Review #3 page 1
Kevin D. McMahon
Student ID#: 78513
SED 600
March 24, 2007
Since the Fall, 2006 semester we have been given the opportunity to explore topics relevant to our classroom experience, to consider areas of education that interest us, and we have been learning how to become “connoisseurs of good research.” This semester we have begun to focus more specifically on how to conduct our Action
Research projects. In addition to reading Andrew Johnson’s book on the subject we were recently presented with Action Research projects conducted by three of our predecessors.
This review represents my reflection on these presentations and will focus on three areas:
(1) the need to be passionate about the focus of the project, (2) the necessity of carefully considering data collection while designing the project, (3) the value of qualitative data, and (4) selecting a project focus that will be of benefit to me and my students.
Although I have not yet started my Action Research project it is already evident that it will be a significant undertaking. A personal interest in, or even passion towards, the area being studied should make the process more sustainable—even exciting. This was evident in Jen Klipfel’s presentation. By the end of her second semester in the program she had selected a project topic, but by the end of the third semester she had decided not to go through with that topic. She admitted to facing a bleak winter break of having to come up with an project focus, and complete the writing of her introduction and methodology. She would then have to complete the research, write-up the project, and

Review #3 page 2 present it in a very short period of time. Upon reflecting on the areas that had peeked her interest she decided on the area of the Nature of Science. It was evident from her presentation that she developed a passion for this topic and it was likely this passion that provided the impetus to completing this project. I have little doubt that this project and her continued study of the Nature of Science will define the focus of her teaching career.
Tom Schuster’s presentation on metacognition and its relationship to student performance clearly demonstrated that project design can facilitate data collection. Tom created matrixes that were easy for students to complete and then use to assess their comprehension. These matrixes and the subsequent assessment results became the data of his research. The design of Tom’s action research was elegant in that it allowed him to answer the question posed by his project yet simple enough to be reproduced in a variety of classroom settings thereby making it valuable to other teachers. Tom’s presentation clearly demonstrated the value of designing an Action Research project would generate easily manageable and interpretable data.
Tom’s data were quantifiably conclusive whereas George Lyle’s data on the effectiveness of Web-based homework were statistically inconclusive. However, in addition to comparing exam results in groups using web vs. traditional homework he conducted surveys. These surveys qualitatively demonstrated that students using webbased homework were more motivated to complete their homework assignments and to solicit help from their peers and teacher. These positive outcomes would have been overlooked had Lyle restricted his data to only quantifiable comparisons between the experimental and control students. This demonstrated the value of “subjective”

Review #3 page 3 qualitative data in Action Research and I anticipate that I will incorporate a survey or other method of collecting such data.
All three presenters stated that they have incorporated what they studied and learned from their project into their teaching. This was possible because they chose topics that were of interest to them, they designed and conducted their projects well, and they collected meaningful data from which they were able to draw conclusions that indicated that the students had benefited from their projects’ particular intervention. I found these presentations helpful and will attempt to incorporate what they have learned into my own Action Research project.