edu 671 complete class

30
EDU 671 Complete Class Click Link Below To Buy: http://hwcampus.com/shop/edu-671-complete-class-discussions/ EDU 671 Week 1 Discussion 1 Understand ing Action Research EDU 671 Week 1 Discussion 2 Early Action Research Ideas EDU 671 Week 1 Assignment Trends in Educational Action Research EDU 671 Week 2 Assignment Literature Review Matrix EDU 671 Week 2 Discussion The Literature Review Debate EDU 671 Week 3 Assignment Draft Action Research Plan EDU 671 Week 3 Discussion 1 Triangulation EDU 671 Week 3 Discussion 2 Ethics in Research EDU 671 Week 4 Assignment Intervention/Innovation Method EDU 671 Week 4 Discussion 1 Data Analysis Practice Scenario EDU 671 Week 4 Discussion 2 Your Intended Intervention/Innovation EDU 671 Week 5 Assignment Sample Action Research Report Evaluation EDU 671 Week 5 Discussion 2 Writing Rituals and the Value of Writing About Action Research EDU 671 Week 6 Discussion 1 Action Planning for Education Change EDU 671 Week 6 Discussion 2 Final Self-Reflection EDU 671 Week 6 Final Project Action Research Proposal EDU 671 Week 1 Discussion 1 Understanding Action Research Part One: According Eileen Ferrance (2000) in Themes in Education: Action Research, action research “involves people working to improve their skills, techniques, and strategies. Action research is not about learning why we do certain things,

Upload: laynebaril

Post on 12-Jul-2016

18 views

Category:

Documents


1 download

DESCRIPTION

EDU 671 Complete Class Click Link Below To Buy:http://hwcampus.com/shop/edu-671-complete-class-discussions/ EDU 671 Week 1 Discussion 1 Understanding Action ResearchEDU 671 Week 1 Discussion 2 Early Action Research IdeasEDU 671 Week 1 Assignment Trends in Educational Action ResearchEDU 671 Week 2 Assignment Literature Review MatrixEDU 671 Week 2 Discussion The Literature Review DebateEDU 671 Week 3 Assignment Draft Action Research PlanEDU 671 Week 3 Discussion 1 TriangulationEDU 671 Week 3 Discussion 2 Ethics in ResearchEDU 671 Week 4 Assignment Intervention/Innovation MethodEDU 671 Week 4 Discussion 1 Data Analysis Practice ScenarioEDU 671 Week 4 Discussion 2 Your Intended Intervention/InnovationEDU 671 Week 5 Assignment Sample Action Research Report EvaluationEDU 671 Week 5 Discussion 2 Writing Rituals and the Value of Writing About Action ResearchEDU 671 Week 6 Discussion 1 Action Planning for Education ChangeEDU 671 Week 6 Discussion 2 Final Self-ReflectionEDU 671 Week 6 Final Project Action Research ProposalEDU 671 Week 1 Discussion 1 Understanding Action Research Part One: According Eileen Ferrance (2000) in Themes in Education: Action Research, action research “involves people working to improve their skills, techniques, and strategies. Action research is not about learning why we do certain things, but rather how we can do things better. It is about how we can change our instruction to impact students” (p. 9). Considering this perspective as well as the information in Chapter 1 of Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, what factors bring value to action research, differentiating it from traditional educational research? Include at least three factors that are beneficial or lend credibility.Part Two: Ferrance (2000) adds, “One of the drawbacks of individual research is that it may not be shared with others unless the teacher chooses to present findings at a faculty meeting, make a formal presentation at a conference, or submit written material to a listserv, journal, or newsletter” (p. 9). Considering that your Final project will be an action research proposal presentation, how will this lead you to improve your practice and make changes to instruction to positively impact students?Part Three: Visit the Ashford University Library. Locate a full-text article that addresses Part One, providing additional comparisons between action and traditional research, or find an article that discusses Part Two, sharing research findings. Share at least one point from your article that adds to what you learned from our assigned readings. Be sure to cite your article according to APA standards.Guided Response: Locate and respond to two classmates’ posts which contain differing perspectives on the value of action research or that which is different than your own. What new or different perspectives regarding action research do you now have as a result? Provide specific feedback regarding their ideas to improve their practice and how their concepts will impact students. *It is expected for you to follow up by the last day of the week to provide a secondary response to any comments or questions your instructor may have provided. This is part of the grading criteria as a demonstration of critical thinking.EDU 671 Week 1 Discussion 2 Early Action Research IdeasEarly Action Research Ideas. 1st Post Due by Day 3. Familiarize yourself with the nine steps that Mills (2014) presents in Chapter 3, pp. 69-70, in order to complete the first three steps of your Final Project, Action Research Plan. Follow the directions below as they differ from the steps on page 69. As well, review Mills (2014) Informed Consent and Protection from Harm in Chapter 2, pp. 32-36, in order to discuss the need for completion of informed consent as it relates to your action research proposal.At this point, you are presenting early ideas that are not concrete, as you have not conducted a revie

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: EDU 671 Complete Class

EDU 671 Complete Class

Click Link Below To Buy:

http://hwcampus.com/shop/edu-671-complete-class-discussions/

EDU 671 Week 1 Discussion 1 Understanding Action ResearchEDU 671 Week 1 Discussion 2 Early Action Research IdeasEDU 671 Week 1 Assignment Trends in Educational Action ResearchEDU 671 Week 2 Assignment Literature Review MatrixEDU 671 Week 2 Discussion The Literature Review DebateEDU 671 Week 3 Assignment Draft Action Research PlanEDU 671 Week 3 Discussion 1 TriangulationEDU 671 Week 3 Discussion 2 Ethics in ResearchEDU 671 Week 4 Assignment Intervention/Innovation MethodEDU 671 Week 4 Discussion 1 Data Analysis Practice ScenarioEDU 671 Week 4 Discussion 2 Your Intended Intervention/InnovationEDU 671 Week 5 Assignment Sample Action Research Report EvaluationEDU 671 Week 5 Discussion 2 Writing Rituals and the Value of Writing About Action ResearchEDU 671 Week 6 Discussion 1 Action Planning for Education ChangeEDU 671 Week 6 Discussion 2 Final Self-ReflectionEDU 671 Week 6 Final Project Action Research Proposal

EDU 671 Week 1 Discussion 1 Understanding Action Research

Part One: According Eileen Ferrance (2000) in Themes in Education: Action Research,

action research “involves people working to improve their skills, techniques, and

strategies. Action research is not about learning why we do certain things, but rather

how we can do things better. It is about how we can change our instruction to impact

students” (p. 9). Considering this perspective as well as the information in Chapter 1 of

Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, what factors bring value to

action research, differentiating it from traditional educational research? Include at least

three factors that are beneficial or lend credibility.

Page 2: EDU 671 Complete Class

Part Two: Ferrance (2000) adds, “One of the drawbacks of individual research is that it

may not be shared with others unless the teacher chooses to present findings at a

faculty meeting, make a formal presentation at a conference, or submit written material

to a listserv, journal, or newsletter” (p. 9). Considering that your Final project will be an

action research proposal presentation, how will this lead you to improve your practice

and make changes to instruction to positively impact students?

Part Three: Visit the Ashford University Library. Locate a full-text article that addresses

Part One, providing additional comparisons between action and traditional research, or

find an article that discusses Part Two, sharing research findings. Share at least one

point from your article that adds to what you learned from our assigned readings. Be

sure to cite your article according to APA standards.

Guided Response: Locate and respond to two classmates’ posts which contain differing

perspectives on the value of action research or that which is different than your own.

What new or different perspectives regarding action research do you now have as a

result? Provide specific feedback regarding their ideas to improve their practice and

how their concepts will impact students. *It is expected for you to follow up by the last

day of the week to provide a secondary response to any comments or questions your

instructor may have provided. This is part of the grading criteria as a demonstration of

critical thinking.

EDU 671 Week 1 Discussion 2 Early Action Research Ideas

Early Action Research Ideas. 1st Post Due by Day 3. Familiarize yourself with the

nine steps that Mills (2014) presents in Chapter 3, pp. 69-70, in order to complete the

first three steps of your Final Project, Action Research Plan. Follow the directions below

as they differ from the steps on page 69. As well, review Mills (2014) Informed Consent

and Protection from Harm in Chapter 2, pp. 32-36, in order to discuss the need for

completion of informed consent as it relates to your action research proposal.

Page 3: EDU 671 Complete Class

At this point, you are presenting early ideas that are not concrete, as you have not

conducted a review of literature yet. Therefore, your responses should be in outline form

only. (You will make these three steps more concrete and formal in structure in Week

Three). For now, you will briefly explain the problem or situation.

a. Current Work Setting

Describe your current professional setting, if applicable, whether you are working

in a school setting, other educational setting, or organization not related to

education.

b. Potential Population Effected

Keeping the focus relatively small, describe whether the potential population of

interest includes a group of students and what their grade or age level includes. If

you currently work with adults in a non-educational setting, include who in your

workplace is impacted. If you are currently unemployed, include who may benefit

from a potential change or intervention (i.e. your child, a related child, an adult in

the family, etc.). Avoid the use of specific names, rather describe the group or

individuals who would be influenced or involved in the action research project.

Based on what you learned by reading the selection in Mills, discuss the

importance of and need to communicate and acquire informed consent. When

contemplating where your study may occur and who it may involve, who

(person’s professional role) do you anticipate will need to sign an informed

consent form for your study? If no signatures are needed, clearly state why not.

c. Area of Focus

Identify your early idea of what the purpose of your study may be.

d. Explanation of Problem

Page 4: EDU 671 Complete Class

Statement of problem or situation that led to this interest or why you want to

pursue this topic, including trends in education or educational research.

e. Define Variables

Describe the population (age/grade, quantity of participants, students/or adults).

Briefly explain why you have chosen them.

f. Research question(s)

What do you wonder? Consider your area of focus statement. What do you hope

to answer?

Guided Response: Respond to at least two of your classmates, one with a different

topic idea than your own. Ask a question that will encourage them to expand their

thinking, consider another point or perspective, or explain more deeply what is

appealing about the topic. Make a recommendation to help them narrow their focus or

expand their scope. *It is expected you follow-up by the last day of the week to provide

a secondary response to any comments or questions your instructor may have

provided. This is part of the grading criteria as a demonstration of critical thinking

EDU 671 Week 1 Assignment Trends in Educational Action Research

1. Trends in Educational Action Research. Due by Day 7. For this assignment, you

will create a document that includes both the Early Action Research Plan and criteria for

your area of focus. The plan you share is the same one posted in the Early Action Research Ideas discussion from this week. Please be sure to consider the feedback

you received from peers and your instructor and make necessary changes before

including this plan in your assignment submission. For the criteria part of the

assignment, consider what you read in "Themes in Education: Action Research" and

Page 5: EDU 671 Complete Class

“Current Trends in Education.” What topics did you see and read about that lead you

toward clarifying a general idea and establishing an area of focus for research? Please

refer to the “Research in Action Checklist Three – One” (Mills, 2014, p. 44) to establish

criteria for your area of focus. Note that writing in the first-person voice during the

criteria section of this assignment is acceptable.

Content

The assignment needs to include the following areas of content.

Plan – Area of Focus (1 point): In no more than two paragraphs, describe your

early idea of what the 

purpose of your study may be.

Plan – Explanation of Problem (1 point): In no more than two paragraphs,

explain a statement of the problem or situation that led to this interest or why you

want to pursue this topic.

Plan – Population (.5 point): In no more than a paragraph, describe the

population (age/grade, quantity of participants, students or adults).

Plan – Population Choice (.5 point): In no more than a paragraph, explain why

you have chosen your population for this study, including details about why this

population is appropriate for this study.

Plan – Research Questions (1 point): Develop two to three research questions

that align with the area of focus and address what you hope to answer in this

study. The questions need to be answerable and presented in list format, and

they must appropriately represent the population/participants you identified.

Idea – Teaching and Learning (.5 points): In at least one paragraph, evaluate

whether your idea is an issue that involves teaching and learning. Use relevant

literature to support the evaluation.

Idea – Locus of Control (.5 points): In at least one paragraph, evaluate

whether your idea is within your locus of control.

Page 6: EDU 671 Complete Class

Idea – Passion (.5 points): In at least one paragraph, describe whether your

idea is something you feel passionate about and where this passion originates

from for you (e.g., life experiences or professional practice).

Idea – Inspiration (.5 points): In at least one paragraph, describe how your idea

inspires you to implement change or improvement.

Written Communication The assignment needs to adhere to the following areas for written communication.

Page Requirement (.5 points): The assignment must be two to three pages, not

including title and 

references pages.

APA Formatting (.5 points): Use APA formatting consistently throughout.

Syntax and Mechanics (.5 points): Display meticulous comprehension and

organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Your

written work should contain no errors and be very easy to understand.

Source Requirement (.5 points): Use no less than two scholarly sources in

addition to the course textbooks, providing compelling evidence to support ideas.

All sources on the reference page need to be used and cited correctly within the

body of the assignment.

Review and Submit the Assignment

Review your assignment with the Grading Rubric to be sure you have achieved the

distinguished levels of performance for each criterion. Next, submit the assignment to

the course room for evaluation no later than day 7 of the week.

EDU 671 Week 2 Assignment Literature Review Matrix

1. Literature Review Matrix. Due by Day 7. You will conduct a web search on your

area of focus using Google, Bing, Yahoo, or any other major search engine. Be sure to

take the time to inform yourself on sound research sources including use of peer

Page 7: EDU 671 Complete Class

reviews as listed in the recommended and required resources for the week. To get you

started, view What is a Scholarly Journal Article? Next, you will analyze the first five

results that appear from your search in a table format using Microsoft Word. Then, using

the same keywords you used to search the Web, you will conduct a search in the

Ashford University Library using one of the academic databases (ERIC, ProQuest,

EBSCOhost, and so forth) and create a table using Microsoft Word. Finally, you will

select two sources from either table that you feel are the best overall based on

currency, credibility, authority, and academic integrity and construct a summary. For

each article in your tables, use the following format:

APA Citation

Source Type (e.g., journal article, magazine article, book, and so forth)

Annotation(e.g., two to three sentences summarizing the contents of the

source)

Content

The assignment needs to include the following areas of content.

Web Search (2 points): Construct a table that includes an APA citation, source

type, and a two- to three- 

sentence annotation for five scholarly sources gathered from an open Web

search.

Library Search (2 points): Construct a table that inclides an APA citation,

source type, and a two- to three-sentence annotation for five scholarly sources

gathered from a library search.

Summary – Source Selection (1 point): State the two sources you have

selected and in one paragraph evaluate what factors influenced your decision to

select these articles over the others from your search results.

Page 8: EDU 671 Complete Class

Summary – Learning (5 points): In a paragraph, explain what you learned

through this process of selecting articles and what was most informative for you

about this experience.

Summary – Adaptations (.5 points): In a paragraph, explain the adaptations

you will make in your search and evaluation process as a result of what you

located during this assignment.

Summary – Application (.5 points): In a paragraph, explain how you will use

the information you found to help inform your ideas about your action research

proposal.

Written Communication The assignment needs to adhere to the following areas for written communication.

Page Requirement (.5 points): Your assignment must be three to four pages,

not including title and references pages.

APA Formatting (.5 points): Use APA formatting consistently throughout.

Syntax and Mechanics (.5 points): Display meticulous comprehension and

organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Your

written work should contain no errors and be very easy to understand.

EDU 671 Week 2 Discussion The Literature Review Debate

The Literature Review Debate. 1st Post Due by Day 3. In Chapter 3 of

Action Research: A Guide for the

Teacher Researcher, the debate over the role of the literature process is discussed.

Mills (2014) remarks,

Some researchers have argued that reviewing the literature curtails inductive analysis—

using induction to determine the direction of the research—and should be avoided at

the early stages of the research process. Others suggest that the review of related

literature is important early in the action research process because it helps action

Page 9: EDU 671 Complete Class

researchers identify underlying assumptions behind their research questions and helps

the researcher refine research questions and embed them in guiding hypotheses that

provide possible direction to follow (p.74).

At this early stage of action research as you prepare to search for credible sources of

information to help you build an action research proposal, discuss which viewpoint on

these two perspectives you lean toward and why. How do you intend to use what you

learned concerning best practices for research from the chapter and the web-based

resources to help you search effectively and efficiently?

Guided Response: When reading your peers’ responses to the question, identify a peer

who has responded with a perspective that is different from your own. Now, instead of

countering their analysis, attempt to support it. Then, find someone who agrees with

your point of view and challenge his/her perspective. *It is expected you follow up by the

last day of the week to provide a secondary response to any comments or questions

your instructor may have provided. This is part of the grading criteria as a demonstration

of critical thinking.

EDU 671 Week 3 Assignment Draft Action Research PlanDraft Action Research Plan. Due by Day 7. You will construct the draft of your action research plan using the headings provided in the Content section below. Remember to write clearly and succinctly using active and not

passive language and to write in a professional tone.

Content

The assignment needs to include the following areas of content.

Area of Focus Statement (1 point): In two to three sentences, describe the purpose of your study. Begin

by writing a statement that starts with, “The purpose of this study is to...”

Problem - Interest (.5 points): In half of a page, describe the observations that led to your interest in this action research project (e.g. student interactions, review of data, etc.).=

Page 10: EDU 671 Complete Class

Problem – Background (1 point): In one page, explain the background or history of the situation in your classroom/school context or work place.

Problem – Prior Interventions (1 point): In half of a page, explain what you have tried or what others have tried in relation to the problem and what has worked or not worked.

Participant Description (1 point): In no more than one page, describe each participant selected for this study.

Participant Justification (1 point): In no more than one page, justify why you are working with these participants in this study.

Research Questions (1 point): List two to three research questions that are answerable and, if applicable, include a definition following the list for any technical terminology used in the questions.

Written Communication

The assignment needs to adhere to the following areas for written communication.

Page Requirement (.5 points): The assignment must be four to five pages, not including title and

references pages.

APA Formatting (.5 points): Use APA formatting consistently throughout.

Syntax and Mechanics (.5 points): Display meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Your written work should contain no errors and be very easy to understand.

EDU 671 Week 3 Discussion 1 TriangulationTriangulation.

1st Post Due by Day 3. In Chapter 4of Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher

Researcher, Mills (2014) shares that “ the strength of educational research lies in its

triangulation, collecting information in many ways rather than relying solely on one” (p.

104).

Complete the Data Collection Worksheet provided in the online classroom to include the

following:

Area of focus statement

Page 11: EDU 671 Complete Class

Brief description of proposed intervention

Table

The following table provides a completed sample of:

Up to three research questions (you will have between one and three questions

for your study);

An appropriately aligned data collection tool; and

An explanation as to how the tool will help you answer your research question.

Research QuestionsData Collection

Tool

Why this tool? Justify its use in your study. How does it match with what you are attempting to find and to measure?

Will the incorporation of project-based learning improve students’

state assessment scores as it relates to the Common Core State Standards in comprehending non- fiction text?

District Common

Assessments

(post-test)

This research question requires

quantitative data collection. The answer

of this question is either yes, the

incorporation improves test scores or

no, it does not. District common

assessments, which assess Common

Core State Standards as well, can also

be used for post-test data.

Will the inclusion of project-based learning improve student application of comprehending non- fiction text at a high depth of knowledge level?

Pretests and

post-tests

Pre- and post-tests can give quantitative

data to support findings in the

examination of the artifacts and with the

observations.

Page 12: EDU 671 Complete Class

How does project-based learning integrate clear expectations and essential criteria and remain successful?

Questionnaires

This question seems to only be able to

warrant qualitative data collection

because it needs first-hand accounts of

what expectations and criteria were

used that indicated success.

Questionnaires can give the researcher

an opportunity to view how the teachers

instill the expectations in the students.

For an example of a finished triangulation matrix, see page 105 of Action Research: A

Guide for the Teacher Researcher.

*Copy and paste the entire document into your discussion post or submit the document

as an attachment.

Guided Response: Respond to at least two classmates. Indicate your critique of your

classmates’ choices. Do you agree with their selections? Did they consider triangulation

of the data in their selections? Comment on the fit between the type of question and the

type of data? What changes would you make (if any) to their choices? *It is expected

you follow-up by the last day of the week to provide a secondary response to any

comments or questions your instructor may have provided. This is part of the grading

criteria as a demonstration of critical thinking.

EDU 671 Week 3 Discussion 2 Ethics in Research

Ethics in Research. Due by Day 3. Briefly describe the population from which data will

be collected from during future implementation of the action research study. View the

Belmont Report, Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects

of Research. Then watch the following videos*:

*WARNING: The following videos contain strong or potentially offensive language.

Obedience to Authority Stanley Milgram Experiment

Page 13: EDU 671 Complete Class

Feature Film – The Stanford Prison Experiment (Documentary)

Apology to Survivors of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment

According to Mills (2014), “all research studies involve ethical considerations. Therefore,

all researchers must be aware of and attend to the ethical considerations related to their

studies” (p. 27). Therefore, identify the potential ethical concerns associated with the

topic you selected in Week One in collecting the type of data you plan to collect from

this particular population. How will you address those ethical concerns when designing

your action research project around this topic? Be sure to keep in mind the big three

ethical principles: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice, as well as informed

consent, assessment of risk, and selection of subjects as discussed in the Belmont

Report and to refer to them in your response. Having no ethical considerations is not an

option.

Guided Response: Take on the role of fellow teacher, building or district/regional

administrator, parent, IRB, or other role. Respond to at least two of your classmates,

and imagine you are listening to your co-worker explain via their initial post the ethical

issues they need to be aware of and/or address when framing their action research

study. What insight can you provide based on what you learned from your study of

ethical rules and procedures in research involving human subjects? What did they

miss? How might they handle a potentially sticky ethical concern? *It is expected you

follow up by the last day of the week to provide a secondary response to any comments

or questions your instructor may have provided. This is part of the grading criteria as a

demonstration of critical thinking.

EDU 671 Week 4 Assignment Intervention/Innovation Method

Intervention/Innovation Method. Due by Day 7. For this assignment, you will write a

method paper than contains the items listed in the content below.

Content

Page 14: EDU 671 Complete Class

The assignment needs to include the following areas of content.

Intervention - Overview (.5 points): In no more than one page, explain your

proposed intervention.

Intervention – Literature Review (1 point): In no more than one page, discuss

your literature review and how it informs your proposed intervention.

Intervention – Benefits (.5 points): In no more than one page, explain why you

think your population will benefit from the intervention. Ensure your explanation

draws on the literature you are using to support this choice of intervention.

Intervention Plan (2 points): In one- to two-pages, describe in chronological

order how you will implement your intervention and provide a hypothetical yet

practical timeframe for these steps.

Ethics – Philosophy (.5 points): In one- to two-paragraphs, explain how this

intervention fits within your philosophy of teaching. You may have written a

philosophy in EDU623 or another prior course.

Ethics – Social Principles (.5 points): In one- to two-paragraphs, explain how

this intervention relates to your social principles as an educator.

Ethics – Harm (1 point): In one- to two-paragraphs, explain how the literature

you reviewed leads you to believe what you are doing is an appropriate

intervention.

Ethics – Protection (.5 points): In one- to two-paragraphs, explain your planned

measures to ensure you are protecting the study participants and doing no harm.

Ethics – Bias (.5 points): In one- to two-paragraphs, explain your planned

measures to ensure the study yields unbiased results.

Data Collection Procedures (1 point): In one page, revise your triangulation

matrix from the Week Three Triangulation discussion adding a column that

includes how and when you will collect your data. This timeline will be

hypothetical and approximate. The Data Collection Procedures section can follow

this example:

Research Questions Data Why this tool? Justify its Timeframe:

Page 15: EDU 671 Complete Class

Collection

Tool

use in your study. How does it match with what you are attempting to find and to measure?

How and when data will be collected.

What are students’

perceived confidence

levels with learning

new math concepts

through digital/virtual

learning forums

exclusively?

One

pre-

assessment

Likert survey

Allows students to rate their

level of perceived confidence

with learning math concepts

through digital or virtual

learning forums as opposed to

a live teacher. Provides

multiple question types to

gather wider breadth of

potential student concerns.

Phase 1:

Given for up to first

three days of study

depending upon

attendance in the

first 15 minutes of

class-computer lab.

Written Communication

The assignment needs to adhere to the following areas for written communication.

Page Requirement (.5 points): The assignment must be four to six pages, not

including title and references pages.

APA Formatting (.5 points): Use APA formatting consistently throughout.

Syntax and Mechanics (.5 points): Display meticulous comprehension and

organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Your

written work should contain no errors and be very easy to understand.

Source Requirement (.5 points): Use no less than two scholarly sources in

addition to the course textbooks, providing compelling evidence to support ideas.

All sources on the reference page need to be used and cited correctly within the

body of the assignment.

Review and Submit the Assignment

Page 16: EDU 671 Complete Class

Review your assignment with the Grading Rubric to be sure you have achieved the

distinguished levels of performance for each criterion. Next, submit the assignment to

the course room for evaluation no later than day 7 of the week.

2. Informed Consent Form. Due by Day 7. Complete the required Informed Consent

Form or Informed Consent Alternative Form (available in the online classroom) and

submit the form to Waypoint for grading.

a. All students, regardless of program (MAED or MATLT) will align with one of three

categories to plan and/or conduct their action research study. The only difference is that

MAED students will apply their intervention in the next course: EDU675. Consider the

following categories and determine which most accurately represents your current

situation as well as the situation you will be in as you begin EDU675 immediately

following successful completion of EDU671:

Are you currently employed in a classroom setting?

Are you currently employed in a non-classroom setting:

Are you currently not employed but could implement one strategy with family

members or 

individual’s children OR change a personal practice or approach to a situation /

need / problem?

b. MAED students in all three categories must provide verification of approval by

submitting the Informed Consent Form with “LIVE” signatures, it must be an actual

signature not a typed in name. Those in the third category if the intervention/innovation

involves the student’s own child, then the student-researcher will sign the informed

consent form as both the parent and the researcher. The completed form will state their

intent to participate in a single intervention or innovation lasting approximately three

weeks in a specified setting with a specified group of student or adult participants.

c. MATLT students must submit the form and clearly mark at the bottom why a

signature is not required and describe their proposed study.

Page 17: EDU 671 Complete Class

EDU 671 Week 4 Discussion 1 Data Analysis Practice Scenario

Data Analysis Practice Scenario

EDU 671 Week 4 Discussion 2 Your Intended Intervention/Innovation

Your Intended Intervention/Innovation. 1st Post Due by Day 3. Consider first, the

written assignment for this week. Following the same outline, but with less detail at this

point, share your intervention plan with the class including:

a. Your research question(s)

What do you want to answer in the study?

b. A brief overview of your intervention and how students will benefit

This reinforces your identified problem.

c. How you propose to implement it

How much time will it take and in what sequence?

d. The ethical considerations you will address

“None” is not an option. There are always ethical considerations, some

smaller/larger than others.

e. How you plan on collecting data

Both quantitative and qualitative?

Guided Response: Read and respond to at least two classmates and provide specific,

constructive feedback that may help guide them in their process and present their

Page 18: EDU 671 Complete Class

formal assignment with clarity, accuracy, and depth. What questions are you left with as

you read their plan? What suggestions can you make to perhaps, give a different

perspective? *It is expected you follow-up by the last day of the week to provide a

secondary response to any comments or questions your instructor may have provided.

This is part of the grading criteria as a demonstration of critical thinking.

EDU 671 Week 5 Assignment Sample Action Research Report Evaluation

Sample Action Research Report Evaluation. Due by Day 7. The purpose of this

assignment is for you to review a FINISHED action research report showing the entire

planning process and allowing you to put together visibly, what a finished action

research proposal consists of including the planning stage you are responsible for in

this course as well as the results portion of the report for which you will be responsible

for in EDU675 (MAED students). Having this exposure to a finished report should help

you make connections with what you’ve been planning as well as what you will be

actually implementing through your proposed intervention/innovation once you begin

EDU675.

According to Mills (2014), “To evaluate a research study competently, you must have

knowledge of each component of the research process” (p. 215). For this assignment,

you will consider all that you have learned and practiced up to this point in our course

and apply criteria for evaluating action research to the following: Sample Action

Research Report 1: Effect of Technology in Enthusiasm for Learning Science. Finally,

you will include a self-reflection. Note that it is acceptable to write in the first-person

voice in the reflection.

Content

The assignment needs to include the following areas of content.

Page 19: EDU 671 Complete Class

Area of Focus (1 point): Describe the area of focus and whether it involves

teaching and learning. 

Include support from the literature where appropriate.

Research Questions (.5 points): List the research questions and discuss

whether the researcher states questions that were answerable given the

researcher’s expertise, time, and resources.

Locus of Control (1 point): Discuss the locus of control and whether the area of

focus was within the researcher’s locus of control.

Data Collection (1 point): Describe the data collection techniques and whether

the researcher used appropriate data collection techniques to answer the study’s

research questions (e.g., qualitative and/or quantitative). Include support from the

literature in your description.

Ethics (1 point): Describe the ethical challenges the researcher faced and how

they were resolved.

Reflective Stance (1.5 point): Explain the ways the action research effort

contributed to the researcher’s 

reflective stance on the ways teaching and learning are viewed.

Action (.5 points): Describe the actions that resulted from the study.

Action-Data Connection (1.5 points): Describe how the proposed action

connects to the study’s data analysis and interpretation.

Reflection - Learning (.5 points): Describe what you learned from this study

and the process of evaluating it, considering what insight this researcher gave

you indirectly regarding the process of action research.

Reflection – Application (.5 points): Describe what you have taken away from

this experience for use in your Final Project in this course.

Written Communication

The assignment needs to adhere to the following areas for written communication.

Page 20: EDU 671 Complete Class

Page Requirement (.25 points): The assignment must be three to five pages,

not including title and references pages.

APA Formatting (.25 points): Use APA formatting consistently throughout.

Syntax and Mechanics (.25 points): Display meticulous comprehension and

organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Your

written work should contain no errors and be very easy to understand.

Source Requirement (.25 points): Use no less than two scholarly sources in

addition to the sample action research report, which may be your course

textbooks. All sources on the reference page need to be used and cited correctly

within the body of the assignment.

Review and Submit the Assignment

Review your assignment with the Grading Rubric to be sure you have achieved the

distinguished levels of performance for each criterion. Next, submit the assignment to

the course room for evaluation no later than day 7 of the week.

EDU 671 Week 5 Discussion 2 Writing Rituals and the Value of Writing About Action Research

Writing Rituals and the Value of Writing About Action Research. 1st Post Due by Day 3.

Consider the image/quote below.

"If one wants to write, one simply has to organize one's life in a mass of little habits."

Interpret what this quote means to you in light of this week’s readings on personal

writing rituals. What conclusions can you make from this simple statement?

Considering Chapter 8 of Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher,

develop a list of up to five of your current personal writing rituals and how they help or

hinder your writing. What ideas did you gain from chapter 8 that could help improve your

writing practice as you progress through your Master program?

Page 21: EDU 671 Complete Class

Guided Response: Select at least two of your peers’ to respond to. What differences or

similarities are there between your interpretations of the quote? Consider their list of

writing rituals. What new or different ideas did you gain from their list? Provide them

with another helpful suggestion to add to their list or to replace a point they may have

included that is more of a hindrance than a help. *It is expected you follow-up by the last

day of the week to provide a secondary response to any comments or questions your

instructor may have provided. This is part of the grading criteria as a demonstration of

critical thinking.

EDU 671 Week 6 Discussion 1 Action Planning for Education ChangeAction Planning for Educational Change. 1st Post Due by Day 3. In Chapter 7, Mills (2014) discusses a variety of challenges action researchers face with implementing positive change.

What potential challenges or obstacles do you predict facing in your current or future role as an educator when implementing positive change (lack of resources, resistance to change, reluctance to interfere with others’

professional practices, reluctance to admit difficult truths, difficulty finding a forum to share what you have learned, lack of time for action research endeavors, unsupportive administration, other)?Describe how you would apply what you have learned regarding the challenges of implementing educational change to overcome potential obstacles that you may encounter in taking action.

Guided Response: Respond to a minimum of two classmates. Provide suggestions for overcoming their potential obstacles. What is something they shared that you hadn’t considered in your own future endeavors? *It is expected you follow-up by the last day of the week to provide a secondary response to any comments or questions your instructor may have provided. This is part of the grading criteria as a demonstration of critical thinking.

EDU 671 Week 6 Discussion 2 Final Self-Reflection

Final Self-Reflection. 1st Post Due by Day 3. Describe some of your take-aways from

this course. Consider all of the topics including use of digital tools when responding. Do

not respond in list form. These are merely prompts to get you thinking:

Page 22: EDU 671 Complete Class

What concepts or principles have you learned from this course that you might

use in your work setting?

How do you feel about conducting action research now, compared to before you

started this course?

Describe how you perceive the value of qualitative and quantitative data when

considering improvements.

How do you plan to use the knowledge you gained in this course to be a positive

change agent in your 

own work setting? In other words, what are your next steps?

Include a new, different quote than you did in you r week one introduction. Why

does this quote inspire 

you?

Guided Response: Respond to a minimum of two classmates. *It is expected you

follow-up by the last day of the week to provide a secondary response to any comments

or questions your instructor may have provided. This is part of the grading criteria as a

demonstration of critical thinking.

EDU 671 Week 6 Final Project Action Research Proposal

Action Research Proposal. Due by Day 7. The final project for this course is an Action

Research Proposal, which will be created and shared in the form of a formal

presentation in PowerPoint, including detailed speaker notes for each content slide. The

purpose of the final project is for you to culminate the learning achieved in the course by

demonstrating the ability to effectively present an Action Research Proposal.

As you create the presentation, imagine that you are given approximately ten minutes to

present this information to your fellow teachers in your school during a staff

development day, to your school board to solicit support for their ideas, or to your

managers as part of your organization’s continuous improvement program. Your goals

Page 23: EDU 671 Complete Class

are to gain approval to conduct this study and implement your proposed innovation or

intervention in your place of work.

To create your presentation, use your current, updated action research plan outline that

was originally submitted during Week Four. Additionally, you may want to use your

mock presentation from Week Five as well as the feedback acquired from your

classmates in the discussion forum to build an improved, more complete presentation

for a wider, more important audience.

Content

The assignment needs to include the following areas of content.

1. Presentation – Design (6.5 points): Create a presentation that is professionally

designed in 15 to 20 

slides, including title and references slides, and has no more than seven bullet

points per slide and no more than seven words per point. You must use images

to add value to the slide content and high-contrast colors for readability and

include detailed speaker notes for each content slide.

2. Presentation – Content (12 points): In addition to a title and references slide,

the presentation must include the following twelve areas:

Area of Focus Explanation of Problem Variables, including defined factors, contexts, including recognition of diverse

learners, and 

variables of the proposed study,

Research Questions, which are answerable given your expertise, time, and

resources,

Locus of Control

Page 24: EDU 671 Complete Class

Intervention/Innovation, which is a succinct description of the proposed action

to address the 

identified issue/area of focus,

Group Membership, including the identified importance, role, and responsibility

of each 

member,

Negotiations, including potential obstacles (e.g., permissions established),

Ethics, including a statement of how you address the potential ethical

challenges,

Timeline, which is the anticipated schedule for each phase of the intervention,

Statement of Resources, which is a list of what is needed to enact the proposed

plan, and

Data Collection, including whether the proposed data collection techniques are

justified and 

whether you are proposing appropriate data collection techniques to answer the

study’s research questions (chart from Week Three may be used here).

Written Communication The assignment needs to adhere to the following areas for written communication.

APA Formatting (.5 points): Use APA formatting consistently throughout

Syntax and Mechanics (.5 points): Display meticulous comprehension and

organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Your

written work should contain no errors and be very easy to understand.

Source Requirement (.5 points): Use no less than three scholarly sources in

addition to the course textbook, providing compelling evidence to support ideas.

All sources on the reference page need to be used and cited correctly within the

body of the assignment.

Review and Submit the Assignment

Page 25: EDU 671 Complete Class

Review your assignment with the Grading Rubric to be sure you have achieved the

distinguished levels of performance for each criterion. Next, submit the assignment to

the course room for evaluation no later than day 7 of the week.