What it is and how to do it Main Source Action Research in Education by Efron and Ravid Why Do you want to improve change or validate something What would you like to improve change or validate ID: 248051
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Action Research
What it is and how to do it.
(Main Source: Action Research in Education by Efron and Ravid)Slide2
Why?
Do you want to improve, change, or validate something?
What would you like to improve, change or validate?
How will you know you improved, changed or validated something?
My experience.
Teacher target setting.
Are you a scientist?Slide3
Rationale
Improve practice
Conducted by insiders
Subjective and engaged
Self reflection
Arise from needs
Researcher is part of the process
Bottom-upSlide4
Getting Started
Attitude, inertia, contrariness.
AP audit example.
Teachers have said they want to create, not be told.
Teachers have said, “Show me the data”.Slide5
The Basic Outline ***
Identify a problem, question, or goal
Review the literature
Design and plan
Collect data
Analyze and interpret
Write, share, implementSlide6
Getting Started
Brainstorm
Write it down
Prioritize
Choose your passion
Share and explain
Obstacles?
Is there literature?Slide7
How Might it Work?
Ongoing. Could be a journal.
Cyclic. Start with a question. End with an application of knowledge.
Best if it’s something important to you.Slide8
Put the Question in Writing
General question. Could be sub-questions.
Define terms
Operational definitions
Have a rationale
Refine and focusSlide9
Context
Personal. Professional.
What is your role?
Who might be interested?
Connect theory to practice.Slide10
Project Evaluation Criteria
Problem clearly stated and concise?
Is it researchable?
Can significant evidence be gathered?
Are terms defined?
Is it clear who benefits?
Is it feasible given time, resources, etc.?Slide11
Review of the Literature
Places your project within the existing knowledge base
Trace threads, themes, debates
Theoretical perspectives
Identify the need
Choose possible procedures/methods
Helps narrow and refineSlide12
Sources
Validity of sources
Academic journals
Peer-reviewed works
Recent research
Seminal worksSlide13
Writing the Literature Review
Narrative or bullets
Citations
Possible formats
General to specific, historical to contemporary, theory to practice
Definitions and examples
Not an editorial
Peer edit
AssessmentSlide14
Qualitative Research Questions
Open-ended (how, what)
Question should address who or what is being studied (students, behaviors)Slide15
Quantitative Research Questions
How much, how many...
Hypothesis
Observable, testable
Limited number of variablesSlide16
General to Specific
The inverted triangle
Research topic
Problem statement
Research guidelines
HypothesisSlide17
Approaches to Action ResearchSlide18
Qualitative
Know the assumptions of your school reality - every school is different
Research purpose
Researcher’s role (acknowledge personal values and how they influence the study)
Open-ended questionsSlide19
Qualitative Methods
Case study (in-depth, small sample)
Ethnographic research (cultural, social)
Narrative (In your own words)
Critical (Social justice)Slide20
Quantitative
Assumptions - stable, fixed rules, objective, removed from the specifics of the school
Purpose - universal, scientifically-based
Role - objective, dispassionate
Process - limited, clearly defined variables, cause and effectSlide21
Quantitative Methods
Experiment - independent and dependent variables
Causal-comparative - ex post facto correlation
Descriptive - describe current conditionsSlide22
Mixed Methodology
Embedded
Two phase
IntegratedSlide23
Choosing an Approach
Applying the results universally not as important as helping you.
The question can determine the methodology.
The process of self-reflection. Your role is central.Slide24
Developing a PlanSlide25
Your Role as Researcher
Qualitative or quantitative. Subjective vs objective.
In action research, it’s difficult to be totally objective.
Disciplined subjectivity
Researcher role statementSlide26
Establish the Scope
Manageable? Doable?
Know the boundaries and constraints
Time frame
Reflection periods
Statement of scopeSlide27
Identify the Site and Participants
School context
Students, parents, faculty, administration, community
Sample - different criteria for qualitative and quantitative
Qualitative - purposive, volunteer, convenience
Quantitative - random, systematic, stratified
Write a description of sampleSlide28
Data Collection ProceduresSlide29
Observation
Recording sheet
Behavior log
Photos, videos, audio
Tally sheet
Checklist
Rating scaleSlide30
Interview
Structured
Semi-structured
UnstructuredSlide31
Other Procedures
Surveys
Artifacts and documents
JournalsSlide32
Using Assessment Data
There are many examples available.
Commercial
Norm-referencedSlide33
Teacher-created Assessments
Instructional objectives
Test specifications
Test constructionSlide34
Types of Tests
Multiple choice
Interpretative
Matching
True false
Performance
Rubrics
Portfolio
Supply-type
Completion
Short answer
EssaySlide35
Data Analysis and InterpretationSlide36
Qualitative Analysis
Transform the data into readable text, sort data into files, immerse yourself in the dataSlide37
Analysis
Identify predetermined categories
Look for themes
Use emerging categories in the core data
Synthesis - identify patterns, create a concept map
Support findings with evidenceSlide38
Validating the Interpretation
Alternative interpretations
Triangulate
Contextualize
Self referenceSlide39
Presentation
Thematic form
Chronological
Style of writing
Thick description
Quoting
Checklist for analysisSlide40
Quantitative Analysis
Entering, organizing, graphing, tabulating
Computing measures of distribution centers (mean, median, mode)
Computing measures of distribution validity (range, standard deviation)
Analyzing (correlation, scattergram, variance)
Evaluating the statistical findings
Presenting the findings
Slide41
Writing, Implementing, Sharing ***
Introduction
Literature review
Methodology
Research role
Site and participants
Data collection procedures
Data analysis
Findings and results
Discussion and implications
References
AppendixSlide42
Alternative Forms of Reporting
Poster
Portfolio
Electronic media
Performance presentationSlide43
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