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CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3. Planning for Action Research. Craig A. Mertler SAGE Publications, 2012. Action Research: Improving Schools and Empowering Educators. Planning for Action Research. Initial planning for action research includes:

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CHAPTER 3

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  1. CHAPTER 3 Planning for Action Research Craig A. Mertler SAGE Publications, 2012 Action Research: Improving Schools and Empowering Educators

  2. Planning for Action Research • Initial planning for action research includes: • Identifying and limiting a topic • Gathering information related to the topic • Reviewing related literature • Early stages are crucial in any research project • Lays the ‘groundwork’ for all that follows

  3. Identifying the Topic for Research Nothing shapes the remainder of a study as much as specifying the topic or problem Problems with being too broad or vague, or being too narrow Possible topic areas: A teaching method or instructional materials Classroom management Identifying a problem Examining an area of interest

  4. Preliminary Considerations Once a topic has been identified, it should be evaluated against several practical considerations: Personal interest in the topic Importance of the topic Time requirements for conducting the study Anticipated difficulty of the study Potential monetary costs Issues related to ethics in conducting research

  5. Gathering Preliminary Information Begin by talking with other teachers, administrators, counselors, etc. in your building or district Assess their perceptions of your ideas for action research Also, critical to examine your own beliefs, knowledge, and context for your ideas Process known as reconnaissance Taking time to reflect on your own beliefs and to gain a better understanding of the nature and context of your research problem

  6. Gathering Preliminary Information Engaging in reconnaisssance can take three forms: Self-reflection—examination of: Educational theories that impact your instructional practice Values you hold about education Historical context of your school and your teaching Description—complete description of what you want to change or improve Focus on who, what, where, when, and how of the problem Explanation—based on your description above Explain why this problem occurs Development of a hypothesis typically follows

  7. Reviewing Related Literature Literature review—examination of research articles, documents, books, etc. related to your topic; used to: Identify a topic Narrow the focus of a topic Gather information related to research designs Locate examples of data collection and analysis techniques Can connect your project to what others have done before you

  8. Reviewing Related Literature Things you should be aware of… Emprical research articles versus opinion pieces Objectivity of related literature Timeliness of the literature you locate Primary versus secondary sources (and problems associated with the difference) Variety of methods of locating related literature Primary sources Search specialized indexes or databases ERIC * Google Scholar ProQuest Search engines

  9. Reviewing Related Literature ERIC—Educational Resources Information Center More than 1.1 million citations; more than 107,000 full-text articles http://www.eric.ed.gov Searching ERIC…

  10. Writing a Literature Review No easy, prescriptive, step-by-step process Every body of literature is different Suggestions: Remember the purpose—to convey the historical context of the topic, any associated trends, connection between theory and practice Briefly summarize each study, reflecting its relevance to your topic (emphasizing the findings) Develop an outline using subheadings that focus the review Include an introduction and a summary

  11. Writing a Literature Review Suggestions: Organization of sub-topics within a literature review:

  12. Introduction of‘ACTION RESEARCH PORTRAITS’ Illustrations of action research projects Appear in continuous fashion in Chapters 3 through 8 Topics: ‘Enhancing Academic Performance Through Improved Classroom Assessment’ [group of teachers] ‘Improving Reading Comprehension in a Title I Program’ [individual teacher]

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