PROFORMA FOR REGISTRATION OF SUBJECT
FOR DISSERTATION
MS. IMMACULATE VERONICA D’CRUZ
1stYEAR MSc. (NURSING)
MEDICAL SURGICAL NURSING
YEAR 2011-2013
ST. PHILOMENA’S COLLEGE OF NURSING
#4 CAMPBELL ROAD, VIVEKNAGAR P. O
BANGALORE 560047
RAJIV GANDHI UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES
BANGALORE, KARNATAKA.
PROFORMA FOR REGISTRATION OF SUBJECTS FOR DISSERTATION
1 / NAME OF THE CANDIDATE AND ADDRESS / MS. IMMACULATE VERONICA D’CRUZ1ST YR. MSc NURSING
ST PHILOMENA’S COLLEGE OF NURSING
NO. 4, CAMPBELL ROAD, VIVEKNAGAR P.O. BANGALORE – 560047.
2 / NAME OF THE INSTITUTION / STPHILOMENA’S COLLEGE OF NURSING, BANGALORE
3 / COURSE OF THE STUDY AND SUBJECT / 1ST YR. MSc. NURSING
MEDICAL SURGICAL NURSING
4 / DATE OF ADMISSION TO THE COURSE / 1ST AUGUST 2011
5 / TITLE OF THE TOPIC / A STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BRAIN GYM EXERCISES ONCONCENTRATION ENHANCEMENT AMONG IYEAR BSc NURSING STUDENTS IN SELECTED NURSING COLLEGES, BANGALORE.
6. BRIEF RESUME OF THE INTENDED WORK
6.1NEED FOR THE STUDY
Learning isthe art of "focusing"(Maritess Marquez)
“Learning is stimulating the brain and creating new connections. It stimulates the brain because it can rewire itself with each new stimulation, experience, and behavior” (Jensen, 1998)1.
Learning is a mental activity and the physical components of learning are visual, auditory, fine motor, and postural skills –which have been entirely ignored by the educators, since learning is measured by results rather than process, stressful and compensations are often acquired and carried throughout a learner's life.2
A CLSA (Class Room Students Atmosphere) report fromE- journal of psychology in 2008 stated that education is one of the fastest growing sectors in India. This is due to a sharp rise in the disposable income of working population, and parents are willing to increase their expenditure on their child’s education. It also stated that there is a lack of quality education in India and that the learning experience through rote (mechanical process of memory) method of books and class room teaching results in poor concentration level of students. Indian students are turning out to be too polarized towards academics and need to focus on extracurricular activities for overalldevelopment.
The above report suggests that there is tremendous alternate method of learning which will supplement a student to accelerate their curricular courses, and also provide an edge over other students by developing the personality through extra-curricular activities. So the solution lies in creating a learning centre which can provide curricular and extracurricular courses through innovative mediums of “Brain gymExercises”.The core focus of Braingym is to make the total learning experience interesting, practical and intuitive.3
Brain Gymmovementsbuilds and enhances or restores natural neural pathways in the body and brain, to assist natural learning. Brain Gym is a learning enhancement system that draws out normally unavailable brain potential through simple movement based activities. Learning difficulties are experienced when there are only limited areas of brain activation available to a student. Brain Gym movements stimulate the whole brain for effective functions, and enables uninterrupted Brain-Body communication. This results in effortless learning and higher levels of performance.5
Brain Gym consists of simple movements for coordination of eyes, ears, hands and the whole body. The ultimate goal of Brain Gym is to create a fully functioning mind/body system, called as an "integrated" state. It is different from other learning supportive programmes in which it prepares learners to learn.
The 23 Brain Gym movements help incommunication, comprehension, memory, organization and avoidance of stress, which enables learning. Brain Gym movements encourages the learner to use the whole brain, thereby relaxing the fight or flight response in favour of keeping the memory and reasoning centres of the brain switched on. Brain Gym promotes the ability to learn and to retain learning at a deep, whole-brained level. New learning occurs when a person is relaxed and easily able to access their sensory system for seeing and listening, and to comfortably feel and express their feelings. Learning tends to be more permanent, accessible, and applicable when a person is not tensed, stressed, or frightened. Brain Gym movements increases self-confidence and self-esteem ,motivation and behaviorof the students 2
A study is conducted by GuruchiterKaurand Josie M. in US in 1989 for 60selected college students from special day classes. The students of 60 were divided into two group 30 experimental and 30 Control group. The brain gym group performed a sequence of activities, while the control group engaged in random movements for about seven minutes. The two groups were tested for visual response time before and after the movement’sactivities. The results indicated that those students exposed to the brain gym movements improved on the response-time task, where asthose in the control group had no good response.6
Astudy was conducted by Susan J. Stewart in1998 on Brain gym coordination and relaxation abilities for 60 selected students from public school in British Columbia The purpose of the study was to determine if repatterning and Brain gym activities would 8dimension. The result noted was that the student’scoordination improved, and some student’s verbal, reading, eye-tracking, and social skills improved as well.6
Some students seem naturally enthusiastic about learning, but many need or expect their teacher to inspire, challenge, and stimulate them.The factors affecting students concentration during the class depends on the interest in the subject matter, the types of classroom activities involved, desire to achieve self-confidence and self esteem, as well as mood and determination (Bligh, 1971; Sass, 1989). As a researcher I have experienced personally that the students in the classroom are more stressed at the end of each session and that the learner have nosingle formula for establishing an efficient classroom atmosphere where all students are motivated and succeed in learning. Hence the researcher is interested to motive the students by applying Brain Gym Exercises and maintaining a positive classroom atmosphere which increasespupil’s level of focus, interest, ability to cooperate, attain high levels of learning, as well as to reduce impulsive classroom behaviour.
6.2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A literature helps to lay foundation for the study and it leads the reader through the development of knowledge about the chosen topics. Review of literature is organized under the following headings:
6.2.1Literature based on the studies on learning disabilities among students in the class
6.2.2Literature based on the studies on effectiveness of brain gym exercise on concentration enhancement.
6.2.1Literature based on the studies on learning disabilities among students in the class.
The study was conducted in the year 2005–2006 with Bryanna an 8-year-old, Caucasian female due to her low academic profile, belonging to the class of 17 students. The class was split into two groups as control group and experimental group with (Teir1) as reading instruction taking place for 90min each day, five days a week where Brayanna belong to reading group of six students. In (Teir2) she receives small-group mathsproblem solving instruction with the special education teaching for 30 minutes a day, four days each week and monitoring for her behaviour.(Tier3) (special education) teaching for 60 minutes each day, five days a week here interventions in the area of speech-language was given and monitored all (Tier 1,2,3). Every Quarterly assessmentis given to her at the end of each grading period. The tool used isDynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS).Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team determined that Bryannawho scored 70% had access to appropriate learning experiences according to school used state criteria (Significant Limited Intellectual Capacity) SLIC,to be qualified. Normally a student must have three measures— that is cognitive, educational achievement, and adaptive behavior—with scores of 70% or less. To be qualified.9
A Study was conducted in the year 1997 onMemory improvements for students with severe dyslexia for the aged group of 9 –14 yrs. The group consist of 77 students who had(Significant Limited Intellectual Capacity) SLIC,were diagnosed as severely dyslexic, attending a dyslexia clinic. A Quasi – experimental design was used andControl group of 32 students took part in the usual dyslexia training activities. Experimental group of 45 students experienced Dennison Laterality Repatterningonce, compared to the usual dyslexia training activities, Luria 90 Battery Tests applied twice, one week earlier before the of Tests of word and random letter sequence learning, both by ear (auditory-verbal memory) and by reading (visual memory).It was found that Brain Gym group memory improved more than the control group without brain gym. Brain Gym produced a significant improvement in long-term auditory memory compared to Control group. It also produced a greater improvement in long-term visual memory compared to Control group.10
A Studywas conducted in the year 1992 on the effects of gender and grade-level in school on low-income students’ reading proficiency.552 students selectedwere divided into two group as 332 male students and 220 female students were Interviewed regarding beliefs about their reading, parents’ beliefs about their children’s reading andteachers’ beliefs about their students’ reading. Based on the responses to the interview questions, the researcher concluded the females at all three grade levels haveoutperformed the males on the testing, because “female students and their parents and teachers had much more positive beliefs about third grade, females students (M = 44.5, SD = 9.4, N = 81) had significantly higher scores than males (M = 39. 6, SD = 9.6, N = 99) on the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Comprehension.12
6.2.2Literature based on the studies on effectiveness of brain gym exercise on concentration enhancement.
The study was conducted in the year 1988 inBonziato examine the ability of 60 learning-disabledelementary school students. Ranging in age from seven to eleven years, the students were matched accordingto age and gender and assigned equally for Brain Gym treatment groups’ intervention and onecontrol group. The first treatment group was called the integration-movement-onlygroup. This group performed four Brain Gym® exercises for five minutes twice a day.The treatment was continued five days a week for six weeks. The other treatment group inthis experiment received an additional 10-minute precursor session termed lateralityrepatterning. “The meanscore for the three trials in each condition were combined as the total balance score, with a total of 40 sec. possible” A one-way analysis of variance was computed on gain scores between pretesting and post testing. Differences in improved balance time by groups was significant (F = 22.92, dsf = 1, 59, p = .0001). The laterality-repatterned-plus-integration-movement group improved more.15
A study was conducted by Jane Irving in 1995 for 27 selected nursing students using three separate groups as controls during the different phases of the nine week study. The study measured the effects of four Brain Gym activities, making up a six minutes sequence known as the PACE (Positive, Active ,Clear and energetic) process, on weekly assessment of self- reported anxiety and performance on 14 technical- motor skill – test. The PACE group experienced a 69.5% reduction in self-reported anxiety and 18.7 % increase in performance on skill tests, as compared to continued self-reporting of high anxiety and higher failure rate in the control group not using PACE.16
A study was conducted in 1991 in Spain for the age group of 19 to40 years onbrain gym exercise. Here two group are selected as experimental and control group. Brain gym exercises were implemented and checked for visual stimulus, which proved their response times to a four-choice visual stimulus, after10-minute Brain Gym consisting of seven exercises had a marked significant findings in each case indicated that Brain Gymactivities benefited.17
The study was conducted in the 1998 – 1999 with teachers and students at Saticoy Elementary School in Ventura, California. Twelve teachers of different grades like K, 2, 3, 4 and 5 took Brain Gym instruction once a week for an hour after school during the school year. The teachers then taught the children Brain Gym movements and thechildren became quite skilled in the use of Brain Gym movements for self-help. Each class did a minimum of 15 minutes of Brain Gym per day. The tool used is standardized format called the Stanford 9 test. They compared the scores of students from control classes with the scores of students from "Brain Gym" classes. The results shown are a percentage scores whichcompares the standing of the child relative to others. If a child scores 30% this means they scored higher than 30% of the other children at their grade level (in schools across the country), and lower than the other 70%.The results of the study were impressive. "Brain Gym group" had got better, rising from 55 to 89 percentage points, while the scores of the Control group had received no Brain Gym support improved 0 to 16 points.17
A study conducted in California (1998) to assess effectiveness of Brain Gym activities on reading achievement among 60 selected students usingstandardized Stanford 9 test. The study compared the children's reading percentage scores from May 98 (the end of the previous school year), to those of May 99 (the end of the "Brain Gym" school year). They also compared the scores of students from control classes with the scores of students from "Brain Gym" classes. The results showedthat 80% of students scored more than 30% increase in reading achievement after Brain Gym exercises18.
6.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
A STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BRAIN GYM EXERCISES ON CONCENTRATION ENHANCEMENT AMONG
I YEAR BSc NURSING STUDENTS IN SELECTED NURSING
COLLEGES, BANGALORE.
6.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
6.4.1.To assess the level of concentration among 1st yr. BSc. nursing students in theclass.
6.4.2.To evaluate the effectiveness of the brain gym exercises on concentration enhancement among 1styrBSc nursing students.
6.4.3. To associate the level of concentration with selected demographic variables suchasBirth order, socio economic status, Education and Location of students residence among nursing students.
6.5 HYPOTHESIS
H1 : There will be a statistically significant increase in the level of concentration among nursing students following Brain Gym Exercises as measured by class room environment scale at p<0.05.
H2: There will be a statistically significant association between the effectiveness of brain gym exercise on concentration enhancement among nursing students with the selected demographic variables as measured by class room environment scale at p<0.05.
6.6RESEARCH VARIABLES
6.6.1. Independent Variable– Brain Gym Exercises
6.6.2Dependent Variable – Concentration Enhancement
6.7OPERATIONAL DEFINITION
EFFECTIVENESS
In this study effectiveness refers to the extent to which the brain gym exercise has achieved the desired change in increasing the concentration of 1styr BSc nursing students in the class.
BRAIN GYM EXERCISES
It refers to a series of exercises used to activate the brain to improve the concentration, comprehension and attention of nursing students in the class. The intervention provided for the students are 6 brain gym exercises for one week such as Cross crawl, Drinking water, Brain Button, Hook-ups, Thinking caps and Positive Points, for 15 minute
CONCENTRATION
In this study it refers to increase the attention span of the nursing students in the class with the help of brain gym exercises, as measured by class room environment scale.
NURSING STUDENTS
Students studying in 1styr.BSc nursing in selected nursing colleges at Bangalore.
6.8 ASSUMPTION:
6.8.1Researcher considersthat students burnout after every session in the class may
Havelowconcentration.
6.8.2 Brain Gym exercises may enhance concentrationof the students in the class.
6.9 DELIMITATION:
The study is limited to the students studying in selected nursing colleges
Bangalore.
7. MATERIAL AND METHODS
7.1 SOURCE OF THE DATA
The data will be obtained from I year BSc. nursing students studying in selected nursing colleges Bangalore.
7.1.1 Researchdesign
Quasi – experimental researchdesign
One group pre-test post-test design
Group / Pre-Test / Intervention / Post-TestExperimental Group / O1 / X / O2
Control Group / O1 / _ / O2
7.1.2 Research Setting:
The Study will be conducted in St Philomena’s College of nursing Bangalore. The study will be conducted for 1st yr. BSc. nursing students.
7.1. 3 Population
The population for the study comprises of 1st year BSc Nursing Studentsstudying in selected nursing colleges, Bangalore.
7.2. METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION
7.2.1. Sampling Procedure
The Sampling Technique used is Non probability Purposive Sampling
7.2.2. Sample Size
Sample size (N) = 100 Students (n=50 in Experimental group and n=50 in Control group) Studying 1st year BSc nursing in St Philomena’s College of nursing Bangalore.
7.2.3. Inclusion Criteria
7.2.3.11st year BSc. Nursingstudents studying inselected nursing colleges,Bangalore.
7.2.3.2Students who arewilling toparticipate inthe study.
7.2.4 Exclusion Criteria
7.2.4.1Students who are not available during the period of data collection
7.2.5 Tool intended to be used for the study
The tool consistsof following sections
Section A
Socio-demographic data profile
It includes information about the student such as age, birth order, socio economic status, education, nutrition and location of student’s residence.
Section B
‘ClassRoom Environment Scale’ will be modified by the researcher. Validityandreliability will be established by several experts in the field of nursing, psychology and psychiatry.
7.2.6 Data Collection Method:
- Formal Permission will be obtained from the head of the institution of
St Philomena’s college of Nursing, Bangalore.
- After obtaining the informed consent from the 1styr BSc. nursing students and assuring confidentiality of the information obtained, the researcher will assess the level of concentrationof students byPre-test and thenadministering 6 brain gym exercises for 15minutes twice a day for one week.
- A Post-test will be conducted after one week by using modified class room environmentscale.
- Apilot study will be conducted to check the feasibility of the study with 10 students of 1styr BSc. nursing by administering 6 brain gym exercises twice a day for one week prior to the main study, in a similar setting that of main study.
7.2.7 Data analysis plan: