Teacher Action Research

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Teacher Action Research

• Marjorie Hall Haley, PhD
• George Mason University
• Mhaley_at_gmu.edu
• (703-993-8710)

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OBJECTIVES

• Describe what action research is
• Describe the characteristics of action research
• Describe how different research methods can be
  used in action research
• Describe when one would conduct action research

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What is Action Research?
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Action Research is..

• Conducted by and for teachers
• A way to improve/refine teaching
• Always relevant to participants

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Action Research is probably the purest form of
applied research. Action Research involves the
application of the scientific method to everyday
problems in the classroom.
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Teachers Engage In Research
Teachers Engage In Research
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Action Research has 5 Characteristics

• Purposes and value choice
• Contextual focus
• Change-based data and sense making
• Participation in the research process
• Knowledge diffusion

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Different Research Methods

• Quantitative Methods Used in Action Research -
  usually require 2 groups of participants
• Qualitative Methods Used in Action Research -
  ideally suited to AR. Occurs in the natural
  context and requires ongoing or at least frequent
  contact with the participants

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Kinds of Action Research Models

• Survey
• Historical
• Program Evaluation

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When Should One Conduct Action Research?

• The obvious advantage of Action Research is that
  teachers and practitioners can inform their own
  practice.
• AR aids teachers in reflective thinking in that
  it helps them to determine how to improve
  instruction.

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Educational research has gradually affected most
of our ideas about education and practices we use
to achieve our objectives in education. Yet many
excellent teachers and administrators know little
about educational research and assume that
research has had no effect on their daily
activities.
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Action Research Process

• Selection of a general puzzlement
• Review the literature on the puzzlement
• Select the specific research puzzlement, question
  or hypothesis
• Collect data
• Analyze and present data or provide integrative
  diagrams

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Action Research Process Continued

• Interpret the findings and state conclusions or
  generalization regarding the puzzlement

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What do Teacher Researchers do?

• Develop research questions based on their own
  curiosity about teaching and learning
• Examine their underlying assumptions about
  teaching and learning
• Systematically collect data from and with their
  students

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Teacher Researchers Continued

• Share and discuss their data and research
  methodology with fellow teacher researchers
• Analyze and interpret their data with the support
  of fellow teacher researchers
• Share their findings with students, colleagues,
  and members of the educational community

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What are some of the positive outcomes of teacher
research?

• Increased sharing and collaboration across
  disciplines and grade levels
• Increased dialogue about instructional issues and
  student learning
• Enhanced communication between teachers and
  students
• Improved performance of students

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Positive Outcomes Continued

• Revision of practice based on new knowledge about
  teaching and learning
• Teacher-designed and initiated staff development
• Contributions to the professions body of
  knowledge about teaching and learning

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So, how do we get from here to there?!
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DISCOVERY OF PUZZLEMENTS
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IS THAT YOUR FINAL ANSWER?!
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Three Possible Foci

• Instructional Strategies
• Organizational Patterns
• Student Motivation

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SAMPLE PUZZLEMENTS

• How do I stay in the target language?
• How can I keep my students motivated?
• Does planning have a direct impact on my
  teaching?
• Why does this method work when it feels so bad?

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Sample Puzzlements Continued

• How do I move my teaching to be more
  student-centered?
• How do I get students to do their homework?
• How can I make sure Im covering all the
  Standards?
• How do I find time to work with special needs
  learners and not bore the other students?

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FORMULATING A PLAN

• WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

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Identifying Research Questions

• Generate a set of personally meaningful research
  questions to guide your inquiry

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Collecting Data

• Valid reliable
• Multiple sources of data
• Fit teaching strategies to students
• Use daily instructional opportunities

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Analyzing Data

• Not necessarily statistics
• Examine data sort, sift, rank
• What is the story told by these data?
• Why did the story play out this way?

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Taking Informed Action

• All teaching is trial and error
• Avoid repeating mistakes
• Learn from inquiry process
• Improve your teaching

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Teacher Action Research Plan of Action

1. My puzzlement is.....
2. Review the literature
3. Collect data
4. Analyze data
5. Interpret findings and present implications

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Feel free to contact me Marjorie Hall Haley,
Ph.D. George Mason University (703)
993-8710 E-mail mhaley_at_gmu.edu mhaley_at_infionline.
net
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Action Research Web Sites

• http//gse.gmu.edu/research/tr/
• http//www.oise.utoronto.ca/ctd/networks/
• http//www.aera.net/pubs/

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Web Site for my current international teacher
action research

• Http//www.gse.gmu.edu/research/mirs