Classroom-Based Research a.k.a. Teacher Research a.k.a. Action Research

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Classroom-Based Researcha.k.a. Teacher
Researcha.k.a. Action Research

• M. Michele Pittard, Ph.D.
• Teacher Education
• Wabash College

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Specific questions

• For too long, educational research has tried to
  answer big questions with short-term, large-scale
  questions that ignore the complexity of teacher
  and student interactions. Your research will
  probably start from a different point
  individual students and their needs in your
  classroom. (Hubbard Power, p. 10)

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Classroom-Based Research (CBR)

• The purpose for doing classroom-based research is
  to induce teacher learning.
• The process can be revolutionary to our practice.
  

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Classroom-Based Research (CBR)

• The process of teacher research systematizes and
  legitimizes the process of teacher learning.
• The process is rarely linear and usually
  ambiguous.

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Dont good teachers always. . .

• . . . reflect on their work?
• . . . raise questions every day about their
  practice?
• . . . learn from their teaching?
• YES! This is informal teacher research

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Reflecting and questioning . . .

• Teacher research (CBR) naturally creates
  conditions for teacher learning, as outlined by
  Lee Shulman (2004)

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Conditions for Teacher Learning

• Teachers gain and promote agency
• Teachers make use of genuine reflection
• Teachers commit to collaboration and/or more
  meaningful interaction
• Teachers create a culture for learning

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The (CBR) Research Cycle

• Begins with questions from our practice
• Development of a plan (research design) that is
  manageable.
• Review of current research literature (Distant
  Teachers)

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The (CBR) Research Cycle (cont.)

• Making decisions about data (student work, etc.)
• Gathering and analyzing data
• Analysis usually generates more questions

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Distant Teachers

• Looking at the body of work that has relevance
  to your research . . . can be a creative and
  enjoyable enterprise (Hubbard Power p. 135)
• . . . You will want to see who else has wondered
  similar things (Hubbard Power p. 138)

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Benefits

• The benefits of teacher research begin with
  finding and enjoying the possibilities in your
  questions, not with analyzing research results.
  And the research cycle continues with new
  questions as well as possible answers (Hubbard
  Power, p. 9).

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New visions

• They (Teacher-researchers) want questions to
  research that can lead to a new vision of
  themselves as teachers and of their students as
  learners. These questions often involve seeing
  students in new ways (Hubbard Power, p. 4).

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Sample QuestionsWabash Teacher Education
Candidates

• Social Studies Candidate
• How do journals assist lower-level writers in
  improving their writing skills?
• How does gender affect students comfort level
  and ultimately their success within the
  classroom?

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Sample QuestionsWabash Teacher Education Students

• Spanish candidate
• How do different types of text affect student
  learning and engagement?
• Social Studies candidate
• How does motivating students through peers (i.e.
  peer group work) improve learning?

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CBR Teacher/Faculty Group

• 2004-05 and 2005-06 cohorts
• Montgomery County K-12 teachers
• Wabash faculty (Education, History, English)
• Supported by Wabash College Teacher Education
  Program
• PRISM grant

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Generating your own questions

• Brainstorm a list of things that you wonder about
  in one or more of your classes.
• Next, choose two or three of the most intriguing
  items on your list and frame them into questions.

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Youre ready!

• From your list of questions, you are ready to
  begin formulating a research plan.