ACTION RESEARCH

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ACTION RESEARCH
Research Plan
Mills, G. E. (2003). Action Research A guide for
the teacher researcher, 2nd ed. Columbus, Ohio
Merrill Prentice Hall.
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ACTION RESEARCH

• is systematic inquiry done by teachers (or
  other individuals in the teaching/learning
  environment) to gather information about- and
  subsequently improve- how their particular
  schools operate, how they teach, and how well
  their students learn.

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Chapter 1 Understanding Action ResearchAction
Research Teaching
Focus Area
Objectives
Implement lesson Reflect on whether students
achieved objectives
Data Collection
Data Analysis Interpretation
Reflect on Lesson
Reflect on how todays lesson affects tomorrows
lesson
Action Planning
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The Dialectic Action Research Plan
Mills, G. E. (2003). Action Research A guide for
the teacher researcher, 2nd ed. Columbus, Ohio
Merrill Prentice Hall.
Identify an Area of Focus
Develop an Action Plan
Collect Data
Analyze and Interpret Data
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Steps to Planning an Action Research Project

• To Do
• Select an appropriate area of focus.
• Do reconnaissance.
• Review related literature.
• Write and research plan to guide your work.

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1. Criteria for Selecting a General Idea/Area of
Focus
Take a statement/observation and turn it into a
Research Question. It should

• Involve teaching and learning and should focus on
  your own practice
• Be something within your locus of control
• Be something you feel passionate about
• Be something you would like to change or improve

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Steps to create a good Area of Focus

• Identify a problem or situation you would like to
  change or improve.
• Example My ESL students dont like to read in
  English.
• Turn that problem into a question.
• Example What reading strategies can a ESL
  teacher use to motivate her students to enjoy
  reading in English?
• This question will guide your reconnaissance
  and eventually your development of final research
  questions.

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3. Review of Related Literature
2. Reconnaissance

• Explore your own understanding of your Area of
  Focus.
• Write a Reflective Memo

• Search for others theories and research on your
  topic.
• Write a Theoretical Framework of theories that
  support your study.
• Write a Literature Review of research studies
  that pertain to your study.

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4. Create a Research Plan

• A research plan summarizes your action research
  thoughts in a plan that will guide you through
  your classroom research work.

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Steps for writing a goodResearch Plan

• Write (re-write) an area-of-focus statement
• Define variables
• Develop research questions
• Describe the intervention or innovations
• Describe the membership of the action research
  group
• Describe negotiations that need to be undertaken
• Develop a timeline
• Develop a statement of resources
• Develop data collection ideas
• Develop a triangulation matrix

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Step 1 Area of Focus Statement

• An Area of Focus Statement
• Defines the purpose of your study
• Identifies the variables that you will study

• In the following samples of Area of Focus
  Statements, try to identify
• The structure and key words
• The variables

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Samples Area of Focus Statements
What do these have in common?

• The purpose of this study is to describe the
  effects of an integrated problem-solving
  mathematics curriculum on student transfer of
  problem-solving skills and the retention of basic
  math facts and functions.

2. The purpose of this study is to describe the
impact of bringing audience members into an
interactive relationship with teen theater
productions on participants abilities to
identify issues and incorporate solutions to
similar problems in their own lives.
3. The purpose of this study is to describe the
effects of student-led conferences on parent and
student satisfaction with the conferencing
process.
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Area of Focus Statement
Key words

• The purpose of this study is to

describe the effects of on describe the
impact of on
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Step 2 Define the Variables

• A Variable
• Is a characteristic of your study that is subject
  to change.

• In the following samples of Area of Focus
  Statements, try to
• Identify the variables
• Notice how specifically they are written

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What are the variables?
Samples Area of Focus Statements/Variables

• The purpose of this study is to describe the
  effects of an integrated problem-solving
  mathematics curriculum on student transfer of
  problem-solving skills and the retention of basic
  math facts and functions.

2. The purpose of this study is to describe the
impact of bringing audience members into an
interactive relationship with teen theater
productions on participants abilities to
identify issues and incorporate solutions to
similar problems in their own lives.
3. The purpose of this study is to describe the
effects of student-led conferences on parent and
student satisfaction with the conferencing
process.
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Define the Variables
Write definitions of what you will really focus
on in the study.

• Make definitions clear and specific to your
  study. Think.
• What does the variable LOOK like?
• How will I know it when I see it?

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• TITLE__________________________ AUTHOR
  __________________
• Educational Problem It is not known if the
  software program students use in the lab is
  actually effective in improving the pronunciation
  skills of basic level ESL students.
• Research Question Are the CALL program Tell Me
  More effective in improving the pronunciation
  skills of Basic ESL students?
• Area-of-focus statement The purpose of this
  study isto find out the effectiveness of the
  program Tell Me More in improving the
  pronunciation skills of basic level ESL students.
  
• 2.

The problem is
turned into a question and
turned into an Area of Focus statement.
Variables are determined and defined according
to the study.
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Step 3 Develop Research Questions

• Research Questions are
• Specific questions that guide and focus your
  research.

• In the following sample of a Research Plan try
  to identify
• How variable definitions are turned into specific
  research questions
• How the research questions will guide the
  research and gather the answers needed.

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Variables turn into research questions

• 3. Research Questions
• How does the CALL program Tell Me More help
  improve the pronunciation skills of basic level
  ESL students?
• How do the students feel about the improvement
  (or not) of their pronunciation?
• Does the students pronunciation improve after
  using the CALL software Tell Me More?
• 4. Intervention or innovation I will observe
  and keep a record of the students performance to
  see if their pronunciation improves after using
  the software. I will survey and hold informal
  talks with the students to find out how they feel
  about using the software and if they feel that
  their pronunciation improves after using it. This
  information will help the institute and lab
  choose appropriate pronunciation software and
  shed light onto how to make the best use of the
  software.

which then determine the intervention or
innovation that will occur.
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Develop Research Questions
What are your specific questions? What are you
really going to focus on?

• Help focus the data collection plan
• Help validate that you have a workable way to
  proceed with your investigation

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Step 4 Intervention/Innovation

• An Intervention/Innovation is
• What you will do, change, or introduce in your
  study to improve the educational problem
  mentioned.
• Note It is also possible to do a descriptive
  research project whose intervention is in the
  action plan for the future.

I will implement include
incorporate
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Step 5 Membership

• The members of your study are
• Anyone who plays a part in your research.
• Yourself
• Students
• Administrator
• Parents

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Describe the Membership of the Action Research
Group
Who will you be working with? Why are they
important? What will be each persons
roles/responsibilities?
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• 5. Membership

Clarifying the members of the study
leads to determining negotiations that must be
made in order to get the information you need.
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Step 6 Negotiations

• Negotiations are...
• Conversations and/or permission that needs take
  place before you can gather your data
• Permission to gather information, hold
  interviews, do observations, audiotape,
  videotape, use workspace, etc.
• Confirmation of cooperation from others in any
  aspect of the study

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Describe Negotiations that Need to be Taken
What negotiations do you have to undertake with
others to implement your action research
plan? How will you get access to the site? Do
you need permission? From whom? How will you get
it?
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Step 7 Timeline

• A timeline...
• Guides and organizes your research
• Keeps you on track

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Develop a Timeline
Who will be doing what and when? Hint Work
backwards in time!
Phase 1 (July-Nov) Identity area focus, review
literature develop research questions,
reconnaissance. Phase 2 (date-date) Phase 3
(date-date)
(July-Nov) (date)
(date) Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
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Step 8 Resources

• Resources are...
• Materials you will need in order to perform your
  research study.
• All researchers need a journal and pencil!
• Technology- video camera, tape recorder,
  computer, etc. (Dont forget batteries!)
• Graphic organizers, class documents, etc.

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Step 9 Data Collection Ideas

• Data that
• Answers your research questions
• Provides evidence for your reflections on what
  you are researching
• Can be supported by other sources of data
  (triangulation of data)

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Develop Data Collection Ideas
What kind of data will provide you the evidence
you need? From what source will you get it?
Naturally occurring data test scores,
attendance records, writing samples, portfolios,
anecdotal records,... Other types of data
interviews, surveys, questionnaires,
videotapes, audiotapes, maps, photos,
observations,
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• 7. Timeline
• 8. Statement of Resources
• Notebook/pencil for fieldnotes journal
• Survey
• Questions for informal conversations
• 9. Data Collection Ideas

All this work requires
a timeline for completion (Hint count
backwards)
a list of what youll need
and ideas on how to best get the information you
need to answer your research questions.
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• 3. Research Questions
• How does the CALL program Tell Me More help
  improve the pronunciation skills of basic level
  ESL students?
• How do the students feel about the improvement
  (or not) of their pronunciation?
• Does the students pronunciation improve after
  using the CALL software Tell Me More?

Research questions should be directly related to

• 9. Data Collection Ideas

the data collection ideas
and the data sources from which data are gathered
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Step 10 Develop Triangulation Matrix

• A Triangulation Matrix
• Shows various data sources that will be used to
  answer each research question.
• Assures that your findings will be supported by
  multiple sources

• In the following samples of a Triangulation
  Matrix, try to identify
• The variables which became research questions
• The data sources that will answer those questions

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Sample 1 Triangulation Matrix
Methods of Data Collection
?
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Sample 2 Triangulation Matrix
Methods of Data Collection
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PUT THE INTO
ACTION PLAN
ACTION !
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Dont stop there Write an Action
Research Paper!

• Why?
• The process of writing requires the writer to
  clarify meaning.
• The act of putting information on paper for your
  peers and teachers necessitates honesty,
  accuracy, clarity, and thought.
• Research, once written, can be shared with a
  wider audience.