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Action Research Report

Rationale / Issue
A significant issue at SBS is the serious lack of academic excellence amongst certain groups of students.
Undoubtedly, teachers all have their best and worst classes to teach where we look forward to teaching some, but
dread teaching others. Why is this? Is it we just dont want to deal with individual students or is it the entire learning
environment in general? In my opinion, it is the learning environment. Students are pressured into behaving in
certain ways simply because that is the learning environment in that particular classroom. If they dont behave in that
way, they are cast out or rejected by others in that class.
A good example of this is Tus, a highly motivated student from 4C, who has now left the school simply because the
environment in 4C was and is still not conducive to learning.

Investigative Process
Lets compare the ICT results from two classes:

5A Results
80 87

96
95
94 91
90
84 91
84 80 91 81 75 84 75
83 89 82 90
80 86
70 70 70

90

Mr. Kamonnop

Mr. Sicha

Miss April

Miss Kankamol

Mr. Varin

Miss Natcha

Mr. Chanon

Miss Nada

Mr.

Mr.

Miss

Mr. Jakrin

Miss Sutthiya

Miss

Miss Salisa

Mr. Nathakij

Mr. Nath

Mr. Nakares

Miss Jidapa

Miss Yanisa

Miss

Mr. Pasin

Mr. Warot

Mr. Kemachart

Mr. Teedanai

Mr.

42

Miss Pimploy

100
80
60
40
20
0

5C-D Results
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

81

89

80

70

82

76 80

66

52

50

50

42

39

37

56 51
27

55
23

29
16

As can be easily seen above, there is a significant difference in scores between the two classes. Does it mean one
class is more intelligent than the other? Possibly but it could also be due to the learning environment.

Analysis
When everyone in a class tries and works hard, it rubs off on all students in that class even the weakest student. This
is a direct result of the learning environment. Unfortunately, this is equally true of the opposite.
Good examples of this include Kaopod from 5C. She was originally in 4B - 5B where she passed ICT with a good
grade. After having joined 5C, her motivation to learn vanished. She made no attempt to complete the work she had
missed and has often been absent. When she does come to class, she spends most of that time chatting.
Consequently, she is now failing ICT.

On the other hand, we have Rose from 5C who has now transferred to 5B. Although she failed ICT, her behaviour
has noticeably improved simply because 5B is a better learning environment.

Conclusion
From the teachers point of view, putting all your rotten eggs into one basket may sound like a good idea allowing
students, who want to learn, an opportunity to learn and improve, but for those students less inclined to study, this
policy only creates a negative learning environment making it impossible for students to become motivated to learn
or improve. Unfortunately, this is the legacy they will take with them throughout life.
The attitude of many students at SBS is that it is easier to not try than try. Why should they? They will get into
Rangsit University anyway, so what motivation should they have to try. This is very different from western schools
where high school grades meant you got into university or not.
Without penalties for failure, students have no motivation to try. That creates a very negative learning environment.
New students entering that environment can either embrace it causing themselves to go down academically or reject
it causing them to become outcasts (like Tus from 4C) or move to another class (environment).

Recommendations
If the no fail policy cannot change in Thailand, then we as educators should at least try to focus on the learning
environment. What can we do to create a positive learning environment. After all, a positive learning environment is
a happy place for both the student and the teacher where both benefit. The same can definitely not be said of the
opposite.

Mr. Colin Bradbury


ICT (Upper Secondary)

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