Introduction to Action Research in Education: Purpose, Process, and Methods

1. Week 1 • Able to – Define action research – Understand purpose of action research – Explain the action research process – Identify steps in conducting action research – Describe characteristics of action research – Conduct school level data analysis

2. CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Action Research

3. Educational Research Advances Educational Knowledge • Develops theory • Tests hypotheses based on theory • Studies relationships among variables • Describes educational phenomena • Determines if actions result in desired outcomes 3

4. Research Typology Based on Focus • Basic Research – E.g. the way the brain processes information • Applied Research – Interventions, program evaluation Based on methods • Quantitative research • Qualitative research • Mixed research 4

5. Basic Research - Goal is for theoretical knowledge - Study fundamental laws of learning, memory, and reasoning - Research on child learning - Jean Piaget’s research and theory - Leadership research - Hoy and Tarter’s decision making models 5

6. Applied Research Goal is for real world application -Most studies your read in our program courses are very likely applied, including school-based Action Research - Intervention/strategy studies - Program evaluation - Effective leadership/school studies - Marzano’s what works studies - Leithwood’s studies on effective schools 6

7. Quantitative Research • Frame: Reality is fixed and can be captured and understood (positivist) or reality is something that can be estimated but never captured fully (post-positivist). • Purpose: Describe phenomena or Test hypotheses and to generate results beyond the individuals and settings that were part of the research study • Attempt to draw random samples of individuals which allows them to generalize results to a larger population • Controls as many contextual variables as possible • Apply inferential statistics 7

8. Quantitative Research • If differences/relationships are large enough, researcher can say with a certain amount of confidence that the differences or relationships are real • If differences/relationships are small, researcher is unable to conclude whether the differences or relationships are real or are due to chance 8

9. Qualitative Research • Multiple realities exist. Reality is constructed by perceptions; different people may interpret reality differently. • Purpose: To understand and interpret phenomena as they occur in natural settings • Focus is on processes that show how social experience is created and given meaning • Spend time in field talking to people, analyzing artifacts and products • Seek to make meaning from the info gathered from multiple sources 9

10. Qualitative Research • Simply to understand the setting, not to generalize beyond it • Those studied are chosen purposely, not randomly • Context is examined rather than controlled • Findings presented keeping complex systems of the world in mind • Video: Qualitative Research Design 10

11. Mixed Methods Research • Use both quantitative and qualitative methods • Tends to provide a better understanding of a research problem • Capitalize on the strengths of each • Mixed methods is most closely aligned to action research • Research Methods Video • More info on Mixed Methods 11

12. Quant. Vs Qualit. Youtube

13. What is Action Research? Action Research 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) • Action Research is the process by which practitioners attempt to study their problems scientifically in order to guide, correct, and evaluate their decisions and actions. • Stephen Corey (1953) • Action Research in education is study conducted by colleagues in a school setting of the results of their activities to improve instruction. • Carl Glickman (1992) • Action Research is a fancy way of saying let’s study what’s happening at our school and decide how to make it a better place. • Emily Calhoun (1994) •

14. What is Action Research? • Systematic inquiry conducted by educators with vested interest in the teaching–learning process or environment for purposes of gathering information about how their school operates, how they teach, and how their students learn • Action Research Made Simple

15. What is Action Research? • Action Research involves practioners identifying a school-based topic or problem to study, collecting and analyzing information to solve or understand a problem, or helping practioners understand aspects of their practice. • Action Research is educative, focuses on teachers and schools, focuses on problems of practice, and aims at improving practice.

16. Educational Research vs. Action Research • Traditional research in education typically conducted by individuals somewhat removed from environment being studied

17. Educational Research vs. Action Research • Action research is done by teachers, administrators for themselves • Inquiry into one’s own practices • Research has increased utility

18. Action Research • Focus: Applied issues • Methods: mixed methods • Many individuals consider action research studies to be most similar to mixed- methods research (than purely quantitative or qualitative research)

19. Action Research • Relies heavily on qualitative data collection methods • Frequently analyze quantitative data • Inferential statistical methods are rarely used in data analysis – Generalizing is not the goal – Sample is chosen purposely, not randomly – Sample size may be small – Focuses on one classroom, school, or district 19

20. Action Research • Growing acceptance of action research • Connection between what we know and what we do (theory and practice) • Enhance knowledge about teaching and learning 20

21. Differences in Research Methods… 21

22. Activity • Download the two articles from the folder on Western Online (Note: hard copies are also available.) • Read the two articles – Conceptual Learning by DuBois – Differentiated Curriculum by Mastropieri • Individually answer the questions on the graphic organizer (also on Western Online) • Discuss with your group 22

23. Action Research????? • Review the following videos if you need more information on action research (both on YouTube) –Overview of Action Research –Action Research Made Simple 23

24. Action Research— Organizer (Mertler) 24

25. Levels of Action Research • Individual teacher research • Collaborative action research • Schoolwide action research Calhoun, E. (1993). Action research: Three approaches. Educational Leadership, 51(2), p 62-65. •

26. Three Types - Individual • Individual teacher research • Focuses on a single classroom • Conducted by teachers in their classroom with the purpose of improving practice • Values teachers’ interpretations based on data collected with the students • Classroom Research Network – https://staffdevweb.madison.k12.wi.us/node/23 • Anita Simmons records her 1stgraders’ responses to questions about simple fractions after using different displays and activities with them. She wants to determine which presentations are more effective than others.

27. Three Types- Collaborative • Multiple researchers from school and community work together to study educational problems • Collaboration between administrators and teaches may occur • Goal: Utilize the expertise of the collaborators to foster sustained dialogue • Example: SafeMeasures – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYBLoJEwLK4 • Example: SafeMeasures…Student – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdwQCgnqB7w 27

28. Three Types - Schoolwide • Schoolwide action research • The faculty at Thomas High School wants to increase student achievement. To obtain this goal, all faculty members add a new instructional strategy, such as the inquiry approach or inductive thinking strategies. They observe and record student responses to the change in instruction and discuss their findings. Video: Schoolwide action research • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lHa_b6F3jw – How do you see AR applied to classrooms and schools – Benefits and challenges of doing schoolwide action research

29. Activity • Read Calhoun’s Action Research-Three Approaches • In a group Create a chart comparing the three approaches • Report to the class • Reflection – Has your school been using any of the approach? If yes, how is it being used? – Any benefits do you see with these approaches? – How will you be using them as a building leader? 29

30. CHAPTER 2 Overview of Action Research Process

31. Research Process • Action research follows the general process of educational research: – Specify the topic – Clarify the specific problem on which the research will focus – Formulate research questions and/or hypotheses – Carry out procedures to collect, analyze, and interpret data – State findings resulting from data analyses – Draw conclusions related back to questions/hypotheses

32. Action Research • Action research – Part of the family of educational research – The purpose is to seek answers to questions – The approach is systematic and analytical

33. Activity • Chose a case study from the slides • Work in groups to answer – What is the problem that you want to solve? – Why are our students performing the way they are? • Generate and evaluate hypothesis – What can we do to solve the problem? • Discussion 33

34. Case study#1 Mrs. Smith spends a lot of time working with students on their writing. With her third-grade students this year. She is spending more time than ever helping students correct spelling and grammar mistakes in their written work. She feels that she spends so much time on these basics that she has little time to focus on other important concepts in writing, like using compound sentences and using adverbs and adjectives to make writing more interesting. Also, her students seem really turned off on writing. They groan when she gives a writing assignment, and they act as if their monthly book reports are absolute torture. Mrs. Smith would like to find a way to improve students’ writing. She would also like to see a positive change in students’ attitudes about writing. • • 34

35. Case study#2 • Laura is a high school math teacher. Math is not an easy subject for her students and Laura is constantly finding ways to teach her students. This semester she is introducing the unit on exponent rules. She finds most of her students had difficulty understanding the rules and as a result few could apply them correctly. She is interested to help students learn and master this unit. 35

36. Case study#3 • Katie is a second grade teacher. Each Monday she gives students a new list of five words and they will be tested over on Friday. She uses traditional instruction to teach student spelling (writing the words, using words in a sentence, defining the words). She had some students struggling with spelling. She would like to help these students improve their spelling. 36

37. Case study #4 • Mrs. Mau is a middle school building principal (6-8). In reviewing student attendance data, she found that some students were absent 40 or more days from school in a school year and student attendance is worst with the six graders. • What’s the issue that faces Mrs. Mau? • Please help Mrs. Mau tackle the issue 37

38. Case study #5 Steve, a high school principal in a small, rural school, is concerned with the lack of community he senses in the educators at his school. In the last few years, many teachers have retired, and their jobs have been filled with young teachers just out of college. The result is a teaching pool that is made up of about half who are older, experienced teachers and half who are younger teachers just a few years older than the senior class. Although Steve had hoped that the more experienced teachers would step in to mentor the new teachers, this has not happened. In actuality, the experienced teachers tend to eat lunch together, talk with each other between classes, and sit together at faculty meetings, whereas the younger teachers socialize after school hours but stay in their classrooms working independently during school hours. • • 38

39. Case study#6 • You are a 3rd grade math teacher. This school year you have four ELL students in your class and they are not doing well in math. • What’s the problem? • How will you go about solving the problem? 39

40. Case study#7 • Your school got the ISAT test results back and after reviewing the data it was obvious that your are losing exceeds students in all subjects areas at the 8th grade level. • What’s the problem? • How will you go about solving the problem? 40

41. Action Research Process 1. Identify an area/problem of interest 2. Collect data 3. Analyze data 4. Interpret data 5. Develop an action plan 6. Repeat 1-5

42. Action Research Model • Mertler’s AR four stages:

43. Identify an area / problem Mertler’s Planning stage • The area / problem should be important to you and relevant to the profession – It should be substantive, and if a solution is found, it may improve practice • You may evaluate and refine topic area with a colleague, mentor, or school principal – How can we find ways to encourage slow readers to engage in more reading? – What strategies are most helpful for helping fourth graders to turn in homework on time? • Conduct a literature review to narrow the area into a researchable form – a research question • More on lit. review and research questions later

44. Collect and analyze the data Mertler’s Acting stage • What’s data? – any information that can help answer research questions – Best data are directly related to the topic or issue • In Action Research, try to use a variety of data collection tools, qualitative and quantitative – why? • Data sources – Observations, interviews, questionnaires/surveys, assessments, and other readily available data • Ethical considerations in AR data collection • Data organization and analysis – Quantitative & Qualitative

45. Develop an action plan Mertler’s Developing stage • Interpret data • Reflect on the findings – What have you learned – What changes will you make • Develop an action plan – Continue with intervention/strategies/program – Refine the intervention/strategies/program – Discontinue the intervention/strategies/program and seek out new strategies • Implement the plan (make changes and improve practices!)

46. Collect and analyze the data Mertler’s Reflecting stage • Prepare an action report report – Writing leads to deeper understanding of the problem – Create a permanent record of the research that others may use • Reflect on the entire AR process • Share and communicate results – In both formal or informal settings – With a colleague, mentor, or principal – With faculty at faculty meetings – At conferences (Teacher or Leadership conferences) – Through journal publication

47. Action Research Model… • Stringer’s Interacting Spiral

48. Action Research Model… • Lewin’s Action Research Spiral Identifying a General or Initial Idea Reconnaissance or Fact Finding Take First Action Step Planning Evaluate Amended Plan Take Second Action Step…

49. Action Research Model… • Calhoun’s Action Research Cycle 1 Select Area 5 2 Take Action Collect Data 4 3 Analyze and Interpret Data Organize Data

50. Action Research Model… • Bachman’s Action Research Spiral Plan Revised Plan