Reporter: VANESSA R. IDULSA Student, MALE-ENG 1

Why AR?

Classroom Action Research

AR Process

Parts of AR Report

CI- Based Action Research

Phases of AR

Characteristics of AR?

Levels of AR

What is Action Research?

Reason and Bradbury (2008)

“a participatory process concerned with

developing practical knowing in the

pursuitof worthwhile human purposes … It

seeks to bring together action and reflection,

theory and practice, in participation

with others, in the pursuit of practical

solutions to issues of pressing concern

to people.”

What is Action Research?

According to Richard A. Schmuck

(1997)“a model of professional

development where educators study

student learning related to their own

teaching in a process that allows them

to learn about their own instructional

practices and to continue to monitor

improved student learning.”

What is Action Research?

Action research is a form of investigation

designed for use by teachers to attempt

to solve problems and improve professional

practices in their own classrooms.

(Parsons and Brown, 2002)

Provides a framework that guides the energies of

teachers toward a better understanding of why,

when, and how students become better learners.

(Miller, 2007)

Why AR?AR gives educators new opportunities to

reflect on and assess their teaching; To explore and test new ideas, methods, and

materials; To assess how effective the new approaches

were; To share feedback with fellow team members;To make decisions about which new approaches

to include in the practice.

When do you use action research?

1. To solve an educational problem;2. To help educators reflect on their

own practices3. To address school-wide problems4. When teachers want to improve their

practices

is a systematic way for teachers

to discover what works best in

their own classroom situation,

thus allowing informed decisions

about teaching (Mettetal, 2002)

typically involves small-scale

investigative projects in the

teacher’s own classroom (Richards

and Lockhart , 1996)

is an activity that connects

the ‘doing’ of teaching with

the ‘questioning’ of research

that can be united if teachers

are to become contributors

who shape educational policy

and define effective classroom practice (Freeman,

1998)

Characteristics of Action Research

Grounded in real life experience

Developed in partnershipAddresses significant needs

Develops new ways of seeing/interpreting the world

Uses methods that are appropriate to

the audience and participants at hand

Develops needed structures to allow for

follow up or institutionalization of new

practices

Levels of Action Research

Individual action research 

Collaborative action research

School-wide action research 

The Action Research Process

Taken from ASCD (Sagor, 2000)1. Selecting a focus2. Clarifying theories3. Identifying research questions4. Collecting data and

Analyzing data5. Reporting results6. Taking informed action

The Phases of Action Research

Selecting a focus begins with the teacherresearcher or the team of action researchersasking:

What element(s) of our practice or whataspect of student learning do we wish toinvestigate?

Step 1- Selecting a Focus

Some areas for investigation in Action Research:Low student participation in class activitiesIrregular attendance/tardiness in classStudents negative attitude towards

Mathematics and ScienceLow motivation of pupils to perform in the

testNon accomplishment of homework,

assignment, or projects.Students’ unruly behaviour Students’ learning in a group work

Step 1—Selecting a Focus

Some Variables Affecting Student Learning

Gender, race, and/or ethnicity Prior knowledge and experiences Age Socioeconomic status First language Learning styles Peer relationships Intellectual strengths–multiple intelligences Self-concept Motivation

Classroom Variables

Teacher Variables

School Variables

Selected instructional strategies(Kelly and Kelly, 2013)

This involves identifying the values, beliefs, and theoretical perspectives the researchers hold relating to their focus.• Conduct search of literature reviews for thetheory needed.• Example of theories:– Self-determination theory– Social cognitive theory– Zone of Proximal Development

Step 2- Clarifying Theories

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

• Be specific with the independent, dependent, mediating, moderating, and dependent variables (outcomes).

Step 3- Identifying Research Questions

What constitutes a good teacher

research question?

meaningful, compelling, and

important manageable and within your sphere of

influence should be important for learners

improving a teaching/learning

situation, to

implementing actions that can make a

difference in the lives of students.

The Phases of Action Research

Bad action research questions:

– What will improve critical thinking

skills?(too broad, no specific IV)

–Is the KPUP assessment effective in

schools? (no idea on what data will be

collected)– To what extent is the K to 12 program

effective? (there are several indicators of K to

12 to be considered , not outcome specified)

– Is there a significant difference

between principals leadership styles and

teachers attitude on teaching?

(Confused researcher: illogical to compare two

different variables)

The Phases of Action Research

Qualitative Action Research Questions:

– What are the difficulties of students in

answering mathematics word problem tasks?

– What are the general and subject specific

characteristics of an intelligent student as

perceived by grade 3 students?

– What metacognitive strategies are used by

Chinese students in comprehending their

readingof English books?

Some Research Questions

What happens to the quality of student

writing when we implement peer

editing throughout our classes?

How can I use small-group activities and

“recorders” to improve attentiveness

during the presentation of new

information in a class of students with

behavioral problems?

What happens to student attitudes

about mathematics when we daily

emphasize functional math in our

classrooms?

In order to build a complete picture of learners’ learning abilities, data should be gathered from any sources of information. In research terminology, the process of collecting multiple sources of data for every problem or issue being studied is called triangulation. (Sagor 1992)

Step 4- Collecting and Analyzing Data

Examples of classroom data collection tools include but not limited to:

• Observation (checklists, anecdotal records, charts/grid), interviews and conversations, learners’ work, grades, reports cards, cumulative records and test, experiment, survey, Focus Group Discussions (FGD)

Step 4- Collecting and Analyzing Data

Collecting and Analyzing Data• Quantitative• Qualitative• Both quantitative and

qualitative

Collecting and Analyzing Data

Quantitative Analysis Sources of information: Survey, questionnaires, rating scales, checklists, formative and summative

assessments, standardized tests– Testing hypothesisRelationship of variablesComparing categories on a dependent

variable Effect of an IV on a DV – Use descriptive and inferential statistics

Collecting and Analyzing Data

Qualitative data analysis– Sources: interview transcripts, observational

notes, journal entries, audio and video

transcription, records, reports

Step 5- Reporting Results

faculty meetings

teacher conferences

writing up the work for publication or reports

Step 6- Taking Informed Action

Create an action plandescription of the implementation of a new education practice.

Alternative approaches to addressing the problem

Plan to share the findings to colleagues

Parts of the Action Research Report1. Title2. Abstract (not more than 200 words)3. Introduction ( including statement of the

problem, scope and delimitation, significance, definition of terms )

4. Brief review of literature (conceptual/theoretical framework)

5. Methodology and Research Design6. Results and Discussion7. Conclusions8. References

Continuous Improvement- Based Action Research

It is an on-going effort to improve products, services or processes. These efforts can seek “incremental” improvement overtime or ‘breakthrough” improvement all at once.

10 Coping StrategiesJean McNiff, Action Research, Principles and Practice,

McNiff,1988, 144-145

1. Don't Give Up2. Enlist the Help of Colleagues3. Keep a Positive Attitude4. Be Prepared to Compromise5. Be Generous6. Go Public7. Join a Local Action Research Group8. Establish a Reputation for Success9. Publish Reports in Journals10. Have Faith in Your Own Knowledge.

10 Guidelines for TeachersFullan and Hargreaves (1991), quoted in Change Forces,

Fullan, 1993, 144

1) Locate, listen to and articulate your inner voice2) Practice reflection in action, on action, and about action.3) Develop a risk-taking mentality.4) Trust processes as well as people.5) Appreciate the total person in working with others.6) Commit to working with colleagues.7) Redefine your role to extend beyond the classroom.8) Push and support principals and other administrators to

develop interactive professionalism.9) Commit to continuous improvement and perpetual

learning.10)Monitor and strengthen the connection between your

development and students' development

Acknowledgement: Credits to Dr. James L. Paglinawan, CMU College Secretary for allowing the reporter to download and adapt his PowerPoint presentation entitled ‘Action Research: A Review of the Basic Concepts’ from slideshare.com  Australian-AID PAHRODF, Overview of the CIP PowerPoint Presentation