Artifact Reflection Tag

Name: Tammy Kinnetz

Artifact submitted for course: EDU601 Action Research in Education - Introductory
Instructor: Dr. Catherine Robertson
Semester/Year of Course: UV Fall, 2015
Date this artifact was created: July, 2015
Artifact Title: Primary Resources Assignment
Artifact Summary
The Primary Resources Assignment was a template used to organize the research articles. The
template structured the reference citations and key article components on how they related to the
research questions and sub questions. I chose this a due to the effectiveness of the template on
how it helped me organize, enhance, and synthesize the research articles that I used to cover my
action research topic.
Course Outcomes
Utilizing primary research to build the foundation for the study.
This assignment helped to organize and build my study around my research question
and sub-questions.
It provided structure for my review of literature which I used 15, scholarly, peerreviewed articles.
The required information included: (a) topic; (b) participants; (c) methods; and (d)
findings.
Impact on Present Teaching
This assignment was an excellent opportunity to learn a new tool of organizing research
material. The template is an instructional strategy that can carried out for students in
developing their research ideas and topics.
The assignment taught me to synthesize the research material into my research questions.
It has given me confidence to tackle future action research projects that require the same
elements. I look at action research through a more positive outlook.
Impact for Future Teaching
Create learning experiences that make aspects of subject matter meaningful to students
through inquiry.
Learning a new instructional strategy and adding it to my instructional tool box to assist
students in making sense out of research material.
Implement the Primary Resource template to assist students to build on critical thinking,
problem solving, and performance skills.

Primary Sources Assignment

Reference
Citation
Foundational
Article?? Most likely
to be used in your
Introduction

Carnevale, A.
P., & Smith, N.
(2013).
Workplace
basics: the
skills
employees
need and
employers
want
Routledge.
doi:10.1080/13
678868.2013.8
21267

Editorial: With the

income of the average
household doubling the
demand for products
that are mass produced
declined. Production of
goods took on a new
look of quality, variety,
convenience, speed,
innovation and social
responsibility.
Skill requirements
shifted from the
industrial era to the
post-industrial
knowledge economy.
The new age of the 21st
Century has ushered in
competencies with new
knowledge, skills, and
abilities.

Key Article Components

Key Article Components

Primary Research
Question: What are the
effects on WORK STUDY
students employability
skills in an alternative
education setting who
participate in (ORGANIZING)
a service learning project?

Sub-Question #1: What

employability skills and growth
areas are fostered due to the
participation in implementing
a/the service learning project?
(Evidence of each of the soft
skills identified)

Key Article
Components
Sub-Question #2:
What is the students
opinions of the
PERSONAL EFFECTS of
the service learning
project?

Primary Sources Assignment

Errington, E. P.
(2011).
Mission
Possible:
Using
NearWorld
Scenarios
to
Prepare
Graduates
for the
Professio
ns
Internatio
nal
Journal of
Teaching
and
Learning
in Higher
Education
, 23, 84.

Jones, R.
(2014).
Bridging
the Gap:
Engaging
in
Scholarshi
p with
Accounta
ncy
Employer
s to
Enhance
Understa
nding of
Skills
Developm
ent and
Employab
ility.
Accountin
g
Education

This paper has three

main aims: First,
clarify scenario based
learning as a learning
strategy. Second,
Note why some
university professors
use it to prepare for
student professions.
The third, is use ways
that teachers might
optimize professional
development.

Topic: Bridging the gap

between general skills and
employability in the
accounting profession.
Participants: Panel of
professionals comprising
of six accountancy firms.
Methods: Data was
generated through emails,
telephone conversations,
meetings with panel
participants annual
meetings and one-on-one
interviews.
Findings: Although
personal and professional
skills were identified early
on in the study, there
were a number of Items
described as attributes,
personal characteristics,
or behaviors. These items
were classified as the X

Primary Sources Assignment

, 23(6),
527-541.
doi:10.10
80/09639
284.2014.
965959

Factor Skills. These

attributers were key to
establishing professional
credibility with colleagues
and clients.

Hill, A.,
Popovic,
C.,
Lawton,
R., Eland,
J.,
Morton,
N.,
Curzon,
R., Tomas,
C. (2010).
Using
critical
incidents
to create
learning
pathways
between
the real
world and
places of
learning:
Findings
from a 2
year
funded
project

Topic: The project aims to

bridge the gap between
the experience of
students in courses in
higher education and the
expectations of
employers. Researchers
identified critical
incidents where new and
recent graduates lacked
ability or confidence and
then create resources to
enable students to
practice in the
classroom. By introducing
real life scenarios
embedded within lessons
allows students to
develop, practice and
reflect upon a varied
range of employability
skills. The critical
incidents prove useful to
foster opportunities for
students to in engage
varied teaching strategies
that assist them to

Primary Sources Assignment

aimed at
improving
understan
ding and
capability
in key
employab
ility skills.
Internatio
nal
Journal of
Learning,
16(12),
157-170.
Retrieved
from
http://sea
rch.ebsco
host.com/
login.aspx
?direct=tr
ue&AuthT
ype=ip,cpi
d&custid=
s6222504
&db=ehh
&AN=488
10279&sit
e=ehostlive&scop
e=site
Keller, S.,
Parker, C.
M., &
Chan, C.
(2011).
Employabi
lity Skills:
Student
Perceptio
ns of an
IS Final
Year
Capstone
Subject.
ITALICS:
Innovatio
ns in
Teaching
&

become more self-aware

and self-progressive.
Participants: Project team
of researchers Employers
on the Project Board,
students employers and
academic staff
Method: Project
conducted in-depth
exploratory interview with
participants to get
perceptions of
participants employability
and area of difficulty in
employment arena. From
there resources were
developed using student
staff on campus.
Findings:-The critical
incidents have potential
to impact student learning
and enhance student
experience and encourage
students to gain an
understanding of the
complexities of the work
place through the
classroom

Topic: A qualitative study

investigating students
participating in a teambased capstone subject
with real clients to
enhance their
employability skills.
Participants: In the
capstone project the
subjects were students
that worked in teams of 6
or more with one student
appointed project
manager to complete a
project with a real,
assigned client during a

Primary Sources Assignment

Learning
in
Informati
on &
Computer
Sciences,
10(2), 415.
Retrieved
from
http://sea
rch.ebsco
host.com/
login.aspx
?direct=tr
ue&AuthT
ype=ip,cp
id&custid
=s622250
4&db=eh
h&AN=66
717667&s
ite=ehost
live&scop
e=site

Levkoe, C. Z.,
Brail, S., &
Daniere,
A. (2014).
Engaged
pedagogy
and
transform
ative
learning
in
graduate
education
:A
servicelearning
case study
Canadian
Society
for the
Study of
Higher

single semester.
Methods: Methods used
for data collection were
questions there were
open-ended interview
with questioning more
specific toward end of
interview. An anonymous
web survey, which
included 12 open-ended
questions similar to the
semi-structured interview
questions, was set up for
those students not
wanting to be
interviewed.
Findings: Qualified
findings in the area of
employability skills were
discussed in the following
areas: communication,
teamwork, planning and
organizing, problem
solving, initiative and
enterprise, and selfmanagement.
Topic: Service learning can
impact students by
transforming how
students move from ideas
to action. Students are
given opportunities for
service and learning in
developing higher-order
reasoning and critical
thinking.
Participants: Twenty two
students in the Service
Learning eight month
course at the University of
Toronto in the Planning
for Change: Community
Development in Practice
in the Department of
Geography and Program
in Planning.
Methods: Data was
collected from four

Primary Sources Assignment

Education
.
Retrieved
from
http://sea
rch.ebsco
host.com/
login.aspx
?direct=tr
ue&AuthT
ype=ip,cpi
d&custid=
s6222504
&db=ehh
&AN=100
197598&s
ite=ehostlive&scop
e=site

Deeley, S.
(2013).
Summative coassessment: A
deep learning
approach to
enhancing
employability
skills and
attributes.
Active
Learning in
Higher

sources. First, students

written and oral
evaluations about the
course, self -evaluations
as well as instructor
evaluations. Second,
instructor evaluations of
students work. Third,
feedback from community
partners regarding the
course and role of
students. Finally, a third
party researcher that
interviewed selected
students and community
members to gather
objective feedback.
Findings: Service Learning
can contribute to the
development of students
employability, and a
number of indirect
benefits which adds to
students critical
reflexivity, civic values,
critical citizenship, and
social justice activism. As
a case study service
learning has the potential
for deep, interactive
learning that connects
theory to practice and
leads to graduates to be
more knowledgeable
engaged citizens.
Topic: Service learning
projects offer students the
ideal opportunity to
develop their
employability skills.
Participants: 4 males and
4 females
Methods: Participants Initial co-assessment with
participant interviews,
student oral presentation,
reflection, self assessment and

Primary Sources Assignment

Education,
15(1), 39-51.
doi:
10.1177/14697
87413514649

demonstration of
presentation skills.
Findings: Co-assessment
allowed students to justify
their position and opened
up discussion on the
students grade. Students
reported positive selfassessments but with
difficulty of appearing
over confident. Students
acknowledged more
confidence and selfawareness.

Carter, E. W.,
Trainor, A. A.,
Ditchman, N.,
Swedeen, B., &
Owens, L.
(2011).
Communitybased summer
work
experiences of
adolescents
with highincidence
disabilities.
Journal of
Special
Education,
45(2), 89-103.
doi:10.1177/00
224669093532
04

Topic: Summer employment

experiences outcomes for
students with disabilities
resulting in career
development.
Participants:220 youth with
high-incidence disabilities.
Methods:
Student/parent/employer
interviews/questionnaires and
observations and develop
work related interpersonal
relationships.

Clevenger, C.
M., &
Ozbek, M.
E. (2013).
Teaching
sustainabi
lity
through
servicelearning
in
constructi
on
education

Topic: Examine successful

strategies and barriers to
implementing service-learning
in construction education to
teach sustainability. The
service learning model fits
well into construction
education due to programs
requiring experience in the
form of internships or cooperative service for
graduation. .

Findings: Students working in

the study were generally
satisfied with their experience
and offered exploratory career
related interests, enhanced
the youths transition
education

Primary Sources Assignment

.
Internatio
nal
Journal of
Constructi
on
Education
and
Research,
9, 3-18.
doi:10.10
80/15578
771.2012
671228

Participants: University
students worked with local
alternative high school
students in their building
trades shop class to construct
two full-scale dog houses for
Rocky Mountain Great Dane
Rescue Mission.
Method: Reflections and
informal interviews, pre-post
surveys and concept maps.
Findings: Service learning
project met its goal to engage
the alternative high school
students in finishing a
construction project as well
as, empower construction
university student to be
leaders and mentors by
engaging in a small
construction project.

Gibson, M.,
Hauf, P., Long,
B.S., &
Sampson, G.
(2011).
Reflective
practice in
service
learning:
Possibilities
and
limitations.
Education
Training, 53(4),
284-296.

Topic: There are three

academic disciplines that are
participating in a service
learning project. There are
variations but despite the
differences each of the
instructors applies a service
learning pedagogy form a
common motivation: desire to
engage theory students more
actively in learning. This paper
is a critique of how SL and
reflective practice can be key
to the success of multidimensional learning.
Participants: Three different
academics disciplines engaged
in a service learning project.
Psychology, Art and Business
service learning groups.
Art- Reflective journaling was
main method. Reflective
themes each week/personal
growth-communication,
heighten sense of social
responsibility /maturity

Primary Sources Assignment

Business: Leadership projectstudents decide due to
matching core values. Through
academic course reading,
lectures students learn various
concepts about leadership.
Student realize the attributes
of a leadership and are
encouraged to apply theory to
practice in their SL placement.
Classroom connections are
key to in class theory and out
of class experience.
Method: Reflective journaling
Findings: In the three projects
in the study, journalizing as a
reflective and assessment of
learning for each. Students
perceptions/learning are
realized in reflective
journaling. Structured
reflective practice produces
enhanced learning that spans
multiple dimensions.

Hill, S. (2011).
Transfor
ming
learning:
Engaging
students
with the
business
communi
ty.
Internati
onal
Perspecti
ves on
Higher
Educatio
n
Research
, 6, 271277.

Topic: Explores the role of

social Capital in the
development of
employability skills
Participants: Students
within a business program
and industry experts.
Method: Within the
curriculum a module was
designed to provide a range
of experiences to develop
bridging and linking social
capital and to practice the
skills and capabilities
needed to use these skills
confidently in a range of
different settings. Students
were to develop a business
plan for a new product or
service, testing the idea with
potential customers and

Primary Sources Assignment

doi:10.11
08/S1479
3628(201
1)000000
6026

seeking advice from

industry experts.
Findings: Employability
skills improved when
students have opportunism
to connect with a variety of
networks, they build a range
of employability skills and
capabilities, particularly the
interpersonal and social
skills valued by employers.
Student reflections illustrate
that the skills and
competencies that enable
them to network effectively
need to be developed
deliberately.

Ju, J., Zhang,

D., &
Pacha, J.
(2011).
Employab
ility Skills
Valued by
Employer
s as
Important
for EntryLevel
Employee
s With
and
Without
Disabilitie
s
doi:10.11
77/08857
28811419
167

Topic: The employability skills

that employers value as being
important and examine
employers expectation for
individuals.
Participants: 650 businesses
obtained from the Chamber of
Commerce within a
metropolitan area with a
population of 150,000
Methods: A researchdeveloped survey based a
review of previous studies,
published topical reports and
current school practice. There
were 36 items that were
divided into 5 categories.
Respondents rated the
importance of the skills on a 4point scale.
Findings: One finding
indicates that the same four
skills were viewed as most
important for both groups
including demonstration
personal integrity, honesty in
work, ability to follow
directions, respect for others
and punctuality.

Primary Sources Assignment

Samuelson, B.,
Smith, R.,
Stevenso
n, E., &
Ryan, C.
(2013). A
case
study of
youth
participat
ory
evaluatio
n in cocurricular
service
learning.
Journal of
Scholarshi
p of
Teaching
and
Learning,
13(3),
63-81.

Jackson, D.
(2013).
Student
perceptio
ns of the
importanc
e of
employabi
lity skill
provision
in
business

Topic: This article is a case

study of evaluation of youth
participation in a service
learning project. To pull this
service learning project
together there were many
volunteer collaborative
efforts.
Participants: Volunteers:
TEAM students are writers
and illustrators and are
partnered with Indiana
University students that work
on crafting their stories.
Collaborators develop skills in
formatting and design,
teachers at Kabwende Primary
School in Rwanda, Global
Village Learning Center at
Indiana University.
Methods: The use of a
participatory evaluation which
involves the researchers and
professionals collaborate with
those who have a stake in the
program. The use of
interviews, arts-based
activities and a written survey.
Findings: The resounding
theme of the analysis was that
students at both Indiana
University and TEAM believed
that Book & Beyond would
help them have an impact on
their world. They felt that they
had brought about cross
cultural communication and
understanding.
Topic: The perception of
the importance of
employability skills in an
undergraduate business
program.
Participants: 1019
undergraduate business
students completing the
Bachelor of Business

Primary Sources Assignment

undergrad
uate
programs.
Journal of
Education
for
Business,
88(5),
271-279.
doi:10.10
80/08832
323.2012.
697928

ReinsmithJones, K.,
Kibbe, S.,
Crayton,
T., &
Campbell,
E. (2015).
Use of
second
life in
social
work
education
: Virtual
world
experienc
es and
their
effect on
students.
Journal of
Social
Work
Education
, 51, 90108.
doi:10.10
80/10437
797.2015.

program at West
Australian university.
Methods: Students selfassessed and reflected on
perceived importance of
skills defined on an online
survey. Students also
rated their work
experience on a 7 point
scale, with 1 being
unimportant and 7 being
extremely, based on three
measures.
Findings: The
findings indicate
that business
undergraduates
place significant
value on
employability
development in
degree programs.
Topic: The study
evaluated students
perspective of the
educational value of
learning experiences using
Second Life (A 3Dvirtual
learning computer
simulation tool) while
enrolled in an
Undergraduate
Introduction to Social
Welfare and Social Work
class.
Participants: There were
two Undergraduate
Introduction to Social
Welfare and Social Work
classes with a total of 70
students.
Methods: Mixed
methodology was used
which was a student
opinion survey regarding
the usability to teach

Primary Sources Assignment

977167

Tymon, A.
(2013).
The
student
perspectiv
e on
employab
ility.
Studies in
Higher
Education
, 38(6),
841-856.
doi:10.10
80/03075
079.2011.
604408

specific social work issues

was used as a qualitative
measure. Reflective
journaling which gave a
more personal qualitative
look at student
experience. A final
measure was a
questionnaire that
incorporated a scale that
measured the students
perception of using
Second Life.
Findings: The findings
were that Second Life
prompted genuine
emotions from students,
assisted in reflection of
the understanding of
events and provoked a
higher level of thinking
from students about the
immorality, injustices and
importance of
discrimination as they
were guided thru the 3D
virtual world of Second
Life.
Topic: The article covers
the views that students
have on employability.
The differing perspective
of successful employability
skills are among multiple
stakeholders which
include: government.
Employers, education
institutions and graduates.
Participants: The data
group was from first,
second and final year
undergraduate students in
one UK university.
Students were majoring in
business studies/business
administration, human
resources and marketing.
Methods: The main

Primary Sources Assignment

Tobias, S.
(2013).
Perspectiv
e
transform
ation
through
servicelearning:
Student
reflections
. Aurco
Journal,
19, 120131.

method of data collection

was via focus groups. With
the final year students
data collected via a
questionnaire.
Findings: The number of
responses per student
increased each year which
indicates an increase in
confidence in selfexpression. Focus-group
observers reported that
first year students were
hesitant about
contributing. Second year
students appeared more
confident in expressing
themselves with double
the number if responses.
Final year students were
extremely confident
expressing their views.
Concluding evidence of
enhanced communication
skills and confidence
increased over the
academic years.
Topic: Students
participated in a service
learning project and the
study examines if students
experienced any change in
or transformation of their
current perspective
regarding the effects of
service learning.
Participants: 12 students
at Stark Campus of Kent
State in Ohio were
enrolled in a semesterlong course which focuses
on Family Life Education
Methodology and were
partnered with a local
elementary school in
northeast Ohio.
Methods: The 12 students
were enrolled in the

Primary Sources Assignment

Family Life Education
Methodology class were
required to complete a
weekly response to a
guided journal prompt
over the course of 10
weeks.
Findings: The students at
Kent State work in the
community rather on
campus. The result is the
expansion of the
community resources,
capitalize on existing
knowledge base while
fostering critical thinking
and problem solving skills.
New connections between
existing community
organizations and
students. The impact of
service learning were
evident in journal excerpts
that were kept over the 10
week period. Results were
discussed on the impact
that the semester long
course had on the
students.

Primary Sources Assignment

Jenkins, S.
(2011).
The
Impact of
In-Class
ServiceLearning
Projects.
Journal of
Political
Science
Education
, 7, 196207.
doi:10.10
80/15512
169.2011.
564911

Topic: The impact that

service learning has on
students can be effective.
However, the question of
this study is whether
decrease in face time due
to the demands on
students time outside of
class verses making
arrangements during
scheduled class time,
lessens the positive
impact of service learning
projects.
Participants: The study
was comprised of a total
of 99 students in an
Education Politics and
Policy political science
class. The difference of the
two was a spring class and
fall class. The difference
between the two was that
the spring semester class
had a device learning
project with
Methods: The spring
students were required to
participate in a service
learning project. Students
were to tutor elementary
students and keep a
weekly journal of what
happened and their
reaction, end of semester
reflection paper. The fall
semester students had the
same course work but
absent was the service
learning project.
Findings: Results suggest
that the reduction in face
time may lead to less
benefit from the projects.
However, the service
learning projects had a
positive impact on
affective course outcomes

Primary Sources Assignment

although this impact may
have been somewhat
diminished due to reduced
face time.