Transcript ACTION RESEARCH

ACTION RESEARCH
Professional Development Module
AN OVERVIEW OF ACTION RESEARCH
Kathleen C. McCabe, Ph.D.
© 2007
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Action Research: The Future of Your
Classroom is in Your Hands!
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Welcome!
Work independently
 Work collaboratively
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It doesn’t matter. Choose the way in which
you learn best!
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Definitions of Action Research
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Action Research…
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is a three-step spiral process of (1) planning which
involves reconnaissance; (2) taking actions; and (3)
fact-finding about the results of the action. Kurt Lewin,
1947. (Miller, n.d.)
is the process by which practitioners attempt to study
their problems scientifically in order to guide, correct,
and evaluate their decisions and actions. Stephen
Covey, 1953. (Miller, n.d.)
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In summary, action research is
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An iterative process that…
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involves the practitioners in the study of their
environment;
allows teachers to study problems, issues
and/or challenges which are of interest to
them;
leads to some action, a better way to
produce results; and
leads the organization to kaizen;
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Reflection Moment
What squares with my thinking?
1
3
Source of reflection prompts unknown
Three points to remember.
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The Purposes of Action Research in
GWRSD
Helping Each Child Create the Future
1.
Assist students in reaching the GWRSD
Commencement Goals.
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2.
3.
Work toward DEIP Goals
Demonstrate proficiency in subject area and
pedagogy.
Get credit toward state recertification
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The Role of Reflection
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“An event is not an experience until it has
been reflected upon.” - Author Unknown
Different types of reflection
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Remembering something – casual
Pondering – deep, but spontaneous
Inquiry – intentional & planned (Dana & YendolSilva, 2003. p. 7)
The goal of action research is reflection
type 3 – inquiry.
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“Inquiry is how we get at the heart of
professional options to determine the best
way.”
Richard Sagor
March 8, 2003
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Reflection Moment
What squares with my thinking?
1
3
Source of reflection prompts unknown
Three points to remember.
2
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Steps in the Process – An Overview
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Models vary on number of steps
All are iterative
All contain
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Reflection (questioning)
Data
Analysis
Action
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1.
1. Plan
4.
2. Action
CYCLE 1
2.
3. Observe
4. Reflect
3.
5. Revise Plan
5.
6. Action
7. Observe
8.
CYCLE 2
6.
7.
Adapted from Kemmis & McTaggert, 1990
8. Reflect
DESIGNING
TAKING
ACTION
COLLECTING
REFLECT
DATA
ACT
COLLECT
COMMUNICATING
OUTCOMES
Adapted from Stringer, 2004
ANALYZING
DATA
Social Emergent Action Research Cycle
12. Re-cycle
11. Program Evaluation
1. Orientation
2. Contract –
Compact for Learning
10. Implementation
3. Reconnaissance
9. Program Design
8. Test Results
Analysis
4. Problem and
Opportunity
Identification
5. Aspirations
7. Experiment
from homepages.wmich.edu/~eaustin/PE/session7.ppt
6. Analysis for Strategic
Action Options
Reflection Moment
What squares with my thinking?
1
3
Source of reflection prompts unknown
Three points to remember.
2
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The GWRSD Framework:
Guiding School
Improvement with Action
Research
Richard Sagor (2000)
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development
Step One: Selecting a Focus
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The following are questions that have been
used in various action research planning
sessions to begin the process of selecting a
meaningful focus area.
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Step One: Selecting a Focus
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What is your biggest question as you
think about the students in your
classroom?
What interests you most about student
learning?
What challenges you or is a problem
about your classroom or teaching?
What do you want to know more about
when it comes to teaching your grade
level or subject? (Miller, n.d.)
“The Thinker” by Auguste Rodin
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Stevie?
What’s Your Wonder?
I wonder …
I wonder…
I
wonder…
I
wonder…
“I wonder who’s kissing
her now?”
Ray Charles
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Need some more help??
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Sagor suggests some implementation
strategies at each step in the process.
Think about these:
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Use a teaching journal to find your focus (Sagor,
2000, p. 50).
Engage in a reflective interview with a colleague
(Sagor, 2000, p. 51).
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Reflection Moment
What squares with my thinking?
1
3
Source of reflection prompts unknown
Three points to remember.
2
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Step Two: Clarifying Theories
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Identify the values, beliefs and theoretical
perspectives related to the focus (Sagor, 2000,
p.4).
Conduct a “literature search” a comprehensive
review of current research
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Google Scholar
Professional journals and websites
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Phi Delta Kappa
ASCD
College and University Libraries
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PSU
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What Does the Research Say?
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Conducting a literature review helps you
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Clarify your focus
See what others have discovered
Stay current
Avoid some pitfalls
Save time and energy
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Remember
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The literature is a rich source of data!
A literature search will reveal what others
have tried. You will discover what has
worked, or not worked, for others.
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Step Three: Identifying Research
Questions
Select a focus. √
 Reflect on your thinking about
the focus and learn what others
have discovered. √
 Develop questions that “breathe life into
your area of focus” (Mills, 2003, p. 42).
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For example
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You are interested in the benefits of using
math manipulatives in secondary math
classes.
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You don’t know if you want to consider them for
all students or just those who are struggling.
You wonder about managing them in the
classroom.
You conduct a literature search and spend time
on the NCTM web site checking on the research.
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Research Questions
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Your research questions might be:
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Would the use of manipulatives increase
understanding of complex math concepts?
In what ways do math manipulatives help
students solve word problems?
Do math manipulatives help all students increase
their achievement in math?
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Questions and Sub-questions
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You may find that each research question
has many other questions embedded in it.
Do not worry about that now. The question
may become clearer as the data emerges.
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Reflection Moment
What squares with my thinking?
1
3
Source of reflection prompts unknown
Three points to remember.
2
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Step Four: Collecting Data
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It is important to gather data from multiple
sources or use multiple types of data in
order to ensure reasonable reliability and
validity.
Data
point 1
Triangulation
Area of Focus
Data
point 2
Data
point 3
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Triangulation Matrix (Mills, 2003, p. 73)
Research
Questions
Data Source
1
2
3
Would the use of
manipulatives
increase students’
understanding of math
concepts?
Pre-test/
Post-test
Student
interviews
In what ways do math
manipulatives help
students solve word
problems?
Student
journal
Student
interviews
Teacher
observation
Do math manipulatives
help all students
increase their
achievement in math?
Pre-test/
Post-test
Compare
scores yr.-yr.
Teacher
observation
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Data, Data Everywhere
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Schools are rich sources of existing data.
Some of data you need may be close at
hand.
Some of the data may need to be collected.
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Sources of Data
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Quantitative
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Deals with numbers
Qualitative
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Deals with words
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Quantitative Data
Quantitative sources of data include:
 Attendance Records
 Discipline & PBIS Reports
 Drop-out Rates
 End of Unit Tests
 Standardized Test Scores
 Surveys
 Teacher-made Tests
 Quizzes
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“Today in
school, we…
Qualitative Data
Qualitative data sources include:
 Anecdotal Records
 Self-Assessments
 Surveys
 Artifacts
 Teacher Evaluations
 Conferences
 Interviews
 Journals
 Logs
“I learned about
the Civil War
 Observations
by…”
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Multiple Measures of Data
School Process
Data
Perceptual Data
Demographic Data
Student Achievement
Data
Bernhardt, 2006
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Need some more help??
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Sagor suggests some implementation
strategies at each step in the process.
Think about these:
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Building a triangulated data collection plan
(Sagor, 2000, p. 116).
Making a commitment to your plan by
constructing a data collection time line/to-do list
(Sagor, 2000, p. 117).
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Timeline
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You have 3 years in which to complete your
action research. You may take the entire
time, or you may complete the cycle in less
time.
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Possible Gantt Chart
Task
Yr. 1
Fall
Yr. 1
Winter
Yr. 1
Spring
Yr. 1
Sum’r
Yr.2
Fall
Yr. 2
Winter
Yr. 2
Spring
Yr. 2
Sum’r
Yr. 3
Fall
Yr. 3
Winter
Yr. 3
Spring
Select a Focus
Clarify
Theories
Identify
Research
Question
Collect Data
Analyze Data
Report Results
Take Action
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Creating a Survey
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Classroom Assessment Student surveys
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Creating a Student Survey
Please answer the following questions by circling your choice.
On a scale of one (not at all) to five (very much) …
How do you like snowdays?
1
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2
3
4
5
Survey Monkey
Department of Justice survey on School
Resource Officers
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Reflection Moment
What squares with my thinking?
1
3
Source of reflection prompts unknown
Three points to remember.
2
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Step Five: Analyzing Data
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What story does this information/data tell?
Once upon a
time, in a land so
far, far away
lived…
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Analyzing Quantitative Data
cartoon from www.idrc.ca/openebooks/183-3/f0110-01.gif
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Analyzing Qualitative Data
Student
Manipulatives
Fractions
Mary
20
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Steve
85
92
Paul
55
60
Margie
90
100
Stacie
60
82
Huck
75
90
Tom
10
50
100
100
Jim
75
85
Claire
85
90
Colin
85
90
Nancy
Remember, more information on data analysis is available in another PD module.
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Analyzing Qualitative Data
Clip art from
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/var/aaasdev/storage/images/media/images/nw/icons_6/sindt_gif/29946-1-engUS/sindt_gif1.gif
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Coding the Data
Students
Teachers
Administrators
DATA SETS
UNITIZED
DATA (Units
of meaning)
CATEGORIES
THEMES
Based on Categorizing and Coding (Stringer, 2004, p. 112)
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Finding Themes
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Interconnections
Spradley’s universal cultural themes
(http://mse.byu.edu/ipt/williams/674r/append_h.html)
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Social Conflict
Cultural Contradictions
Informal Techniques of Social Control
Managing Interpersonal Social Relationships
Acquiring and Maintaining Status
Solving Problems
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Step Six: Reporting Results
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Mills’ Outline (Mills, 2003, p. 175)
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Area of Focus Statement
Related Literature
Defining the Variables
Research Questions
Description of Intervention or Innovation
Data Collection
Data Considerations (validity, reliability, ethics)
Data Analysis & Interpretation
Action Plan
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Action Research Paper Review
Criteria (Meyers & Rust, 2003, p. 15)
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Question
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Rationale for Study
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Clear and simple
No prejudgment
Clear and simple
Broad scale reasons
Bigger picture?
Background/Context
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Basic facts
Statistics
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Action Research Paper Review Criteria, continued
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Research
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Tools
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Relevance
New insight/trends
No editorializing
Research methods
Clarity
Appropriateness
Data
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Different forms
Numerical or factual
Summary
Clear and thoughtful presentation
Relevance
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Action Research Paper Review Criteria, continued
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Analysis
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Connection to data
Explanations
Make a case
Clear
Policy Recommendations
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Reflects learning
Clear and targeted
Connection with study
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In Their Own Words…
Project: Math Assessment Tools
“I believe we now have good tools to assess student
progress. We triangulate for determining student
achievement. By looking at the data we receive from
the MAP, NECAP and daily work, we will have a
great picture of our students’ progress and what
needs to be instructed or revised.” W. Gay
Edmunds, Grade 3, Carpenter School, Wolfeboro,
NH., 2006.
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In Their Own Words…
Project: Writing in Art Class
“We’re trying to get a handle on why students can
reflect verbally, but have trouble writing it down.
Looking at student work has made me realize that I
need to develop a rubric for writing that can be glued
into the journal along with the questions. Experience
has taught me that miscommunications can happen
without clear communications.” Deb Yurick, Art
Teacher, Carpenter School and Crescent Lake
School.
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Step Seven: Taking Informed Action
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Sagor’s guiding question (Sagor, 2000, p.
140)
“Given what I now know, what do I want to do
or what do I think I should do differently?”
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Action Chart
Summary of
Findings
Research
Questions
Recommended
Action
Targeted to
Findings
Who Needs to
Who is
Responsible for be Consulted or
Informed?
the Action?
Adapted from Mills, 2003, p.126
Who Will
Monitor and/or
Collect Data?
Timeline
Resources
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Congratulations!
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You have completed this professional
development module.
Come back again, if you’d like.
See members of the PDTF for further
information.
Call the Central Office for further
information (569-1658).
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DEIP Goals
1.
2.
3.
4.
Help each child reach the District’s Commencement
Goals with rigor, thought, authenticity and diversity.
To provide a school and classroom environment that
supports optimal learning for each student.
To implement an assessment and evaluation model
that informs instruction and provides information to the
students, parents and the public on student
performances.
To provide quality communication to students, parents
and the public on all aspects of education within the
district.
Return to slide show
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Helping Each Child Create the Future
This statement became the District’s Vision
Statement in 2006. Each of the words have
been carefully chosen to guide our work.
Return to slide show
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