1. Action Research Modified from Leo Rigsby George Mason University

2. 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).

3. ASSESS Need for Change or an Action • Reflect on the situation or context • Discuss with colleagues • Read the professional literature • Challenge your own assumptions • Formulate some guesses or hunches about the phenomenon • Decide on a first step – make a plan

4. Implement the Change or Action • What evidence would convince you that you have met your goal? • Decide what steps you need to take to produce the desired change – trial and error with warrants • Implement the plan • Collect evidence on effects of the intervention

5. Study the Results • Reflect on the evidence you are collecting • Share the evidence with colleagues • Try to fit the data to different explanations • Revisit your assumptions about the learners and the learning situation • Formulate a trial explanation • Develop an argument with evidence, claims, and warrants

6. Rethink the need, the change, and the results • Does the evidence support your claims? • Do you have strong warrants? • Do your colleagues find your arguments credible? • How does the argument fit into ongoing debates and conversations? • What is unique about your setting or context? • Will others find your argument useful and appealing?

7. 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

8. Defining Action Research Problems • TFQ = Teacher’s first question or puzzle • ARV = Action Research Version of this question

9. “The people who do the work in classrooms are generally consumed by the day-to-day rhythms of preparing, teaching, assessing students, and so on. Rarely are they drawn to public examinations of the knowledge that underlies their actions.” Donald Freeman (2000)

10. Telling TeachingDonald Freeman Telling Teaching involves 3 things: • Examining what is going on in your classroom • Questioning why it happens as it does • Assessing how your teaching is suiting that learning

11. Questioning • Examine what is going on in a lesson or activity • How are things playing out • How do students respond to what you do

12. Conclusions Questioning, probing, assembling information, and acting is about building, “constructing” knowledge from experience. Then you integrate that back into the experience.