Graide

EngineeringScienceUniversityMagnetSchool
Chem21
20152016ExpoChallenge
Anewwaytoaidyourgrade
Abstract:
Stress is becoming a big issue with not only adults but with children and adolescents as well.
Even though stress has notbeendeemedacauseofdeathitcanhoweverleadto manyprominent
side effects such as fatigue, difficulties in concentrating,andpanicattacks. Stresscanalsocause
mood swings, high blood pressure, and depression and when these symptoms begin to show up
in children and adolescents it creates a problem. Stress just isnt good for us.Whenresearching
this topic further the Graiders (founders of Graide) realized that many children's and
adolescents stress is phone and school related. Many teachers believe that phones cause
distractions and are the cause of low grades. However, students do not agree with this and use
their phones anyways which causes tension and unneeded anger between students and teachers.
This revelation brought us to believe that if we help low performing students and students in
general with their grades then we could help relieve their stress further. This is why we have
Graide. An up and coming app that will be able to help students reduce and prevent that
unwantedstressthatplaguesthemthroughtheirdays.

TableofContents:
Purpose/ProblemandSolution
Research

ConnectiontoEmpathy

SurveyData

Labs

LabResults

11

Conclusions/Validity

12

WhattodoNext?

13

WorksCited

14

Purpose/ProblemandSolution:
PurposeStatement:
Takingawaythedistractionofapplicationnotificationsinschoolcanreduce
lowtestgradeswhichultimatelyleadstoadecreaseinstresslevel.

ResearchersRichardMurphy
andLouisPhilippeBelandlookedathowphoneguidelinesat91schoolsinEnglandhave
changedsince2001.Theythencomparedthatdatawithresultsaccomplishedinnationalexams
takenattheageof16(theexperimentscovered130,000students).Itfoundthatfollowingthat
withoutthedistractionsofappsontheirphones,theschool's'testscoresimprovedby6.4%.The
impacton
underachieving
studentswasmuchmoresignificant.Theiraveragetestscoresroseby
14%.
ProblemStatement:
Howdoesthedistractionofapplicationsonaphonenegativelyaffect
studentsfocus,grades,andstresslevels?
Solution:
Ourmissionistoreducestresslevelsinmiddleandhighschoolers.Weplanto
accomplishthisisbycreatinganappthatallowseasyaccesstoteacheremails,checklisttodo
systemw/pushnotificationsupport,chatwithotherstudentsthroughanIMsystem,andpanic
buttonforwhenuserisreallystressed.

Research:
Pleasenotethatourresearchwasdonewithpersons18andunderinmind.Althoughstress
affectseveryoneandisuniversal,ourappwasdesignedwiththisagegroupinmindasitfitsthe
criteriaforastudentinmiddleorhighschool.
Tobegin,thisisanagegroupthatneedstobetargetedthemost.In2013,theAmerican
PsychologicalAssociationsStressinAmericasurveydiscoveredthatteenagerswerethemost
stressedagegroupinAmerica,sayingthatonascaleof1to10,with10beingthemoststressed,
theaverageteenagerratedthemselvesa5.8onthisscalenotably,thiswasmainlytheirstress
levelsduringanaverageschoolyear.Thesearenttheonlyconcerningnumbers,though.The
samestudyfoundthatonly16%ofteensfelttheirstresslevelshavedecreasedandthat42%feel
theyarentdoingenoughtodecreasetheirstress.GrAidehopestoremedythisbyincreasing
thatpercentageofstudentswhohavedecreasedtheirstresslevelsandreducingthepercentageof
thosewhofeeltheyarentdoingenough.
Butwhydoweneedtoreducestress?Thewordstressinvokesplentyimagesof
negativefeelingsandsideeffects,butwhatdoesittrulydo?AccordingtoresearchfromJohns
HopkinsUniversityonhowstressaffectschildrenandteenagers,stresscanleadtoanyofthe
followingandmorehighbloodpressure,headaches,stomachachesanddigestiveproblems,poor
eyesight,aswellasneck,facial,andbackpain.Althoughnotfatal,stressmostcertainlyonly
makesyourlifeworsethanithastobe.Thoseunderstressmayalsohaveissuessleepingandbe
morepronetonightmares.Wereitnotobvious,thisthenpreventsthestressedindividualsfrom

havingagoodnightsrest,leadingtoanunpleasantmorningandrestoftheday.Stressisnot
deadly,butitismostcertainlynothealthy.Byreducingstressinstudents,GrAidealsohelps
preventsomeoftheseunhealthysideeffects,assuringstudentsdonotgoontobeaffectedby
theseafflictionsfortherestoftheirlives.

ConnectionToEmpathy
ThethemethisyearforEXPOisempathybydesignandsinceGrAidesfoundersareallhigh
schoolstudentswefeltthattacklinganissuethataffecteduspersonallywouldhelpuscreateda
moreempatheticdesign.Sowithyearsofschoolworkunderourbelts,weallknowwhatitslike
tobestressedoutwithallthetests,projects,andconstanthomeworkassignments.WithGrAide
aimingtocurbstresslevelsinstudentsandimprovegrades,weempathizewiththembynotonly
usingourexpertiseinwhathelpsstudentsbelessstressedbutbybeingempatheticsinceweare
inthatsituationstillourselves.

SurveyData
AsofrightnowwearecollectingsurveydataasyouarereadingthisandbytheendofEXPOwe
willhaveincludedsurveydata.

Labs
Lab1:
ProblemStatement:
HowcantheaccesstotheappGraideaffectthestresslevelsofhighly
stressedhighschoolstudents?
Hypothesis:
IfstudentswhohavehighstresslevelshaveaccesstoGraide,thentheirstress
levelswilldecrease.
Constants:

survey

students(throughouttheexperiment)

theapp

thecontrolgroup

Procedure:
1. Giveoutasurveythatisbasedonage,schoolactivities,grades,sports,stresslevels
relatedtogradesandfamilylife.
2. Gatheragroupof10highschoolersthathavethesameanswers(musthave
low/averagegradesandhighstresslevels)
3. Take5highschoolersanddonotallowthemtouseGraidetheywillbeourcontrol
group
4. Taketheremaining5highschoolersandallowthemtoaccessanduseGraide.
5. Letallstudentstakethestresslevelquestionnaireagain
6. Compareformerandcurrentstresslevelsandacademicprogressforallstudents
7. FormaconclusiononGraideseffectivenessbycomparingthecontrolgroupsacademic
progressandstresslevels*.
*ex:observestresslevelsdidtheyincrease?decrease?didthegradesincrease?decrease?is
Graideeffective

Lab2:
ProblemStatement:
HowcantheaccesstotheappGraideaffectthegradesoflowgrade
achievinghighschoolstudents?
Hypothesis:
IfstudentswhohavelowgradeshaveaccesstoGraide,thentheirgradeswill
increase.

Constants:
survey
students(throughouttheexperiment)
theapp
thecontrolgroup
Procedure:
1. Giveoutasurveythatisbasedonage,schoolactivities,grades,sports,stresslevels
relatedtogradesandfamilylife.
2. Gatheragroupof10highschoolersthathavethesameanswers(musthavelow/average
grades)
3. Take5highschoolersanddonotallowthemtouseGraidetheywillbeourcontrol
group
4. Taketheremaining5highschoolersandallowthemtoaccessanduseGraide.
5. Letallstudentstakethestresslevelquestionnaireagain
6. Compareacademicprogressforallstudents
7. FormaconclusiononGraideseffectivenessbycomparingthecontrolgroupsacademic
progress*.
*ex:didthegradesincrease?decrease?isGraideeffective?

Lab3:
ProblemStatement:Asanewproduct,Graidewilladmittedlybedifficulttoimplementin
schoolsandbecomeahouseholdname.
Hypothesis:ByimplementingGrAideinjustoneclasswithXnumberofstudents,wordof
mouthfromteachertoteacher,studenttostudent,etc.,willspreadandGrAidewillbe
implementedinmoreclassrooms,schools,etc.
Constants:
Theschoolwetestin(ESUMS)
Thebeginningclass
TeacherwhoisgivenGrAidetointroduceinclass
IndependentVariable:ClassintroducedtoGrAide
DependantVariable:NumberofusersrecommendedtotryGrAide
Procedure:
1. Find3teachers(orateacherwith3individualclasses,)whowillimplementtheGrAide
appintheirclassroomsandhaveallstudentswhocandownloadoruseitdoso.
2. Asacontrolgroup,considerjusttellingaclassaboutGrAideanditsbenefitsandhowit
affectsdownloadsandusage.

10

3. Recordhowmanystudentsareineachclass,theirnames,howmanycanusetheapp,and
theteachersname.
4. Allowthestudentsoneweektousetheappandpotentiallyshareit.
5. Attheendoftheweek,intervieweachstudentfromthefirstclass,andtheclassteacher.
Askiftheyhavesharedtheappwithanyonebeitotherstudentsorteachers.Iftheyhave
thenamesofeachusertheyrecommendeditto,recorditundertheirnames.
6. Waitanotherweek.Meetwithnotonlytheoriginalclassbutalsotheteachersand
studentsmentionedlastweekandaskiftheyhaverecommendedGrAidetosomeone.
7. Rinseandrepeatfor2moreweeks,approximatelyaboutamonthsworthofdata.Record
howoftenGrAidewassharedandwhosharedtowhomorestudenttostudent,teacher
tostudent,etc.
8. Tallythetotaluniquerecommendationsandcometoconclusionifitwasmoresuccessful
ornot.

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LabResults:
Aftertheconstructionoftheappweintendtoadministerthelabs.Ourresultswillbefoundhere.

12

Conclusions/Validity:
Oncethelabshavebeenadministeredandthedatacollectedwewillwriteourconclusionshere
andjustifythevalidityoftheexperiments.

13

WhattodoNext?
Asofrightnowweintendtowinminiexpo,haveourappavailabletothepublic,administer
labs,writeconclusions,andmakeGraideevenbetter.

14

WorksCited:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/11/stressteenspsychological/5266739/
Jayson,Sharon."TeensFeelingStressed,andManyNotManagingItWell."
USAToday
.
Gannett,11Feb.2014.Web.15Feb.2016.
http://www.healthline.com/health/stress/effectsonbody
Pietrangelo,Ann."TheEffectsofStressontheBody."
Healthline
.N.p.,25Aug.2014.Web.15
Feb.2016.
http://www.novafeel.com/relaxation/stress.htm
"Stress."
:Definition,CausesandSymptoms
.N.p.,n.d.Web.15Feb.2016.
http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/strategies/topics/Keeping%20Fit%20for%20Learning/s
tress.html
Tennant,Victoria."ThePowerfulImpactofStress."
JohnsHopkinsAchoolofEducation
.N.p.,
Sept.2005.Web.15Feb.2016.

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http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/strategies/topics/Keeping%20Fit%20for%20Learning/s
tress.html
(Feinstein,
SecretsoftheTeenageBrain
,2004,p.94)
http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2014/02/teenstress.aspx
"SurveyShowsTeenStressRivalsThatofAdults."
AmericanPsychologicalAssociation
.N.p.,
11Feb.2014.Web.15Feb.2016.
http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/10/highstresshighschool/409735/
Ossola,Alexandra."HighStressHighSchool."
TheAtlantic
.AtlanticMediaCompany,9Oct.
2016.Web.15Feb.2016.
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/kidshealth/teensmorestressedoutadultssurveyshowsn2692
1
Aleccia,Jonel."TeensMoreStressedOutThanAdults."
NBCNews
.N.p.,11Feb.2014.Web.
15Feb.2016.
https://www.nyu.edu/life/safetyhealthwellness/livewellnyu/priorityareas/stress.html
"Stress."
NewYorkUniversity
.N.p.,n.d.Web.15Feb.2016.
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stresssymptomscausesandeffects.htm
"StressSymptoms,Signs,andCauses."
HelpGuide
.N.p.,n.d.Web.15Feb.2016.
http://www.learnpsychology.org/studentstressanxietyguide/
Cohen,Melissa."StudentStress&AnxietyGuide"
LearnPsychology
.N.p.,n.d.Web.15Feb.
2016.
http://www.medicinenet.com/stress_and_heart_disease/page2.htm

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"StressandHeartDiseaseSymptoms,Causes,TreatmentDoesStressAffectEveryonethe
Same?MedicineNet."
MedicineNet
.N.p.,n.d.Web.03Mar.2016.
http://money.cnn.com/2015/05/18/technology/smartphonesschoolsban/
SchoolsThatBanStudentsfromCarryingPhonesSeeaClearImprovementinTheirTestScores.
"KidsDoaLotBetterWhenSchoolsBanSmartphones."
CNNMoney
.CableNewsNetwork,n.d.
Web.03Mar.2016.
Gregoire,Carolyn."AmericanTeensAreEvenMoreStressedThanAdults."
TheHuffington
Post
.TheHuffingtonPost.com,11Feb.2014.Web.08Mar.2016.

Tennant,Victoria."ThePowerfulImpactofStress."
JohnsHopkinsSchoolofEducation
.
Education.jhu.edu,n.d.Web.8Mar.2016.