Action Research - Reflective Teacher

Using Action Research to

Improve Your Teaching Practice

and

Become a Reflective Practitioner

Dr. Mike NantaisDr. Glenn CockerlineFaculty of Education Brandon University

1. Introductions

- who we are why we are here.

- who they are & why they chose this session.

2. Overview of the agenda & session purpose

3. What is [Action] Research and what’s in it for ME?

- T-P-S “research”

- ACTION research - define & explain

1. The Action Research Process - an overview & contrast

with ‘traditional’ research

2. The research purpose & question

3. How do you get there? Data: validity, reliability,

triangulation, types of data

4. Action Research Process revisited

5. Where do YOU go from here?

A

g

e

n

d

a

The Manitoba Education

Administration Act, states

that a “teacher is responsible

for ongoing professional

development.”

What is “educational research”?

Action Research?

Action research is the art of analysing and evaluating one’s own practice with a view to improving some aspect of it.

Cockerline & Nantais (2015)

A disciplined process of inquiry conducted by and for those taking the action. The primary reason for engaging in action research is to assist the actor [teacher] in improving or refining his or her actions.

Sagor (2000)

An attempt to ‘formalize’ what teachers already do ...

recognize ‘bias’

Personal

What is your AR question?

4 stages of action research

Plan

• Problem

• Research Questions

• Indicators

• Data Sources

Action

• Intervention

• Data collection

• ObservationReflection

Analysis

Analysis

Informed

Action

Revised

Plan

Reflection

1

Common Differences Formal vs Action

Goals of Research Universal Improved

Knowledge Praxis

Research Problem Building on Personal

Knowledge Dilemma

Research Design Essentially Cyclical

Linear

Application Theoretical Practical

Significance Application

action research: a cyclical process

Plan

• Problem

• Research Questions

• Indicators

• Data Sources

Action

• Intervention

• Data collection

• ObservationReflection

Analysis

Analysis

Informed

Action

Revised

Plan

Reflection

1

Identifying the Problem and Developing Research Questions

A Good Action Research Question is

self-reflective

focused on actions or practice of the

researcher

contextual

embedded in the day to day life of the

researcher

open-ended

phrased to generate insights or

understandings, not to prove a point

Will holding a family math night

increase parent participation?

How can I personalize instruction to

match the needs of my students?

Can I use discussion forums to encourage quiet

students to participate in class discussions?

Why don’t students do homework?

If I listen to students, will I have

better understanding of them?

Good or Bad?

Is Your Question ...

self-reflective

focused on actions or practice of the

researcher

contextual

embedded in the day to day life of the

researcher

open-ended

phrased to generate insights or

understandings, not to prove a point

Data Collection: Validity

Does the data actually reflect the phenomena that it claims to?

Data Collection: Reliability

Is the data accurate?

Draw a tree … GO!

Activity!

http://pixabay.com/en/tree-pine-conifer-black-

silhouette-306782/

http://pixabay.com/en/tree-silhouette-forest-oak-

elm-309983/

Data Collection: Triangulation

minimum 3 independent sources of data to ensure different perspectives

Data Source

Data Source

Reliability

Data Source

Data Collection: How wood you select your data sources?

You need to choose data that will answer your research question!

Choose some data sources.

action research revisited

Plan

• Problem

• Research Questions

• Indicators

• Data Sources

Action

• Intervention

• Data collection

• ObservationReflection

Analysis

Analysis

Informed

Action

Revised

Plan

Reflection

1

Where do you go from here?

The Manitoba Educational

Administration Act states that

a “teacher is responsible for

ongoing professional

development”.

Got queries?

Mike Nantais

[email protected] @miken_bu

Glenn Cockerline

[email protected] @DocCoc