What is Action Research?

By Dan Cole, Kelsey Keckler,

Rachel Schneegberger, and Don Whitson

From Smith, M. K. (2007, August 23). Action Research.

The Encyclopedia of Informal Education.

Purpose:

Describe action research and its correlation to pedagogy.

• Description of Action Research (AR)• Different traditions of AR• How AR effects instructors• Example of a Math AR• Conclusions

Today's Roadmap

There are two distinctive types of action research.

• The British tradition• The second tradition

The Second Tradition

• It is more associated with social change and the social welfare field

• Linked to citizen and community action

The creator of ‘action research’ is Kurt Lewin

• He created a basic spiral of steps to follow

• Each step incorporates a circle of planning, action and fact finding

Kurt Lewin’s basic spiral for planning:

From Smith, M. K. (2007, August 23). Action Research. The Encyclopedia of Informal Education.

Lewin’s Steps of Action Research

• Take a sequential form• Research that is oriented to

problem-solving

The First Basic PhaseOf The Action Research Process

• Define the Problem• Describe the problem• Gather Information

“Look”

The Second Basic Phase Of The Action Research Process

• Interpret the Situation • Analyze the Situation • Reflect on Your Discoveries

“Think”

The Third Basic Phase Of The Action Research Process

Judging the:• Worth• Effectiveness• Appropriateness• Outcome

“Act”

DANGER !

Don’t think that doing the action research spiral is equivalent to “doing action research.”

According to Mctaggart (1996;248)

“Action research is not a ‘method’ or a ‘procedure’ for research but a series of commitments to observe and problematize through practice a series of principles for conducting social enquiry”

Facilitating Math Access to Middle School English Language Learners

(ELL)

Integrating • Connected Mathematics Project (7 Year Research Project) and• School Standards• Into Lessons for ELL Students

Background

• ELL population consisted of students from around the world, most with strong math backgrounds • CMP provides books not aligned with the district standards• Investigations that are real-world orientated

Class Scheduling

• 6th and 7th grades were provided with sheltered ESL math classes• 8th grade classes employed Bilingual Resource Specialists (BRS)• Continuum of services provided

Classroom Action Resource (CAR)

• Math Steps used (Houghton Mifflin)• Begins with math terms and concepts• Teacher conversations provided with Math Steps (students articulate their problem solving reasoning)• English communication is being mastered

Data Collection & Experiment

• Students verbalized how they solved problems (math and language development)• Video review of students yielded successful problem solving when in native tongue • Writing and Verbalizing how students felt about their learning

Data Collection & Experiment (cont.)

• Different skill levels required differentiated instruction • Student feedback suggests without this program they would lack: pronunciation, English, basic math words, how the math book looked like, group work, and knowledge of making number sentences in U.S.

Examples

• Discussed and experimented with receipts that included sales tax• Conducted tipping problems (15% being a good tip in U.S.)

CAR Summary

• 6th grade involved experimental lessons and activities• 7th grade concentrated on data and opinions elicited through interviews and written comments• CAR outcome realigned the curriculum by changing order to match the CMP texts

Conclusions• Conclusion 1 (from Kelsey)

• Conclusion 2 (from Dan)

• Data and experimentation find ways for students to access CMP and move closer to the districts standards

Peyasantiwong, P. (2004). What Can I Do To Facilitate Access to the Connected Math Project(CMP) Curriculum for My English Language Learners? Madison, WI: Madison Metropolitan School District.

Smith, M. K. (2007, August 23). Action Research. The Encyclopedia of Informal Education. Retrieved August 31, 2007, from www.infed.org/research/b-actres.htm

References