© 2007
Professional Development Module
AN OVERVIEW OF ACTION RESEARCH
Kathleen C. McCabe, Ph.D.
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Action Research: The Future of Your
Classroom is in Your Hands!
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 Work independently
 Work collaboratively
It doesn’t matter. Choose the way in which you learn best!
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
Action Research…
 is a three-step spiral process of (1) planning which involves reconnaissance; (2) taking actions; and (3) fact-finding about the results of the action. Kurt Lewin ,
1947. (Miller, n.d.)
 is the process by which practitioners attempt to study their problems scientifically in order to guide, correct, and evaluate their decisions and actions. Stephen
Covey , 1953. (Miller, n.d.)
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
An iterative process that…
 involves the practitioners in the study of their environment;
 allows teachers to study problems, issues and/or challenges which are of interest to them;
 leads to some action, a better way to produce results; and
 leads the organization to kaizen ;
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What squares with my thinking?
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Source of reflection prompts unknown
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Three points to remember.
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The Purposes of Action Research in
GWRSD
Helping Each Child Create the Future
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2.
3.

Assist students in reaching the GWRSD
Commencement Goals .
Work toward
DEIP Goals
Demonstrate proficiency in subject area and pedagogy.
Get credit toward state recertification
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
“An event is not an experience until it has been reflected upon.” Author Unknown
 Different types of reflection



Remembering something – casual
Pondering – deep, but spontaneous
Inquiry – intentional & planned (Dana & Yendol-
Silva, 2003. p. 7)
 The goal of action research is reflection type 3 – inquiry.
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“Inquiry is how we get at the heart of professional options to determine the best way.”
Richard Sagor
March 8, 2003
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What squares with my thinking?
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Source of reflection prompts unknown
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Three points to remember.
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 Models vary on number of steps
 All are iterative
 All contain
 Reflection (questioning)
 Data
 Analysis
 Action
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CYCLE 1
CYCLE 2
Adapted from Kemmis & McTaggert, 1990
4.
8.
3.
1.
5.
2.
6.
1. Plan
2. Action
3. Observe
4. Reflect
5. Revise Plan
6. Action
7. Observe
8. Reflect
7.

TAKING
ACTION ACT
DESIGNING
REFLECT
COLLECTING
DATA
COMMUNICATING
OUTCOMES
COLLECT
Adapted from Stringer, 2004
ANALYZING
DATA

Social Emergent Action Research Cycle
12. Re-cycle
11. Program Evaluation
10. Implementation
9. Program Design
8. Test Results
Analysis
7. Experiment from homepages.wmich.edu/~eaustin/PE/session7.ppt
1. Orientation
2. Contract –
Compact for Learning
3. Reconnaissance
4. Problem and
Opportunity
Identification
5. Aspirations
6. Analysis for Strategic
Action Options

What squares with my thinking?
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Source of reflection prompts unknown
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Three points to remember.
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Richard Sagor (2000)
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development

 The following are questions that have been used in various action research planning sessions to begin the process of selecting a meaningful focus area.
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 What is your biggest question as you think about the students in your classroom?
 What interests you most about student learning?
 What challenges you or is a problem about your classroom or teaching?
 What do you want to know more about when it comes to teaching your grade level or subject? (Miller, n.d.)
“The Thinker” by Auguste Rodin
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Stevie?
I wonder …
I wonder…
“I wonder who’s kissing her now?”
Ray Charles
I wonder…
I wonder…
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 Sagor suggests some implementation strategies at each step in the process.
 Think about these:
 Use a teaching journal to find your focus (Sagor,
2000, p. 50).
 Engage in a reflective interview with a colleague
(Sagor, 2000, p. 51).
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What squares with my thinking?
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Source of reflection prompts unknown
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Three points to remember.
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

Identify the values, beliefs and theoretical perspectives related to the focus (Sagor, 2000, p.4).
Conduct a “literature search” a comprehensive review of current research
 Google Scholar


Professional journals and websites

Phi Delta Kappa

ASCD
College and University Libraries

PSU
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 Conducting a literature review helps you
 Clarify your focus
 See what others have discovered
 Stay current
 Avoid some pitfalls
 Save time and energy
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 The literature is a rich source of data!
 A literature search will reveal what others have tried. You will discover what has worked, or not worked, for others.
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Step Three: Identifying Research
Questions
 Select a focus.
√
 Reflect on your thinking about the focus and learn what others have discovered.
√

Develop questions that “breathe life into your area of focus” (Mills, 2003, p. 42).
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 You are interested in the benefits of using math manipulatives in secondary math classes.

You don’t know if you want to consider them for all students or just those who are struggling.
 You wonder about managing them in the classroom.
 You conduct a literature search and spend time on the NCTM web site checking on the research.
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 Your research questions might be:
 Would the use of manipulatives increase understanding of complex math concepts?
 In what ways do math manipulatives help students solve word problems?
 Do math manipulatives help all students increase their achievement in math?
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 You may find that each research question has many other questions embedded in it.
 Do not worry about that now. The question may become clearer as the data emerges.
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What squares with my thinking?
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Source of reflection prompts unknown
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Three points to remember.
2
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

It is important to gather data from multiple sources or use multiple types of data in order to ensure reasonable reliability and validity .
Data point 1
Triangulation
Data point 2
Area of Focus
Data point 3
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(Mills, 2003, p. 73)
Research
Questions
1
Would the use of manipulatives increase students’ understanding of math concepts?
Pre-test/
Post-test
In what ways do math manipulatives help students solve word problems?
Do math manipulatives help all students increase their achievement in math?
Student journal
Pre-test/
Post-test
Data Source
2
Student interviews
3
Student interviews
Compare scores yr.-yr.
Teacher observation
Teacher observation
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 Schools are rich sources of existing data.
 Some of data you need may be close at hand.
 Some of the data may need to be collected.
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 Quantitative
 Deals with numbers
 Qualitative
 Deals with words
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Quantitative sources of data include:
 Attendance Records
 Discipline & PBIS Reports
 Drop-out Rates
 End of Unit Tests
 Standardized Test Scores
 Surveys
 Teacher-made Tests
 Quizzes
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“
Today in school, we…
Qualitative data sources include:
 Anecdotal Records
 Artifacts
 Conferences
 Interviews
 Journals
 Logs
 Observations


Self-Assessments
Surveys
 Teacher Evaluations
“I learned about the Civil War by…”
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Demographic Data
Student Achievement
Data
Bernhardt, 2006
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 Sagor suggests some implementation strategies at each step in the process.
 Think about these:
 Building a triangulated data collection plan
(Sagor, 2000, p. 116).
 Making a commitment to your plan by constructing a data collection time line/to-do list
(Sagor, 2000, p. 117).
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 You have 3 years in which to complete your action research. You may take the entire time, or you may complete the cycle in less time.
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Task Yr. 1
Fall
Yr. 1
Winter
Yr. 1
Spring
Yr. 1
Sum’r
Yr.2
Fall
Yr. 2
Winter
Yr. 2
Spring
Yr. 2
Sum’r
Yr. 3
Fall
Yr. 3
Winter
Yr. 3
Spring
Select a Focus
Clarify
Theories
Identify
Research
Question
Collect Data
Analyze Data
Report Results
Take Action
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 Classroom Assessment Student surveys
 Creating a Student Survey
Please answer the following questions by circling your choice.
On a scale of one (not at all) to five (very much) …
How do you like snowdays?
1 2 3 4 5
 Survey Monkey
 Department of Justice survey on School
Resource Officers
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What squares with my thinking?
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Source of reflection prompts unknown
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Three points to remember.
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 What story does this information/data tell?
Once upon a time, in a land so far, far away lived…
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cartoon from www.idrc.ca/openebooks/183-3/f0110-01.gif
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Fractions Student
Mary
Steve
Paul
Margie
Stacie
Huck
Tom
Nancy
Jim
Claire
Colin
Manipulatives
10
100
75
85
85
90
60
75
20
85
55
50
100
85
90
90
100
82
90
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92
60
Remember, more information on data analysis is available in another PD module.
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Clip art from http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/var/aaasdev/storage/images/media/images/nw/icons_6/sindt_gif/29946-1-eng-
US/sindt_gif1.gif
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Students
DATA SETS
Teachers
UNITIZED
DATA (Units of meaning)
CATEGORIES
THEMES
Based on Categorizing and Coding (Stringer, 2004, p. 112)
Administrators
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


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

Interconnections
Spradley’s universal cultural themes
( http://mse.byu.edu/ipt/williams/674r/append_h.html
)
Social Conflict
Cultural Contradictions
Informal Techniques of Social Control
Managing Interpersonal Social Relationships
Acquiring and Maintaining Status
Solving Problems
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
Mills’ Outline (Mills, 2003, p. 175)
 Area of Focus Statement
 Related Literature
 Defining the Variables
 Research Questions
 Description of Intervention or Innovation
 Data Collection
 Data Considerations (validity, reliability, ethics)
 Data Analysis & Interpretation
 Action Plan
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Action Research Paper Review
Criteria (Meyers & Rust, 2003, p. 15)



Question

Clear and simple
 No prejudgment
Rationale for Study



Clear and simple
Broad scale reasons
Bigger picture?
Background/Context


Basic facts
Statistics
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Action Research Paper Review Criteria, continued



Research



Relevance
New insight/trends
No editorializing
Tools



Research methods
Clarity
Appropriateness
Data





Different forms
Numerical or factual
Summary
Clear and thoughtful presentation
Relevance
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Action Research Paper Review Criteria, continued


Analysis

Connection to data



Explanations
Make a case
Clear
Policy Recommendations



Reflects learning
Clear and targeted
Connection with study
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Project: Math Assessment Tools
“I believe we now have good tools to assess student progress. We triangulate for determining student achievement. By looking at the data we receive from the MAP, NECAP and daily work, we will have a great picture of our students’ progress and what needs to be instructed or revised.” W. Gay
Edmunds, Grade 3, Carpenter School, Wolfeboro,
NH., 2006.
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Project: Writing in Art Class
“We’re trying to get a handle on why students can reflect verbally, but have trouble writing it down.
Looking at student work has made me realize that I need to develop a rubric for writing that can be glued into the journal along with the questions. Experience has taught me that miscommunications can happen without clear communications.” Deb Yurick, Art
Teacher, Carpenter School and Crescent Lake
School.
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Step Seven: Taking Informed Action

Sagor’s guiding question (Sagor, 2000, p.
140)
“Given what I now know, what do I want to do or what do I think I should do differently?”
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Summary of
Findings
Research
Questions
Recommended
Action
Targeted to
Findings
Who is
Responsible for the Action?
Who Needs to be Consulted or
Informed ?
Who Will
Monitor and/or
Collect Data ?
Timeline Resources
Adapted from Mills, 2003, p.126
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 You have completed this professional development module.

Come back again, if you’d like.
 See members of the PDTF for further information.
 Call the Central Office for further information (569-1658).
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1.
2.
3.
4.
Help each child reach the District’s Commencement
Goals with rigor, thought, authenticity and diversity.
To provide a school and classroom environment that supports optimal learning for each student.
To implement an assessment and evaluation model that informs instruction and provides information to the students, parents and the public on student performances.
To provide quality communication to students, parents and the public on all aspects of education within the district.
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Helping Each Child Create the Future
This statement became the District’s Vision
Statement in 2006. Each of the words have been carefully chosen to guide our work.
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