marie hoepfl appalachian state university 2010 iteea annual conference a ction r esearch in the t...
TRANSCRIPT
WHAT IS ACTION RESEARCH?
Research conducted for the purpose of analyzing and improving conditions or practice in a field-based setting (such as a classroom).
Often involves comparison of different types of “actions” or strategies to determine differences in outcomes or effects.
WHAT IS ACTION RESEARCH?
Action research is typically cyclical in nature:
Teacher devises and implements an action plan
Teacher observes a need or a problem in the classroom
Teacher monitors the effects of the action plan
WHY CONDUCT ACTION RESEARCH?
To improve your teaching practice or student outcomes.
To systematically analyze the effects of some aspect of your teaching on your students or your program.
To document student progress toward educational goals.
ACTION RESEARCH FUNDAMENTALS
Takes place in the actual/natural setting (the classroom).
Should focus on improving teaching practice at the classroom level and taking action to make improvements.
EXAMPLES OF ACTION RESEARCH IN TECHNOLOGY CLASSROOMS Does varying the placement of labs (before
or after lecture) in a Principles of Technology program result in changes in test scores or student interest?
Does using open-ended design problems versus prescribed drawing exercises affect student learning in a CAD classroom?
STAGES OF ACTION RESEARCH
1. Identify a problem, idea, or concern in your classroom or program.
2. Design research question(s) based on the problem or idea you wish to try.
3. Identify and implement data collection strategies, and analyze findings.
4. Develop and implement an action plan (improvement plan) based on the findings.
5. Evaluate the action plan.
ACTION RESEARCH: GETTING STARTED
Identify a problem, idea, or concern in your classroom or program.
Sources of ideas can include: Observing students in your classroom
Discussions with colleagues
Articles in the education literature
Student work samples
ACTION RESEARCH: GETTING STARTED
Identifying a research topic: Self reflection What can I do to make this unit better? How can I explain this in a more meaningful
way? What’s the best way to present this
information? Which elements of this activity are most
important for achieving the learning desired? Does small-group activity produce better
outcomes than individual work? Can I cover this material more quickly without
losing the educational benefits?
ACTION RESEARCH: GETTING STARTED
Identifying a research topic: Teaching journal
Keep a log of new activities or approaches with comments about how they worked and what you would change next time.
Make notes about “critical incidents” observed during the day.
Take notes about ideas or issues that interest you in articles or from discussions with colleagues.
ACTION RESEARCH: GETTING STARTED
Identifying a research topic -- Think about recurring problems:
My students have a difficult time creating sketches to illustrate their ideas.
When I let my students select their own partners for team projects their work quality seems to suffer.
Students are careless with resources and often break or lose track of parts/materials.
My students’ quiz scores on a particular unit are always below target.
ACTION RESEARCH: GETTING STARTED
Identifying a research topic: What are your personal/professional interests?
Example:
I’ve always wondered about the effects of modular labs on student learning in technology education. Do self-guided (e.g., modular) approaches to learning result in better understanding than teacher-guided approaches?
SELECTING A TOPIC
Consider: Importance – will the information I gain address a key
issue in my program?
Relevance – is the problem widespread? Will solving the problem have an impact on a broad number of students?
Interest – is this an issue about which I have a high degree of interest?
Feasibility – is this topic really researchable? Can I get access to the information I need to answer the research question(s)?
WRITING A RESEARCH STATEMENT
The research statement describes the purpose of the research, establishes the need for the study, and gives a brief overview of the research design.
Example: This study will examine the effects of
providing basic perspective sketching instruction on the ability of students in a technology education classroom to communicate ideas through drawings.
FORMULATING A RESEARCH QUESTION
The research statement should provide the basis for the research question (or hypothesis).
The research question should provide: Parameters for the study. Distinct indicators for the design of the
study. A question that can be answered through
your data collection and analysis.
FORMULATING A RESEARCH QUESTION
Sample research question: Are students who have been given basic
instruction in perspective drawing techniques better able to create multiple ideas when generating designs than students who did not receive basic instruction in perspective drawing techniques?
REVIEWING THE EDUCATIONAL
LITERATURE
Purposes?Become more knowledgeable about the “state of
the art” relative to your topicLearn what research has been done
Resources:Google ScholarERICBooks (esp. university libraries)
SOME RESEARCH DESIGN BASICS
Variables
Controls (the “fair test”)
Qualitative Data
Quantitative Data
Validity
Bias
SOURCES OF DATA IN THE CLASSROOM: WHAT TO
MEASURE?
Test or quiz scores
Time on task
Project work grades (relative to a rubric)
Student comments (written or verbal)
Number of incidents of a particular type
Ability to complete a task (relative to a checklist)
Etc.
HUMAN SUBJECTS REVIEW &
PROTECTIONS Institutional Review Boards
Exemption from review:
“Research conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings, involving normal education practices, such as (a) research on regular and special education instructional strategies, or (b) research on the effectiveness of or the comparison among instructional techniques, curricula, or classroom management methods. “
Variables
• INDEPENDENT: a variable that is the possible cause of a change; usually the factor that is introduced or manipulated. Example: using a new type of instructional approach.
• DEPENDENT: a variable that is potentially influenced by the independent variable or treatment; usually the effect that is of interest. Example: student test scores improve as a result of a new instructional approach.
Experimental Designs
• Involve the presence of clearly identifiable dependent and independent variables.
• Set up to examine cause and effect relationships.
A Sample Experimental Design
Group Time Group 1 Obs Tx Obs
Group 2 Obs --- Obs
Features:Quasi-experimental design is typical of classroom settings.Pretest or prior measure of some type is conducted.One group receives a “treatment” or modification of some
type; the other does not.The post-treatment observation is compared to the prior
observation.
Extraneous Variables
• Extraneous variables are undesirable variables that can influence the relationship between the dependent and independent variables.
– Also known as lurking variables.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS
Any research that is non-quantitative in nature.
Seeks a better understanding of a situation, in context-specific settings.
Used to gain in-depth information or when quantitative measures cannot adequately describe or interpret a situation.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS
Interviews
Descriptive observations
Examination of written (or other media) materials
SAMPLE QUALITATIVE STUDY
What are common misperceptions about energy generation among students?
Data collection: Have students respond in writing or interviews to specific questions or prompts that require detailed responses.
Data analysis: Review the student responses to uncover common misperceptions.
Consider ways to resolve the misperceptions.
ANALYZING THE DATA
Quantitative – statistical analysis Descriptive (mean/median/mode) Correlational Inferential
Qualitative – looking for themes or for descriptions that provide key insights
Draw conclusions based on the data: what is the answer to your research question?
USING THE RESULTS OF
ACTION RESEARCH Continue to work with, test, and refine the
most promising strategy.
Share your findings with others through presentations and articles.
ACTION RESEARCH: AN EXAMPLE
1. Problem: Students break or lose a lot of materials/parts in my classroom.
2. Observation: I’m going to document how much is lost, the accumulated cost, and which classes are the worst on a per-student basis.
3. Action plan: I’m going to try a new classroom management strategy (student lab managers) that a colleague suggested for dealing with breakage and loss.
4. Research Statement: This study will examine the effects of using student managers on loss and breakage in my classroom.
5. Research Question: Does the use of student lab managers in my technology education classroom lead to a reduced number of incidents of breakage and loss of materials and parts?
6. Research Design: Quasi-experimental; two similar groups; treatment (lab managers) in one for a period of weeks; collect data throughout.
Action Research: An Example
7. Analyze Data: Compare the data from the “treatment” classroom with the other classroom and with prior data. Draw conclusions based on this data to answer your research question.
8. Apply Research Findings: Because the classroom with the lab manager showed modest improvements, you implement this strategy in all of your classes. Not all show similar gains.
9. Redesign: You make modifications in how you use lab managers and continue to collect data and monitor improvements.
Action Research: An Example
COMMON ISSUES IN ACTION RESEARCH
Extraneous variables aren’t sufficiently controlled – it’s not a fair test.
The measure selected isn’t valid or is insufficient – it’s not a fair test.
“No significant difference” can discourage further action research.
There is no follow-up or follow-through: the findings of research are not used.
OBSTACLES TO RESEARCH Small number of TE researchers Lack of a research culture in technology
education Lack of access to classrooms and lack of
resources Limited number of “reformed” TE classrooms,
due to: Lack of solid curriculum models Inertia stemming from allegiance to traditional models
School systems are not designed to promote carefully-designed evaluations of interventions
PROMISING SOLUTIONS TO PROMOTE RESEARCH IN TE
Promote action research by classroom practitioners by training and expecting undergraduate and graduate students to conduct research
Partner with classroom teachers as research collaborators, mentors, and co-authors
ACTIVITY
Ask the following questions: I would like to improve….. Learning in my classroom would improve if…. A student behavior in my classroom that makes
me angry is…. A teaching strategy that I would like to try in
my classroom is….. Students always have a difficult time with….
RESOURCES
Altrichter, Herbert; Feldman, Allan; Posch, Peter; & Somekh, Bridget. (2008). Teachers investigate their work: An introduction to action research across the professions (2nd Ed.). London: Routledge.
Craig, Dorothy Valcarcel. (2009). Action research essentials. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Johnson, Andrew P. (2008). A short guide to action research. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Lassonde, Cynthia A.; & Israel, Susan E. (2008). Teachers taking action: A comprehensive guide to teacher research. Newman, DE: International Reading Association.
Mertler, Craig A. (2009). Action research: Teachers as researchers in the classroom. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
Sagor, Richard. (2005). The action research guidebook. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
IF YOU‘RE INTERESTED IN DOING MORE WITH ACTION
RESEARCH:
Contact Marie Hoepfl
828-262-3122