CRITERIA
Effectivness
of
PowerPoint
10
INADEQUATE 0-4
Overlooks major points
or key information.
Confusing:
lacks coherence
COMPETENT 5-6
Some key points.
Evidence of clarity
and structure.
PROFICIENT 7-8
Most points are included.
Many clear elements.
EXEMPLARY 9-10
Well organized. Considers
all major points. Coherent
and logical sequence.
Wiki
Does not adequately
address
the issues related to the
PowerPoint
presentation.
Academic conventions of
writing and referencing
are inadequate
Addresses most of
the ideas
raised in the
PowerPoint
presentation.
Presentation and
referencing are
adequate
Main ideas of the PowerPoint
are well explained and
expressed.
Thorough evaluation of
all issues and ideas raised
by the PowerPoint
Sound grasp of academic
writing and referencing
Outstanding writing and
exemplary use of referencing
INADEQUATE 0-2
Presentation difficult to
see,
inconsistent in style or
does not work properly.
COMPETENT 3
Tools used to deliver
Most major points.
Effective use of
graphic lay-out and
design.
Contributed, but
work was inferior or
inadequate.
PROFICIENT
4
Main points explained using
elements that communicate
effectively and follow the basic
principles of P/P design.
EXEMPLARY
5
Major points explained through
use of highly effective graphics and
design principles.
Contributed to completion
with adequate work.
Contributed to completion with
high quality work
10
Academic
conventions
10
CRITERIA
Aesthetic
quality
5
Teamwork
5
MARK:
/40
COMMENTS:
Did not contribute to the
completion of the
project
F:
0-19
P:
20-23
CR:
24-27
D:
28-31
HD:
TOTAL
32-40
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Sonia Kioupelis
Sally Keft-Gill and Jacqui Kerr
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Unit Name
Development and Education
Unit Code
EDP125
Assignment No.
2
Date Submitted
Assignment Title (where applicable)
Students comments to Tutor
SK- 14604755, JK- 14626432
SKG 5th November, 2009
Tutor’s Name
Sharon Szczecinski
Power Point Presentation – Action Research
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DECLARATION: I declare the attached assignment is my own work and has not previously been submitted for
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Signed: Sonia Kioupelis, Jacqui Kerr, Sally Keft-Gill
PART C – to be completed by Tutor: Comments to Student
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Recorded Mark:
Action Research EDP125 Assignment 2
Slide 1 – Action Research ‘The Internal Researcher’
Welcome to today’s presentation. We hope that by the end of our session you will feel
empowered as teachers with a great understanding of how you can enhance the learning
experience for yourself and students.
Slide 2 – Introduction
I have a few questions that I would like you to think about and answer in your head:
•
Does your work environment and lessons encounter problems? These problems
could be minor problem between children or problems that you may encounter
with the curriculum.
•
Are you the one that has to solve the problems?
•
Have you heard of the word collaborative groups?
•
Working together: Is that the best ways to improve a program or problem?
•
Do you conduct student interviews, keep journals and proficiency tests?
•
Planning, Acting, Observing and Reflecting. Does this sound like something
you do on a day to day basis?
We saw everyone nodding yes to all of those questions. That is great positive feedback
for us because it tells us we are going to gain a lot from this presentation about action
research.
Slide 3 – What today’s presentation will cover.
Today we will cover what action research is. I think you will find that you are probably
already taking part in action research but you probably just were not aware that it had an
‘actual’ name and that there are certain methods and tools to help the process. We will
also discuss the advantages of action research and why we think you should use action
research in your classroom.
Like all activities there is an actual ‘method of madness’ when conducting action
research. A method known as the Action Research Cycle which consists of: Plan, Act,
Observe and Reflect. You plan for action, carry it out, check their results and plan for
future action. We will briefly also show you the Fishbone Diagram that can be used in
the planning phase. This diagram helps you establish and see which groups of factors
come together to influence the results; this is a really useful visual planning tool.
In a nutshell action research consists of teachers choosing a focus, collecting data,
reflecting on and sharing their findings.
Slide 4 – What is Action Research?
Action Research is a methodical examination that can be conducted by all school bodies
such as teachers, principals and school representatives. The information that is gathered
can help determine how the school effective their school functions, where
improvements can be made with teaching strategies and how successfully students
learn. The desired outcome of this method of research is to gain insight, encourage
reflective practice, promote positive changes within the school environment, and
importantly to improve the quality of learning for students. (NEFSTEM, n.d.)
Does this sound like something you have participated in before? If not, I’m sure it is
something you would want to be involved in.
Slide 5 – Action Research Is...
Action research is a way of applying research with the desired outcome of answering a
specific question. (Eggen & Kauchak, 2010) The research process is conducted in a
recurring format, with similar trends presenting in like patterns. The nature of this
research allows for collaborative group work with the predetermined goal the focal
point. Action research offers numerous benefits to the education system. Through the
process cycle it is able to encourage and support many educators willing to make a
difference. It can provide a vehicle for creating professional learning communities,
empowering individuals through collaborative team methods. It fosters disciplined
enquiries into an ascertained subject and facilitates change in the classroom. The object
is to 'fine the line' between vision: what you'd like to see, and practice: what you
actually see. It also encourages observation as an important tool. The participants can
observe and reflect on the findings which will then lead to the next stage of the
cycle.(Dick, 2000)
Additionally, action research is a tool that can be used to close the gap between research
and teaching. Educators are able to understand and appreciate how self-assessment and
reflection can enhance the connection between theory and practice in their personal
classroom. (Eggen & Kauchak, 2010)
Slide 6 – YouTube Clip, Lego People Raising the bar at News Time
Keeping in mind the questions asked at the start of this presentation and also thinking
back to the definition of action research please watch the following clip from YouTube
(Raising the Bar at News Time, n.d.):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAlPrSYDBCc
The lego clipped showed that a school undertook some of their own research on the
topic of ‘raising the bar of student achievement in oral language’ because there was a
lack of statistics in this field. Action research is conducted so teachers can reflect on
their own individual skills, student’s issues or school development to contribute to
improvement and gaining new knowledge. Schools and teachers benefits immensely
from action research because it addresses internal issues which allows a school to
conduct and compare internal research rather an external researcher coming into the
school and comparing findings on a larger scale. By gathering small scale internal
statistics/findings will help raise achievement in the school.
Slide 7 – The Advantages of Action Research
Later you will learn about the action research cycle. The advantage of this cycle is you
have the ability to start the research process at any phase in the cycle, there is no
beginning or end, a great advantage in regards to solving issues and problems- we will
talk more about this later in the presentation. Actions are refined and improved
throughout the cycle phases so it is always an ongoing learning curve helping teachers
with their development (Queensland Government Department of Education and
Training, 2002).
Action research focuses on the desire to take action and improve a situation. The
research is conducted in a natural setting where the problem is encountered
(NEFSTEM, n.d.). Having a method in place to help do this is a great reassurance to
teachers. Action research is an easy tool to use when investigating any issues of
concern. It promotes a shared understanding because the actions are developed within
the school making the outcome more school specific which increases the likelihood of a
better success rate in findings. All members of the school community help share and
monitor the research.
When the outcome brings on a change in the school, the participants including
students’ and teachers own that change and are happy to enforce the change necessary
to improve the school. Action research is a collaborative form of group work which
ensures the building of trust and support. These groups can start small and grow over
time (Queensland Government Department of Education and Training, 2002).
Slide 8 – What teachers have said about Action Research
These are comments from teachers who participated in action research, researching boys
gender and schooling and looked at gender and violence (Queensland Government
Department of Education and Training, 2002).

‘It is the only sort of research that really is appropriate in our environment and
the way we work.’

‘We found out things we hadn’t realised and therefore we had to go further.
We’re learning new things all the time so I guess there’s action based on
research.’

‘From my point of view if we hadn’t done the action research we would of been
looking at the wrong thing.’

‘Doing this has made me stick my neck out occasionally because I feel more
confident with the information that I’ve got now. I can deal with a situation now
so that when kids say to me ‘We’re just play fighting’, I’ve got an answer or
question...or challenge some of these thoughts.’

‘Frustrating...there’s not enough time...we need to priorities.’

‘Data is important in the sense that it illustrates to other people (staff etc) the
issues. It almost acts as proof, brings out patterns, stereotyped information.’

‘It’s certainly a very practical process because you’re constantly reflecting and
changing. Your goals aren’t set in concrete.’
Can anyone else think or know of any other advantages of action research
Slide 9 – The Action Research Cycle
Action research occurs in a cyclical fashion, meaning similar steps tend to recur in
similar order. (Dick, 2000) It is a collaborative method of actively researching while
applying critical reflection throughout. It is emergent and responsive (Dick, 2000),
meaning themes and discoveries will become apparent through the research process and
this allows decisions to be made in a way that is capitalising on the understanding
gained throughout the cycle. Interestingly the early cycles help to determine the
management of the later cycles.
There are four basic steps in the Action Research Cycle, these being plan, act, observe
and reflect. These stages are then repeated again and again. (Howden, 1998)
The cycle first commences from a diagnosis - identifying a problem (Madison
Metropolitan School District, 2001). A question is raised to solve a problem, for
example. "I would like to determine if developing a stronger rapport will assist in
encouraging shy students to become more outgoing.”
Slide 10 – Planning Phase
The idea of the planning phase is to participate in collective speculation of several
possible solutions, from which a single plan of action will be formulated. (Dick, 2000).
These include:

Consult with others, group participation enables a wide range of ideas to come
into play and gives the opportunity for feedback and discussion.

Select target group - consider age groups, backgrounds and puberty.

Identify data options - discuss strategy and formulate a plan for data collection.
Some techniques for data collection are: Observation, Audio/Video tapes,
Bookwork/Journals, Questionnaires, and Interviews (Donato, 2003)
Slide 11 – Fishbone Diagram Worksheet
The planning stage of action research is when brainstorming techniques come into play.
Action research is usually done in schools to gather small scale statistic- statistic that
will be more relevant to their school rather than the bigger scale statistics. The word
‘scale’ is a great way for us introduce that ‘Fishbone Diagram’ that was mentioned
earlier. You all should have a handout of the diagram shown on the slide. This diagram
is also known as the Ishikawa diagram or ‘cause-and-effect’ diagram. The fishbone
diagram is a visual tool that provides a systematic way of looking at your problem or
issue and what causes and affects those issues. It clearly shows the relationship
between a topic and the various factors related to it. This diagram structure allows you
to connect pieces of information and begin to see new relationships that will eventually
form a bigger picture. (NEFSTEM, n.d.).
The issue is placed at the fish’s head, remembering back to the Lego YouTube clip they
wanted to ‘raise the bar of student achievement in oral language today’. Just for today’s
presentation we want to determine ‘if developing a stronger rapport will assist in
encouraging shy students to become more outgoing’.
Slide 12 – Fishbone Diagram and How It Works
The bones of the fish have major categories such as:

The 4 M's, Methods, Machines, Materials and Manpower

The 4 P's, Place, Procedure, People and Policies and the

The 4 S's Surroundings, Suppliers, Systems and Skills
The bones, big, medium and small bones can establish the impact of the cause as you
can see the larger bones are closer to the head which means that it has greater impact.
(NEFSTEM, n.d.)
The next step would be to brainstorm factors within those categories that are affecting
the issue.
Repeat this procedure with each factor under the category to produce sub-factors"Why is this happening?" Continue until you no longer get useful information
Analyse the results of the fishbone after team members agree that an adequate amount
of detail has been provided under each major category. Do this by looking for those
items that appear in more than one category as these become the 'most likely causes".
Then list them list those items in priority order with the first item being the most
probable" cause.
Slide 13 – Acting Phase
The object of this phase is to implement the plan. Having formulated the appropriate
data collection techniques, the initiative must then be taken to complete the tasks. The
result of the data collected will depend on the quality of data collection. So formulating
the required plan is extremely important (Danto, 2003).
Some suggested methods to collect the required data are, however are not limited to:

Interview

Observe

Questions or survey that can be directed at students and parents alike

Study
These decisions would have been made in the planning phase and would have been
designed to produce the most genuine results.
These tasks are important as they will form the foundation of future study. They will
provide answers for the questions previously raised and will generate new questions
that need to be addressed. This is the stage that will provide information for critical
reflection and allow changes to be made to the original plan, if required (Danto, 2003).
Slide 14 – Observation Phase
The observation phase involves the recording and examination or issues and problems.
Detailing observations enables you to assess the effectiveness of you action and
involvement giving great insight into the effectiveness of the proposed change. The
documentation collected during this phase is vital for the next phase of reflection. Some
suggestions for data collection are parental surveys, student interviews, proficiency
tests and personal observation. (McDevitt & Ormond. p57)
It is also recommended that in addition to the structured observations, all parties
involved in an action research project maintain a detailed diary or journal to record
additional observation. This will further assist the next phase of reflection (Centre for
Enhanced Learning and Teaching, 2003).
It is important to consider how you will find out what happens, and how you may get a
different perspective. Additionally, it is critical to ensure the correct method is used for
observing and recording, ensuring essential and unique themes are captured
(Sutherland, Kirk & Clark, 2003).
Slide 15 – The Hawthorne Effect
It is important for all parties involved in the research project to take into account the
Hawthorne Effect.
In the case of Action Research the Hawthorn Effect, that was first observed at the
Western Electric Hawthorne plant near Chicago, is the human practice where subjects
change simply because they’re being observed (ProvenModels, n.d.), this can act as
both a positive and negative for researchers.
When a teacher is conducting an experiment within the classroom with the intention of
managing a specific behaviour, the Hawthorne Effect can be of great value in that the
desired outcome may be achieved quickly. Unfortunately, the model behaviour may
only last as long as the attention received. Good researchers need to allow for this in
their planning.
Slide 16 – Reflection Phase
The reflection phase involves detailed interpretation of the observations made and
recorded during the previous stage of observation. This stage is ideally suited to
collaborating with fellow leaders of the action research project ensuring a wider
knowledge base to better understand issues. (Queensland Government Department of
Education and Training, 2002). This phase is not limited to the end of the project; in
fact, regular consideration creates the ability to fine-tune activities as required.
At the end of the cycle, it is central to determine the success of the project for all
participants to group and reflect on the findings that were recorded via observation
throughout the duration of the task. This process will give significant insight into the
effectiveness of changes made.
In reflecting on the information gathered, and analysing findings through observation it
can be determined if another cycle of action research is required, as it commonly is.
Subsequent cycles of research of usually more sophisticated in nature as issues of direct
significance are targeting. (Centre for Enhanced Learning and Teaching, 2003).
Slide 17 - Ethical Considerations for Teachers
As with all teaching practices, correct ethical guidelines must be followed when
conducting action research. It is important to converse with supervising staff and the
principal about your intention when conducting a research project. In most cases there
will be specific school policies in place that will need to be adhered to. Another
advantage of including senior staff is the knowledge through experience they can offer.
(McDevitt & Ormond. p58)
When collecting data, don’t be tempted to focus on one source alone. Examine a
number of different observations, including written samples, interviews and surveys.
Look for a common pattern. It is also important to acknowledge that your conclusion
may be different to another professional assessing the same situation. (McDevitt &
Ormond. p58)
Know your limitation when interpreting tests. It is best to leave specialist tests to the
experts and focus on what you are qualified to do. (McDevitt & Ormond. p58)
It is also important to understand that children will often change their behaviour when
being observed; this is known as the Hawthorn Effect. We will talk about this in more
depth shortly. (McDevitt & Ormond. p58)
Finally, maintain confidentiality. This does not mean that findings cannot be discusses,
or even presented to a larger group, it does, however, mean that at no time must a
child’s identity be disclosed. (McDevitt & Ormond. p58)
Slide 18 – The Three Basic Phases
The action research process works through three basic phases. These are made up of
look, think and act (Smith, 2006). We will now discuss these a little further.

Look means to build a picture and gather information. Take notice of problems
and begin to formulate a design that will enhance, encourage and improve.
When evaluating, define and describe the problem to be investigated and the
context in which it is set, report on the participation of the group members and
their findings.

Think requires you to interpret and explain. Analyse the data supplied and
interpret it with the idea of progressing to the next level. Reflect on the
observations obtained so far, and look at enhancing inefficient results.

Act means to resolve issues. What are the problems and how can they be
resolved? Judge the worth, appropriate and effectiveness of the previous studies
to determine solutions or further study.
Slide 19 – You are now Action Researchers!
We hope that we have helped clarify what purpose, methodology and value of action
research. It really is a beneficial method to reflect on your own teaching abilities to
bring on improvement and contribute to new knowledge.
Slide 20 - References
Centre for Enhanced Learning and Teaching (2003). The overview of Action Research.
Retrieved October 25, 2009 from http://celt.ust.hk/ideas/ar/intro.htm
Dick, B. (2000) A beginners guide to Action Research. Retrieved October 17, 2009
from http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/guide.html
Donato, R (2003) Action Research. Retrieved October 17, 2009 from
http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0308donato.html
Eggen, P & Kauchak D (2010), Educational Psychology (8th ed). New Jersey: Pearson
Merrill Prentice Hall.
Howden, B (1998) Using action research to enhance the teaching of writing. Retrieved
November 1, 2009 from http://www.iier.org.au/qjer/qjer14/howden.html
Ishikawa Diagram (Image) (n.d.) Retrieved October 29, 2009 from
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/fishbone_diagram
Madison Metropolitan School District (2001). Classroom Action Research. Retrieved
October 17, 2009 from http://oldweb.madison.k12.wi.us/sod/car/carhomepage.html
McDevitt, T., & Ormrod, J. E. (2010). Child development and education. (4th ed.) New
Jersey: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.
NEFSTEM- The Northeast Florida Science, Technology and mathematics Centre for
Education . Action Research for Teachers. Retrieved October 26, 2010 from
http://www.nefstem.org/teacher_guide/intro/index.htm
ProvenModels (n.d.). Hawthorne Effect – Elton Mayo. Retrieved November 2, 2009
from http://www.provenmodels.com/6/hawthorne-effect/elton-mayo
Queensland Government Department of Education and Training (2002) Boys Gender
and Schooling. Retrieved October 25, 2009 from
http://education.qld.gov.au/students/advocacy/equity/gender-sch/action/action.html
Raising the Bar at News Time (Image) (n.d.) Retrieved October 20, 2009 from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAlPrSYDBCc
Smith, M. (2006) 'Evaluation' in the encyclopaedia of informal education. Retrieved
October 17, 2009 from www.infed.org/biblio/b-eval.htm
Sutherland, R. Kirk, S. Clark, A. (2003) Action Research..........What’s That? Retrieved
October 25, 2009 from www.sapo.org.au/binary/binary241/Action.pdf