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Veritas Centre for Boys' Pedagogy
Action Research
Selwyn House teachers have regularly participated in the action research projects sponsored by the International Boys’ School Coalition. Each year, the IBSC promotes teacher research under a different theme.
The goal is to further understand how boys learn, to develop and to evaluate best practices for boys.
“Action research is any systematic inquiry conducted by teacher researchers … in the teaching/learning environment to gather information about how their particular schools operate, how they teach, and how well their students learn. This information is gathered with the goals of gaining insight, developing reflective practice, effecting positive changes in the school environment (and on educational practice in general), and improving student outcomes and the lives of those involved.”
– Geoffrey Mills, Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher (2nd Edition)
Below are brief summaries of the action research projects completed by Selwyn House teachers in recent years.
Bill Bedard
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Maker Space & Digital Creativity
Mr. Bedard has completed two action research projects with the IBSC.
Under the theme "Maker Movement", his project was "Making Movies to Empower Grade 7 Boys, and for the theme "Creating Through Digital Technologies", he studied formal creativity training and student self-perception.
Under the theme "Maker Movement", his project was "Making Movies to Empower Grade 7 Boys, and for the theme "Creating Through Digital Technologies", he studied formal creativity training and student self-perception.
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Elisabeth Jean & Gabriel Maynard
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Making Models of Early Canadian Settlements
Mme. Jean and M. Maynard completed an action research project the IBSC theme "Maker Movement".
Action-oriented tasks are becoming increasingly popular in language classes worldwide because they force the participants out of their comfort zone and are more student-centered. This project aimed at measuring the impact of building “stuff” in the classroom on the cooperative skills of two cohorts of French immersion students. The students were invited to cooperate in order to build the replica of a 1905 Quebec settlement using pasta.
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Catherine Gagnon
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Shattering Stereotypes
Mme. Gagnon is currently working on her action research under the IBSC topic Shattering Stereotypes: Helping Boys Cultivate Positive Masculinity. Mme. Gagnon's research involves students' critical thinking around media portrayals. She will present her findings at the IBSC conference in July 2023.
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Sebastien Lajoie
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Direct Discussion to Enhance Self-advocacy Skills
Mr. Lajoie researched "Using Directed Discussion to Enhance Self-advocacy Skills" for the IBSC theme "Boy Voice and Choice"
This action research project explored how involving graduating boys with Individualized Education Plans in directed discussions around learning challenges, strengths, goals and teaching strategies could enhance self-advocacy skills. The boy's voices can sometimes be lost. This project developed a strategy that included the boys' voices and encouraged deeper self-reflection. The assumption was that directed questions and participation in the process would help the boys to develop better self-advocacy skills. Over a twelve-week period, students were asked a range of questions, using online surveys and one-on-one interviews, designed to elicit discussion around elements typically found in IEPs (strengths, challenges, goals and teaching strategies). Responses were analysed to identify emerging themes. At the conclusion of the study, the boys were asked to evaluate whether they felt that they had developed a better understanding of their learning preferences, as well as whether they felt more able to advocate for their needs as a result of participation in the project. The results suggest that explicit, directed discussions in these areas contributed to a greater ability for graduating boys to enhance their self-advocacy skills.
This action research project explored how involving graduating boys with Individualized Education Plans in directed discussions around learning challenges, strengths, goals and teaching strategies could enhance self-advocacy skills. The boy's voices can sometimes be lost. This project developed a strategy that included the boys' voices and encouraged deeper self-reflection. The assumption was that directed questions and participation in the process would help the boys to develop better self-advocacy skills. Over a twelve-week period, students were asked a range of questions, using online surveys and one-on-one interviews, designed to elicit discussion around elements typically found in IEPs (strengths, challenges, goals and teaching strategies). Responses were analysed to identify emerging themes. At the conclusion of the study, the boys were asked to evaluate whether they felt that they had developed a better understanding of their learning preferences, as well as whether they felt more able to advocate for their needs as a result of participation in the project. The results suggest that explicit, directed discussions in these areas contributed to a greater ability for graduating boys to enhance their self-advocacy skills.
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James Mcmillan
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Old Boys' Personal Stories and Core Values
For the theme of "Character Education", Mr. McMillan studied "How do personal stories told by Old Boys enhance Grade 8 boys' understanding of core values?"
The research findings indicate that the boys not only enjoyed hearing the stories, but appreciated that the Old Boys were sharing very personal information with them. The results also showed that the majority of the boys connected to the core value of the story and had a better understanding of that value and its application to their own lives.
- Personal Stories by Old Boys (poster)
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Personal Stories by Old Boys
How do personal stories told by Old Boys enhance Grade 8 boys’understanding of core values?
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Ashley Waggoner
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Encouraging Adaptability through S.T.E.M. Gardening
This research projected was completed with the IBSC theme "Adaptability in a Changing World".
In March 2017, 16 Grade 5 boys embarked on a 7-month long gardening project where they were required to plan, plant, maintain, and harvest gardens with the aim of learning to be adaptable. This experiential gardening project taught measurement, problem-solving, and gardening in an integrated, student-driven way. In the spring, the boys chose the plants they wanted to plant, mapped out their garden plots, and planted the seeds in their gardens. Next, the pairs of boys watered and weeded until the end of the 2016/2017 school year. During the planning and planting phase of the project, the boys learnt what adaptability was and how it is an essential skill to master in gardening.
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