5

DECREASING STUDENT TARDINESS THROUGHSTRATEGIC REWARD SYSTEM:

AN ACTIONRESEARCH REPORT
MALIK ET,AL 2017

AIM
The primary aim of the study was to improve the punctuality of identified middle school
students by providing them withrewards and incentive on the observation of each
decrease in their tardiness.

METHOD
Design
The action research design was determined for this research study. This was
deliberated toimprove the students’ punctuality and reduce tardiness by inculcating
reward based behavior modification plan. Six weeks intervention cycle was planned for
the identified students.Triangulation in data collection was applied by opting for
qualitative and quantitative modesof data collection and tools.
Participants
There were eight students identified for the research intervention. The students were
chosenfrom the eighth grades that have shown a significant tardiness in the last two
months.
Measures
A pre-test and post-test observation checklist was designed to record the data of
studentstardiness before and after the intervention. The first tool devised by the
researchers was toattain quantitative data from the teachers and administration about
the lateness of students intimes. The second tool was designed in order to gather
qualitative data where the studentsand teachers were given the questionnaires to
record their perceptions and outputs regardingstudent tardiness.
Procedure
The researchers identified the participants of the study and their consent to participate
in thestudy. Later, the pre-test was carried out and interventions were planned in
accordance. Theintervention was made through giving the rewards either tangible or
intangible to thestudents every time they come to school on time. Furthermore Parents-
teachers conferencewas also arranged with those very parents whose wards were
observed to be tardy, for thatconsent of school administration was taken prior. Finally, a
post-test was carried out to seethe post intervention impact.
Data Analysis
T-Test was applied to explore if there was any significant difference between the
timesstudent is late for school per week, if the trend of student tardiness is being
reduced or increased after the intervention.
RESULTS
The weekly data was recorded for six weeks. The data analysis revealed that the overall
tardiness has decreased as the initial frequency was 25 in the first week and started
reducing just after the intervention and became 11 in the 2nd week. It remained
decreasing in the 3rdweek with 6, 3 in the 4th week and 6 in the last week.
CONCLUSION
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
It can be stated that the intervention has positively brought a change in routine. Whilst
there is a need to understand the hidden factor behind this positive change whereby in
the current context it can be related to the interventions that were planned by the
researchers. The strategies that were planned for this behavior modification consisted
of student reward system and removal of policy of physical punishment. This can be
referred with a two-
fold perspective that is theoretical perspective and cultural perspective. As for the theor
etical perspective many authors have suggested that students given a reward and
incentive tend to
show improvement in their school behavior and practices. This can be linked from
Skinner’s
theory of behavior where a positive stimulus leads to a positive response and the
increase in reward leads to a permanent response of the positive desired behavior As
from the cultural perspective, in Pakistani context corporal punishments are commonly
used practice in the schools to alter the unwanted behavior of the students. Students
being constant participants of such penalties adapt to a negative framework and
ultimately channelize their behavior responses in negative regard. However, in this
study this practice was completely removed and on a contrary method of praise and
appreciation was implied. This allowed students to feel valued and eventually brought a
positive change in their attitudes. This pilot study gives an insight to the researchers and
practitioners that if the school transform their policies into more student-friendly and
oriented then they will receive positive outcomes of the problems faced by
them.Therefore, it is suggested that ope rant conditioning should be devised to give
rewards to those who are early comers and reinforce consistency all through-out the
school. The implementation of a school-wide tardy policy should strictly be enforced
where the teachers implementation of a school-wide tardy policy should strictly be
enforced implementation of a school-wide tardy policy should strictly be enforced where
the teachers the teachers and administrators should go hand in hand to create a system
that is easy to enforce yet effective against tardiness. Since it is observed through the
study that providing students with rewards and incentives for not being tardy to the
school worked, therefore this strategy can be applied as school-wide policy.. However, it
can also expand to more tangible rewards such as homework passes. The benefit of
this is that students who are following the rewarded, hopefully reinforcing their positive
behaviors. This research is one of the initaitives that will facilitate school policy makers,
teachers and parents to explore the ways of creatively decreasing the student tardiness.
Furthermore, it will help to bridge a gap in Pakistani literature for this phenomenon.

6
On Time: A Qualitative Study of Swedish Students’, Parents’ and Teachers’ Views on
School Attendance, with a Focus on Tardiness
Maria Warne ,2020
Abstract
Tardiness is a common problem in many schools. It can be understood as an individual
risk for future problematic behavior leading to absenteeism, school dropout, exclusion
and later health problems. Tardiness can also be examined in relation to a broader
social-ecological perspective on health. The aim of this study was to analyze students’,
school staff’s and parents’ views on students’ tardiness in two Swedish schools. A focus
group interview design was used with 21 school personnel, 21 students in grade nine
and two parents. The data were analyzed by using thematic content analysis. The
results illustrated the main theme—It depends on…—regarding what will happen if a
student arrives late to school lessons. This finding is further explained by the subthemes
about teachers’ signals and reactions and the responses from teachers and students.
The conclusion showed the importance of organizing the school day more predictably
for the students. Late arrival is a sign of shortcomings in a school organization. It is
necessary to develop guidelines related to how to handle students’ late arrival based on
predictable viewpoints but even more so on how to promote students’ sense of
belonging and their interest in and motivation for going to school.
Aim
The aim of this study was to analyze students’, school staff’s and parents’ views on
students’ tardiness in two Swedish schools.
Method
A focus group interview design was used with 21 school personnel, 21 students in
grade nine and two parents. The data were analyzed by using thematic content
analysis.
Result
We began our study with the concept of being present in or attending school and class.
During an interview with two parents (school B), both mothers, the importance of
students being on time for school and class were emphasized. The parents viewed
school attendance from a broad perspective and on various levels. That is, punctuality
was understood as a skill for future life and a way to be respectful to others; however,
they also found that students must bring books, bags and other items with them, in
addition to being on time for their lessons
Conclusion
The picture that emerges from our analysis shows both differences and similarities
among the groups participating in the study. Parents and students shared the same
idea about how schools handled lateness, but their views on responsibility differed.
Some of the students saw only their own responsibility as a factor affecting punctuality.
The inability to see their role as part of a greater whole was more prevalent in
secondary school teachers than in teachers in the lower grades. Late arrival is a sign of
adolescents’ maladjustment from a holistic viewpoint, in a school as an organization
created to interact with students, families, and school staff.
The results of this study imply the importance of organizing the school day more
predictably and with a better structure for the students. Such predictability can be
expressed by starting the school day at the same time and in the same manner every
single day. Further, the staff needs to agree on a common policy on handling tardiness.
The result also indicates that schools must further develop their effectiveness in relation
to both students and parents. That is, they must strengthen their work in promoting
students’ sense of belonging and in relation to students’ interests and motivation to
come to school. In dealing with tardiness especially, it is important to interpret this
behavior as a signal understood in a greater context.
In further research, we suggest developing a model of how to handle student
tardiness based on predictable standpoints. This model should be developed and tested
in collaboration with researchers, teachers, students, and parents.
7

Students tardiness and its effect on teaching and learning at bothouniversity , Botswana

Keitumetse K. Kgosi (2015)

Aim

this study aimed to find out what causes students to come late to class and the effect
late coming has on the learning and the teaching process. The study will also take a
look at strategies that can be made or pursued at Botho University as a way of
improving punctuality and reducing student tardiness in school.

Method

A qualitative case study design was selected for this study because it provided a means
to conduct an in depth investigation on the causes and effects of student tardiness. The
study was conducted at Botho University in Gaborone campus. Purposive sampling was
used to select participants for the interviews, as it only focused on those who came late
for those specific days. For observations, convenience sampling was used mainly
because of easy availability of potential participants. A sample size of 20 participants
was selected through purposive sampling strategies. Individual interviews with late
comers were used to gather data for the study. A pilot test of the interview guides was
conducted with 2 participants from the teacher’s class to verify the dependability of the
questions and improve them. For data trustworthiness the data was peer examined and
triangulated. Gate keepers and participants were informed of the nature of the study
before any data collection took place. In analyzing the data, thematic analysis was used
to analyze data from the individual interviews.

Results

The research findings revealed that transportation, lack of time management and self
discipline, and distance from school contributed significantly to student tardiness. In
order to improve student tardiness it is recommended that Botho University should
change the starting time of lessons and implement a consistent tardy policy across.

CONCLUSION

The analysis of the research data revealed several factors that cause students to be
late for school. It was identified that most students who participated in this study were
tardy mainly because of transportation challenges. Students staying far from school find
themselves constantly late to class because transport is not reliable or there is too much
traffic. Another major influence of late coming was identified to be general time
managements, some students felt they could not easily prioritize their responsibilities or
duties when getting ready for school. The study also looked at the effects of student
tardiness on teaching and learning and revealed that important content coverage and
announcements that are made at the beginning of the class are difficult to get when one
is late. Even if a colleague may relay the message, there may be something important
that the tardy would have missed. And essentially most participants mentioned that
when one is late it is difficult to catch up with the rest of the class since the lecturer will
not give you any attention. Lastly, it has been revealed that there could be strategies put
in place to reduce tardiness among the students of Botho University. Students can be
encouraged to be on time by informing them about the importance of punctuality; there
could be policies set in place to define what should or should not be done when a
student is late to class instead of being inconsistent. From observation, lecturers
behave differently when students show up late for their classes, some chase them while
others ignore them. Participants also felt like perhaps the start time especially in winter
should be increased to a later time instead of using the same time as in summer.

STUDENTS’ TARDINESS HABIT TO ATTEND THE CLASS

STUDENTS TARDINESS HABIT TO ATTEND THE CLASS AT THE STUDENTS OF
STIE MUHAMMADIYAH MAMUJU

Hamzar and Andi NursiskawatiSiangka, 2020

Aim

This article aims at providing a description of students’ tardiness habit to attend the
class at the very students of STIE Muhammadiyah Mamuju.

Method

This research employed a qualitative design which was broadly to seek and grasp the
answers of the complexity of series proceedings in research problem statements
(Adopted from Cresswell, 2009; Cresswell 2012; Sugiyono, 2017; Sukmadinata,
2013; Williams, 2007). This design utilized a purposive sampling technique.The
populations were 1. 698 students, 74 lecturers, and 60 administrators, and the
samples were 9 tardy students from four classes, 3 selected lecturers,and3selected
administrators. The research instruments were involvement observation checklists, in-
depth interview sheets, and additional questionnaires. Attendance lists were used as
involvement observation checklists to track the students’ tardiness proportion. The in-
depth interview sheet using open-ended questions comprised 54 items for students, 35
items for lecturers, and 29 items for administrators while the questionnaire constituted 4
items. The data were gathered through five procedures such as teaching, involvement
observation checklists, in-depth interviews, additional questionnaires, and focus group
discussions. The involvement observation checklist records from students during the
teaching and learning process were collected, classified, and judged to grab excessive
tardiness to be interviewed. The in-depth interviews along withquestionnaires were
carried out to 9 tardy students, 3 lecturers, and 3 administrators. It was also
supported by focus group discussions from both tardy students and punctual students,
(Adopted from Mishra, 2017). The personal in-depth interviews and focus group
discussion data were recorded, put into the transcript, and reduced by matrix
tables, and then they were described descriptively. Questionnaires were used to
support the in-depth interview data, and the questionnaires consisted of varying
strategies from previous research and the researchers’ recommended strategies to
cope with students’ tardiness occurrences. The questionnaire data were
classified, grouped, and described descriptively. All data were validated through
typology and triangulation techniques.

Results

It discovered that there were lots of students’ internal tardiness inhibitions and
external tardiness inhibitions which impeded the students to be puctual to attend the
lectures. Students’ tardiness shared profoundly negative impacts on themselves,
lecturers, and other punctual students.

Conclsion

Based on the data in findings and discussion, the researchers concluded that there
were different varieties of causal inhibitions that affected the students of STIE
Muhammadiyah Mamuju to be tardy to attend the class during the lectures. The
tardiness trend of the students plagued desperately negative impacts for
themselves, the teaching lecturers, and other punctual students. Lateness behavior
bothered the adjacent people, other students and an instructor from the flow of
teaching and learning process in the classroom, (Betaineh, 2014). It is eligible not to
allow the tardy students who go through chronic lateness and avoidable lateness even
only one-minute lateness attending the class as long as there is a lateness policy
maximally 15 minutes for unavoidable lateness. The most exceptional practice to
decrease the lateness range was consistent penalties, (Moore, 2010). However, the
latecomers must confirm to the lecturers or even administrators through calling by
phone, sending a message, chatting in WhatsApp or other connected ways in
other social media before the class. Besides, they must provide proof which is
acceptable that they face unavoidable problems. In addition, the classroom doors
must be locked so that the tardy students who do not have confirmation before
cannot enter the class freely. The lecturers just open the door for tardy students who
confirm before the class and have a statement letter from the administrators in the tardy
room. Furthermore, the administrators in charge and the securities should control the
classroom during the implementation of this rule in order to protect the students who
want to disobey the rule, do violence, or even break the classroom doors. The last, the
rule should be proposed by the vice head I as the academic affairs to the head
of STIE Muhammadiyah Mamuju inasmuch as she has responsibility for the
academic affairs, and then the head of STIE Muhammadiyah Mamuju approves
and legalizes it as an institutional rule to be adhered rigidly by all administrators,
lecturers, and students. For the lecturers, when they run into lateness because of the
unavoidable problems, essential meetings at campus or other urgent campus activities,
they must confirm to administrators who are in the tardy room, so that they can replace
the lecturers during their lateness occurrence or the administrators can attend the
class to give information or an assignment from the lecturers to their students. The
lecturers also can send or store materials to the administrators which will be given to
the students. Of course, the lecturers also should confirm to the students that they will
be late, and the administrators will come to their class to replace them for a moment
during their late-coming. The result implication is that the practical strategies are
implicitly recommended to be imposed rigidly by educators and administrators in order
to combat students’ tardiness habit to attend the class as well as to provide better
outcomes both in formal educations and informal educations. The researchers strongly
advise that all lecturers and administrators of STIE Muhammadiyah Mamuju should ban
the tardy students who go through chronic lateness and avoidable lateness to attend
the class, and they just give a lateness policy for a maximum of 15 minutes for
unavoidable lateness. The momentous strategies above also can be put into effect to
other formal educations such as schools and universities and informal educations
such as course institutions in order to establish time discipline. The possible future
exploration is to research whether the effectivity of application of strategies above can
utterly combat the students’ tardiness habit both in formal educations and informal
educations or not. The current limitations of this study is that there are not
students’ reactions or attitudes towards the implementations of the strategies or
rules above because those are still suggestions derived from these research
evidences to be implemented institutionally although there were some lectures put
them into practice in person, they still need piloting in the future.

9.

UNDERSTANDING TARDINESS AMONG SCHOLASTIC LEARNERS

Wilma de Sousa
29 April 2017

Aim

This study will aim to answer some questions regarding the age old, yet still modern day
issue the education face, namely: The dilemma of chronic tardiness among South
African scholastic learners.

Method

The specific research design and instrument will be done through structured interviews
and surveys

Result

The survey results seem to suggest that girls are more prone to be late for school than
boys and also that the younger learners still need to cultivate a habit of punctuality

Conclusion

After conducting this limited research, it is logical to conclude that more emphasize
must be placed by teachers, parents and even our government on the issue of
punctuality. Scripture teaches us: Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should
go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” If every educator can reach this goal,
we will end with a generation of punctual, responsible people. Tardiness is not a result
of our socio-economic stand in life, but in how we were trained. Punctuality is an
example we all need to set, consistently, continuously. Schools need to not only have
good tardiness policies in place, but be effective in administering those policies.
Learners need to know that there are consequences for being late, or else this tendency
in our African school may become an epidemic! This is a challenge that we just can’t
ignore!
Theoretical framework

No fear of consequences

don’t bother to wake up early enough

school’s tardy policy not enforced
school has no tardy policy
psychological and emotional problems
anxiety => bullying

anxiety => unwanted peer pressure

physical and logical reasons

poverty

transport too expensive

long travelling/walking distances
street crime too high
unreliable transport
important domestic responsibilities
walking siblings to other schools

10

A Comparative Analysis Of Tardiness Policies Of Elementary Schools Schools

Diana J. Goodwin, 2020 University of New England

Aim

The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare tardiness policies across several
large, urban school districts, investigate their alignment with current research about
tardiness and school attendance, and explore the possible relationship between school
tardiness policies and student academic achievement.

Method

This research design used is a qualitative case study. “The word qualitative implies an
emphasis on the qualities of entities and on processes and meanings that are not
experimentally examined or measured [if measured at all] in terms of quantity, amount,
intensity, or frequency” (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005, p. 10). The case study approach
alignsith the purposes of this research, in that it allows the researcher to examine the
qualities of the entities (the school districts) and their processes and meanings (school
district policy). The “quantity, amount, intensity, or frequency” of characteristics of
school district policies were the data gathered for analysis. The method used to gather
data for this research was Internet-based research. “Internet-based research method
refers to any research method that used the Internet to collect data” (Krantz, 2010). This
type of data-collection method complements this particular multi-case study as it affords
the researcher the ability to consider districts that would otherwise be challenging to
compare due to proximity to one another. “In case study research, researchers use
documents as a source of contextual information about events that cannot be directly
observed” (Boblin et al., 2013, p. 5). In this multi-case study, the “documents” are data
from three large, urban school districts regarding their attendance policies, demographic
information, and statistical information derived from school and district web sites, school
board policy and procedure manuals, and online school statistic data bases.

Result

of the three schools that were researched, Rio Vista Elementary School had the most
specific and punitive measures regarding tardiness. Their tardiness policy details that
three tardies count as an absence (Rio Vista Elementary School Handbook, 2019). In
addition, the school district policy tightly aligns tardiness with truancy. The LAUSD
Attendance Policy Manual (2018) specifies “any unexcused tardy in excess of 30
minutes will be counted toward truancy classification” and goes on to explain that when
a student is classified as truant due to tardiness is placed on an Attendance and
Dropout Prevention Plan (LAUSD Attendance Policy Manual, 2018, p. 58).

There were some interesting insights revealed when looking at each focus elementary
school’s attendance policy through the lens of The Policy Attributes Theory (Porter et
al., 1988).
theory

The Policy Attributes Theory (Porter et al., 1988).

Conclusion

From this analysis, a discovery was made that the district with the least specific
student tardiness policy had the best academic achievement. This study also revealed
that there was alignment between federal, state, and district regarding attendance and
tardiness policies, but there were some inconsistencies in how the policy language was
relayed at the school sites in each respective elementary school handbook. In this
researcher’s professional educational settings over time, she has observed a variety of
techniques employed by schools and districts to be flexible with student arrival time in
order to bolster Average Daily Attendance (ADA) numbers. States use school districts’
ADA to determine their funding (edsource.org). So, for example, if a school is somewhat
lenient towards timeliness in order to “allow” students to be late but not count towards
lowered attendance, the researcher wonders how this may or may not affect studies
regarding student tardiness. As a current school administrator, the researcher intends
to take the results of this study and accomplish two things. First, the researcher, now
well grounded in Bardach’s (2012) Policy Guide, will be able to move forward as a
current policy-maker in her building, or as a future district policy-maker, to use the eight
steps to help guide policy implementation and policy analysis. Second, the researcher
will be able to use this policy analysis as a model to inform practice regarding the need
to put more emphasis on the impact of student tardiness at the elementary school level

11

The Cause of Tardiness among Senior High School Studentsin Inayawan Senior High
School

Mary nacional

Aim

The purpose of this research is to investigate the causes of tardinessamong Senior

High School students. A qualitative approach was used to draw data fromSenior High
School students of Inayawan National High School.

Method

Research Design and Methodology

The study was carried out at Inayawan National High School. Approaches A qualitative
approach was use to conduct this research. The strength of qualitativeresearch involved
around its ability to provide complex textual descriptions of how peopleexperience a
given research issue. It provided information about the human side of anissue. This
include the contradictory behaviors beliefs, opinions, and relationships ofindividuals
(Neumann, 2000).Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews with the
learners ofInayawan National High School. The interviews conducted gave a
representative pictureand provided a bases for interpretation. The interviewer insured
that all question was

answered and the interviewers’ observations in terms of the quality of the interview and

characteristics of respondents were included in the interview schedule. The

participantswere observed and interviewed in their natural setting. Their viewpoints,
facts and insightsinto the problem where useful for this study. The research questions
focused more on thecause of tardiness in coming to school among Senior High School
students.

Study Design

The Study Design involve of multiple case study research. Multiple-case studiesdesign
allowed the researcher to explore the phenomena under study, through the use
ofreplication strategy (Yin, 2004). The conclusions from one case were compared
andcontrasted with the result from the other cases. Two types of selections were used;
theliteral replication where the cases selected were similar and the predicted results
weresimilar too. The theoretical replication where the cases were selected based on
theassumption that they will produce contradictory results (Zach, 2006).

Result
The findings reveal thattardiness is common in Inayawan Senior High School. It
happens almost every day forvarying reasons.

CONCLUSION

The researcher concluded that the assumption of the study was not true based onthe
findings. There is a main outstanding reason from the survey that was conducted
thataffects and leads the students to engage in tardiness. The main cause of this is the
lackof time management. It is based on the findings of the data that was gathered from
theoverall respondents of the study.

THEORY
There have been some theories that pointed out that tardiness is causedby the
personality of a person Santillano (2020) stated that psychological theoristsconsider
some “personality traits, including low self esteem and anxiety” as triggering
factors of tardiness (para 2). She also mentioned that while some theorists considered
tardiness as an “inborn quality” since our being early or late is “partially
biologicallydetermined”, which is also agreed, other experts also believed that some
people are“chronically tardy” forthe reason that they consciously and unconsciously get
good thingsfrom it.