

The interview was administered for individual students during their free hours. For some students these questions were presented in the form of work sheet to answer. Though the written form of interview questionnaires are found less effective in expressing students caring, maintaining and organization skills. Some of their answers which seemed relevant for the topics were personally discussed with those students.

It was a simple psychological test I had administered where I distributed some of books on science in different conditions (Many in good condition and some in bad condition). While distribution it was my interest to check whether students are interested to use old, torn, having folding in pages for reading. Many of them do not prefer books in bad condition. They ask for books in better condition. None of them have accepted the books in bad condition except after telling them that the pages in the books are intact, print are visible; books are just for reading and are not for judging their appearance.

 I also conducted a survey using questionnaires. For the survey, students were asked to choose their answers to each question using four different option based response. The options presented are (MD) Mostly Disagree, (SD) Slightly Disagree, (SA) slightly agree, and (MA) Mostly agree. The survey questionnaires contained the following questions:

  

I like studying for becoming class topper. 

I use notebooks and textbooks for studying.

I like to care my text books and notebooks.

I use both text books and note books for preparing exams.

I like to cover my textbooks and notebooks properly.

I refer only text books for preparation of exams.

I like books with proper cover with least defects.

I refer only note books for preparation of exams.

I don’t like to use books which are in bad condition (Torn pages, folds in the corner edges, broken hinge of books, etc).

I like to refer notes written in my note books.

I never used to refer text books and note books while preparing for exams.

I used internet to study for exams.

I scored very less marks when I use study materials on internet.

I get good marks if I study from textbook and note books.

I recommend my friends to study from textbooks and note books to score better in exams.

I recommend my friends to study only from internet to score better in exams.

All my class mates who study from text books and note books score high in exams.

I will care and maintain my text books and note books properly so that these can be prime learning resource for me to score high in exam.

I believe text books and note books are best learning resource as these are up to standard, easy to understand and contains necessary information relevant to exams.

This survey was prepared by my self to know about VIth standard student’s experience and their consideration of importance of books. Though it was prepared for the students to give response, they faced difficult in understanding these questions for which I had to explain and made them to understand. That was helpful for me to generalise importance text books and note books in achieve better in teaching learning process which in a way stresses that strategic caring and maintenance of text books and notebooks far more important task for academic excellence. This survey was effective for making students aware of importance of caring and maintenance of text books and note books.

Workshops about book binding, covering of books, caring and maintenance of books was conducted for twenty minutes in the classes for which I got time to guide so.  It was an effort from my self to learn book binding first which as then demonstrated to students. Who so ever want to learn were given necessary guidelines and practice. Students are trying their best to care and maintain their notebooks and text books in proper manner.

Data collection was also done through social site like facebook. In one of educationist site, I posted the title of the action research by asking educationist to comment and give suggestions in carrying the research. Though there were less responses, those responses opened my eye to have such opportunities and were helpful.

With these different methods followed, I referred research journals, document collection and analysed those information. I was carrying out participant as well as non-participant observation recordings, questionnaire surveys, structured and unstructured interviews, and case studies to accomplish this action research.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

This action research was found to be practically applicable for class VIth students. It was their improper maintenance of text books and note books which made them to perform less effectively in their academics. Though there is emphasis of modern use of social sites and other multimedia learning resources, books (text books and note books) have great role to play in their learning stages. In Indian education system, curriculum, examination and other academic activities are scored and graded with strict reference to National Council for Educational Research and Technology (NCERT) published text books, work books, activity books, e.t.c. It is thus important for the students to maintain their books with care.

Interventions focused on problem about improper maintenance of books by VIth standard students so as to make them aware about importance of caring and maintain books to have enhanced teaching learning process, which in a way helps the students to perform and achieve better in academics. It was found clear that those students who has poor caring and maintenance of text books and note books performs poorer in their academic activities and achieve less than those do had better skill of caring and maintaining text books and note books.

Through participatory as well as non-participant observation recordings, questionnaire surveys, structured and unstructured interviews, and case studies, it was found that those who possess habit of caring and maintaining text books and note books properly achieve far better than those students who doesn’t have the habit. But, after provision of strategies to maintain these books, I noticed that VIth standard students are more organised, structured, and systematic in their approach on maintaining their books. This will surely help them to perform better and achieve higher by self motivation. This action research was found practically applicable in school setting.

CONCLUSION

This action research has presented an overview of strategies for proper maintenance of text books and note books by VIth standard students. It is applicable for almost all the school setting and academic institutions, to have enhanced performance through increased interest in use of properly maintained books. Text books and note books are indispensable part of student’s life. As a student progresses, their care and maintaining textbooks and notebooks is highly demanded. Properly maintained textbooks and notebooks will make students more organised and systematic in their learning life which indirectly helps the students to achieve better in teaching learning process.

It would not have been successful if I haven’t referred research journals, document collection. I was carrying actively following participant as well as non-participant observation recordings, questionnaire surveys, structured and unstructured interviews, and case studies to accomplish this action research. These tools helped me for procuring the research necessities.

I feel that text books and note books have to be properly cared, maintained and organised in the best way students can to make themselves attached with these so that they can perform well in different academic task. They will remain focused with their studies through properly maintained books. So, it is foremost importance to care and maintain books by students for effective learning and for realisation of various objectives and goal.

In summary, I would look forward for a day where VIth grade students are caring and maintaining their books properly. Like wise, who so ever refer this action research be informed with importance of proper maintenance of books in improving over all learning outcomes.

REFERENCES

Bob Dick (1993) You want to do an action research thesis?- How to conduct and report action research (Including a beginner’s guide to the literature).Problems and new directions in industrial psychology., Action research theses. Chapel Hill, Qld.: Interchange, http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/ gcm/ar/arp/arthesis.html

J. Hollis (1995), in S. Spiegel, A. Collins, & J. Lappert (Eds.). Effect of Technology on Enthusiasm for Learning Science Journal of Educational Technology Systems, http: // www.enc.org/ professional/learn/research/journal/science/document.shtm? input=ENC-002432-2432_ch1.http://catalog.flatworldknowledge.com/bookhub/reader/4?e=fwk-122425-chab#fwk-122425-ch01a_s01

https://www.teachervision.com/curriculum-planning/new-teacher/48347.html

http://nypress.com/notes-on-getting-teen-students-better-organized/

http://online-bookstores-review.toptenreviews.com/the-advantages-of-ebooks-versus-traditional-books.html

http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_benefits.htm

http://www.web.ca/robrien/papers/arfinal.html#_Toc26184677

SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE

ACTION RESEARCH: PROVIDING STRATEGIES TO VITh GRADE STUDENTS FOR PROPER MAINTENANCE OF NOTEBOOKS AND TEXTBOOKS

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY, PHAGWARA, PUNJAB

NAME:  …………………………………………                 CLASS: ………….………….....

Tick the most appropriate option in the highlighted box. 

Mostly Disagree =MD,     Slightly Disagree = SD,   Slightly agree = SA,     Mostly agree = MD

Sr. No.	STATEMENTS	SCORE
		MD	SD	SA	MD
1	I like studying for becoming class topper.
2	I use notebooks and textbooks for studying.
3	I like to care my text books and notebooks.
4	I use both text books and note books for preparing exams.
5	I like to cover my textbooks and notebooks properly.
6	I refer only text books for preparation of exams.
7	I like books with proper cover with least defects.
8	I refer only note books for preparation of exams.
9	I don’t like to use books which are in bad condition (Torn pages, folds in the corner edges, broken hinge of books, etc).
10	I like to refer notes written in my note books.
11	I never used to refer text books and note books while preparing for exams.
12	I used internet to study for exams.
13	I scored very less marks when I use study materials on internet.
14	I get good marks if I study from textbook and note books.
15	I recommend my friends to study from textbooks and note books to score better in exams.
16	I recommend my friends to study only from internet to score better in exams.
17	All my class mates who study from text books and note books score high in exams.
18	I will care and maintain my text books and note books properly so that these can be prime learning resource for me to score high in exam.
19	I believe text books and note books are best learning resource as these are up to standard, easy to understand and contains necessary information relevant to exams.