ACTION RESEARCH...ACTION RESEARCH “Action research is characterized as research that is done by...
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ACTION RESEARCH Trudy Thorson & Kendra Beliveau ED 800 November 19 th , 2012
Transcript of ACTION RESEARCH...ACTION RESEARCH “Action research is characterized as research that is done by...
ACTION RESEARCH
Trudy Thorson & Kendra Beliveau
ED 800
November 19th, 2012
ACTION RESEARCH
“Action research is characterized as research that
is done by teachers for themselves”
(Mertler, 2009).
Teachers examine their own
classrooms, instructional strategies, assessment
procedures, and interactions with student learners
in order to improve their quality and effectiveness.
WHAT ACTION RESEARCH IS AND IS NOT
What it is… What it is not…
• A process that improves
education through change
• Problem-solving
• Collaborative • Doing research on or about
people
• Cyclical • Linear
• Practical and relevant • Conclusive
• Within context of teacher’s
environment
• Generalizing to larger
populations
• How we can do things better • Why we do certain things
• Explores, discovers and seeks
to find creative solutions
• The implementation of
predetermined answers
• A way to improve instructional
practice by observing, revising,
and reflecting
• A fad
VIDEO: ACTION RESEARCH MADE SIMPLE
Action Research Made Simple
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg83f72_6Gw
Key Characteristics
Addresses Real Life Problems
Constructs Knowledge
Promotes Change
Collaborative / Participatory
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ACTION RESEARCH
FERRANCE (2000)
Kurt Lewin, a social psychologist and educator, first
formulated the idea of performing research in a “natural”
setting in the 1940s.
No distinction between the research study and the
problem to be solved.
Proposed that research should be cyclical rather than
linear.
Stephen Corey was among the first to use action
research in education and he stated the following:
We are convinced that the disposition to study…the
consequences of our teaching is more likely to change
and improve our practices than is reading about what
someone else has discovered of his teaching (Corey,
1953, p. 70).
MODELS AND TYPES OF
ACTION RESEARCH
MODELS OF ACTION RESEARCH
Many models exist but all share the same basic
principles which are:
A central problem or topic
Observation or monitoring takes place
Collection and synthesis of data
Some type of action is taken
Next stage of action research (varies)
ACTION RESEARCH INTERACTING SPIRAL
ERNEST STRINGER (2007)
LEWIN’S ACTION RESEARCH SPIRAL
(MERTLER, 2009)
CALHOUN’S ACTION RESEARCH CYCLE
(MERTLER, 2009)
BACHMAN’S ACTION RESEARCH CYCLE
MERTLER (2009)
RIEL’S ACTION RESEARCH MODEL
(MERTLER, 2009)
PIGGOT-IRVINE’S ACTION RESEARCH MODEL
MERTLER (2009)
TYPES OF ACTION RESEARCH (FERRANCE, 2000)
STEPS IN ACTION RESEARCH
STEPS IN ACTION RESEARCH
(FERRANCE, 2000)
STEPS IN ACTION RESEARCH
FERRANCE (2000)
Identify a problem area
Meaningful, attainable and within teacher’s influence
Higher order question that is specific and concise
Collection and organization of data
Portfolios, interviews, photos, diaries, field notes, videos, journals, case studies, checklists, surveys
Appropriate, easy to collect, and readily available
Triangulate data (i.e. use three or more sources)
Organize to identify themes; can be arranged by gender, classroom, school, grade level, age, etc.
Interpretation of data
Analyze and identify major themes
Quantitative or qualitative
STEPS IN ACTION RESEARCH
Action based on data
Use the data collected complemented by current
research to develop a plan of action
Alter only one variable
Document and collect data during action phase
Reflection
Evaluate the results
Was the intervention successful? Can the positive
results be directly attributed to the variable addressed?
If unsuccessful, what could be done in subsequent
attempts to elicit more favorable results?
UNDERSTANDING OUR LEARNERS AND DEVELOPING
REFLECTIVE PRACTICE: CONDUCTING ACTION RESEARCH
WITH ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
SOWA (2009)
The study outlined action research projects of six
graduate student teachers in an ESL Methods Course.
Three projects are described in the paper and we will
outline one of these to show how it reflects the steps of
action research.
Identify the Problem
Students were not able to make “connections between
the sound symbol relationships necessary for word
decoding in reading and spelling” (Sowa, 2009, p.
1029).
UNDERSTANDING OUR LEARNERS AND DEVELOPING
REFLECTIVE PRACTICE: CONDUCTING ACTION RESEARCH
WITH ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
SOWA (2009)
Gather Data
Reading assessment: Pre- and Post-Tests
Work Samples
Interpret Data
A reading pre-test was used as a baseline
Student samples showed beginning writing and spelling
strategies
UNDERSTANDING OUR LEARNERS AND DEVELOPING
REFLECTIVE PRACTICE: CONDUCTING ACTION RESEARCH
WITH ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
SOWA (2009)
Act on Evidence
Re-teach phonemic awareness to try to improve ELLs
reading, writing and spelling skills.
Taught phonics in context
Worked on spelling strategies including letter-sound
relationships and letter-sound combinations
Evaluate Results
Work samples indicated an improvement in spelling and
reading but only a slight growth in reading.
The reading post-test showed improvement amongst
students to decode words and recognize miscues.
ACTION RESEARCH: USING WORDLES FOR
TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGE WRITING
BARALT, PENNESTRI, & SELVANDIN (2011)
Used Mackey and Gass’s (2005) explanation of action research as framework for study.
A very comprehensive research report which includes three sections:
1. Explanation of data visualization as a learning tool (creates a rationale for the research study)
2. The action research report conducted by the authors using Wordle
3. The outcome of the project and suggestions for how educators can use word clouds in foreign language classrooms
Context: 18 students in an intermediate-level Spanish FL class at a private research university who met for 50 minutes three times a week. Four compositions were to be written during the semester and students were expected to be able to: present information formally with an introduction, provide supporting paragraphs and a conclusion; use accurate grammar; and use instructors’ feedback in their writing. The expectations were clearly communicated to the students.
ACTION RESEARCH: USING WORDLES FOR
TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGE WRITING
BARALT, PENNESTRI, & SELVANDIN (2011)
Identify the Problem
Two main issues in students’ writing:
1. Continuous repetition of errors
2. Reliance on high frequency words without attempting
to use new vocabulary in writing
Data Collection
Word frequency counts from students’ compositions and
a whole-class-based word cloud.
Teaching reflection about the class discussion
Instructor asked students about their perceptions of the
use of Wordle in the writing process
This procedure was used for all four compositions.
ACTION RESEARCH: USING WORDLES FOR
TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGE WRITING
BARALT, PENNESTRI, & SELVANDIN (2011)
Act on Evidence
Wordles helped to show students’ progress
Students used more vocabulary in their compositions
Facilitated class discussions about the writing process
Evaluate Results
Both the students and instructor agreed that using
Wordles created excitement about writing.
Effective, novel, and enjoyable.
Students incorporated more varied vocabulary, used
grammar more accurately, and had more content in their
writing.
Workshop days became more student-centered
ACTION RESEARCH: USING WORDLES FOR
TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGE WRITING
BARALT, PENNESTRI, & SELVANDIN (2011)
Limitations
Lack of generalizability
Findings of action research are typically only
relevant to the specific classroom being
investigated, its students and its own unique
characteristics
It may yield different results in other classrooms,
contexts or languages.
As with any technology, teachers must ensure that
the software works with their computer systems;
Wordle requires a Java-enabled web browser
WRITING THE ACTION RESEARCH
REPORT
WRITING ACTION RESEARCH REPORTS
Reports vary depending on the variables, context, and action involved but most include:
Introduction Area of focus
Defining the variables
Research questions
Review of related literature
Description of the Intervention or Innovation
Data Collection and Considerations
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Conclusions
Reflection and Action Plan (Mertler, 2009)
Examples of Action Research Reports written for professional development presentations
DISADVANTAGES OF ACTION
RESEARCH
Lack of Time
• Action Research is demanding of space and time, both of which are stretched to their limits.
Validity
• Inevitable research bias
Results are not Generalizable
• Although a researcher’s findings may be tested by
another teacher in their own classroom
Range of Models and Process
• Action Research is a messy process and the constraints of the models may “trap teachers”
VIDEO: WHAT “NAGS” YOU ABOUT
YOUR TEACHING PRACTICE?
Video:
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/13909812/action-
research
TIME TO REFLECT!
After viewing our presentation on action research,
what nags you about your teaching practices that
you’d like to change?
At your table groups, use the questions on the next
slide to come up with a possible research
question(s) that you could test in you own
classroom.
Examples include but are not limited to: teaching
method, identifying a problem, examining an area
of interest, classroom environment, classroom
management, evaluation, etc.
ACTIVITY:
WRITE ACTION RESEARCH QUESTIONS
PINE (2009)
I would like to improve by __________________.
I am perplexed by _____________________.
I am really curious about ____________________.
Something I really think would make a difference is
_______________________.
Something I would really like to change is
____________________.
What happens to student learning in my classroom
when I ___________________?
How can I implement ______________________?
How can I improve _______________________?
REFERENCES
Baralt, M., Pennestri, S., & Selvandin, M. (2011). Using Wordles to Teach Foreign Language Writing. Language Learning & Technology, 15(2), 12-22.
Ferrance, E. (2000). Action Research. Providence, RI, USA. Retrieved November 14, 2012 from http://www.lab.brown.edu/pubs/themes_ed/act_research.pdf
Mackey, A., & Gass, S. M. (2005). 7.5.2 Action Research. In Second Language Research: Methodology and Design (pp. 216-220). Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Mertler, C. (2009). Action Research. Thousand Oaks, California, USA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Pine, G. (2009). Teacher Action Research. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications, Inc.
Sowa, P. A. (2009). Understanding our learners and developing reflective practice: Conducting action research with English Language Learners. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(8), 1026-1032.
Stringer, E. T. (2007). Action Research (3rd ed.). London: Sage Publications, Inc.
Waters-Adams, S. (2006). Action Research in EducationRetrieved November 14, 2012 fromhttp://www.edu.plymouth.ac.uk/resined/actionresearch/arhome.htm
