SABEA ConferenceMarch 2004 – La Ronge,

SK

SK Basic Education Action Research Group 2004 Report

Workshop facilitators

• Jennifer Bain, SIAST Wascana Campus

• Bebe Ivanochko, Northlands College

• Jeri Marchinko, Sk. LearningSupported by

Donna Woloshyn, Sk Learning

Workshop Panel

• Various members of the 4 Action Research Groups.

Overview of First Steps

• Dr. Allan Quiqley, a professor at St. Francis Xavier University and Chair of the Dept. of Adult Education agreed to deliver a two-part workshop with adult education staff in Saskatchewan

• Part One: SCN Overview

October 9, 20031 – 4:30 pm

• Part Two: Research in Practice Workshop

October 14—15, 2003

Geographical regions were formed

• Group 1: South Central• Group 2: North East Central• Group 3: North West Central• Group 4: Northern

Group 1- South Central GroupWould using the current provincial election in Maple Creek, Swift Current and Moose Jaw lead to individual growth/change. Ed Bath, Cypress Hills Regional College bath47@sasktel.netDianne Knippshild, Cypress Hills Regional College diannek@cypresshillscollege.sk.caBula Ghosh, Cypress Hills Regional College bulag@cypresshillscollege.sk.caRenee Hunt , South East Regional College rhunt@southeastcollege.orgAnna Fish, South East Regional College afish@southeastcollege.orgPaul Stack , SIAST Palliser stack@siast.sk.caLynn McCaig, SIAST Palliser mccaig@siast.sk.caNestor Sapach, SIAST Palliser sapach@siast.sk.ca

Group 2 - North East-Central GroupWill providing solution focused strategies improve student retention? 

Don Harris, Carlton Trail harrisd@ctrc.sk.caLisa Erickson, Saskatchewan Literacy Network lisa.erickson@sasktel.netJennifer Bain, SIAST Wascana, bainj@siast.sk.caAllan Ast, SIAST Wascana, asta@siast.sk.caMaynard Quewezance, Saskatchewan Learning maynard.quewezance@sasked.gov.sk.caKami DePape, Parkland Regional College k.depape@parklandcollege.sk.caBernadette Holland, Parkland Regional College b.holland@parklandcollege.sk.caRod Goertzen, SIAST Kelsey goertzen@siast.sk.ca  

Group 3 - North West-Central GroupHow can we identify potential dropout students and make interventions to keep them in their program? 

Marc Caron – DTI mcaron@dtipa.netBernie Tenning – tenning@sasktel,netSharon Chicoose , SIIT chicooses@siit.sk.caDoreen Dubreuil, Prairie West Regional College dubreuil@pwrc.sk.caColleen Robinson, PWRC crobinson@pwrc.sk.caSandra Elviss, PWRC abe.kindersley@prwrc.sk.caJack Mitchell, SIAST Wascana mitchellja@siast.sk.caTavia Inkster, DTI tavia.inkster_dti@sasktel.netDonna Gruening, SIAST Kelsey gruening@siast.sk.ca

Group 4 - Northern GroupWould including food preparation and/or food within the class keep students in class? 

Bebe Ivanochko, Northlands ivanochko.bebe@northlandscollege.sk.caAnita Stewart, SIAST Woodlands stewarta@siast.sk.caLorene Bonnett, Northlands bonnet.lorene@northlandscollege.sk.caJoyce Henderson, NWRCDenise Nordin, NWRC nwrc@bigriver.sk.caFay Harrison, SIAST Woodland harrisonfa@siast.sk.caBonnie Tait, Northlands tait.bonnie@northlandscollege.sk.ca

Cathy Langdon, Northlands College c.langdon@sasktel.net

La Ronge, Saskatchewan

Action Research in Basic Education

Planner Allan Quiqley, 2003

Summary of Allan Quiqley’s notes

Action Research Overhead Transparencies Used in Regina at

SIAST

Action Research

•What is it?•Why do it?•Action Research and Basic Education Redesign

•A Saskatchewan Action Research Project

•Research in Practice and the Provincial Literacy Strategy

What is Action Research?

Historical contextHistorical context– First referenced to Kurt Lewin (1940’s)

What it is:What it is:– “Research carried out by practitioners

with a view to improving their professional practice and understanding it better” (Cameron and Jones, 1983).

– Action research provides a way of working which links theory and practice into the one whole: “ideas-in-action” (Kemmis & McTaggart, 1982).

Action Research Participatory Research

Action Research • research carried out by

practitioners with a view to improving their professional practice and understanding it better (Cameron, Jones, 1983).

• located in a social or organizational context; normally arises out of a dissatisfaction/ sense that system/ organization/context can be “improved”.

Role of Researcher:• plans/implements the change, • observes and reflects on the results

of the experience, • draws conclusions and hypotheses,• plans further changes on what had

been learnt, and implements these new and perhaps better informed changes; and the process continues.Newman, M. (1995). Program Development in Adult Education and Training.

Participatory Research• tool for individuals working

in groups to address problems of social inequity

• key assumption of PR is that it will lead to change (Merriam & Simpson, 1995)

Distinguishing features:• shared ownership of

research projects;• community based analysis

of social problems; and• an orientation to

community action. (Kemmis & Mc Taggart in Denzin & Lincoln, 2nd ed., 2000, p. 568)

Action Research & BE Redesign

Why do Action Research?• Development of a more effective practiceDevelopment of a more effective practice - the essence

of “professional development” is found in learning for effectiveness.

• PedagogicalPedagogical - the ability to identify and address one’s own problems is part of self-reliance and critical thinking literacy that teachers stress with learners.

• ManageabilityManageability - Provides for small scale, low or no cost manageable projects and allows for change in environment.

• Geographic deliveryGeographic delivery - remote and sparsely located teachers/tutors cannot be reached effectively with only “come and get ‘em workshops”.

Note: These reasons are not unique to action research and are compatible with approaches to research in practice.

What do I need to conduct an Action Research Project?

• Some ‘RESEARCH FRIENDS’• A clearly considered and well defined problem:

– Task force?– Literature?

• A BASELINE for comparison• A TIMELINE for cycle completion• Some CRITERIA for success• A belief that you can make a difference!

Next Steps

Other ideas discussed:

Could profile action research of the 4 groups at SABEA Conference March 25/04 Partner with SLN to plan for Summer Institute on Action Research/Research in Practice for community based Literacy practitioners in 2004 or 2005Could post on Saskatchewan Learning or Saskatchewan Literacy Network website Newsletters - SABEA Satellite and SLN

Research- in-Practice and

the Provincial Literacy StrategyObjective 4.2

Increase research capacity in Literacy and link with federal and international research initiatives.

Actions:• Participate in the 2002 International Adult Literacy Skills

Survey (IALSS) and circulate findings to stakeholders.• Purchase an additional 2002 International Adult Literacy

Skills Survey sample for Saskatchewan that will focus provide better data on literacy and Aboriginal people.

• Promote research-based innovation in literacy programs and services.

ResourcesALBERTA• Publications from the RiPAL-Alberta Network (RiPAL-AB) - All titles are published in

Edmonton by Learning at the Centre Press. – Begg, F. (2002). Adapting Writing to Read for adults. It worked for Bill. Will it work for

Carol? – Pheasey, A. (2003). What do adult literacy students think being literate is? – Still, R. (2002). Exploring tutors' and students' beliefs about reading and reading

strategies.– Young, P. (2002). "Rapid writing…is my cup of tea". Adult upgrading students' use of

writing strategies. • RiPAL - Research in Practice in Adult Literacy http://www.nald.ca/ripal/online.htm

BRITISH COLUMBIA• Publications from British Columbia

– The Adult Literacy Research and Practice Pre-Conference summary– Battell, Evelyn. (2001). Naming the Magic: Non-Academic Outcomes in Basic

Literacy– Allen, D., Davies, P., McRae, D., Niks, M. & Nonesuch, K. (2003) Dancing in the Dark.

How do Adults with Little Formal Education Learn? How do Practitioners do Collaborative Research?

• British Columbia's C2T2 ( Centre for Curriculum, Transfer & Technology) http://www.c2t2.ca/page.asp?item_id=427&path=

More Resources• Cokely, S. (1993). The adult educators guide to practitioner research. Dayton, VA: Virginia

Adult Education Research Network. http://www.aelweb.vcu.edu/resguide/resguide1.html

• Enhancing Literacy Research in Canada. (1998). Ottawa: National Literacy Secretariat. http://www.nald.ca/nls/inpub/enhance/ enhcover.htm

• Focus on Basics. National Centre for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy. (Quarterly publication dedicated to connecting research to practice) http://gseweb.harvard.edu/~ncsall/fob/index.htm

• Horsman, J. & Norton, M. (1999). A framework to encourage and support practitioner involvement in adult literacy research in practice in Canada. Edmonton, AB: The RiPAL Network.

• Quigley, B. Allan. (1997) Rethinking literacy education: The critical need for practice-based change. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

• Quigley, A., & Kuhne, G. (1997). Creating practical knowledge. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

• Quigley, A. & Norton, M. (2002). It simply makes us better. Learning from literacy research in practice networks. A resource for literacy research in practice in Canada. Edmonton, AB: The RiPAL Network.

• Norton, M.& Malicky, G. (2002). Learning about participatory approaches in adult literacy education. Six research in practice studies. Edmonton, AB: Learning at the Centre Press. http://www.nald.ca/province/alt/ripal/resourcs/learning/cover.htm