Dr. Deanna Sellnow University of Kentucky January 6, 2010
Jan 10, 2016
Dr. Deanna SellnowUniversity of Kentucky
January 6, 2010
Introductions Action Research in a Nutshell Step by step process to … prepare
your proposal Wrap up and Evaluations
2. One thing you enjoy about teaching at NWIC
3. One challenge in teaching students at NWIC
Goal: to improve (change) how we address issues or problems via vigorous inquiry and reflection (research) (Lewin, 1946)
Research Questions: Personal Organizational Societal(Reason & Bradbury,
2001)
GOAL: To improve how we teach (pedagogy) based on rigorous inquiry & reflection (research)
WHY: To improve student learning
TO DO SO: We must understand our students
What’s in a name? SOTL: Scholarship of
Teaching and Learning Instructional
Communication Educational Assessment Scholarship of
Assessment
1. Identify an issue/problem/difficulty in the classroom (RQ).
2. Come up with a research-based strategy for addressing it.
3. Do it. 4. Assess it. 5. Complete the feedback loop. 6. Write it up!
Examples: Public speaking:
anxiety/disclosure/gender bias online speech content
Teacher training: international TAs isolation course consistency/integrity
General: immediacy in online instruction unprepared students/don’t read for class student commitment (relevance/value) student engagement
Consumer Orientation
Entertainment Orientation
Techno-literate Instant Gratification Self-Interested Cynical Stressed Intellectually
disengaged Civility Issues Self-Efficacy Issues Negotiation
College Students Today
Teaching-Centered Lecture, discussion (student-teacher, student-
student, experiential
Curriculum-Centered Course materials, supplements, topics,
assignments Problem-based learning
Environment-Centered Online, face to face, in-class, out of class
Public speaking: Anxiety=Speech of Personal Significance Online=online course Speech content=problem-based learning
Teacher training: International TAs=BAT training Isolation=peer mentoring Course consistency/integrity=weekly meetings, intercoder
training, test creation round robins General:
Immediacy in online instruction=email and emoticon training
Unprepared students/don’t read for class=quizzes, questions
Student commitment (relevance/value)=service learning Student engagement=learning cycle lessons
Modify . . . Syllabus Lecture notes to lesson plans Assignments Assessment and evaluation tools
≠ Evaluation Curriculum-Embedded Performance-based Cognitive, Affective, Behavioral Rubrics Methods
Direct or indirect Qualitative or quantitative
Public speaking: Anxiety=Speech of Personal Sig-content analysis of speeches Online=online course=content analysis of speeches Speech content=problem-based learning=content analysis of
speeches Teacher training:
International TAs=BAT training=student and teacher questionnaires Isolation=peer mentoring=reflective papers and portfolios Course consistency/integrity=weekly meetings, intercoder training,
test creation round robins=portfolios General:
Immediacy in online instruction=email and emoticon training=student surveys
Unprepared students/don’t read for class=quizzes, questions=student surveys
Student commitment (relevance/value)=service learning=interviews, focus groups, content analysis of speeches, affective learning scale, content relevance scale
Student engagement=learning cycle lessons=test scores, content analysis of speeches, TCEs
Reflect on what worked, etc. and modify syllabus and pedagogy
Build an argument for what you did (research based)
Introduce RQ or H Describe the methods you used to
assess its utility Clarify results Offer a discussion that presents
conclusions, implications, limitations, and suggestions for future research
Argument: Speech anxiety is lower when people know each other but men don’t like to disclose as much as women
RQ: Is there an inherent gender bias in requiring a self disclosure speech?
Methods: content analysis comparison of speeches and grades
Results: Topics and subpoints differed, grades did not
Discussion: It’s ok as long as students are free to choose the topic and examples they actually disclose
Put the final touches on your proposals! Onward and upward! Questions/ideas/thoughts?