Our Agenda

Our Agenda Learning Goal: We will

be able to define and describe Action Research and articulate possible questions for our own research.

End of Lesson Question: Identify a focus, an art form and a question that you might explore.

Welcome Remarks and Introductions

Headlines: What is AR? Intro to AR Overview of Capstone

Seminar and Project Expectations and

Syllabus for Seminar Research process- using

our Edublog Brainstorming a

question Speed Dating

Carlos Alonso: Where Tears Can’t Stop, 1950

Action ResearchWhat is it? Why do it? How is it done?

What is Action Research?“Action (teacher) research is a natural extension of

good teaching. Observing students closely analyzing their needs, and adjusting the curriculum to fit the needs of all students have always been important skills demonstrated by fine

teachers” (Hubbard & Power, 1999).

A product of Project CENTRAL, 2004

Action research is systematic inquiry done by teachers (or other individuals in an educational setting) to gather information about, and subsequently improve, the ways their particular educational setting operates, how they teach, and how well their students learn (Mills, 2000).

Action Research refers to:

A particular way of researching your own learning;

A practical way of looking at your practice in order to check whether it is as you feel it should be…;

If you feel that your practice needs attention in some way you will be able to take action to improve it, and then produce evidence to show in what way the practice has improved.

Jean McNiff, 2002Action Research Principles and Practice

Jean McNiff

A Model of Professional Development Action research is a model of

professional development in which educators study student learning related to their own teaching, a process that allows them to learn about their own instructional practices and to continue to improve student learning. to explore and test new ideas, methods, and materials; To assess how effective the new approaches were; To share feedback with fellow team members; To make decisions about which new approaches to include in the practice

A product of Project CENTRAL, 2004

Action Research

“The idea of action research is that educational problems and issues are best identified and investigated where the action is: at the classroom and school level. By integrating research into these settings and engaging those who work at this level in research activities, findings can be applied immediately and problems solved more quickly” (Guskey, 2000).

Action Research is

Writing a Research

PaperA product of Project CENTRAL, 2004

NOT

Data Collection The goal of action research is to understand

some element of your classroom by collecting data

Data are any form of information, observations, or facts that are collected or recorded

Collecting data is what separates action research from just writing a paper

Action research is not writing what you think to be true, it is about collecting data and making conclusions based on that data

Action vs. Formal ResearchAction ResearchSystematic inquiry.

Goal is to solve problems of local concern.

Little formal training required to conduct such studies.

Intent is to identify and correct problems.

Carried out by teacher or other local education professional.

Uses primarily teacher-developed instruments.

Less rigorous.

Usually value-based.

Purposive samples selected.

Selective opinions of researcher often considered as data.

Generalizability is very limited.

Formal ResearchSystematic inquiry.

Goal is to develop and test theories and to produce knowledge generalizable to wide population.

Considerable training required to conduct such studies.

Intent is to investigate larger issues, of local concern.

Carried out by researcher who is not usually involved in local situation.

Uses primarily professionally-developed instruments.

More rigorous.

Frequently value-neutral.

Random samples (if possible) preferred.

Selective opinions of researcher never considered as data.

Generalizability often appropriate.

When do we use action research?

1. To solve an educational problem;2. To help educators reflect on their

own practices3. To address school-wide problems4. When teachers want to improve

their practices

Action Research - Power Point by: Dr. Tarek Chebbi, FIU

Kurt Lewin (1946)

Coined the word “Action Research”; Research for social management or social engineering in industrial contexts.

Lewin’s Action Research Involves a spiral of steps, ‘each of which is composed of a circle of planning, action and fact-finding about the result of the action’

The Action Research Process

Action Research

Identifying a Classroom

Problem

Developing & Implementing

an Action Research Plan

Collecting & Analyzing

Data

Using & Sharing Results

A product of Project CENTRAL, 2004

PLANNING

DELIVERYFOLLOW-UP

EVALUATION

A professional development framework for teachers: Action Research.

EXPLORE

PRACTICEPERFORM

PLAN

Quality Teaching & Learning

Inquiry

Reflection

ProcessProductHabits

The Process

Identify theproblem or area

Organize, analyze& interpret the data

Collect data

Review relatedresearch literature

Develop a Timeline/Action Plan

Identify the Problem, Select the Area of Focus, Create a Question

On what do you focus action research?

A problem from your classroom

A puzzle or dilemma about the learning of a particular student or group of students

A question you have about your teaching

A situation that has arisen in your classroom

•I wonder what would happen if…..

Identifying the Problem

First, select a general idea or area of focus:

should involve teaching and learning should be within your locus of control should be something you feel

passionate about should be something you would like

to change or improveWhen in doubt, refer to the 4 Magic Questions: • What if......? • Then what......? • So what? • What is the effect upon our audience (ourselves,

students, school, community, etc.)?

Identifying the ProblemSecond, do Reconnaissance: Explore your understanding of

theories, your educational values, how your work fits into the larger context of schooling, the historical context of your school, the history of the development of your ideas about teaching and learning

Describe the Who, What, When & Where of the situation you want to change

Explain the Why of the situation

Translate a Problem to a Question Statement/Observation: Students do not seem to

be engaged during teen theater productions Questions: How can I improve their engagement ?

Statement. Observation: Students take a lot of time to learn problem solving in mathematics, but this process doesn’t appear to transfer to their acquisition of other mathematics skills and knowledge Question: How can I improve the integration and transfer

of problem-solving skills in mathematics?

Statement/Observation: Parents are unhappy with regular parent-teacher conferences Question: How can I improve the conferencing process

using student-led conferences?Action Research - Power Point by: Dr. Tarek Chebbi, FIU

Individual Teacher Questons

What impact can daily phonemic awareness activities have on my kindergarten students’ oral language development? (Kindergarten teacher)

How can using concrete objectives (manipulatives) improve my students’ ability to identify and extend patterns in mathematics? (Middle grade teacher)

How can students with disabilities experiencing deficits in phonemic awareness show improvement in those skills by participating in additional and intensive instruction in phonemic awareness activities at least four times per week? How will it affect their overall reading ability? (2nd grade)

How can implementing “Organizing Together” a Strategic Instruction Model curriculum, improve 6th graders ability to come to class organized and prepared? (6th grade)

A product of Project CENTRAL, 2004

Review the Related Literature

What do I know about the issue?

What research is there already available about the issue?

Develop a timeline

September: Write about your wonderingsOctober: Determine the context of your questionNovember: Review/research the literatureDecember: Determine methodology and data to be collectedJanuary: Collect data; revise question, planFebruary: Collect DataMarch: Begin analysis of dataApril: Develop a draft of your studyMay: Finish your work and share.

Systematic Action research is systematic This means that before the research begins

a plan is in place that describes what data you will collect and when, how, and how often you will collect it

One way to ensure you are collecting data on a regular basis is to use a calendar or checklist

You want to ensure that data are collected systematically and that all types are equally represented

Collect the Data

▪ Who are the subjects of the action research effort?

▪ What are the data collection methods?▪ What data collection instruments will be

used?(Observations, surveys, interviews etc..)

Taxonomy of action research data collection techniques

Action Research - Power Point by: Dr. Tarek Chebbi, FIU

Action ResearchData Collection Techniques

Experiencing InquiringExamining

(By observing) (By asking)(by using records)

Participant Observation (Active participant)

Passive Observer research journals anecdotal record drawings photogrpahs

Informal Interview Structured formal Interview Questionnaires, Surveys Attitude Scales Standardized Tests

Archival documents JournalsStudent workAudio and VideotapesArtifactsFieldnotes

Organize, Analyze & Interpret the Data

As the data is collected, it is also continually organized & analyzed

As new perspectives are gained on the original area of focus, the problem statement may change

Draw conclusions from the data analyzed

Translate conclusions into actions or behaviors

Plan how to implement the actions or behaviors

10 Coping StrategiesJean McNiff, Action Research, Principles and Practice, McNiff,1988, 144-145

1. Don't Give Up2. Enlist the Help of Colleagues3. Keep a Positive Attitude4. Be Prepared to Revise Ideas5. Be Reflective6. Go Public7. Join a Local Action Research Group8. Establish a Reputation for Success9. Publish Reports in Journals10. Have Faith in Your Own Knowledge.

Action Research - Power Point by: Dr. Tarek Chebbi, FIU

PPT sources from the web astro.uchicago.edu/yerkes/docs/ActionResearch/EDU 607 chapter 8.ppt

edt.ite.edu.sg/ActionResearch/ppt/AR_concept.ppt

imet.csus.edu/.../research/...action_research/action_research.ppt

www.scps.k12.fl.us/.../ppt/1Protocol%20action%20research%2...

www.edu.plymouth.ac.uk/resined/beginning/rethics.ppt

education.astate.edu/dcline/slides/.../Action%20Research.ppt

www.cals.ncsu.edu/agexed/aee578/fraenkel7_ppt_ch24.ppt

www83.homepage.villanova.edu/richard.jacobs/.../action.ppt

edt.ite.edu.sg/ActionResearch/ppt/Action%20Research.ppt

nsdcactionresearchar.pbworks.com/.../actionresearch.ppt