Action Research

1. Action Research

2. Goals • Rationale • Action Research Cycle • Process • Role of Teachers • Accomplished Teaching

3. Rationale “Good teaching is not merely a technical matter of delivering information from a recipe or text. Rather, it is about coming to know students well-their skills, learning styles, interests, strengths, as well as their areas of need of improvement - so that we can help them make connections between new information and what they already know; connections that make sense and that last. We can come to know these critical aspects of learners and learning by making research about our students, our classrooms, our schools, and our practice a regular and systematic part of our teaching lives” (Falk & Blumenreich, 2000, p. 2).

4. Rationale • Be a reflective teacher • Improve teaching skills and strategies in order to become an effective teacher. • Provides equality within the classroom

5. What is action research?

6. Action Research “Action Research is a study of a situation that is driven by a desire to improve that situation. In an action research study, the researcher investigates an issue, intervenes with something different or new, observes the effects of the action, and reflects on the effects in consideration for further planning. The distinguishing feature of action research is that it is undertaken specifically to improve practice” (Falk & Blumenreich, 2005, p.16).

7. Action Research Cycle Plan Act Observe Reflect Tripp, D. (2003).

8. Action Research Process • Plan • Develop Questions • Question teaching practice • Pick a topic • Frame question • Develop sub questions • Explain • Literature Review • Read • Write Tripp, D. (2003).

9. Action Research Process • Act • Define your study participants • Describe the setting of your study • Type of data collection • Use research questions • Professional journal • Field notes • Interviews • Surveys • Audiotapes/ Videotapes • Timeline • Cite References • Ethical Concerns Tripp, D. (2003).

10. Action Research Process • Ethical Concerns • Obtain consent • Verbal • Written • Ensure that it is causing minimal risk to participants • The International Review Board (IRB) must approve the research • Ensure the privacy of all participants • Key points to consider • Respect • Beneficence • Justice

11. My participants are in first grade and can’t read the consent form. Can I just obtain verbal consent? If the action research has been approved by the IRB, the benefits outweigh the risks, and the research will cause minimal risk verbal consent is ok from the first graders. Although, when looking at the big picture, guardians are also involved which means their consent should be required as well. I would obtain both verbal consent, from the students, and written consent, from the parents. Make sure that all participants and parents know that the decision made will no be held against them and that if they agree to participate but change their mind their decision will be granted and not held against the participant.

12. Action Research Process • Observe • . “Analyzing your data is an ongoing process that begins as soon as you start collecting it. Each time you collect data you should try to make time to review what you have and reflect on it. As you read through your notes, you may find new insights, directions, or questions arising that will point you toward areas that you need to explore further” (Falk & Blumenreich, 2005, p.115). Tripp, D. (2003).

13. Action Research Cycle • Reflect • Analyze all of the information gathered from your data sources • Make sense of it • Apply findings to the classroom • Make changes based on data results • After the changes have been made devise a new question and restart the action research cycle. Tripp, D. (2003).

14. How is a teacher able to be a researcher and a teacher simultaneously? The role of the researcher and the teacher work together in unison in order to view a variety of aspects of the situation. By just being a researcher the students would run the classroom since you were a researcher and weren’t able to provide any input. As a teacher you wouldn’t be analyzing situations through the lens of a researcher. In conclusion, be yourself and be honest to yourself when stating your findings and recording data. As a teacher/researcher the distinction needs to be made between inferences and facts. My suggestion would be to make a two column journal, one side for inferences and one for facts. This way you are able to be a researcher and teacher.

15. Role of Teachers “The teacher’s role within this framework is not to transmit knowledge from expert to novice in a uniform way but rather to help learners actively explore their own questions and cultivate critical thinking skills on which they will need to draw throughout their lives” (Falk & Blumenreich, 2000, p. 6).

16. Role of Teachers in Action Research Action Research Role of teachers • Plan • Act • Observe • Reflect • Explores areas in which information can be gained in order to become a more effective teacher. • “In the implementation phase of the solution or model, observations of practice an joint reflections between teachers and researchers mutually supplement each other” (Postholm, 2009, p556). • “Introductory work they are to do includes observation of practice, which is then questioned on the basis of the theme in focus” (Postholm, 2009, p556). • “Actual practice is reflected on through analysis; they examine new solutions or models for action” (Postholm, 2009, p556).

17. 5 CORE PROPOSITIONS • Teachers are committed to students and their learning. • Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to their students. • Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning. • Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience. • Teachers are members of learning communities.

18. Professional Development 5 core propositions Norwegian General Teacher Education Plan • Teachers are committed to students and their learning. • Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to their students. • Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning. • Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience. • Teachers are members of learning communities. • “They must know how to plan, motivate, and realize the plan and support and assess the pupils’ learning. • Teachers have to know their subject • They should have an understanding of the ethics within their occupation. • Teachers should have a change and development competence that can help them develop as teachers and , as an essential part of that, a competence in research and development work that can contribute to the development of the actual learning work with the pupils. • Teachers should be able to communicate well with colleagues, pupils and parents, and their superiors” (Postholm, 2009, pp. 556-557).

19. References • Tripp, D. (2003). Action Research E-Reports. Retrieved Oct. 25, 2010, from The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. Web site: http://www2.fhs.usyd.edu.au/arow/arer/017.htm. • Nolen, A. L., & Putten, J. V. (2007). Action Research in Education: Addressing Gaps in Ethical Principles and Practices. Educational Researcher, 36(7), 401-407. Retrieved from ERIC. • Postholm, M. B. (2009). Research and development work: Developing teachers as researchers or just teachers? Educational Action Research, 17(4), 551-565. • Falk, B., & Blumenreich, M. (2005). The Power of Questions: A guide to Teacher and Student Research. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. • Wise, B., & Osawatomie, K. (2010). The Five Core Propositions. Retrieved Oct. 23, 2010, from National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Arlington, VA. Web site: http://www.nbpts.org/the_standards/the_five_core_propositio.