Action research in a university context Part 1

1. Action research in a university context Part 1 Emeritus Professor Lin Norton Email: nortonl@hope.ac.uk Website: http://www.linnorton.co.uk/ Aston University PGCPP SD4014

2. Biography Retired in December 2010, now Emeritus Professor at Liverpool Hope and Visiting Professor at Ulster University. Currently: • National Teaching Fellow (2007) • Associate Editor of Psychology Learning and Teaching • On editorial board of Innovations In Education and Teaching International • Research interests include: Assessment (staff and students’ perspectives, Lecturers’ beliefs and behaviours; Mentoring ‘new’ university teachers; Improving students’ academic writing, essays & exams; Meta-learning; Pedagogical action research ;Research ethics in pedagogical research Formerly: • Professor of pedagogical research and Dean of L&T at Liverpool Hope University • Research Director of Write Now CETL (writing for assessment) • Leader of NTFS Flying Start project (transitions in academic writing to university level) Aston University PGCPP SD4014

3. Outline • Pedagogical action research: A brief introduction • The role of reflective practice • Ethical issues in pedagogical research • Disseminating pedagogical action research findings Aston University PGCPP SD4014

4. Pedagogical action research: a definition • “the fundamental purpose of pedagogical action research is to systematically investigate one’s own teaching/learning facilitation practice with the dual aim of modifying practice and contributing to theoretical knowledge”. (Norton, 2009) • Using a reflective lens to look at some ‘problem’ and then determining a methodical set of steps to research that problem and to take action Aston University PGCPP SD4014

5. Characteristics of action research in higher education • Carried out by practitioners (i.e. lecturers/learning facilitators) not by educational researchers • Area of research is on some aspect of teaching, learning and/or assessment • Must be about improving some aspect of practice as well as contributing to knowledge • Social practice (not decontextualized from environment or researcher from the researched) • Reflective (outward, not inward) • Cyclical (progressive refinements) • Systematic (not soft option) (adapted from Kember 2000) Aston University PGCPP SD4014

6. Research paradigms in action research • Positivist–objective reality where knowledge is gained from data that can be independently verified. Often seen to be in direct opposition to the principles of AR • Interpretive – social sciences reaction to positivism, belief in a socially constructed subjectively-based reality, influenced by culture & history; researcher still interprets the data • Praxis- belief that knowledge is derived from practice, and practice is informed by knowledge, in an ongoing process; action researchers holding this view reject the notion of researcher neutrality, understanding that the most active researcher is often one who has most at stake in resolving a problematic situation. (O’Brien, 1998) Aston University PGCPP SD4014

7. Methodologies in action research • Positivist- experimental design, questionnaires, measurement tools (quantitative data and statistical testing) • Interpretive- interviews, focus groups, narrative, drawings, life stories, diaries, case studies (qualitative data and phenomenographical approach) • Praxis – may include any of the above contextualised in an ongoing, reflective, often community based account where researcher may act in a number of roles: planner, leader, catalyser, facilitator, teacher, designer, listener, observer, synthesiser, reporter Aston University PGCPP SD4014

8. What does a pedagogical action research study look like? ‘The case of Karen and Jon’ (adapted from Norton, 2009) • Karen (librarian); Jon (Professor of Sociology) • The issue: Why do sociology students not use e-books? • Method: interview sociology students • Analysis: thematic analysis of interview transcripts Aston University PGCPP SD4014

9. Karen and Jon’s findings • Students relied far more on Jon’s recommendations than he had realised, so if exact title not available they would not look for alternative e-book • Access to e-books was counter-intuitive, so students gave up very quickly (Karen hadn't realised this) • Perhaps most importantly, interviewed students did not see reading to be an essential part of their history course but an optional extra Aston University PGCPP SD4014

10. So what did Karen & Jon do? • Realised problem far more complex than they had originally thought • Read some theories of student learning and differences between deep, surface and strategic approaches • Presented findings to sociology and criminology department and to the library and IT users group • Determined on 2nd cycle using a joint intervention lecture on centrality of reading to learning, librarian –led demonstration and hands on session on using e-books • Intention to submit their research to peer-reviewed journal and disseminate at appropriate conferences Aston University PGCPP SD4014

11. Carrying out action research: an easy step by step approach ITDEM’D adapted from Norton (2001) Identifying a problem/paradox/ issue/difficulty: ‘How do I improve what I am doing? Whitehead (2008) ‘What’s the problem?’ (Bass (1999) (your research focus) Thinking of ways to tackle the problem (your chosen method) Doing it (your collecting of data) Evaluating it (analysing, interpreting your findings) Modifying future teaching (how will you improve your students’ learning?) ’Disseminatingresearch findings (opening your work up to peer scrutiny and critique) Aston University PGCPP SD4014

12. Example of Pedagogical Action Research I and T Identifying the issue: Students don’t understand my feedback on essays Thinking of ways to tackle it: 1. Give more feedback- spoken as well as written (intervention followed by questionnaire) 2. Compare the effects of three different types of written tutor feedback in motivating students to improve their next essay (experimental design) 3. Interview/focus groups (qualitative/phenomenographical approach) Aston University PGCPP SD4014

13. Example of Pedagogical Action ResearchD and E Doing it: Students in each group asked to complete a simple questionnaire commenting on the feedback on a recent marked essay in terms of: usefulness, motivational impact and effect on their self esteem Evaluating it: Greatest influence on self esteem and motivation were grade, not comments BUT tutor praise and positive comments were motivating whatever type of feedback was given (Norton, 2001) Aston University PGCPP SD4014

14. Example of Pedagogical Action Research M Modifying practice: 1. Adapted feedback to include positive comments (reflective element) 2. Used an Essay Feedback Checklist to more effectively target tutors’ advice 3.Carried out a further research study comparing 1st and 3rd years’ reactions to the EFC (Norton et al, 2002) Aston University PGCPP SD4014

15. Example of Pedagogical Action Research’D Disseminating your research findings. The EFC work was disseminated in: • Two journal articles (Psychology Learning and Teaching, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education) • Two conference papers (European Association for Teaching Academic Writing, Netherlands, Psychology Learning and Teaching, York) • One research seminar at Hope • Featured in two book chapters • (Campbell & Norton, 2007, Norton, 2009) Aston University PGCPP SD4014

16. PAR example: The 2nd cycle Identifying the issue: Does the EFC work? Thinking of ways to tackle it: Ask students for comments Doing it: Research study involving 1st and 3rd year Psychology students Evaluating it: Comparison of 2 methods of using EFC Modifying future practice- an issue with evidence was revealed which led to subsequent cycles on journal use… ’Disseminating research findings- 2 conference papers (EARLI, Italy, PLAT, Strathclyde, 1 chapter in book ISL) Aston University PGCPP SD4014

17. The role of reflective practice in action research • Over-used term but very much accepted as part of being a professional in HE. [see Schön’s (1974) seminal book on the reflective practitioner] • Reflective practice should be seen as systematic, active and enabling us to give up what sometimes might be our most dearly cherished beliefs about teaching and learning (or professional practice?) ‘reflective thinking is always more or less troublesome…it involves willingness to endure a condition of mental unrest’ (Dewey, 1910) Aston University PGCPP SD4014

18. How does reflective practice link to pedagogical action research? • Action research: • enables us to reflect on our practice systematically (Parker, 1997) • enables us to take control of our own CPD • can help transform our professional perspective (Gravett 2004) • is often collaborative and thus guards against us becoming too inward –looking and reflecting on findings that confirm our previously-held assumptions Aston University PGCPP SD4014

19. Ethics in pedagogical action research • Fundamental principles: • Informed consent • Privacy and confidentiality • Protection from harm • Respect for human dignity • issues of ‘insider’ research and ‘power relations’ • The politics of pedagogical action research, given that action research is supposed to change, or at least challenge the ‘status quo’ Aston University PGCPP SD4014

20. Why dissemination is important • Action research has the specific aim of modifying or improving practice. • Action research also may have the political aim of changing or challenging the status quo. • No matter how good your action research study is it will, like any other project, perish unless you can disseminate it as widely as possible. • It is important to make your research work for you in as many ways as possible • Unless your action research study is opened up to peer scrutiny and review, it is more curriculum development or teacher reflective thinking than research. Aston University PGCPP SD4014

21. Purpose of dissemination Depends on your goals and focus i.e. • Who do you want to influence? • Colleagues within the university (not necessarily in your subject discipline); • your subject team; • policy makers at your institution; • academics outside your institution but in your subject area? • What level are you aiming at? • Institutional; national; international? • What do you want to change? • Subject specific practice or new knowledge; generic practice or new knowledge; influence policy making? Aston University PGCPP SD4014

22. Disseminating generic research through conferences • Education/ learning and teaching conferences See handout 1 • HEA supported conferences: • HEA annual conference (3-4 July 2012) • Arts & Humanities annual conference (29- 30 May 2012) • Health Sciences conference (31 May 2012) • Social Sciences conference (28- 29 May 2012) • STEM annual conference (12-13 April 2012) Aston University PGCPP SD4014

23. Disseminating through Higher Education Academy Journals: • See hand-out 2 for list of HEA subject specific journals and other publications Generic conferences: • HEA annual conference (3-4 July 2012) Subject-specific conferences • Arts & Humanities annual conference (29- 30 May 2012) • Health Sciences conference (31 May 2012) • Social Sciences conference (28- 29 May 2012) • STEM annual conference (12-13 April 2012)

24. Disseminating subject –specific pedagogical action research • Professional Subject bodies –conferences/ annual meetings (e.g BPS, has a division for teachers and researchers in psychology) • Subject specific practice-based journals (see handout 2 on HEA supported journals) • Subject specific edited books (e.g Hutty et al (2002) Effective learning and teaching in medical, dental and veterinary education Routledge) • Subject specific authored books (e.g Jeffries & Huggett (2010) An introduction to medical teaching. Springer)

25. Disseminating through ‘REFABLE’ education research journals See handout 3. Many more journals e.g. Educational Action Research http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/09650792.asp “concerned with exploring the dialogue between research and practice in educational settings. The considerable increase in interest in action research in recent years has been accompanied by the development of a number of different approaches: for example, to promote reflective practice; professional development; empowerment; understanding of tacit professional knowledge; curriculum development; individual, institutional and community change; and development of democratic management and administration. Proponents of all these share the common aim of ending the dislocation of research from practice, an aim which links them with those involved in participatory research and action inquiry. 

26. Getting funding HEA http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/funding • Teaching development grants up to £7,000 for individual awards (12 month project) closing date 17 June • Departmental awards up to £30,000 (15 month project) call opens 28 August • Travel funds for dissemination within UK (open year round) HEA’s current seven priority themes: assessment, education for sustainable development, employability, internationalisation, flexible learning, retention and success, reward and recognition of teaching Aston University PGCPP SD 4014