RESEARCH

Latin circa, “to circle around or explore” French recerche, “to search closely” Cognate words include: inquiry, scholarship, investigation (American Heritage Dictionary)

RESEARCH “..an unusually stubborn and persisting effort to think straight which involves the gathering and intelligent use of data.” (Hamblin, 1966). “…a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.” (US Government, Office of Management and Budget)

Research A process of constant exploration and discovery (Zumann, 2002) Systematic and organized activity to investigate a specific problem that needs a solution Different from a simple opinion, unexamined point of view, or unfocused curiosity RE-search

Positivist and Post-Positivist Perspectives on Research

How do we know? Epistemology: the philosophy of knowing Methodology: an approach to knowing

Ways of Knowing (Kerlinger, 1986) Tenacity: We’ve always believed it Intuition: Feels right Authority: Respected source Science: Objective, empirical

Positivist View of Research Science is a way to learn the TRUTH Science is deterministic and mechanistic Science deals only with what we can see or measure. It is EMPIRICAL. Best way to learn the truth is through the scientific method: controlled experiment. Science is objective.

Mainstream Scientific Research quantitative measures an emphasis on measurement relatively few variables laboratory conditions precise causal hypotheses study derived from the literature, and the situation then chosen to fit reductionist assumptions interpretation of data by the researcher researcher as independent inflexibility once data collection has begun use of control groups generalization highly valued

Post-Positivist View of Research Empirical Observation is theory laden and therefore subjective Multiple perspectives and triangulation of data are preferable Context should be embraced, not avoided.

Critical Realism A moderating position that attempts to avoid scientific claims to objective truth while avoiding post-modernist subjectivist perspectives There is a reality that we should try to “get right” We should be critical of our ability to ever get it perfectly right

Garbage In Garbage Out Good research is good research, regardless of its methodological paradigm.

Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin, It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels there really is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it. A.A. Milne (1926)

Action Research Term coined and meaning attributed by Kurt Lewin in the 1940s

Action Research Pursues both action and research outcomes Cyclic Process, with critical reflection a component of each cycle Is a methodological paradigm: YOUR school, YOUR teaching plan --> act --> observe --> reflect --> plan... action --> critical reflection --> action --> critical reflection...

What is Action Research? “Action Research is a form of research that generates knowledge claims for the express purpose of taking action to promote social change and social action” (Greenwood and Levin, 1998) Action researchers believe that: –Complex social systems and social situations cannot be reduced for meaningful study –Action research is a process of making sense and understanding complex interactions and systems AR refers to the conjunction of three elements: –Research –Action –Participation

Three Approaches to Action Research Individual Teacher Research Collaborative Action Research Schoolwide Action Research

Action Research Cycle: Plan-Act-Observe-Reflect

Conditions for Action Research According to Grundy and Kemmis there are three conditions necessary for AR to exist: –A project takes as its subject matter a social practice, regarding it as a strategic action susceptible to improvement –The project proceeds through a spiral of cycles of planning, acting, observing and reflecting with each of these activities being systematically and self critically implemented and interrelated; and –The project involves those responsible for the practice in each of the moments of the activity, widening participation in the project gradually to include others affected by the practice and maintaining collaborative control of the process

How is Action Research Defined? 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)

Limitations of Action Research Tendency for inexperienced researchers to focus entirely on planning, acting and observing phases and less upon theorizing Ethical responsibilities to other participants Length of projects – ongoing and evolutionary Not generalizable to other populations and contexts

Qualitative=words Quantitative=numbers

Action Research Planning Research Topic: What am I interested in? Research Question: What specifically do I want to find out? Research Strategy: How will I come to know this? What changes will I implement in my classroom? Data Collection: What kinds of things do I need to collect before I begin? How will I collect the data? How often? How long? Analysis: What did I find out? Did it work the way I thought it would? What now?

The formulation of a problem is far more often essential than its solution, which may be merely a matter of mathematical or experimental skill. To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science. --A. Einstein and L. Infeld, The Evolution of Physics, 1938.

On what do you focus action research? A problem from your classroom A puzzle or dilemma about the learning of a particular student or group of students A question you have about your teaching A situation that has arisen in your classroom How to develop and support particular learning qualities

Examples of Action Research Projects: Janette Banaszak (HS Art) What happens to a student’s attitude about art when lessons are designed to allow more student voice in written form, in collaborative critiques, and in the process of creating artwork? Gwen Armstrong (HS Spanish) Using Cooperative Learning and Student Projects to Enhance Engagement in Secondary Spanish Kristi Ramey (9th Grade Math) How can I reinforce arithmetic skills to improve algebra skills? Laurie Cooper (7th Language Arts) Using Collaboration to Aid Memorization Lauuri Smith Hilburger (2nd Grade) What happens when you raise the technology standards of seven and eight year olds?

Guidelines for Action Research Diagnose Identify the questions Collect data to answer questions Analyze the data collected Reflect Take action

Identify the Question(s) Choose a problem/issue important to YOU Make sure questions are directly related to your chosen problem/issue Make sure your questions are answerable Brainstorm about the larger issues to generate answerable questions Rule out “yes or no” questions, and use “why, how, or what” questions

Collect Data Use any appropriate information that can help you answer your question Cross-sectional or longitudinal data Look for readily available data Types of data can be: tallies, surveys, demographic information, test results, observations, interviews, documents

Purpose Statement Clear development of the purpose statement provides logical structure to and a roadmap for your study: “The purpose of this study is……” Make it as specific and as de-limited as possible Lean and mean: Avoid unrelated or ornamental ideas/concepts. Revise, Revise, Revise

Research Questions Allows you to specifically define the problem/issue State as clearly and specifically/empirically as possible What are faculty attitudes toward instructional technology? What are faculty attitudes in my school towards instructional technology? What are faculty attitudes in my school towards instructional technology, as measured by a faculty attitude survey? Do faculty attitudes toward instructional technology in my school, as measured by a faculty attitude survey, differ among those with less than five years of teaching experience and those with more than five years of teaching experience?

Review of Literature What have others discovered or undertaken that is related to your intended research project? Provides context/background to your research problem/issue. Enables you to reflect upon and dialogue with previous approaches as you plan and design your project. Typically constructed as an inverted pyramid: generally related to most directly related, each study cited becoming increasingly more specific to the context and conduct of your project.