action research as educational research tamara brooks [email protected]
TRANSCRIPT
The Research Question:
“Developing a learning environment to
support children with profound autism
to engage as effective learners”
Overall Aim:
Employ evidence-based research to develop a classroom learning
environment which supports children with profound autism to
engage as effective learners.
Specific Objectives:
1. Identify elements of the classroom learning environment which require modification in order to improve engagement in students with ASDs.
2. Source modifications to improve engagement.
3. Trial modifications within the classroom.
4. Evaluate the influence of trialled modifications on student engagement.
Using PAR to Meet the Objectives
• Participatory Action Research (PAR) (Lewin, 1946) was utilised to meet these objectives by: – studying 6 children learning within their
normal working classroom environment, – acting upon this environment, – studying the effects of these actions
(Anderson, Herr & Nihlen, 2007).
• Each modification to the environment aimed to build upon and enhance prior modifications (Carr & Kemmis, 1986).
The PAR spiral – the backbone of this research
PLANNING:SOURCE SUITABLEMODIFICATION TO THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
EVALUATION:EVALUATE MODIFICATION TO DETERMINE IF IT IMPROVED ENGAGEMENT
ACTION STEP:INTRODUCE MODIFICATIONTO THE CLASSROOM
IDENTIFYING PROBLEM: IDENTIFY ANOTHER AREA OF THE CLASSROOM LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHICH REQUIRES MODIFICATION
IDENTIFY INITIAL AREA REQUIRING MODIFICATION
PAR Spirals
• As the project evolved, it became clear that numerous sub-spirals were developing within the overall framework.
• The following slides show in more detail, two of the sub-spirals which developed throughout the course of my research.
School chairs cycle
IDENTIFYING PROBLEM:
Classroom observations: Students repeatedly rocking back on their
chairs – a distraction and a health and safety risk.
PLANNING: Search for new chairs: found a company called Dlb who claimed to design a ‘Max’ chair which ‘actively prevent students from rocking back on their chairs.’ (Dlb website)
ACTION STEP: Max chairs introduced to classroom.
EVALUATION: Various problems with Max chairs encountered, including manufacturing errors and problems with flexibility of the materials the chairs are made from.
School Chairs Cycle Contd
ACTION STEP:Chair designer invited to
Sunfield to discuss modifications to increase suitability for the students at Sunfield
FURTHER PLANNING: Chairs modified following discussions with designer.
ACTION STEP: A few modified Max chairs introduced to classroomEVALUATION:
Modified chairs are an improvement, however problems still experienced with robustness and students rocking on the chair backs. Students are still not rocking back on chair legs.
School Chairs Cycle Contd
FURTHER PLANNING:Problems discussed withdesigner and chairs further modified.
EVALUATION: Students are still rocking on the chair backs and chairs are getting bent out of shape extremely quickly.
FURTHER PLANNING:Chair designer contacted, problems discussed with him.
Hestated that there was an error and the latestchairs are not the newest design. He will be changing manufacturers in December and has suggested we
start again in January.
ACTION STEP:Further modified chairsintroduced to the classroom
School Chairs Cycle Contd
FURTHER PLANNING:Chair designer has decided not to send furthersamples. Since the chairs have not been proven to
besuitable, an alternative has been sorced. An
alternativecalled the Titan Chair which claims to be anti-tilt,robust and safe has been found.
ACTION STEP:Titan chair introduced to the
classroom.
EVALUATION:Although not as aesthetically pleasing as the Max
chair,the Titan chair is extremely robust, and the
students are not rocking on either the chair legs or the chair backs.
School Chairs Cycle Contd
‘Rocking’ Chair CycleIDENTIFYING PROBLEM: Classroom observations:Students require a chair toobtain the ‘rocking’
sensationthey crave.
PLANNING:Suitable rocking chair researched and sourced.
ACTION STEP:Rocking chair integrated into the classroom
EVALUATION:Students fighting over the rocking chair and tipping dangerously back on the legs.
‘Rocking’ Chair Cycle Contd
FURTHER PLANNING:Alternative chair for rockingsourced – Balance Ball chair
ACTION STEP:Balance Ball Chairintroduced to the classroom
EVALUATION:Students throwing the ball within the classroom. Ball chair removed but successfully integrated into another class for use during computer time.
FURTHER PLANNING:
Alternative chair for rocking sourced called an Lchair
‘Rocking’ Chair Cycle Contd
ACTION STEP:Lchair introduced in to the classroom.
EVALUATION:Lchair an excellent success. Absence of legs eliminates health and safety risk from students tipping dangerouslyback. Shape of chair requires students to exercise in order to control extent of rocking.
FURTHER PLANNING:4 more Lchairs ordered for other classes. Incontinence issues of students discussed with designer, who agreed to make bespoke covers to protect the chairs.
Rocking Chair Cycle Contd
Meeting the ObjectivesThus, through PAR it was possible to successfully (if a
little messily!) meet the objectives of this research:
IDENTIFY PROBLEM =1. Identify elements of the classroom learning environment which require modification in order to improve engagement in students with ASDs.
PLANNING =2. Source Modifications to improve engagement.
ACTION STEP = 3. Trial modifications within the classroom.
EVALUATE = 4. Evaluate the influence of trialled modifications on student engagement