Through the GRA position, my independent study class, and working with Dr. King-Sears, I have learned and enhanced many of my research skills. Many of my GRA tasks include working with and manipulating survey data in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software package for Dr. King-Sears. Over the past several years, she has been conducting survey research related to co-teaching competencies and new teacher skill acquisition. One difficult aspect of working with the survey data is learning the history of the project and the evolution of the surveys. Through these projects, I have also helped to collect participant data that is used to send out the electronic surveys, develop graphical representations of the data, group the data together into meaningful categories, and participate in the internal validity of the survey questions.

Through my independent study class with Dr. King-Sears, we submitted a HSRB application to conduct research on self-management techniques with students with special needs. In addition, we submitted a research grant proposal to the GMU Center of Consciousness and Transformation (CCT). Both of these projects gave me additional experience in writing grant proposals, completing the HSRB application, developing literature reviews, and developing research methods and procedures.

In the future, I anticipate that through the self-management research study and additional research projects, that I will enhance my skills in instrument development, data collection, data analysis, research writing and presentation.