1. What is action research?

1. 1. What is action research?

2. A practical way of looking at your own work to check that it is as you would like it to be (McNiff 1995)

3. 2.How different is it from other empirical research?

4. Quantitative research vs. Qualitative research • The research process is the developmental process of following through the idea, seeing how it goes, and continually checking whether it is in line with what you wish to happen. • Action research is open ended.

5. 3.Why should teachers do action research?

6. Academics sitting in ivory towers have no understanding of what is important for ordinary people. • To help them notice what they and their students really do, rather than what they think they do. • To help them tailor teaching and learning to their learners and their settings. • So that they are able to justify the teaching and learning choices they make. • To become less dependent on decisions made by people who are far away from their learning and teaching sites, people like textbook writers and school administrators.

7. 4. What are the steps in the action research process?

8. Plan(Davidoff and van den Berg 1990) • Identify the problem area (Compare the present state and the desired state) • Narrow it down so that it is manageable. • Think about what might be causing the problem. Talk to other teachers and/or read to get more ideas about this. • Think about a solution and how to implement it. • Think about what evidence you will collect to decide whether your action is successful or not. How will you collect it? How will you analyse it?

9. Teach / Act • Implement your solution. Observe • Gather evidence which you will analyse to decide whether your solution was successful or not. Reflect • Analyse the evidence you gathered. Has the problem been solved? If not, what step will you try next? If yes, what problem will you try to solve now?

10. Movement One (Due March 28th ) --- Observe and identify a problem ---research for the theoretical background Movement Two (Due April 25th) ---Try out your treatments ---Collect data directly afterwards Three (Due May 23rd) ---analyze the patterns and results ---relate theoretical evidence to your results ---add suggestions for the future research

11. 5. Where do you collect data?

12. Make observation schedules. Draw up a list of behaviours and language to look for. • Your lesson plans or reflective journals. • Students' journals, exercises, essays, assignments, tests etc. • Peer observations. Ask a colleague to look for particular behaviours, language use etc you while you teach. • Audio/ Video recordings • Interviews of learners • Questionnaires

13. Data analysis 1. Validity Are you using the right kinds of data sources? 2. Credibility Do not omit data that may be counter to what you believe. Be objective as possible in interpreting what you see. 3. Triangulation Are you collecting different types of data, using different data sources at a different times?

14. Inductive analysis Action research findings are not expected to be repeated. Due to this validity issue, action research findings are not generalized. 1. Look for recurring items or patterns to emerge. 2. Similar things should be coded and moved into initial categories. 3. These categories are subject to change.

15. How do I keep a research journal? Focus on areas that interest you: activities, interactions Take notes either during or right after class Write down the results of brainstorming with colleagues and information from current literature