1. Classroom Action Research

2. Classroom Action Research
Overview
What is Action Research?
What do Teacher Researchers
Do?
Guidelines and Ideas for
Research

3. What is Action Research?
• Identifying problems on our own
• Examining and assessing our own work
• Considering ways of working differently
• Working collaboratively

4. Action Research is NOT…
• JUST problem solving
• Research on other people
• The scientific method
• The usual things teachers do

5. Teacher Researchers…
• Develop research questions
• Collect and analyze data
• Share data with others
• Write about research

6. Effects of Teacher Research Projects
• More collaboration
• Increased communication
• Improved student performance
• Teacher-designed staff development
• Revisions and new developments

7. 5 Phases of Action Research
• Problem identification
• Plan of action
• Data collection
• Analysis of data
• Plan for future action

8. Why do Action Research?
• Figure out and demonstrate what works
• Better relationships with colleagues
• Personal AND Professional development
• Practice and connect as a teacher
• Create new “things”

9. Descriptors of Action Research:
practitio
n er’s point
ible of view
flex n de d discove
op en-e des
ry rel e
cript va n
i ve t
i ve
bo rat expl
c olla orat
ory
n-ori ented
actio
reflection process

10. Starting Points
I want to improve…
I want to learn more about…
I’m perplexed by…
Some are unhappy about…
I’m curious about…

11. Continuing Starting Points…
I want to try…
I think to make a difference…
I want to change…
I’m interested in…

12. Developi
ng a Q u
Hasn’t b estion…
een aske
High lev d before
el thinki
N o t “Y e s ng
or No”
Use ever
yday lan
Short an guage
d to the
point

13. ideli nes…
u
ing G and able t o do
Continu able g fu l
ge ea n i n
Ma n a a t e an d m know
sion you
P as what ow
eep it t o to gr ions…
K unity quest
O pport more
L ea ds to

14. Guidelines for Data Collecting
Be clear.
How will you use it?
Design a process.
Use appropriate tools.
How much will you need?
Make it easy for you.
Use multiple resources.

15. Continuing Data Collecting…
Directly answers question.
Presentation is important.
Review and don’t expect too much.
Display to reveal underlying patterns.
Shouldn’t be primary job.
Facts don’t ensure being useful.
Key issue: Get USEFUL info

16. Data Collection:
The 5 W’s and an H
Data Collection: Answer these 5
Planning
simple questions
Who What when planning
When Why your data
collection!
Where How
Todd Miller

17. Techniques for Gathering Data
 There are many
Interviews options for gathering Portfolios
data.
 Action researchers
Observations must choose their Checklists
data gathering
methods.
 Choose the Case Studies
Questionnaires
techniques that most
effectively address
the question.
Todd Miller

18. Guidelines for Analyzing Your Data
DO DON’T
Design a system Look through your
for analyzing your data only once
data Let your previous
Look for themes or assumptions guide
pattern to emerge your analysis
from the data Censor the data
Share your findings you have recorded
with a colleague
Todd Miller

19. A Process for Analyzing Qualitative
Data
• Write continuously…What are you
seeing? What questions emerge? What
are you learning?
• Look for themes, patterns, and big
ideas
• Identify main points that appear most
frequently and most powerful
• Draw information together…Include
support for each of your themes
Todd Miller

20. Writing Prompts for
Classroom Action Researchers
Write prompts to guide you through the
phases of your action research.
Examples
1. What questions would you have to answer to better
understand your issue?
2. How can I use the data I’ve collected to better
understand my question?
3. How can I tell my story, what I have learned, to
others?
Todd Miller

21. Roles of Participants
• Be a good listener
• Ask good
questions
• Wait to offer
your suggestions

22. Ideas for Your Final Write-up
• Background info
• Question
• Data collection
• References
• Conclusions
• Future directions

23. Ideas for Your Final Write-up
• Not all write-
ups will look
alike
• You decide how
to organize your
write-up

24. Impact of CAR in Madison, WI
• Professional development activity
• Obstacles and difficulties
• Program knowledge
• Program influence

25. Multiple Purpose of CAR
• Impacting the classroom
• Influencing policy making

26. In conclusion…
"Action research is the process through
which teachers collaborate in evaluating
their practice jointly; raise awareness of
their personal theory; articulate a shared
conception of values; try out new strategies
to render the values expressed in their
practice more consistent with the
educational values they espouse; record
their work in a form which is readily
available to and understandable by other
teachers; and thus develop a shared theory
of teaching by researching practice."
- John Elliott
Action Research is…
Process, Collaboration, Improvement, Practice, Communication