Action Research

AR

What is it for?

“To intervene in a deliberate way in the problematic situation in order to bring about changes and, even better, improvements in practice”.

AR

Reflective practice. Teacher as reasercher.• -self-reflective, • -critical (improve your material).• -systematic approach (data collection).

• Major authors: Kemmis and Mc Taggart (1988)

Process

1. Identify the problem

2. Develop a plan of action to improve in a spacific area.

3. (what kind of investigation is possible? What options are possible?)

Action

• Intervation in the taching situation (previously action)

• Critically informed (current situation and new alternatives)

Observations

• Observing. • Collecting data.• Opinions

Reflection

• Evaluate • Describe the effects of the action.• Understand the issue explored.

center for collaborative action. An interactive guide to teching and learniing actions research with technology external image. 2010, avaliable at:

https://www.google.com.mx/search?q=action+research&source [last access on February 18, 2014]

• Excellent material.

• Exceptional teacher

In other wordshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYno85t1YmI

Professional Development Learning Community Program at the University. October 6, 2011. Available at: www. MasterTeachersCommunity.org [last access on February 20,2014]

Describes the importance of the Action Research in the 21st century, along with the necessities and the achievement of specific standards.

Two articles examples

• Action Research: Example from an ESL Classroom

Mr. B wanted to better understand the experiences his ninth grade ESL science students had with learning science in order to provide them with more relevant and effective instruction. Because of their diverse backgrounds, he thought drawings might serve as a rich data source not limited by English language skills. He also knew that drawing would be enjoyable for his students and could serve to get them talking about science. With his five-year performance review coming up, he wanted to have additional content for his portfolio, and action research would be a valuable addition.

Action Research Question

o "What are the experiences of my ESL students with science?"

o Reviewing the literature using Google Schoolar

o Modified his question to be more specific. "What experiences do my ninth grade ESL students have learning science prior to entering my class?“

o Added the question, if needed “What extent do my learners (and my science teaching) show evidence of 21st-Century recommendations for science education made by the US National Research Council?"

Research Plan

• Collect drawings from students in each of his ESL science classes in response to the prompt "Draw yourself learning in science before coming to this country."

• Mr. B also asked students in his non-ESL classes to draw themselves learning science to allow for a comparison.

• He also planned to use additional sources of data. • This included having students describe what they drew in writing on the back of their

drawing and conducting interviews with five students about their experiences.• To guide his research Mr. B decided to use social constructivism as a conceptual

framework (or theory of understanding) because of its focus on social and cultural aspects of learning.

• To analyze and interpret the data, Mr. B planned to use the rubric found on this site. • To help reduce any bias he asked a fellow teacher to also score the drawings using the

rubric (this also gave him the opportunity to collaborate and discuss his research with another educator.)

• In addition to modifying his own instruction, Mr. B planned to share the results of his research with other teachers in the science department at their monthly meeting and with other ESL teachers in the school.

National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0455752. 2012. Action Research: Example from an ESL Classroom, University of Maryland. 2012. [Last access February 18, 2014]

The project of Action Investigation by Benjamin R. Post is about exanimate the influence in peer-to peer communication through computer.

• http://www.powershow.com/view/b521-NGE4M/Action_Research_Project_powerpoint_ppt_presentation

Anonymus, avaliable at: http://www.powershow.com/view/b521-NGE4M/Action_Research_Project_powerpoint_ppt_presentation [last acces on February 20,2014]

summary

A. Teachers evaluate and reflect on their teaching.

B. Identify and investigate taching –learning issues according to their context.

C. Investigate the issues of immediate concern in thier own social situation.

D. Analysing date systematically.

E. Researcher changes the way of practice in the teaching strategies.

• Burns,A., 2010. doing action-investigation in educational english: guide for teachers (online) New York Londres: Rroutledge. [Last access on february18,2014]

Avaliabale at: Escuela de Lenguas