1. Action Research As A Strategy to Improve Student Learning
SESSION 1:
Problem Identification

2. “The outstanding characteristics of the professional teacher is a capacity for autonomous professional self development through systematic self study, through the study of the work of other teachers and through the testing of ideas by classroom research procedures”
(Lawrence Stenhouse)

3. Welcome and Introductions
Participant Information Forms
What is Action Research?
Expectations
Talking about your question
How to access more information!

4. The Facilitators…
Provide information on implementation and use of action research.
Provide support during the process.
Prepare a final report containing all projects.
Provide supply coverage.
Here is how we are going to help you with some of the workload.

5. Overview of Sessions… Session 1:
Action Research as a Strategy to Improve Student Learning
Session 2: Tools to Collect Data
Session 3:
Support Session

6. Overview of Sessions… Session 4: Making Sense of the Data
Session 5: Writing the Report
Session 6:
Wrap Up

7. Participant Information Forms…
What are your main concerns about Action Research?
give time to fill out forms and complete

8. What You Will Learn… How to ask focused questions.
How to define your terms.
What methods to use to yield valid and reliable results.
How to collect relevant data.
How to analyze data.
How to summarize your findings and share with colleagues.

9. At The End of This Session…
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO:
Identify your research purpose and objectives.
Identify methods to obtain more information on your topic of interest.
Identify the main components of the final report.

10. What Is Action Research…
It's a natural way of acting and researching at the same time.
“…With the exception of well-practiced tasks there is a natural rhythm to the way most of us behave. We do something. We check if it worked as expected. If it didn't, we analyze what happened and what we might do differently. If necessary we repeat the process.”
Dick, B.  (2002) Action research: action and research [On line].  Available at
AR gives teachers the skills needed to work on problems specific to their classrooms and their schools.
You can use this tool to resolve your own teaching challenges.
Rather than relying on academic research that may not have much relevance in practice to your classroom, you as the teacher finds hands on solutions to questions you want answered.
Benefit is that the solutions are ones you feel you can and want to implement. Nobody is forcing the change on you or making you do what they think is best for your students learning.
You are in the best position to evaluate what is best for your students and you make that decision.
Often not sure if the things you are trying to enhance student learning is in fact effective.
AR allows you to set up an evaluation to see if it is having the desired effects. If not then you can change what you are doing and try something else….if it is working then you have evidence to back your decisions to implement it.
Other teachers can then use your work as rationale for trying it in their classrooms.

11. Why AR…
Teachers who want to take on research for the purpose of improving practice.
To improve your teaching.
To test the assumptions of an educational theory.
Means to evaluating and implementing whole school priorities.
This is a practical course for teachers such as yourselves who want to undertake research in your classroom and/or your school for the purpose of improving practice.
Classroom research is an act undertaken by teachers as a means of improving your own teaching, testing assumptions of some educational theory, and or as a means of evaluating and implementing whole school priorities.

12. AR Is NOT…
The usual things teachers do when they think about teaching.
It is systematic and involves collecting evidence on which to base rigorous reflection.
JUST problem solving.
It is also problem posing.
Action Research is NOT:
The usual things teacher do when they think about teaching; it is systematic and involves collecting evidence on which to base rigorous reflection.
It is NOT JUST problem solving: It is also problem posing. It might start from a question, but you cannot always expect to find one answer. It is motivated by a quest to improve and understand the world by changing it and learning how to improve it from the effects of the changes made.

13. AR Is NOT… Research on other people.
It is research by particular people on their own work in order to help them to improve what they do.
The scientific method applied to teaching.
It is a systematically evolving process of changing both the researcher and the situations in which he or she works.
Action Research is NOT (CONT….)
It is NOT research on other people: It is research by particular people on their own work to help them to improve what they do, and how they work with for other. It does not treat people like objects.
4. It is not the scientific method applied to teaching. Action research is not just about hypothesis‑testing or about using data to come to conclusions. It is concerned with changing situations, not just interpreting them. It takes the researcher into view. Action research is a systematically evolving process of changing both the researcher and the situations in which he or she works.  The natural and historical sciences do not have this aim.

14. Example 1…
Jeremy is a student in a 3rd grade class. Without any warning, Jeremy frequently inexplicably jumps up out of his desk with a loud roar, swipes all the papers off his desk, and then tips the desk over. The teacher manages to get him to the nurses office while his classmates patiently straighten out his things. In spite of their practiced efficiency, a half-hour often passes before the teacher can settle the class again. Totally frustrated with the loss of teaching time and the months it may take for Special Education referrals, the teacher decides to use Action Research to help find a solution for her classroom.

15. Example 1… Step 1: The Question “What upsets Jeremy?”
First the question:
In this case it was simple: what upsets Jeremy???

16. Example 1… Step 1: The Question Step 2: Data Collection
The problem may originate in the home, or in the playground or within his psychological make-up.
Knowing this, how does that help in the classroom?
Second: data collection
It was a little tougher deciding how to collect the information that might respond to the question.
It was tempting to thing of the problem as originating in the home, on the playground, or within his psychologically make-up.
But true as that may have been, knowing it didn’t do much for the classroom.
Perplexed, the teacher decided to make brief notes about what happened immediately before each disruption.

17. Example 1… Step 1: The Question Step 2: Data Collection
Step 3: Data Analysis
Looking over the data to find patterns.
Third: Data analysis
The teacher spread all the data she had collected on her desk one day, reading them over looking for patterns.
It suddenly hit her.

18. Example 1… Step 1: The Question Step 2: Data Collection
Step 3: Data Analysis
Step 4: Findings
Jeremy erupted when she passed out work on new concepts.
Fourth: The findings
She found that Jeremy was more likely to erupt when she passed out papers asking students to work on new concepts!

19. Example 1… Step 1: The Question Step 2: Data Collection
Step 3: Data Analysis
Step 4: Findings
Step 5: Action Plan
Create a fun assignment while handing out material to the rest of the class.
Fifth: The action plan
Gently confronting Jeremy with the “evidence” led to information that earlier interrogations had not revealed.
Jeremy tearfully confessed that he always felt afraid that he would not be able to do the new assignment.
Together they worked out a plan.
When the teacher passed out work on new concepts, she promised to hand Jeremy a Fun paper to work on.
Jeremy agreed to practice patience,
Thereafter, the teacher first go the rest of the class working well, then went to Jeremy’s desk and helped him with the new concept until they both felt that he understood what to do.
She then engages in more action research evaluating whether it is working…..
And it worked,
The disruptions diminished substantially.

20. Example 1… ALWAYS EVALUATE YOUR SOLUTIONS!
Be sure to now engage in active evaluation of your solutions….
Want to make sure they work and continue to work!

21. Example 2…
A middle school teacher, sitting in her staff lounge casually thumbing through a magazine, found an article citing research which alleged that high school dropouts make their decisions to quit school during their middle school years. The teacher could not get the allegations out of her mind, repeatedly asking herself, “How does that happen?” and “What do we do?” She, too, decided to implement an action research process to investigate these burning questions.
Lets take an example of a larger group situation.
A middle school teacher, sitting in her staff lounge casually thumbing through a magazine, found an article citing research which alleged that high school dropouts make their decisions to quit school during their middle school years. The teacher could not get the allegations out of her mind, repeatedly asking herself, “How does that happen?” and “What do we do?” She, too, decided to implement an action research process to investigate these burning questions.

22. Example 2… Step 1: The Question
“What can this school do to make the transition from elementary to middle school more user friendly?”
First the question:
The teacher decided after much consultation that her question would be :
“what can this school do to make the transition from elementary to middle school more user friendly?

23. Example 2… Step 1: The Question Step 2: Data Collection
Constructed a simple survey asking about various student experiences during students’ transition time which she administered with her own grade 6 class.
Second: data collection
The teacher constructed a simple survey asking about various student experiences during students’ transition time which she administered to her own sixth grade class.
Startled by the student's response, the teacher enlisted the help of the school counselor. Together they surveyed 2 school wide randomly selected groups. One group consisting of “at risk” students and the second consisting of “average” students with the groups matched for gender and ethic representation.

24. Example 2… Step 1: The Question Step 2: Data Collection
Step 3: Data Analysis
Read through surveys looking for themes and tallied the number of responses under each theme.
Third: Data analysis
The teachers read through the surveys to find patterns in the responses and listed rubrics for the patterns or themes. Then they again read through the surveys to tally responses that fit under each pattern, a tally they could graph.

25. Example 2… Step 1: The Question Step 2: Data Collection
Step 3: Data Analysis
Step 4: Findings
Overwhelmed by the social challenge of being relatively anonymous in a large school setting.
Fourth: The findings
A significant number of students in both groups felt overwhelmed by the social challenge of being relatively anonymous in a large school.

26. Example 2… Step 1: The Question Step 2: Data Collection
Step 3: Data Analysis
Step 4: Findings
Step 5: Action Plan
Developed multiple plans to address student concerns followed by annual surveys to track success.
Fifth: The action plan
The teacher, the counselor, and the principal shared the information with the faculty who were, in turn, stunned. Student responses such as “ None of the teachers seem to know me by name” and “no one speaks to me” tugged at their heart strings.
The group faced up to the challenge by developing multiple plans that responded to the need.
They commissioned additional surveys that year and subsequent years to check their success in responding to the needs of the original survey.
Eventually other schools asked for their report and conducted their own action research.’

27. The AR Cycle… Implementation Planning Analysis/Reflection
Action research is a recursive process similar to writing and thinking.
Researchers must go through 3 stages:
Planning, implementation and analysis and reflection.
A problem or challenge or the desire to try something new is the impetus for educators to design an action research project.
In the planning stage you identify what the topic or idea of the research will be….draft questions and plans…create timetables, read about your topic.
In the implementation phase researchers begin to carry out the new actions and collect the data.
You may revise your plans as you go or refine your questions.
In the analysis phase researchers look closely at the data and analyze the information collected.
You reflect on what the data means in relation to your question.
You are in essence articulating the answer to your question.
Researchers often leap back and forth between the stages.
Analysis/Reflection

28. Benefits of AR…
Action Research allows you to evaluate your own teaching practices because teachers:
Identify the problem
Choose the question
Collect and analyze the data
Develop the action plans
No other evaluation process in place allows you to evaluate your own teaching practices like Action Research!
AR is driven by the teachers.
You as a teacher are the researcher.
AR differs from scientific research in that the researcher is not removed from what is being studied, but rather is part of it.
This setup has a ton of benefits.
You are the one who is closest to the problem and the solution….in essence you are being critical about the way you do things and willing to change with the outcomes of your research.
This is extremely beneficial to student learning as you are driven to make your teaching better in order for you to impact your learners in a positive way.

29. The Values of AR…
We work best on problems we have identified ourselves.
We become more effective when encouraged to examine our own work and consider ways of doing things differently.
We work better collaboratively.
AR is a form of professional development.

30. The Values of AR… AR provides opportunities to share discoveries.
Promotes you as a teacher taking responsibility for your actions.
Creating a more energetic and dynamic classroom environment in which teaching and learning can occur.
Teachers and students deserve better than an educational system that limits individual initiative by encouraging conformity and control.
AR is a means in which you can take more responsibility for your own actions as a teacher.
It can be used to help you to create a classroom environment that is more energetic and dynamic were improved teaching and learning can occur.

31. Research Awards… Action Research recognized in teaching excellence
Roy C. Hill Awards Program ($2,500-10,000)
Ontario Educational Research Council Awards ($250 + publication opportunity)
W.B Jackson Award for partnerships inEducational Research ($250 + publication)
J. Douglas Ayers Award ($1,000) (

32. Expectations… What is expected of Action Research Participants?
Attend sessions
Request help when required
Complete 2-3 page final report

33. The Final Report … Due May 6, 2005 (2-3 pages) Title
Author and Affiliation
Question or Problem/Issue
Background
Data Collection Methods and Analysis
Results and Findings
Reflections and Action
Suggestions for Future Research
Extra Attachments

34. Your Burning Question…
Important to find a FOCUS or OBJECTIVE for your research
The key to successful action research is to identify a focus for your research.
Researchers who begin their work with a clear idea of what you are studying and why you are studying tend to find the motivation to complete their work.

35. A Good Question Is… Simple. Focused.
You can measure it (either qualitatively or quantitatively).
Usually “how” “what” or “why” questions.
Generates findings you can ACT on!
Modest and manageable.
A good research question is directly related to the problem or the issue that you have chose to explore.
You probably won’t have one question, you might have a problem with several questions to address that problem. If this is the case then you need to make sure they are focused all on the entire problem.
They are answerable.
Good questions usually begin with how, why or what.

36. Your Burning Question…
In order to do this, need to clearly define the problem
In order to do this you must clearly define the problem.

37. Defining Your Problem…
Create problem statement(s) that clearly and concisely answers the following questions:
Who is affected?
Who/what is suspected of causing the problem?
What kind of problem is it? (grades, attendance, time, resources, etc)
What is the goal for improvement?
What are you proposing to do about it?
Go through the exercise with them (see handouts in package)

38. Literature Reviews…
In order to get a sense of your topic, you will want to complete a review of the literature. The purpose is to:
Give you ideas for your own project.
Help to avoid “reinventing the wheel”.
Help provide a context to your issue.

39. For More Information… Search the Web (e.g., Google)
Ontario College of Teachers: Margaret Wilson Library
Search ERIC website:
Derry Byrne Resource Centre
Libraries (U of O., Carleton)
Other?

40. Next Steps… Creating a Action Research Journal.
Data collection techniques.
Be thinking about what techniques you will use for your own study.
Next session we will go over your questions, review techniques, work on your instruments!
Keep track, somewhere, of the actions you take, your reactions, other’s reactions, and any insights you may have had.
The key to action research is the REFLECTION it involves. It gets us thinking about things in a way we haven't before, and what we are going to do about it.

41. Need Help?
Call us!