list of completed action research titles with authors

21 Action Research Examples (In Education)

Action research is an example of qualitative research . It refers to a wide range of evaluative or investigative methods designed to analyze professional practices and take action for improvement.

Commonly used in education, those practices could be related to instructional methods, classroom practices, or school organizational matters.

The creation of action research is attributed to Kurt Lewin , a German-American psychologist also considered to be the father of social psychology.

Gillis and Jackson (2002) offer a very concise definition of action research: “systematic collection and analysis of data for the purpose of taking action and making change” (p.264).

The methods of action research in education include:

• conducting in-class observations
• taking field notes
• surveying or interviewing teachers, administrators, or parents
• using audio and video recordings.

The goal is to identify problematic issues, test possible solutions, or simply carry-out continuous improvement.

There are several steps in action research : identify a problem, design a plan to resolve, implement the plan, evaluate effectiveness, reflect on results, make necessary adjustment and repeat the process.

Action Research Examples

• Digital literacy assessment and training: The school’s IT department conducts a survey on students’ digital literacy skills. Based on the results, a tailored training program is designed for different age groups.
• Library resources utilization study: The school librarian tracks the frequency and type of books checked out by students. The data is then used to curate a more relevant collection and organize reading programs.
• Extracurricular activities and student well-being: A team of teachers and counselors assess the impact of extracurricular activities on student mental health through surveys and interviews. Adjustments are made based on findings.
• Parent-teacher communication channels: The school evaluates the effectiveness of current communication tools (e.g., newsletters, apps) between teachers and parents. Feedback is used to implement a more streamlined system.
• Homework load evaluation: Teachers across grade levels assess the amount and effectiveness of homework given. Adjustments are made to ensure a balance between academic rigor and student well-being.
• Classroom environment and learning: A group of teachers collaborates to study the impact of classroom layouts and decorations on student engagement and comprehension. Changes are made based on the findings.
• Student feedback on curriculum content: High school students are surveyed about the relevance and applicability of their current curriculum. The feedback is then used to make necessary curriculum adjustments.
• Teacher mentoring and support: New teachers are paired with experienced mentors. Both parties provide feedback on the effectiveness of the mentoring program, leading to continuous improvements.
• Assessment of school transportation: The school board evaluates the efficiency and safety of school buses through surveys with students and parents. Necessary changes are implemented based on the results.
• Cultural sensitivity training: After conducting a survey on students’ cultural backgrounds and experiences, the school organizes workshops for teachers to promote a more inclusive classroom environment.
• Environmental initiatives and student involvement: The school’s eco-club assesses the school’s carbon footprint and waste management. They then collaborate with the administration to implement greener practices and raise environmental awareness.
• Working with parents through research: A school’s admin staff conduct focus group sessions with parents to identify top concerns.Those concerns will then be addressed and another session conducted at the end of the school year.
• Peer teaching observations and improvements: Kindergarten teachers observe other teachers handling class transition techniques to share best practices.
• PTA surveys and resultant action: The PTA of a district conducts a survey of members regarding their satisfaction with remote learning classes.The results will be presented to the school board for further action.
• Recording and reflecting: A school administrator takes video recordings of playground behavior and then plays them for the teachers. The teachers work together to formulate a list of 10 playground safety guidelines.
• Pre/post testing of interventions: A school board conducts a district wide evaluation of a STEM program by conducting a pre/post-test of students’ skills in computer programming.
• Focus groups of practitioners : The professional development needs of teachers are determined from structured focus group sessions with teachers and admin.
• School lunch research and intervention: A nutrition expert is hired to evaluate and improve the quality of school lunches.
• School nurse systematic checklist and improvements: The school nurse implements a bathroom cleaning checklist to monitor cleanliness after the results of a recent teacher survey revealed several issues.
• Wearable technologies for pedagogical improvements; Students wear accelerometers attached to their hips to gain a baseline measure of physical activity.The results will identify if any issues exist.
• School counselor reflective practice : The school counselor conducts a student survey on antisocial behavior and then plans a series of workshops for both teachers and parents.

Detailed Examples

1. cooperation and leadership.

A science teacher has noticed that her 9 th grade students do not cooperate with each other when doing group projects. There is a lot of arguing and battles over whose ideas will be followed.

So, she decides to implement a simple action research project on the matter. First, she conducts a structured observation of the students’ behavior during meetings. She also has the students respond to a short questionnaire regarding their notions of leadership.

She then designs a two-week course on group dynamics and leadership styles. The course involves learning about leadership concepts and practices . In another element of the short course, students randomly select a leadership style and then engage in a role-play with other students.

At the end of the two weeks, she has the students work on a group project and conducts the same structured observation as before. She also gives the students a slightly different questionnaire on leadership as it relates to the group.

She plans to analyze the results and present the findings at a teachers’ meeting at the end of the term.

2. Professional Development Needs

Two high-school teachers have been selected to participate in a 1-year project in a third-world country. The project goal is to improve the classroom effectiveness of local teachers. 

The two teachers arrive in the country and begin to plan their action research. First, they decide to conduct a survey of teachers in the nearby communities of the school they are assigned to.

The survey will assess their professional development needs by directly asking the teachers and administrators. After collecting the surveys, they analyze the results by grouping the teachers based on subject matter.

They discover that history and social science teachers would like professional development on integrating smartboards into classroom instruction. Math teachers would like to attend workshops on project-based learning, while chemistry teachers feel that they need equipment more than training.

The two teachers then get started on finding the necessary training experts for the workshops and applying for equipment grants for the science teachers.

3. Playground Accidents

The school nurse has noticed a lot of students coming in after having mild accidents on the playground. She’s not sure if this is just her perception or if there really is an unusual increase this year.  So, she starts pulling data from the records over the last two years. She chooses the months carefully and only selects data from the first three months of each school year.

She creates a chart to make the data more easily understood. Sure enough, there seems to have been a dramatic increase in accidents this year compared to the same period of time from the previous two years.

She shows the data to the principal and teachers at the next meeting. They all agree that a field observation of the playground is needed.

Those observations reveal that the kids are not having accidents on the playground equipment as originally suspected. It turns out that the kids are tripping on the new sod that was installed over the summer.

They examine the sod and observe small gaps between the slabs. Each gap is approximately 1.5 inches wide and nearly two inches deep. The kids are tripping on this gap as they run.

They then discuss possible solutions.

4. Differentiated Learning

Trying to use the same content, methods, and processes for all students is a recipe for failure. This is why modifying each lesson to be flexible is highly recommended. Differentiated learning allows the teacher to adjust their teaching strategy based on all the different personalities and learning styles they see in their classroom.

Of course, differentiated learning should undergo the same rigorous assessment that all teaching techniques go through. So, a third-grade social science teacher asks his students to take a simple quiz on the industrial revolution. Then, he applies differentiated learning to the lesson.

By creating several different learning stations in his classroom, he gives his students a chance to learn about the industrial revolution in a way that captures their interests. The different stations contain: short videos, fact cards, PowerPoints, mini-chapters, and role-plays.

At the end of the lesson, students get to choose how they demonstrate their knowledge. They can take a test, construct a PPT, give an oral presentation, or conduct a simulated TV interview with different characters.

During this last phase of the lesson, the teacher is able to assess if they demonstrate the necessary knowledge and have achieved the defined learning outcomes. This analysis will allow him to make further adjustments to future lessons.

5. Healthy Habits Program

While looking at obesity rates of students, the school board of a large city is shocked by the dramatic increase in the weight of their students over the last five years. After consulting with three companies that specialize in student physical health, they offer the companies an opportunity to prove their value.

So, the board randomly assigns each company to a group of schools. Starting in the next academic year, each company will implement their healthy habits program in 5 middle schools.

Preliminary data is collected at each school at the beginning of the school year. Each and every student is weighed, their resting heart rate, blood pressure and cholesterol are also measured.

After analyzing the data, it is found that the schools assigned to each of the three companies are relatively similar on all of these measures.

At the end of the year, data for students at each school will be collected again. A simple comparison of pre- and post-program measurements will be conducted. The company with the best outcomes will be selected to implement their program city-wide.

Action research is a great way to collect data on a specific issue, implement a change, and then evaluate the effects of that change. It is perhaps the most practical of all types of primary research .

Most likely, the results will be mixed. Some aspects of the change were effective, while other elements were not. That’s okay. This just means that additional modifications to the change plan need to be made, which is usually quite easy to do.

There are many methods that can be utilized, such as surveys, field observations , and program evaluations.

The beauty of action research is based in its utility and flexibility. Just about anyone in a school setting is capable of conducting action research and the information can be incredibly useful.

Aronson, E., & Patnoe, S. (1997). The jigsaw classroom: Building cooperation in the classroom (2nd ed.). New York: Addison Wesley Longman.

Gillis, A., & Jackson, W. (2002). Research Methods for Nurses: Methods and Interpretation . Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.

Lewin, K. (1946). Action research and minority problems. Journal of SocialIssues, 2 (4), 34-46.

Macdonald, C. (2012). Understanding participatory action research: A qualitative research methodology option. Canadian Journal of Action Research, 13 , 34-50. https://doi.org/10.33524/cjar.v13i2.37 Mertler, C. A. (2008). Action Research: Teachers as Researchers in the Classroom . London: Sage.

Dave Cornell (PhD)

Dr. Cornell has worked in education for more than 20 years. His work has involved designing teacher certification for Trinity College in London and in-service training for state governments in the United States. He has trained kindergarten teachers in 8 countries and helped businessmen and women open baby centers and kindergartens in 3 countries.

• Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ 25 Positive Punishment Examples
• Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ 25 Dissociation Examples (Psychology)
• Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ 15 Zone of Proximal Development Examples
• Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ Perception Checking: 15 Examples and Definition

Chris Drew (PhD)

This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU.

• Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link 25 Positive Punishment Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link 25 Dissociation Examples (Psychology)
• Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link 15 Zone of Proximal Development Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link Perception Checking: 15 Examples and Definition

2 thoughts on “21 Action Research Examples (In Education)”

Where can I capture this article in a better user-friendly format, since I would like to provide it to my students in a Qualitative Methods course at the University of Prince Edward Island? It is a good article, however, it is visually disjointed in its current format. Thanks, Dr. Frank T. Lavandier

Hi Dr. Lavandier,

I’ve emailed you a word doc copy that you can use and edit with your class.

Best, Chris.

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Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

Research papers from 2023 2023.

The Impact of Direct Integration of Social Emotional Lessons with Montessori Upper Elementary Children , Gina Awadallah

Mindfulness Practice/Mindful Breathing in the Classroom: The Effect on Unwanted Behaviors in the Classroom , Dana Banitt

The Effects of Authentic Writing on Third-Grade Student Motivation and Achievement , Caitlin Barrett

The Effects of Phonics Instruction on Reading Fluency in an Elementary Classroom , Jill Belrose

The Impact of Social-Emotional Learning Strategies on Performance Anxiety in the Fourth-Grade Music Classroom , Erika A. Bergson, Erin M. Lawler, and Jennifer L. Mickels

Montessori Parent Education: Supporting Early Childhood Independence through Social-Emotional Learning , Gloria Boesenberg

The Impact of a Technology-Based Intervention on Phonemic Awareness Skills In First Graders , Ashley M. Christenson

The Effect of Goal Setting and Reflection on Student Motivation in High School Classrooms , Jodi Clark and Stephanie Moses

How does blended learning affect student satisfaction and learning outcomes in a secondary science classroom? , Lisa Fuccello

The Effectiveness of Grace and Courtesy Lessons in a Montessori Environment , Megan Green

The Impact of Uninterrupted Work Periods on a School Leader’s Self-Efficacy , Heather Harvey

Literacy Instruction and Student Writing in Middle School Social Studies , Nicole Hedman

"How does explicit phonemic awareness instruction in a 6th-grade classroom, influence students reading fluency and comprehension?" , Danette M. Hendrickson

The Effects of Repeated Reading Interventions on First-Grade Reading Fluency , Brooks Julia

The Impact of Cognitively Guided Instruction on Students’ Mathematical Mindsets , Christina Keller

Breaking Bread: Co-Creating Mindful Eating Practices in Lower Elementary , Katie Keller

The Impact of Geometry Montessori Education on Students’ Skills and Mindsets , Laura E. Ledesma Ortiz

Increasing Concentration Through Multistep Practical Life Works in a Montessori 2-6 Classroom , Gay Luise

The Impact of Dialogue Journals and Circles on Social and Self-Awareness in 6th Grade , Karli Mann

Impacts of Makerspaces and Design Thinking on Creativity in Third-Grade Students , Renae McGauvran

Improving Student Critical Thinking Skills Through Explicit Teaching Strategies , Danielle M. Miller

The Effects of Music and Movement on Learning Sight Words , Khou Moua

The Impact of Role-Play on the Self-Regulation of Preschoolers Following the COVID-19 Pandemic , Jennifer Myers

Impacts of Using the Reggio Emilia Approach to Technology on Social Skills in an Early Learning Classroom , Nancy L. Nakaoka

The Effects of Work Plans on Independence in a Primary Montessori Classroom , Cynthia Narine

The effectiveness of roleplaying in teaching preschoolers social skills , Qi Pan

How does reading fluency affect reading comprehension in the elementary classroom , Poracha Robinson

The Connection Between Social-Emotional Learning and Academic Success , Jayna Ruprecht

Implementing Environmentally Conscious Skills into Toddlers’ Routines , Martha Sanchez Romero

Effects of Character Education on Independent Conflict Resolution , Emily Stein

Identifying Activities and Skills that Occur in Circle Time: An Action Plan to Engage Students Social-Emotional learning (SEL) at a Head Start , Priscilla A. Thomas

Developing Self-regulation , Terriann VanDeventer

Leveraging AI Tools to Reduce Teacher Stress and Workload , Kassidy Waddell

The Influence of Social Stories on Early Learners , Kate Whiting

Research Papers from 2022 2022

The Effects of Formative Feedback and Assessment Tools on Writing Proficiency and Motivation in Elementary Classrooms , Amy Anderson and Beth Horihan

The Impact of Discourse on Math Learning in Upper Elementary , Dawn Anderson

Efficacy of Community Building in Adult Online Learning Environments , Meghan Jennifer Gwin Anson M.Ed.

The Relationship Between Teacher Use of Exclusionary Discipline and Using a Problem-Solving Approach to Conflict with Eighth Grade Students , Rachel Austin and Becki Zeidler

The Effects of Guided Reading in a Primary Montessori Classroom , Taylor Bates, Mary Brocklesby, and Katie McGarrigle

The Impact of the Establish-Maintain-Restore Method on Teacher-Student Relationships in the Secondary Classroom , Melissa Bauer

The Relationship Between Multisensory Learning and Phonemic Awareness and Letter Identification in Kindergarten , Justine J. Beyer

"What Are the Effects Of Parental Informational Nights/Parenting Classes on the Parent’s Understanding of the Montessori Method?" , Mackenzie Brown and Kayla Gamble

The Effects of Inquiry-Based Activities on Content Vocabulary Retention in 4th-Grade Science Students , Jillian Burns

The Effects of Outdoor Education and Mindfulness Practices on Attention Issues of Third Graders , Elizabeth Carlson

Mindfulness, The Effects on Student Trauma and Stress Management , kayla Clauson

Focusing on Grace and Courtesy in the Hopes of Achieving a More Peaceful Classroom Community , Marshetta Davis

Improving Assessment Outcomes in Algebra and Functions Through Concrete Materials and Direct Instruction , Sandra Deacon and Courtney Pillers

Examining the Impact of Student-Centered Teaching Practices on Ownership and Belonging in a Middle School Orchestra Classroom , Claire Dill

The Effects of Scientific Inquiry Methodologies on Student Understanding of Evolution , Rachel Downing

"Mindfulness Breathing in Support of Emotional Self-Regulation in a Montessori Upper Elementary Environment" , Emily Farris

Improving Student Concentration Through Caregiver Education , Arianna Fearing

The Effects of Goal Setting and Self-Reflection on Student Work Completion and Work Habits in a Montessori Upper Elementary Environment , Kari F. Frentzel

Impact of Student-Driven Mathematical Assessment on Learning Behaviors in Sixth Grade Students , Cheri R. Gardner

Integrating Montessori Curriculum with State Standards in a Public Montessori School , Brenda Green

A Prepared Environment At Home For One Adolescent: The Effect of Exercises of Practical Life on Self-Regulation of an Adolescent , Melissa Herrick Franzen

The Effects of Daily Explicit Phonics Instruction on Reading Fluency in First Grade , Allison M. Johnson

Goal Setting and Student Conferencing Action Research Study , Jamie Johnson

The Influence of Role-Play Scenarios and Mindful Reflection on a Small Group of Diverse Daycare Providers’ Responses to Classroom Situations , Charlene Kam

The Effects of ENVoY on the Middle School Social Studies Classroom Behaviors , Christine Karst

Creativity as a Gateway to Mental Health: A Burnout Recovery Journey , Sarah Keller

Gratitude and Work Conferences in the Upper Elementary Montessori Classroom , Karrie Kelly

Parents Opinions Matter: The Impact of Incentives on Parent/Child Workshops within the Raising a Reader Program , Samantha Kennedy

The Effect of Antiracist Children’s Literature on Developing Racial Awareness in Early Childhood , Brittany L.M. Ladd

The Influence of Yoga and Meditation on Intrinsic Motivation in Early Childhood Education , Nicole Laviolette

Mindfulness Breathing and Self-Regulation: The Effects of COVID-19 on Children , Savannah Lontz

The Impact of Peer-Mediated Support on Social Interactions in a Middle School Inclusive Setting , Adam (AJ) J. Naatz

Effects of Practical Life Activities and Normalization in the 3–6-year-old Classroom , Lori North

The Effects of Leading with Empathy on Faculty Morale in a Montessori Setting , Andrea O'Brian

Sealing the Cracks: An Examination of Using Special Education Accommodations in the General Education Classroom , Luke C. Olley

The Effects of Cognitively Engaging Exercise on Children’s Executive Functioning , Emily E. Osborn

The Impact of Explicit Phonemic Awareness Instruction in a Kindergarten Classroom , Jaclyn Partridge

The Impact of Altering Physical and Human Components in Middle School Mathematics Classes on Assessment Performance , Raina Quinnell

The Effect of a Culturally Diverse Art Curriculum on the Early Childhood Student’s Cultural Competency , Erin Reynolds

The Impact of Read Aloud Summarizing Practice for English High School Students at an Online School , Samantha Savoie

The Impact of Reflective Feedback Strategies on Learning Behaviors on Seventh-Grade Social Studies Students , James Seegebarth

The Impact of Implementing Virtual Science Notebooks on Student Science Achievement in a Primary Classroom , Emily Sherman

The Effect of Morning Meetings on Positive Relationships and Negative Behaviors in Kindergarten Students , Kennedy Stace

The Effect of Differentiation on Literacy Performance in Kindergarten , Madeline R. Stevens

Finding roots in the Montessori social studies curriculum , Kimberly Torres

Self-Efficacy and Critical Race Theory: The Emotions and Identity of a Montessori Teacher , Marisa Tuffiash

The Impact on School Progress of Building a Child's Self-efficacy at Home , Diana Wali Eddine

The Impact of Mindfulness Activities on Teacher Stress and Student Behavior in a Second Grade Classroom , Michelle Wegrzyn

What Evidence of Change Emerges When Students with Behavioral and Learning Challenges are Placed in an Early Childhood Montessori Environment in Rural China? , Jiao J. Zhang

Research Papers from 2021 2021

"Developing Creative Thinking with Intentional Teaching Practices in Academic Subjects for Early Childhood Classrooms" , Rebecca Appleby

I See You, I Feel Me: Journaling for Confidence, Value, and Collective Efficacy Among Partner Teachers , Laura L. Asher

Sustaining Teacher Resilience for Montessori Education , Rebecca Britt

The Impact of Self-Set Educational Goals on Increasing Academic Performance in a Middle School Environment , Erin Brown and Alexandra Luthe

The Effects of Student Constructed Formative Assessment in the Elementary Classroom , Jessica Burgwald

The Impact of Creative Movement Presentations on Dance Participation and Student Attitudes Towards Dance in a Montessori Early Childhood Classroom , Laura Cefalu

Effects of classroom talk lessons on student perceptions of collaborative group work in a remote, synchronous Montessori elementary learning environment , Amy Chionis

The Impact of Extended Recess with Loose Parts Play on Montessori Primary Student Self-Regulation and On-Task Behaviour , Rossana Cogorno Maldonado

The Effects of Professional Development on Collective Teacher Efficacy , Rachel Cordova

The Effect of Using Literacy Assessment and Standards Based Teaching for Students with Cognitive Disabilities in Secondary Education , Annie Elias

The Impact of Creative Movement Presentations on Dance Participation and Student Attitudes Towards Dance in a Montessori Early Childhood Classroom , Ruth Flowers

The Effect of Control-Based Group Games on Self-Controlled Behavior in a Primary Montessori Classroom , Sophia Foreman

Spanish Vocabulary Acquisition and Implementation: The Effect in a Mixed-aged Montessori Primary Classroom , Nadhira Hathotuwegama

The Effects of Daily Read Alouds on Comprehension Acquisition in a Montessori Setting , Gina Hoffman

The Effects of Reciprocal Teaching on Reading Comprehension in the Virtual Middle School English Classroom , Sydney Jones

Supporting Self-Efficacy Toward Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Skills in Secondary Students , Amy Kienberger and Clara Raineri

Proximity and Preparation: The Keys to Engagement in Secondary Montessori Literature Seminars , Metta M. King

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Action Research

J. Spencer Clark , Kansas State University Follow Suzanne Porath , Kansas State University Follow Julie Thiele , Kansas State University Follow Morgan Jobe , Kansas State University Follow

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Download 1. What is Action Research for Classroom Teachers? (841 KB)

Download 2. Action Research as a Process for Professional Learning and Leadership (524 KB)

Download 3. Planning Your Research: Reviewing the Literature and Developing Questions (544 KB)

Download 4. Preparing for Action Research in the Classroom: Practical Issues (531 KB)

Download 5. Collecting Data in Your Classroom (543 KB)

Download 6. Analyzing Data from Your Classroom (539 KB)

Download 7. Let it Be Known! Sharing your Results (498 KB)

Download 8. The Action Research Process from a High School ELA Teacher’s Perspective (509 KB)

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Description

Action research is a common journey for graduate students in education and other human science fields. This book attempts to meet the needs of graduate students, in-service teachers, and any other educators interested in action research and/or self-study. The chapters of this book draw on our collective experiences as educators in a variety of educational contexts, and our roles guiding educator/researchers in various settings. All of our experiences have enabled us to question and refine our own understanding of action research as a process and means for pedagogical improvement. The primary purpose of this book is to offer clear steps and practical guidance to those who intend to carry out action research for the first time. As educators begin their action research journey, we feel it is vital to pose four questions: 1) What is action research, and how is it distinct from other educational research?; 2) When is it appropriate for an educator to conduct an action research project in their context?; 3) How does an educator conduct an action research project?; 4) What does an educator do with the data once the action research project has been conducted? We have attempted to address all four questions in the chapters of this book.

978-1-944548-29-2

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Action Research is also available in ebook form at: https://kstatelibraries.pressbooks.pub/gradactionresearch/

Action Research can be found in the New Prairie Press Pressbooks Catalog .

Action Research, Research for Teachers, Teacher Development, Education Research

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Clark, J. Spencer; Porath, Suzanne; Thiele, Julie; and Jobe, Morgan, "Action Research" (2020). NPP eBooks . 34. https://newprairiepress.org/ebooks/34

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1 What is Action Research for Classroom Teachers?

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• What is the nature of action research?
• How does action research develop in the classroom?
• What models of action research work best for your classroom?
• What are the epistemological, ontological, theoretical underpinnings of action research?

Educational research provides a vast landscape of knowledge on topics related to teaching and learning, curriculum and assessment, students’ cognitive and affective needs, cultural and socio-economic factors of schools, and many other factors considered viable to improving schools. Educational stakeholders rely on research to make informed decisions that ultimately affect the quality of schooling for their students. Accordingly, the purpose of educational research is to engage in disciplined inquiry to generate knowledge on topics significant to the students, teachers, administrators, schools, and other educational stakeholders. Just as the topics of educational research vary, so do the approaches to conducting educational research in the classroom. Your approach to research will be shaped by your context, your professional identity, and paradigm (set of beliefs and assumptions that guide your inquiry). These will all be key factors in how you generate knowledge related to your work as an educator.

Action research is an approach to educational research that is commonly used by educational practitioners and professionals to examine, and ultimately improve, their pedagogy and practice. In this way, action research represents an extension of the reflection and critical self-reflection that an educator employs on a daily basis in their classroom. When students are actively engaged in learning, the classroom can be dynamic and uncertain, demanding the constant attention of the educator. Considering these demands, educators are often only able to engage in reflection that is fleeting, and for the purpose of accommodation, modification, or formative assessment. Action research offers one path to more deliberate, substantial, and critical reflection that can be documented and analyzed to improve an educator’s practice.

Purpose of Action Research

As one of many approaches to educational research, it is important to distinguish the potential purposes of action research in the classroom. This book focuses on action research as a method to enable and support educators in pursuing effective pedagogical practices by transforming the quality of teaching decisions and actions, to subsequently enhance student engagement and learning. Being mindful of this purpose, the following aspects of action research are important to consider as you contemplate and engage with action research methodology in your classroom:

• Action research is a process for improving educational practice. Its methods involve action, evaluation, and reflection. It is a process to gather evidence to implement change in practices.
• Action research is participative and collaborative. It is undertaken by individuals with a common purpose.
• Action research is situation and context-based.
• Action research develops reflection practices based on the interpretations made by participants.
• Knowledge is created through action and application.
• Action research can be based in problem-solving, if the solution to the problem results in the improvement of practice.
• Action research is iterative; plans are created, implemented, revised, then implemented, lending itself to an ongoing process of reflection and revision.
• In action research, findings emerge as action develops and takes place; however, they are not conclusive or absolute, but ongoing (Koshy, 2010, pgs. 1-2).

In thinking about the purpose of action research, it is helpful to situate action research as a distinct paradigm of educational research. I like to think about action research as part of the larger concept of living knowledge. Living knowledge has been characterized as “a quest for life, to understand life and to create… knowledge which is valid for the people with whom I work and for myself” (Swantz, in Reason & Bradbury, 2001, pg. 1). Why should educators care about living knowledge as part of educational research? As mentioned above, action research is meant “to produce practical knowledge that is useful to people in the everyday conduct of their lives and to see that action research is about working towards practical outcomes” (Koshy, 2010, pg. 2). However, it is also about:

creating new forms of understanding, since action without reflection and understanding is blind, just as theory without action is meaningless. The participatory nature of action research makes it only possible with, for and by persons and communities, ideally involving all stakeholders both in the questioning and sense making that informs the research, and in the action, which is its focus. (Reason & Bradbury, 2001, pg. 2)

In an effort to further situate action research as living knowledge, Jean McNiff reminds us that “there is no such ‘thing’ as ‘action research’” (2013, pg. 24). In other words, action research is not static or finished, it defines itself as it proceeds. McNiff’s reminder characterizes action research as action-oriented, and a process that individuals go through to make their learning public to explain how it informs their practice. Action research does not derive its meaning from an abstract idea, or a self-contained discovery – action research’s meaning stems from the way educators negotiate the problems and successes of living and working in the classroom, school, and community.

While we can debate the idea of action research, there are people who are action researchers, and they use the idea of action research to develop principles and theories to guide their practice. Action research, then, refers to an organization of principles that guide action researchers as they act on shared beliefs, commitments, and expectations in their inquiry.

Reflection and the Process of Action Research

When an individual engages in reflection on their actions or experiences, it is typically for the purpose of better understanding those experiences, or the consequences of those actions to improve related action and experiences in the future. Reflection in this way develops knowledge around these actions and experiences to help us better regulate those actions in the future. The reflective process generates new knowledge regularly for classroom teachers and informs their classroom actions.

Unfortunately, the knowledge generated by educators through the reflective process is not always prioritized among the other sources of knowledge educators are expected to utilize in the classroom. Educators are expected to draw upon formal types of knowledge, such as textbooks, content standards, teaching standards, district curriculum and behavioral programs, etc., to gain new knowledge and make decisions in the classroom. While these forms of knowledge are important, the reflective knowledge that educators generate through their pedagogy is the amalgamation of these types of knowledge enacted in the classroom. Therefore, reflective knowledge is uniquely developed based on the action and implementation of an educator’s pedagogy in the classroom. Action research offers a way to formalize the knowledge generated by educators so that it can be utilized and disseminated throughout the teaching profession.

Research is concerned with the generation of knowledge, and typically creating knowledge related to a concept, idea, phenomenon, or topic. Action research generates knowledge around inquiry in practical educational contexts. Action research allows educators to learn through their actions with the purpose of developing personally or professionally. Due to its participatory nature, the process of action research is also distinct in educational research. There are many models for how the action research process takes shape. I will share a few of those here. Each model utilizes the following processes to some extent:

• Plan a change;
• Take action to enact the change;
• Observe the process and consequences of the change;
• Reflect on the process and consequences;
• Act, observe, & reflect again and so on.

Figure 1.1 Basic action research cycle

There are many other models that supplement the basic process of action research with other aspects of the research process to consider. For example, figure 1.2 illustrates a spiral model of action research proposed by Kemmis and McTaggart (2004). The spiral model emphasizes the cyclical process that moves beyond the initial plan for change. The spiral model also emphasizes revisiting the initial plan and revising based on the initial cycle of research:

Figure 1.2 Interpretation of action research spiral, Kemmis and McTaggart (2004, p. 595)

Other models of action research reorganize the process to emphasize the distinct ways knowledge takes shape in the reflection process. O’Leary’s (2004, p. 141) model, for example, recognizes that the research may take shape in the classroom as knowledge emerges from the teacher’s observations. O’Leary highlights the need for action research to be focused on situational understanding and implementation of action, initiated organically from real-time issues:

Figure 1.3 Interpretation of O’Leary’s cycles of research, O’Leary (2000, p. 141)

Lastly, Macintyre’s (2000, p. 1) model, offers a different characterization of the action research process. Macintyre emphasizes a messier process of research with the initial reflections and conclusions as the benchmarks for guiding the research process. Macintyre emphasizes the flexibility in planning, acting, and observing stages to allow the process to be naturalistic. Our interpretation of Macintyre process is below:

Figure 1.4 Interpretation of the action research cycle, Macintyre (2000, p. 1)

We believe it is important to prioritize the flexibility of the process, and encourage you to only use these models as basic guides for your process. Your process may look similar, or you may diverge from these models as you better understand your students, context, and data.

Definitions of Action Research and Examples

At this point, it may be helpful for readers to have a working definition of action research and some examples to illustrate the methodology in the classroom. Bassey (1998, p. 93) offers a very practical definition and describes “action research as an inquiry which is carried out in order to understand, to evaluate and then to change, in order to improve educational practice.” Cohen and Manion (1994, p. 192) situate action research differently, and describe action research as emergent, writing:

essentially an on-the-spot procedure designed to deal with a concrete problem located in an immediate situation. This means that ideally, the step-by-step process is constantly monitored over varying periods of time and by a variety of mechanisms (questionnaires, diaries, interviews and case studies, for example) so that the ensuing feedback may be translated into modifications, adjustment, directional changes, redefinitions, as necessary, so as to bring about lasting benefit to the ongoing process itself rather than to some future occasion.

Lastly, Koshy (2010, p. 9) describes action research as:

a constructive inquiry, during which the researcher constructs his or her knowledge of specific issues through planning, acting, evaluating, refining and learning from the experience. It is a continuous learning process in which the researcher learns and also shares the newly generated knowledge with those who may benefit from it.

These definitions highlight the distinct features of action research and emphasize the purposeful intent of action researchers to improve, refine, reform, and problem-solve issues in their educational context. To better understand the distinctness of action research, these are some examples of action research topics:

Examples of Action Research Topics

• Flexible seating in 4th grade classroom to increase effective collaborative learning.
• Structured homework protocols for increasing student achievement.
• Developing a system of formative feedback for 8th grade writing.
• Using music to stimulate creative writing.
• Weekly brown bag lunch sessions to improve responses to PD from staff.
• Using exercise balls as chairs for better classroom management.

Action Research in Theory

Action research-based inquiry in educational contexts and classrooms involves distinct participants – students, teachers, and other educational stakeholders within the system. All of these participants are engaged in activities to benefit the students, and subsequently society as a whole. Action research contributes to these activities and potentially enhances the participants’ roles in the education system. Participants’ roles are enhanced based on two underlying principles:

• communities, schools, and classrooms are sites of socially mediated actions, and action research provides a greater understanding of self and new knowledge of how to negotiate these socially mediated environments;
• communities, schools, and classrooms are part of social systems in which humans interact with many cultural tools, and action research provides a basis to construct and analyze these interactions.

In our quest for knowledge and understanding, we have consistently analyzed human experience over time and have distinguished between types of reality. Humans have constantly sought “facts” and “truth” about reality that can be empirically demonstrated or observed.

Social systems are based on beliefs, and generally, beliefs about what will benefit the greatest amount of people in that society. Beliefs, and more specifically the rationale or support for beliefs, are not always easy to demonstrate or observe as part of our reality. Take the example of an English Language Arts teacher who prioritizes argumentative writing in her class. She believes that argumentative writing demonstrates the mechanics of writing best among types of writing, while also providing students a skill they will need as citizens and professionals. While we can observe the students writing, and we can assess their ability to develop a written argument, it is difficult to observe the students’ understanding of argumentative writing and its purpose in their future. This relates to the teacher’s beliefs about argumentative writing; we cannot observe the real value of the teaching of argumentative writing. The teacher’s rationale and beliefs about teaching argumentative writing are bound to the social system and the skills their students will need to be active parts of that system. Therefore, our goal through action research is to demonstrate the best ways to teach argumentative writing to help all participants understand its value as part of a social system.

The knowledge that is conveyed in a classroom is bound to, and justified by, a social system. A postmodernist approach to understanding our world seeks knowledge within a social system, which is directly opposed to the empirical or positivist approach which demands evidence based on logic or science as rationale for beliefs. Action research does not rely on a positivist viewpoint to develop evidence and conclusions as part of the research process. Action research offers a postmodernist stance to epistemology (theory of knowledge) and supports developing questions and new inquiries during the research process. In this way action research is an emergent process that allows beliefs and decisions to be negotiated as reality and meaning are being constructed in the socially mediated space of the classroom.

Theorizing Action Research for the Classroom

All research, at its core, is for the purpose of generating new knowledge and contributing to the knowledge base of educational research. Action researchers in the classroom want to explore methods of improving their pedagogy and practice. The starting place of their inquiry stems from their pedagogy and practice, so by nature the knowledge created from their inquiry is often contextually specific to their classroom, school, or community. Therefore, we should examine the theoretical underpinnings of action research for the classroom. It is important to connect action research conceptually to experience; for example, Levin and Greenwood (2001, p. 105) make these connections:

• Action research is context bound and addresses real life problems.
• Action research is inquiry where participants and researchers cogenerate knowledge through collaborative communicative processes in which all participants’ contributions are taken seriously.
• The meanings constructed in the inquiry process lead to social action or these reflections and action lead to the construction of new meanings.
• The credibility/validity of action research knowledge is measured according to whether the actions that arise from it solve problems (workability) and increase participants’ control over their own situation.

Educators who engage in action research will generate new knowledge and beliefs based on their experiences in the classroom. Let us emphasize that these are all important to you and your work, as both an educator and researcher. It is these experiences, beliefs, and theories that are often discounted when more official forms of knowledge (e.g., textbooks, curriculum standards, districts standards) are prioritized. These beliefs and theories based on experiences should be valued and explored further, and this is one of the primary purposes of action research in the classroom. These beliefs and theories should be valued because they were meaningful aspects of knowledge constructed from teachers’ experiences. Developing meaning and knowledge in this way forms the basis of constructivist ideology, just as teachers often try to get their students to construct their own meanings and understandings when experiencing new ideas.  

Classroom Teachers Constructing their Own Knowledge

Most of you are probably at least minimally familiar with constructivism, or the process of constructing knowledge. However, what is constructivism precisely, for the purposes of action research? Many scholars have theorized constructivism and have identified two key attributes (Koshy, 2010; von Glasersfeld, 1987):

• Knowledge is not passively received, but actively developed through an individual’s cognition;
• Human cognition is adaptive and finds purpose in organizing the new experiences of the world, instead of settling for absolute or objective truth.

Considering these two attributes, constructivism is distinct from conventional knowledge formation because people can develop a theory of knowledge that orders and organizes the world based on their experiences, instead of an objective or neutral reality. When individuals construct knowledge, there are interactions between an individual and their environment where communication, negotiation and meaning-making are collectively developing knowledge. For most educators, constructivism may be a natural inclination of their pedagogy. Action researchers have a similar relationship to constructivism because they are actively engaged in a process of constructing knowledge. However, their constructions may be more formal and based on the data they collect in the research process. Action researchers also are engaged in the meaning making process, making interpretations from their data. These aspects of the action research process situate them in the constructivist ideology. Just like constructivist educators, action researchers’ constructions of knowledge will be affected by their individual and professional ideas and values, as well as the ecological context in which they work (Biesta & Tedder, 2006). The relations between constructivist inquiry and action research is important, as Lincoln (2001, p. 130) states:

much of the epistemological, ontological, and axiological belief systems are the same or similar, and methodologically, constructivists and action researchers work in similar ways, relying on qualitative methods in face-to-face work, while buttressing information, data and background with quantitative method work when necessary or useful.

While there are many links between action research and educators in the classroom, constructivism offers the most familiar and practical threads to bind the beliefs of educators and action researchers.  

Epistemology, Ontology, and Action Research

It is also important for educators to consider the philosophical stances related to action research to better situate it with their beliefs and reality. When researchers make decisions about the methodology they intend to use, they will consider their ontological and epistemological stances. It is vital that researchers clearly distinguish their philosophical stances and understand the implications of their stance in the research process, especially when collecting and analyzing their data. In what follows, we will discuss ontological and epistemological stances in relation to action research methodology.

Ontology, or the theory of being, is concerned with the claims or assumptions we make about ourselves within our social reality – what do we think exists, what does it look like, what entities are involved and how do these entities interact with each other (Blaikie, 2007). In relation to the discussion of constructivism, generally action researchers would consider their educational reality as socially constructed. Social construction of reality happens when individuals interact in a social system. Meaningful construction of concepts and representations of reality develop through an individual’s interpretations of others’ actions. These interpretations become agreed upon by members of a social system and become part of social fabric, reproduced as knowledge and beliefs to develop assumptions about reality. Researchers develop meaningful constructions based on their experiences and through communication. Educators as action researchers will be examining the socially constructed reality of schools. In the United States, many of our concepts, knowledge, and beliefs about schooling have been socially constructed over the last hundred years. For example, a group of teachers may look at why fewer female students enroll in upper-level science courses at their school. This question deals directly with the social construction of gender and specifically what careers females have been conditioned to pursue. We know this is a social construction in some school social systems because in other parts of the world, or even the United States, there are schools that have more females enrolled in upper level science courses than male students. Therefore, the educators conducting the research have to recognize the socially constructed reality of their school and consider this reality throughout the research process. Action researchers will use methods of data collection that support their ontological stance and clarify their theoretical stance throughout the research process.

Koshy (2010, p. 23-24) offers another example of addressing the ontological challenges in the classroom:

A teacher who was concerned with increasing her pupils’ motivation and enthusiasm for learning decided to introduce learning diaries which the children could take home. They were invited to record their reactions to the day’s lessons and what they had learnt. The teacher reported in her field diary that the learning diaries stimulated the children’s interest in her lessons, increased their capacity to learn, and generally improved their level of participation in lessons. The challenge for the teacher here is in the analysis and interpretation of the multiplicity of factors accompanying the use of diaries. The diaries were taken home so the entries may have been influenced by discussions with parents. Another possibility is that children felt the need to please their teacher. Another possible influence was that their increased motivation was as a result of the difference in style of teaching which included more discussions in the classroom based on the entries in the dairies.

Here you can see the challenge for the action researcher is working in a social context with multiple factors, values, and experiences that were outside of the teacher’s control. The teacher was only responsible for introducing the diaries as a new style of learning. The students’ engagement and interactions with this new style of learning were all based upon their socially constructed notions of learning inside and outside of the classroom. A researcher with a positivist ontological stance would not consider these factors, and instead might simply conclude that the dairies increased motivation and interest in the topic, as a result of introducing the diaries as a learning strategy.

Epistemology, or the theory of knowledge, signifies a philosophical view of what counts as knowledge – it justifies what is possible to be known and what criteria distinguishes knowledge from beliefs (Blaikie, 1993). Positivist researchers, for example, consider knowledge to be certain and discovered through scientific processes. Action researchers collect data that is more subjective and examine personal experience, insights, and beliefs.

Action researchers utilize interpretation as a means for knowledge creation. Action researchers have many epistemologies to choose from as means of situating the types of knowledge they will generate by interpreting the data from their research. For example, Koro-Ljungberg et al., (2009) identified several common epistemologies in their article that examined epistemological awareness in qualitative educational research, such as: objectivism, subjectivism, constructionism, contextualism, social epistemology, feminist epistemology, idealism, naturalized epistemology, externalism, relativism, skepticism, and pluralism. All of these epistemological stances have implications for the research process, especially data collection and analysis. Please see the table on pages 689-90, linked below for a sketch of these potential implications:

Again, Koshy (2010, p. 24) provides an excellent example to illustrate the epistemological challenges within action research:

A teacher of 11-year-old children decided to carry out an action research project which involved a change in style in teaching mathematics. Instead of giving children mathematical tasks displaying the subject as abstract principles, she made links with other subjects which she believed would encourage children to see mathematics as a discipline that could improve their understanding of the environment and historic events. At the conclusion of the project, the teacher reported that applicable mathematics generated greater enthusiasm and understanding of the subject.

The educator/researcher engaged in action research-based inquiry to improve an aspect of her pedagogy. She generated knowledge that indicated she had improved her students’ understanding of mathematics by integrating it with other subjects – specifically in the social and ecological context of her classroom, school, and community. She valued constructivism and students generating their own understanding of mathematics based on related topics in other subjects. Action researchers working in a social context do not generate certain knowledge, but knowledge that emerges and can be observed and researched again, building upon their knowledge each time.

Researcher Positionality in Action Research

In this first chapter, we have discussed a lot about the role of experiences in sparking the research process in the classroom. Your experiences as an educator will shape how you approach action research in your classroom. Your experiences as a person in general will also shape how you create knowledge from your research process. In particular, your experiences will shape how you make meaning from your findings. It is important to be clear about your experiences when developing your methodology too. This is referred to as researcher positionality. Maher and Tetreault (1993, p. 118) define positionality as:

Gender, race, class, and other aspects of our identities are markers of relational positions rather than essential qualities. Knowledge is valid when it includes an acknowledgment of the knower’s specific position in any context, because changing contextual and relational factors are crucial for defining identities and our knowledge in any given situation.

By presenting your positionality in the research process, you are signifying the type of socially constructed, and other types of, knowledge you will be using to make sense of the data. As Maher and Tetreault explain, this increases the trustworthiness of your conclusions about the data. This would not be possible with a positivist ontology. We will discuss positionality more in chapter 6, but we wanted to connect it to the overall theoretical underpinnings of action research.

Advantages of Engaging in Action Research in the Classroom

In the following chapters, we will discuss how action research takes shape in your classroom, and we wanted to briefly summarize the key advantages to action research methodology over other types of research methodology. As Koshy (2010, p. 25) notes, action research provides useful methodology for school and classroom research because:

Advantages of Action Research for the Classroom

• research can be set within a specific context or situation;
• researchers can be participants – they don’t have to be distant and detached from the situation;
• it involves continuous evaluation and modifications can be made easily as the project progresses;
• there are opportunities for theory to emerge from the research rather than always follow a previously formulated theory;
• the study can lead to open-ended outcomes;
• through action research, a researcher can bring a story to life.

Action Research Copyright © by J. Spencer Clark; Suzanne Porath; Julie Thiele; and Morgan Jobe is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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E-Portfolio in Field Study 2

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

Participation and Teaching Assistantship

Prepared by;

JHUN A. MENDOZA BSED IV - FILIPINO

Prepared to;

JEROME JEF ZAMORA FS2, INSTRUCTOR

The AUTHOR would like to express his whole-heartedly thanks to the following people who were able to give their willingness to help, for their unwavering and not measurable guide and support, encouragement, financial assistance and golden time for the accomplishment of this E-Portfolio. First and foremost, my utmost appreciation to Mr. Jerome Jef M. Zamora, Field Study 2 Professor of Mindoro State University, who gave me the golden opportunity to do this wonderful project and for his professional guidance and valuable support, in which it is very useful in the days to come. To selected classmates and friends (JUJU Family) for their help in building ideas and that despite of the distance, they have thoroughly e-mailed the information I needed. I would like to express also my special thanks of gratitude to my family who supported me morally and financially. Last but not the least, the one above all of us, the Almighty God, for answering my prayers for giving me the strength and wisdom, thank you so much Dear God.

EMBEDING ACTION RESEARCH FOR REFLECTIVE TEACHING

UNDERSTANDING AR CONCEPTS, PROCESSES &amp; MODELS

MATCHING PROBLEMATIC LEARNING SITUATION WITH PROBABLE ACTION

PREPARING THE LEANING ENVIRONMENT: AN OVERVIEW

ENHANCING A FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

LEARNING EPISODE 2

Submitted By; JHUN A. MENDOZA BSEd-IV Filipino

EMBEDDING ACTION RESEARCH FOR REFLECTIVE TEACHING

Participate &amp; Assist Making a List of Completed Action Research Titles by Teachers in the Field 1. Make a library or on-line search of the different Completed Action Research Titles Conducted by Teachers. 2. Enter the list in the matrix similar to the one below. 3. Submit your list of (5) Titles of Completed Action Research Studies to your mentor as references. Inventory of Sample Action Research Conducted by Teachers List of Completed Action Research Titles Ex. Differentiated Instruction in Teaching English for Grade Four Classes 1. Close Reading Strategies for Difficult Text: The Effects on Comprehension and Analysis at the Secondary Level 2. Improving Mathematics Performance Among Grade 11 Students Through JIGSAW Technique 3. Level of Readiness of Grade 7 Students on Online Distances Learning Modality: Basis for Action Planning 4. Blended Learning &amp; Teaching Writing: A Teacher Action Research Project 5. Improving the Basic Writing Skills of Grade 7 Learners in Filipino: An Action Research in Filipino Language

Author/Authors 

Mary Joy Olicia

Kimberly Goblirsch

Pede I. Casing

Jeanette Q. Alvarez

Faye Marsha G. Camahalan Andrea G. Ruley Joey R. Cabigao

Notice Based on your activity on Making a List of Completed Action Research Titles, Let’s find out what you have noticed by answering the following questions. QUESTIONS 1. What have you noticed about the action research titles? Do the action research (AR) titles imply problems to be solved? Yes (/) No ( ) If YES, identify the problems from the title you have given. Answer in the space provided.

2. What interpretation about action research can you make out of your answer in Question No. 1? 3. Write the Title and your interpretation of the study from the title.

MY ANSWER 1. The identified problem to be solved in title no. 1 is the effective strategies on reading difficult text and what is the effects of using comprehension and analysis at the Secondary Level. 2. The identified problem to be solved in title no. 2 is how JIGSAW technique can improve the mathematics performance of Grade 11 students. 3. The identified problem to be solved in title no. 3 is making a basis of action planning regarding to the level of readiness on an Online Distances Learning Modality of Grade 7 students. 4. The identified problem to be solved in title no. 4 is to conduct an action research project regarding to the blended learning and teaching writing. 5. The identified problem to be solved in title no. 5 is how to improve the basic writing skills of Grade 7 learners in Filipino. Title of the Action Research: 1. Close Reading Strategies for Difficult Text: The Effects on Comprehension and Analysis at the Secondary Level From the title, I think, the study focuses on finding in what ways close reading strategies of difficult text can impact comprehension and analysis. 2. Improving Mathematics Performance Among Grade 11 Students Through JIGSAW Technique From the title, I think, the study aims to addressed on how to improve the mathematics performance of Grade 11 students using the JIGSAW technique. 3. Level of Readiness of Grade 7 Students on Online Distances Learning Modality: Basis for Action Planning From the title, I think, the study aims to assess the level of readiness of students on Online Learning by using different online platform/application and so on. 4. Blended Learning &amp; Teaching Writing: A Teacher Action Research Project

From the title, I think, the study focus on utilizing the blended learning and create a design that will fit into needed factors to improve the student’s writing skills. 5. Improving the Basic Writing Skills of Grade 7 Learners in Filipino: An Action Research in Filipino Language From the title, I think, the study aims to enhance the level of basic writing skills of Grade 7 students in Filipino class or subject. I think the author/s took a background study for the past 4. What do you think did the author/s do with the identified problem as presented research or according to what he/she want to focus on. Furthermore, author/s conduct a survey, case study, in their titles? observation and more in this kind of action research. In other way, the author/s used their experience or daily observation that led them to conduct a research about it and be given a solution and will contribute to the next researchers. I believe that it caused the author/s to conduct a research to provide answer/solution to those problems and to make changes or improvements related to the teaching strategy of the teachers, and the primary objectives which is to improve the performance, knowledge and learning of learners.

Analyze Let us continue to examine and analyze what you have noticed and interpreted in the previous activity. Key Question

1. From what sources do you think, did the authors identify the problems of their action research?

2. What do you think is the teacher’s intention in conducting the action research?

3. What benefit do you get as a student in FS 2 in understanding and doing action research?

4. In what ways, can you assist your mentor in his/her Action Research Activity?

My Answer Choose from the options given. You may check more than one answer. Choices:  Copied from research books.  From daily observation of their teaching practice.  From difficulties they observed of their learners.  From their own personal experience. From the told experiences of their coteachers. Choices:  To find a solution to the problem situation. To comply with the requirements of the principal.  To improve teaching practice.  To try out something, if it works. To prove oneself as better than the others. Choices:  Prepare me for my future job.  Get good grades in the course.  Learn and practice being an action researcher.  Improve my teaching practice.  Exposure to the realities in the teaching profession.  Become a better teacher everyday. Choices:  By co-researching with my mentor.  By assisting in the design of the intervention.  By assisting in the implementation of the AR. By just watching what is being done.

Reflect Based on the readings you made and the previous activities that you have done, 1. What significant ideas or concepts have you learned about action research? I learned that research helps us to improve life, but for teachers, it helps to enhance the reflective teaching process as it also enhances awareness. Furthermore, action research enables teachers to reflect on their practice to improve it as what we are preparing as of now to become more autonomous in professional and build craft knowledge, also to recognized and appreciate own expertise. 2. Have you realized that there is a need to be an action researcher as a future teacher? Yes (/) No ( ). If yes, complete the sentence below. I believe, teachers need to continuously develop their profession. The teacher is able to empowered professionally, action research enables the teacher not only to practice but also to improve the current situation. Action research contributes one aspect of the practices would like to improve to the teachers and by doing this, it helps teachers to grow professionally and to show how they are extending their own professional knowledge.

Write Action Research Prompts

Observe From what teaching principles of theories can this problem be anchored? 

I have observed and noticed that Action Research begins with a problem or a problematic situation. Some problematic situations that I have observed and noticed is the new normal education system.

Reflect What have I realized? What do I hope to achieve? 

I realized that for every teaching learning problem, there is a solution. A probable solution to the problematic situation above are (1) identify if teachers and students can afford to get gadgets that can be used in online class, ((2) are they enough skills and knowledge how to use any online platforms application, (3) if they have sufficient financial to sustain the daily expenses for the load, (4) what will be the effect of this to the performance of teachers to teach and students to learn and (5) in overall result, what will be the best thing we can do to help and assist our teachers and student for the better teaching and learning.

Plan What strategies, activities, innovations can I employ to improve the situation or solve the problem? 

As a future action researcher I can plan for an appropriate intervention like attending seminars that will benefitted my profession. Reading daily articles will also help me to be aware on what’s happening in my surrounding and keep observing and make my experience in practice teaching be meaningful and creative.

Act If I conduct or implement my plan, what can be its title? 

If I will implement my doable plan in the future, my title would be “I Can, I Will, I Will Become” or “I Can Be an EXTRAORDINARY”.

Check for Mastery Direction: Choose the best answer. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Work on my Artifacts Your artifact will be an Abstract of a completed action research. Improving the Basic Writing Skills of Grade 7 Learners in Filipino: An Action Research in Filipino Language Joey Ramos Cabigao School Principal, Department of Education Schools Division of City of Malolos, Region III, Philippines Abstract This action research primarily aims to remediate the low level of basic writing skills (writing in cursive, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and paragraphing) of Grade 7 learners in Filipino class/subject in a government high school. The researcher conducted (1) assessment of learners’ writing competency through pre and post-tests; (2) preparation/development of writing exercises; (3) activities are emphasizing the conduct of writing activities in and out of the classroom; and (4) home visitations to reinforce the teacher’s and parents’ monitoring on the progress of their children. A five-point rating scale was utilized in assessing learners’ outputs. An increase of 1.56 was recorded in the general rating of pre to post-test, which shows that 80% improvement is manifested among the learners’ basic writing competencies, proving that the intervention used is effective in achieving the target of the study. The study reveals the significant role of teachers in arousing learners’ interest in writing and making them realize its importance. The study holds the importance of having learning activities and worksheets appropriate to the level of learners’ needs to improve/enhance the unique skills in writing of each learner. Just like other researchers, this study encourages the promptly remediate the classroom- and school-based problems through the conduct of research for a rational and systematic way of addressing it. With the aid of well a documented study in all research endeavors, this will guide other teachers and school heads to experience the same plight of addressing the gaps in schools effectively. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8842-6828

LEARNING EPISODE 3

SUBMITTED BY; JHUN A. MENDOZA BSEd-IV Filipino UNDERSTANDING AR CONCEPTS, PROCESSES &amp; MODELS

Participate and Assist You are now ready to participate and assist! Understanding fully the concepts and the process of Action Research will enable you to learn and provide the needed assistance to your teacher mentor in doing Action Research.

Notice What concepts have been emphasized in the task and infographics? Give at least four. The tasks and infographics shows of systematic process and constantly rotating for the further improvement and development. The tasks and infographics demonstrate an extensive and intensive process which start with the simple to depth study. The tasks and infographics shows that in order to conduct a AR, it must go through an artistic and creative process like observation, reflection, planning, action, evaluation and modification. The tasks and infographics displayed the cycles continues repeatedly and changing.

Since the 3 models are all in action research, what are the common elements of the three? Based on my observation, the common elements of the model are their similarities and process. All of these model involves action, evaluation and reflection, based on the evidence gathered, changes in practice are then implemented. Each model demonstrates by identifying a problem to develop and implement a plan by collecting the analyzed data that can get and share the results. Furthermore, the common elements of three model are being/ having clear goals, an adequate objective/preparation with appropriate methods, significant results and reflective critique.

Analyze Choose the AR sample Abstract that you submitted in Episode 2. Analyze the components vis-à-vis only one model out of the 3 presented. Model A-McNiff &amp; Whitehead, 2006 Title and Author of the Action Research: THE INFLUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN CHEMISTRY IN CROSS RIVER STATE By STEPHEN A. ADALIKWU AND ISAAC T. IORKPILGH Key Components Entry from your Sample AR OBSERVE

The Problem This research work investigated the influence of instructional materials (teaching aids) on students’ academic performance in senior secondary school Chemistry in Cross River State. Reflection The study revealed that students taught with instructional materials performed significantly better than those taught without instructional materials and also that the use of instructional materials generally improved students’ understanding of concepts and led to high academic achievements. Plan of Action Find out the influence of instructional materials on academic performance of senior secondary school student’s in chemistry. Compare the performance of two sets of students in which one of the groups is taught with instructional materials and the other without instruction materials (Experimental and Control group respectively.) Implementation The researcher adopted a quasiexperimental design for this study. The population consist of the entire senior secondary one in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State. A total of one hundred (100) students were sampled from five secondary schools using random sampling technique and a stratified random sampling technique was used to select the five schools in order to have a true representative sample. Findings The findings in the research hypothesis showed that there is a statistical relationship between the academic performance of chemistry students and the use of instructional materials in Teaching-learning. The result agrees with the findings of Inyang (1997) that teaching is effective when the teacher make use of instructional materials. (Lance et al, 1999; Todd &amp; Kuklthau, 2004.) Confirmed a significant correlation between the presence and the use of library materials by the students and teachers with better performance. Similarly, (Todd &amp; Kuklthau, 2005, p.82.) found a simple correlation between the student’s inputs and better academic achievement. Recommendation Based on the results of the study the following recommendations are made:

1. The teachers should encourage active student’s participation in class work by adopting instructional materials interactions. 2. Workshops, seminars, conferences or orientation courses on chemistry should be designed to acquaint the teachers with the latest development in the field of chemistry. 3. Well-equipped chemistry laboratories should be established in all the schools by owners. 4. Chemistry teachers should improvise instructional materials for teaching learning process. 5. Government should within it lean financial resources ensure equitable distribution of instructional materials to schools in urban and rural areas for effective learning and teaching of science. 6. The ministry of education should evenly distribute trained and qualified chemistry teachers to all the secondary schools. 7. The ministry of Education should donate enough money; co-operation organizations as well as other meaningful citizens should donate money for the provision of books that are up to date and other resource materials in the schools for use by both teachers and students. 8. The government should make educational technology a compulsory course in the teachers’ curriculum of training colleges and colleges of education both in the state and federal levels.

What you have understood about the concept of Action Research and how will these be utilized in your practice? Action research is systematic multi-staged cyclical process, which seeks to improve practice through the implementation of informed and incremental change. Action research is not done in isolation but seeks out opportunities for collaboration and the participation of other agents. You will draw on the findings of other researchers to help develop actions and interpret the consequences. As an action researcher, or teacher-researcher, you will generate research. Enquiring into your practice will inevitably lead you to question the assumptions and values that are often overlooked during the course of normal school life. Assuming the habit of inquiry can become an ongoing commitment to learning and developing as a practitioner. As a teacher-researcher you assume the responsibility for being the agent and source of change.

Reflect As a future teacher, is conducting an Action Research worth doing? Yes! As a teacher, we should create professional development opportunities that promote teacher collaboration Conducting research within the classroom is very valuable to the development of teaching and learning. I believe that, as a future teacher, conducting action research helps me to develop new experience and knowledge directly related to the classroom and it will also guide me to promote reflective teaching and thinking. Conducting action research worth doing because it will help me as a future teacher to be reflective and enables me not only to practice but to improve the situation under which practices is done. I can also empower my professional and able to understand the changes from outside.

How can AR be useful for every Classroom Teacher? One important matter in conducting AR is, it enables teachers to reflect on what they would like to change, explore what others are doing in that field and experiment with practices in a controlled fashion. Action research is a meaningful way for a teacher to find out why students perform the way they do. The teacher will recognize and wonder about problem in the classroom. Teacher was able to present a way to be reflective practitioner within the classroom and share new knowledge with other teacher to try own informal studies within their classrooms. Action research provides way to use knowledge immediately in your classroom, it allows you to think critically about why and how you run your art classroom.

Remembering my classroom observation in FS 1, I noticed that there are many questions that I raised in my mind. These include: a. Do parents monitor and focus on their children in answering their modules and set a high expectation in fulfilling academic performance? b. Do students learn better by using computer/online platform and have high level of computer proficiency by using it. c. What other strategies can be developed or used by the teacher in teaching in this new normal and how can students learn more effectively?

Thinking deeply about these problem, perhaps something must have done to solve the problem or answer the question like: a. Daily parental monitoring of children’s response to the modules and time management set-up in answering modules. b. Teachers can give students some task that will test to the level of proficiency of students using computer. Teachers can also require students to used Microsoft Apps and more in complying their activities or tasks. c. Attending on workshop/seminar that focuses in the preparation of instructional material and changes in curricular in this new normal set up of education. Observation can be used to create an action to a problem.

Now, that I am in FS2, I plan to make for my solution to problem b, empowering and enhancing the level of computer proficiency of students. This will help to the learners to adapt on how to be skilled and updated on using computer in this new normal. In my observation, some students are not familiar or have not enough knowledge on using computer. Some students are having difficulty in complying their activity/task because they do not have ability to make it creative and decorated. I believe that students will be benefited if this study will fulfill to create a build best action for it.

My action will come later, given enough time in FS2 or during my Teaching Internship.

Check for Mastery Direction: Check from the choices, what answer/s respond to the question correctly and put an X if otherwise. 1. Action research requires teacher to be: / Observant of what is happening in the classroom. / asking oneself on how to improve teaching. / following the daily routine all the time. / finding ways on how children should learn better. x blaming learners for their inability to learn. 2. There are many ways of doing action research which follow a cyclical process. The process includes: / Observe, Reflect, Plan, Act x Observe, Plan, Act, Reflect x Plan, Observe, Act, Reflect x Modify, Observe, Plan, Reflect 3. As an action research, I will be developing my skills as a person who is / Systematic / Reflective / Rigorous / Futuristic / Situational 4. On which of the following would you choose to conduct an Action Research. Why? / Changes in the classroom practices. Times have changed and classroom practices should change if we want to keep our students motivated. It is a challenge for the teachers, as well. We must change our classroom practices to meet unprecedented challenges in preparing students for the unpredictable demands of the future workplace. Effects of curriculum restructing. Why? Understanding of self as a teacher. Why? / Teaching a new process to the students. As time continues to progress, the teaching process also continues to change. There must be continuous change in the education system, expand and develop various teaching strategies in any field. Continuing to study these types of research, I believe that it will further improve and extend the considerations in teaching profession and new process of teaching-learning. 5. Which of the following relates closely to what action research is? / Used to address practical problems in the classroom. / Refers only to everyday life of the learners. / Allows teachers to study their own classroom. / Bring theories and practices together.

Work on my Artifacts Your artifacts will be a full blown completed Action Research.

THE INFLUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN CHEMISTRY IN CROSS RIVER STATE By STEPHEN A. ADALIKWU AND ISAAC T. IORKPILGH

ABSTRACT This research work investigated the influence of instructional materials (teaching aids) on students’ academic performance in senior secondary school Chemistry in Cross River State. A two group pre-test pos-test quasi-experimental design was adopted for the study. One research question and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. A total of 100 senior secondary one (SS1) Chemistry students were selected from five (5) Schools in Yakuur Local Government Area of CrossRiver State through simple random sampling and stratified random sampling techniques. Fifty SSI students (Experimental group) were taught with instructional materials and another forty (Control group) were taught without instructional materials. A validated Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) was used to gather data for the study and a split-half was carried out using the Pearson product moment correlation to obtain a reliability coefficient of 0.67. Independent t-test was used to test the hypothesis at 0.05 significant level while the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient at that level was used to analyze the research questions. The study revealed that students taught with instructional materials performed significantly better than those taught without instructional materials and also that the use of instructional materials generally improved students’ understanding of concepts and led to high academic achievements. Recommendations were made on how to improve academic performance of chemistry students by encouraging the use of instructional materials in teaching-learning chemistry. KEY WORDS: Instructional Materials, Teaching-Learning, Sampling Techniques, Academic Performance and Experimental Group.

file:///C:/Users/jhun/Downloads/91018-Article%20Text-229475-1-10-20130719.pdf

LEARNING EPISODE 4

SUBMITTED BY; JHUN A. MENDOZA BSEd-IV Filipino MATCHING PROBLEMATIC LEARNING SITUATION WITH PROBABLE ACTION

Participate and Assist What five problems have you notified from the words that you have encircle? Make a statement. Write in the space below. The problems that I identified are; 1. Most of the students faces difficulty to understand the modules/lesson because some teachers have not enough time to teach and just giving a works, activities, tasks and test only. 2. Poor and low connectivity, involvement and cooperation of teachers-students failed on getting/reaching a quality progress of teaching-learning. 3. Teachers need to get the students attention during online class, motivation can use to get the focus of students. 4. Due of this Covid, teachers are having a hard time to teach their lessons and reports, in this case, teachers have difficulty in reaching the progress of students learning. 5. Some students having a lack of time and interest to focus in their studies and cooperate in online class due to the new normal and covid.

Supposed, the problem you have spotted is: COMPREHENSION. How can you assist your mentor, after knowing that the learners have difficulty in comprehension? Make a Choice for your ACTION. A. Conduct a tutorial lesson. B. Show video lesson to enhance comprehension. C. Make a learning task to develop comprehension. Suppose you choose letter A. Conduct a Tutorial. So you have identified the SOLUTION that matches the PROBLEM which DIFFICULTY in Comprehension. The Problem is:

Difficulty in Comprehension of Students in use of online technology during class.

The Action is:

Conduct a Tutorial

Can you also choose letter B: Show video lesson as a SOLUTION for the same PROBLEM? Explain: Yes. Showing video lesson in learning has positive outcomes on many levels, including increased motivation and deeper learning, and can particularly affect students’ ability to manage discussion and identify problems. Video learning is effective on both sides of the classroom and make engages both in student and educator in a one-on-one relationship without ever being in the same room. Video can help address this gap in training by giving both general and special education teachers the opportunity to teach students at their own pace. Students can re-watch a video multiple times in order to gain and retain learning material. The Problem is:

Show video lessons

What about letter C as a SOLUTION to the same PROBLEM? Why? If students are faced with difficulty in using online technology during class, teachers should try and find another method that will test the student’s ability to master the use of technologies Every teacher and student finds it difficult to keep up with the new education system, although the teacher needs to meet the needs of his or her student in order to achieve the high learning progress of the students. By providing learning tasks that will be used by some online apps, here the ability of a student to be fully sharpened and measured to further develop the ability to use the technologies often used today in the classroom. The Problem is:

Make learning tasks to improve comprehension

Notice What have you noticed of the problem identified above? Can there be more than one solution to the problem? Students inevitably encounter various types of learning problems and some matters. As a teacher, you must be prepared for such situations, know the ones to consider, do and share solutions to problems. Solutions can be found but they are anchored in the weight or difficulty of the problem to be solved. You just have to be creative, smart and analytical in every detail, process and the result/outcome of the solution to a problem. Every step that is taken can be effective or even fruitless, but as a teacher you need to be patient and persevere to find a solution to the problem that you face when it comes to the field of teaching. Every success of a student depends on the teacher, be complacent, self-confident, have interaction with students and don’t forget to trust the Almighty God.

Analyze Let us try to look into the following scenarios in the daily life of a teacher. This scenario might also be similar to the class you have observed and noticed. SCENARIO A: Miss Fely is a grade four teacher in a typical elementary school. She has forty learners in her class. One half of them cannot classify animals into vertebrates and invertebrates. She has been repeating the same science lesson for two weeks, yet no progress was observed. This situation has been bothering Miss Fely. 

Can you identify, Miss Fely’s problem? Because of the amount Miss Fely was holding, she had a hard time getting to the next lesson because some of her students were struggling and being left behind. Half of her students are learning and others cannot tell the difference between what she is discussing. Although she repeatedly discussed it with half of her students, she did not see any progress in them, which worried her. Can you find a solution to solve her problem? a. Before she should start discussing the lesson, she should give it an assessment to find out who/how many of them are already knowledgeable and gather other students who are very weak in the lesson. b. She can use visuals picture, video lessons which related to the lesson so that students can fully understand and clarify the animal into vertebrates or invertebrates. What solution can solve Miss Fely’s problem? The answer to Miss Fely&#39;s problem are the solutions mentioned above. How? With clever and efficient strategy, she can use the above mentioned solution, she can also find more effective solution if she will be resourceful and creative in her teaching especially in science subject. Are they matched with the problem? I believed that the solution mentioned above are matched in the problem of Miss Fely.

SCENARIO B: Sir Ryan teaches in a disadvantaged urban community. Most of his learners come from families that are disrupted, either with single parents or with their guardians who stand only as parents. They are deprived of the necessary food, clothing and shelter. 

Can you identify the most probable teaching-learning problem/s in the class of Sir Ryan? a. Teaching in an urban community. b. Students with troubled family background and lack in basic needs. Can you propose a solution to solve one of the problems that you have identified? Assign alternative tasks/activities that student can build knowledge/understanding by connecting new information to their personal situation and experiences. He can also provide contextually rich and varied assignments/activities which focusing curricula on local environment and involving community and family educational activities. Sir Ryan should allow himself to learn more about the interest and motivation of his student in their diverse classroom.

Reflect After reading the two scenario given above, how would you identifying problematic situation and finding solutions to these problems help you to become a better teacher. Explain: Based on the two scenarios given above, identifying problematic situation and finding solution helps me to become a better teacher. Problem-solving skills would help me to determine why their problem is happening and how to resolve that problem. By this skill, I have the ability to encourage my students to believe in their own skill/ability. This would help me to become a better teacher to empowered my characteristics like building communication, encourage independence, to be sensitive and encourage thoroughness and patience. I believe that a teacher should be aware of principles and strategies of good problem-solving in his/her discipline. Helping students to identify their own problem-solving errors is part of helping them to develop effective problem-solving skills.

Write Action Research Prompts Using any one examples of problems in this activity, answer the AR prompts that follow; OBSERVE What problematic situation prevails in the classroom? 

Lack and limited communication and connectivity of teacher and students.

REFLECT What changes do you want to achieve?  

Fun and meaningful teaching-learning using innovative instructional material beyond New Normal. Getting high educational quality that help/assist to the progress of students learning.

PLAN What strategies will you use to improve the situation.  

Creative/Innovative task and activities that will enhanced and empowered to the development of student performance. Use of modern technology/ social application that make a colorful teaching way and innovation.

Act What would be the title of your Action Research should you conduct the study Add: Solution/ Actions

Check for Mastery Here are some problematic situations in the teaching-learning environment as observed and experienced by the teacher. Match the problem listed in column A with corresponding probable solutions in Column B. You may use the letter once, more than once or not all. PROBLEMATIC SITUATION B/F 1. Connectivity for online class

PROBABLE SOLUTIONS/ACTIONS A. Rearrange classroom setting

A/D 2. Disruptive Classroom behavior A/D 3. Poor interest and motivation

B. Maximize use of varied instructional materials C. Regular parents-teachers circles

C 4. Parental non-involvement

D. Use of awards

E 5. At risk students

E. Group studies and Study Buddies F. Use of Flexible Learning G. Silent Reading Exercises

Work on my Artifacts Your artifact will be an Abstract of a completed Action Research.

Title of Action Research:  The Effect of Blended Learning Model on Senior High School Students’ Achievement Author/s:  Iga Setia Utami Abstract: The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of blended learning model on senior high school students’ achievement. This study used experimental research method with randomized control group pretest-posttest design. The study was carried out with 63 students attending information and communication technology course, where 31 of whom were in the experimental group and 32 of whom were in the control group. In the experimental group, teacher used blended learning as instructional model, while in the control group, the course was taught based on traditional teaching model. Data collected from the result of learning objective test with 35 questions. The research showed that the learning result of experimental group is higher than the learning result of control group. Based on the result of this research, it can be concluded that the blended learning model contributed more to the students’ achievement. Keywords: blended learning, instructional model, students’ achievement Identify the Problem in the Study:  This research was to determine the effect of blended learning model on senior high school students’ achievement. Identify the Action Taken in the Study:  This study used experimental research method with randomized control group pretest-posttest design. The study was carried out with 63 students attending information and communication technology course, where 31 of whom were in the experimental group and 32 of whom were in the control group. In the experimental group, teacher used blended learning as instructional model, while in the control group, the course was taught based on traditional teaching model.

https://www.shs-conferences.org/articles/shsconf/pdf/2018/03/shsconf_gctale2018_00027.pdf

LEARNING EPISODE 5

SUBMITTED BY; JHUN A. MENDOZA BSEd-IV Filipino

Participate and Assist What will you do to assist your mentor in setting up a conducive learning environment in the following conditions: 1. BULLETIN BOARD DISPLAY: In addition to adding color in a classroom, bulletin boards can be interactive teaching tools. If I will assist my mentor in setting up a conducive bulletin board, I’ll make sure that it reflects new lessons and help visual learners better understand new material, reinforce new words and concepts. I believe that, I can interact with bulletin boards by helping my mentor to create them or to provide their content. I will assist my mentor by working together to create great works of art by painting, drawing, or making a collage of a section of a famous work of art that will then be pieced together with other student works to create the larger finished masterpiece. We will provide ideas on how to make our bulletin informative, colorful and creative. We should put up-to-date information, pictures and articles here, we will also be careful in designing it to make it more interesting for other teachers or students to read or observe. 2. SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION: In this way of assisting my mentor, I will help him or her provide the tasks or activities he or she will be asked to do in discussion. I will also provide other instructional materials that will be needed in the discussion, I will assist him in conducting the class and also participate in events or activities that will also help in the growth of my learning. If I will give the opportunity, I will also provide a response/feedback (comments/question) to what the students are doing. If my mentor is giving a question to the class, I will help him/her to take notes those student who answered and participate in the discussion. I will also get their suggestion if necessary for the best flow of the class discussion. 3. CHECKING CLASS ATTENDANCE IN A VIRTUAL CLASSROOM (I.E. GOOGLE MEET OR ZOOM): In this situation, I can assist my mentor by listing the students who attended. While fixing some technical problems I will be calling out the names of who is inside the virtual classroom. In this way he will be able to prepare the lesson well. Before class ends I will give him a copy of those inside the room before class starts to find out who is still inside after the discussion.

Notice Learning Environment 1: 

What have you noticed of the display in the class bulletin board? What message or them does it convey? If the basis is what I have observed in a school, I can say that the articles, photos and so on are informative. The posts here are about events or programs, you can also find here various pictures full of gathering ideas, you can also read here announcements and other articles related to the school and events in our country or abroad. What makes it attractive to the learners? A variety of materials were used to make the bulletin colorful and creative. The ones posted here are also modern and have a corresponding combination of colors of materials used so it is not painful to the eye. You can also see here other popular issues that are happening, there is also educational information and ideas so it is interesting to the eye and attention of those who pass by it. Does it help in the learning process? YES How? I believe that interacting with bulletin boards after their creation is important to reinforce learning. Simple review activities led by the teacher, such as question and answer games, can keep student attention focused on the board and help cement new concepts. Bulletin boards can be “another teacher” in your classroom.

Learning Environment 2: 

If the teacher is using a distance delivery learning through the modules, where is most likely the learning space of the students? The other learning space of the students is in their respective home. Can you describe? Like me, I enjoy studying at home more when I am comfortable and able to move around properly. Silence is also very helpful so as not to lose focus and attention on what I am doing. How can you as a teacher help to make such environment conducive for learning? In this situation, I can help to ensure a conducive environment for learning through teacherparents circles. I will ask them to provide a place that will help her child to study. I can share or show an example of a conducive environment so that parents can apply it to their home. Make the best out of your classroom space. I can also talk to my students about providing a conducive environment so that they can be more comfortable in their learning. Distractions will be avoided and focus and attention will be maintained on learning. A spacious and ventilated study room is extremely helpful for the student to learn and finish the tasks.

Analyze The examples above, describe two contrasting situations. The first show that the learner is in the same room or space while in the second, the learners maybe in different learning spaces like homes, study hubs or in extreme cases parks or under the trees. As a teacher, in which of the two situations would you prefer to manage for learning? Choose between Learning Environment 1 or Learning Environment 2.

Explain your choice: Why? As a teacher, you need to be flexible with all the teaching problems that you will encounter. Based on the two situation above, I prefer to manage Learning Environment 2. I want to make my learners engage and interact in the same room or space, in this way I can build my relationship to my students. I believe that effective learning begins with the strong connection of teacher and student. The teacher is able to impart more comprehensive knowledge especially when his students ask questions in a discussion. The teacher is better able to meet the needs of the student through face-to-face instruction. The teacher has more time to produce effective instructional material, furthermore, teacher can provide a conducive environment for the learning of the students and teacher engage personal communication/ interaction to the learners. Compare to the New Normal/ Online class, I can say that more students are having difficulty not only on using different online apps/platform. The teacher cannot observe the students and cannot identify where the students more attention should be focused.

Reflect Based on my noticing and analysis, I realized that

1. Bulletin Board is a tool that teachers can use in the learning of their students. Through informative and timely issues, the student will gather new knowledge for further development in the progress of their learning. The teacher just needs to be critical, good at choosing what to post and creative in building a bulletin board to be more engaging and get the attention of the students to read them. 2. Using a distance delivery of learning is used strategies now during the pandemic. In this situation, I realized that the teacher be given basic needs in providing modules and other instructional material. The teacher and parent must have a strong connection for the progress that is taking place in their children’s learning. The teacher needs to have enough time to prepare the learning materials that he or she will distribute to his or her students, a clear, informative and full of collection of lesson modules. 3. A quiet corner for students to study, a discussion area for students to have discussions, a fun corner where students can play allows students to students and teachers to make better use of the classroom to facilitate the learning and teaching process. I realize that having a comfortable physical space where children can sit comfortably, see and understand what their teacher is saying, as well as interacting with their fellow classmates is one of the key components of a pleasant environment to study. In addition, the ideal classroom is a positive place where a student can come to work toward specific goals set before them in the class objectives. The teacher is to be positive, organized, outgoing, confident, and compassionate.

OBSERVE What probable problem may result from two situations of the learning environment? Learning Situation 1: Academic/Learning Progress of Students Learning Situation 2: Lack/Limited of Teacher-Parent-Student Connection/Interaction and Involvement REFLECT What solution can I think of to solve the problem? Solution in Situation 1: Innovative and creative learning tasks/activities and lessons. Solution in Situation 2: Daily survey or monitoring of parents to the child. Regular parents-teacher-students’ circles (KUMUSTAHAN) PLAN How should I do it? As a teacher, I need to further grow and develop my knowledge and skills to be efficient and intelligent in the ones that will be shared with my students. The teacher must always be able to provide a unique task or activity that will help students learn and increase learning progress. A teacher is able to wonderfully conduct a discussion and apply the situations to the real life of the student, in this way the teacher’s teaching to the students becomes more effective especially in witnessing innovation. The teacher must have a strong relationship with the student&#39;s parent for someone to accompany the student&#39;s learning. It is important that the teacher, parent and student have the support and involvement of each other to achieve the goal of assessing the student&#39;s learning/academic progress. Through everyone’s connection and cooperation I am sure that the flow of teaching, and learning will be faster despite today’s new education system due to the pandemic.

Check for Mastery Choose the best answer from the option given. B – False B – On-line learning A – Face-to-Face B – Virtual/ Online, because the learners are given time to learn on their own and progress at their own rate. 5. D – A, B and C 1. 2. 3. 4.

Work on my Artifacts In not less than 300 words, write an essay on the topic: “My Conducive Learning Environment”

“My Conducive Learning Environment” By: JHUN A. MENDOZA

I can say that I have once experienced entering a conducive environment at school. The school is well-ventilated, away from noise, with sturdy buildings and a good atmosphere. School that I admired so much for shaping me not only academically but also in my personality. Conde, Labac Integrated School, a school away from the road, with a high fence as the school grounds, with a spacious field and clean environment. Here I developed my knowledge, skills and hidden from other fields. I experienced sadness, joy and tension as I entered there. I made many friends because of people who displayed educated and disciplined behavior. I can say that this school is one that has a conducive environment for the learning of the students here, the system, routine and implementation of the rules here are very conducive to shaping the attitude and discipline of either the teacher or the students. The quality of education in this school is very good and everyone can afford it. It has become even more attractive due to newly constructed buildings and renovations of other infrastructure. Each classroom has modern equipment or material used for more effective teaching and learning. They also have a spacious canteen where students can buy nutritious food and drinks as junk foods are strictly prohibited here. This school also has a laboratory room where it conducts experiments during science subject time. There are two rooms where the computers commonly used by senior highs are housed. Students practicing their SMAW course have a spacious workshop, with enough equipment available such as machines and so on. When it comes to the faculty rooms, you will find the room&#39;s cozy and pleasant design, the durable and artistic furniture. There will also be library rooms here where many sets of books can be found and used by students in their studies. The school where I graduated is the school I am proud of and I can say there is a conducive environment for effective, fun and efficient learning of every student. Conde, Labac Integrated School is open to people who want to receive a quality and reliable education service.

LEARNING EPISODE 6

Participate and Assist Given the concepts and infographic, how can you participate and assist in a face-to-face learning environment? With this course that I taking, as a future educator, I can participate and assist in a face-toface learning environment like there are so many variety of techniques that I can implement to encourage interactive learning in a classroom setting, including online components, group projects, slide presentations, application exercises, play games, reporting, and classroom discussions. In traditional teaching, teachers take into account a lot of preparation and practice, in this situation, I can support, assist and take turns when teacher teaching them or preparing the teaching needs of the students. I can also assist them in finding innovative ideas or strategies in an effective teaching such as visual aids or power point presentations. By continuing to motivate students to participate and engage in the discussion, I can also prepare stimulating activities such as lesson-related games, watching videos, competition of intellect such as debate and other task/activities that will help to capture their interest and focus for a meaningful and creative learning.

Notice Having been exposed to the traditional classrooms in your basic education, it seems that everything is familiar. However, as teaching-learning theories evolve over time there are changes that are taking place. What changes have you notice in the face to face classroom spaces? Classroom Environment Before

Classroom Environment Now

1. The classroom can be a passive learning environment. In the traditional class, in the lecture style, the information is given to the students and then passed back to the instructor what has been learned through written proctored assessments. The environment is physical, both the student and the teacher have the ability to see, hear and understand physical cues and body language with each other. 2. Class meetings occur at a specific time in a specific location according to a set schedule. When in class, the instructor typically sets the pace.

In an asynchronous online course, there is the challenge of not “seeing” the instructor or fellow students in real-time exchanges. The classroom today is generally a more active learning environment. Students must work to obtain information and through interaction and participation, students take an active role in course material and delivery.

3. The discussion takes place in the tight and restrictive environment of a physical classroom. Since time is limited, responses should usually be generated quickly, the teacher often leads and controls the focus of the discussion to reach a conclusion in a limited time. There may also be some intimidation of speaking live in a classroom setting, but there is also the benefit of visual cues by both students and instructors. 4. Class time can be used for collaboration and work can continue with students after class through scheduled meetings. Since students are physically located in the same area at the same time, a face-to-face course is appropriate for group work.

Right now, changes in the classroom, it’s up to the student to set their own pace for most of the work that needs to be completed in an online course. Although there are deadlines and deadlines that must be met, students generally have little flexibility in determining where and at what time of day they participate. Online discussion takes place over a period of time longer than the front classroom (usually more than a week) allowing all students in the course to contribute and reach conclusions together. Students often bring most of the interaction into the discussion with the instructor acting as a facilitator who is obsessed only when necessary. In this situation, students have a greater opportunity to develop well-thought-out, researched responses to the discussion. Online courses also often include group work. Instructors have the ability to divide their online students into groups to collaborate on projects and interact using the discussion tool. However, the benefit of being in the same place at the same time does not exist in the online classroom. So it is up to each student in the group to keep up with the work involved and do their part.

Analyze What do you think brought changes in the face-to-face learning environment now? Above is an outline of the differences I have noticed between the classroom environment then and now. From the beginning of higher education, from the time we faced the pandemic, we will notice and see how much things have changed in our evolving kind of classroom environment. Face-to-face learning is believed to be traditional and does not include students ’experiences, as it occurs in the presence of a lecturer who deposits knowledge for students in a demarcated classroom, using traditional methods and resources such as textbooks, chats, blackboards and more. However, these physical classrooms are inaccessible in case of challenges from student protests to pandemic outbreaks. E-learning is education that takes place on the Internet is called online learning, and for any learning that takes place remotely and not on a frontal platform. The sudden transition to fully online learning is particularly stressful for many instructors and students who prefer personal tutoring. Online learning is often stigmatized as a poorer option that provides lower quality education than personal face-to-face learning. However, the changes or innovations that took place with the release of COVID-19 do not necessarily mean the changes that education needs to make in the face of major social changes in a world after COVID-19. The changes are more about meeting the addressing and immediate need of continuing education, teaching online, and finding creative ways to reach students at home than using this opportunity to rethink the education.

From the changes that you identified, choose one that you can do. How will you do it? If I am to choose the changes I have identified that I can make, I will choose the changes in the discussions. I believe that I can apply the traditional face to face discussion even in today&#39;s situation only by proper discipline and giving high expectations for students to be responsible in their actions, thinking and expanding their development. As a teacher, I will be more empowered and researchable in all the instructional materials that I will use, I will be critical and good at exploring strategies that will further increase the motivation of my students to participate and engage in every discussion across online learning. Above all, is the building of strong connection, cooperation and solidarity between my student and their parent for the expected success of each learner. Although we are in this situation, it will be more enjoyable for me to teach in face to face, I will be able to develop my skills, experience and every moment that I am teaching and I am learning with my students.

Do you think making the learning environment conducive for a face-to-face classroom will enable the learners to achieve better learning outcomes? YES. Explain your answer. I believe that making the learning environment conducive for face to face classroom will allow students to achieve better learning outcomes. Creating a classroom environment that is conducive to learning is a process that requires the presentation of physical space, getting students to collaborate, creating a communal environment, and finally maintaining a positive classroom climate and culture. A conducive environment for learning, such as one with a comfortable classroom set-up, relevant use of teaching materials and interesting classroom activities will be more compelling to students to learn. In some situations, students will feel depressed and will have a sense of inadequacy but through efficient, innovative and creative preparation or developing a learning environment, it will meet the needs of a student. Indeed, according to some studies, a focused learning environment increases students ’attention and focus, promotes meaningful learning experiences, encourages higher levels of student performance, and motivates students to practice higher levels of critical thinking skills. We must consider that learning environments play an important role in student success. Students who study in a positive learning environment will be able to demonstrate more motivated, focused, and have higher overall learning ability.

Write Action Research Prompts OBSERVE What common problem have I noticed in a face-to-face environment?   

Students Do Not Feel/Understand the Importance of Education Lack of Diversity Lack if Individual Attention

Can I translate this problem into a question? 

How can you show students the importance of current education, what should be considered to better encourage students to enhance motivation to participate and interact in learning? What techniques can you use in delivering lessons, or in how each student will be given at the same and equal treatment of any of their strengths and weaknesses. What should you do to give each student enough time and attention to their problems and difficulties faced in their study.

REFLECT How will I solve the problem? The possible solution that I think become effective is such; preparing a song, chants and games on the topic I need; do projects, involve students in self-study; use a lot of different visual, auditorial and kinesthetic materials; look through your classroom management, correct it, make your lessons lively. Monitor, advise and motivate the students with brilliant marks and praise. PLAN What will I do to solve the problem? Describe briefly how will you do it. As a future teacher, the solution that I will implement and apply to the problems I face is anchored and based on the efficient and creative outcome of every decision and step to be made. One of the steps is to build a conducive learning environment with my students, here begins an artistic and meaningful approach to effective teaching and learning of students. Having daily or weekly monitoring of the exercises and assessments that my student is doing, if they are learning something or if there is progress happening in their learning. Setting enough time to meet and know the basic needs of my students, providing solutions to the learning situations they face and paying attention to what they want to complain or clarify.

Check for Mastery Choose the best answer from the options given. 1.) In the face-to-face learning environment, the most critical elements is/are the____________. A. Arrangement of chairs and tables.

C. Teacher and student interactions

B. Physical, psychological and social considerations

D. None of the above

2.) The traditional classroom spaces are still considered valid and effective for as long as these conditions exist. What are these conditions? I. There should be one teacher to one student ratio. II. Chairs should be fixed in such a way that they cannot be removed. III. The presence of the teacher is needed in a given time to guide learning. IV. All students should be heard in class discussion. A. I &amp; II

C. I &amp; IV

B. II &amp; III

D. III &amp; IV

3.) The best instructional material in the traditional classroom is the__________. A. Blackboard

B. Computer

D. Bulletin board

4.) Outdoor activities like group games, scavenger hunt and the like provide a positive _______. A. Psychological environment

C. Physical environment

B. Social environment

D. Cognitive development

5.) It is observed that different classrooms have different arrangements of chairs, tables and benches because of _____________. A. School budget

C. Delivery of supply

B. Different purposes

D. Donations received

Work on my Artifacts ]

PORTFOLIO ENTRY THE FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Name of the School Observed: Lecheria National High School School Address: Ave. St., Poblacion 3, Brgy. Lecheria Calamba, Laguna

The school is located in Brgy. Lecheria where there’s a distance to the highway. It is surrounded by trees and houses, a quiet and peaceful barangay in Laguna. You can see some people around that is busy in planting plants or vegetables in their garden. Although the school has limited space, the comfort, cleanliness and beauty of the school campus can be seen in every part of it especially upon entering the school hallway. There is a nice plant that serves as the roof of the hallway. On the other side of the school, the new school establishment will be located but it is under construction. Some of the building are old but it’s not seem like old building because of the paint. There are green, yellow and cream paint of the building, but what’s turned my attention was the design of the wall in every rooms of the building. When it comes to the condition of the buildings, I can say that it made by durable and quality materials which they used in the construction of every building. Well, I was amazed at their offices, although their rooms were not wide, I could really see the cleanliness and orderliness of the room. The walls of the office are ventilated and painted with designs, plants can be seen in various part. It can also be seen that they are complete with the instructional materials and school equipment. The only things that grabbed my attention was the new building that was under construction. There are 4 buildings under construction with 4 floors in each row. Many facilities will be available when it is finished, there will be an adequate and good environment that will help the students to study well.

Education: Action Research

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The Actiona Research Process

Action Research is conducted to "improve the knowledge base for educational theory; as a means of personal fulfillment, empowerment, and the professionalization of teaching; and to improve and refine teaching practice specific to a teacher-researcher's context ."

(Definition from O'Brien, N.P. & J.W. Collins III, The Greenwood Dictionary of Education .  Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2003.)

Keyword Examples

Note: The following either directly address action research or are related concepts!  There is much overlap between keywords and subject headings. 

Keywords/Key Phrases

• Classroom Research
• Teacher inquiry
• Theory of action
• learning communities/communities of practice
• Culture of inquiry
• School culture
• High efficacy culture
• Instructional improvement
• Instructional innovation
• Teacher Researcher
• Teacher as leader
• Empowered schools
• qualitative/quantitative data
• participant observation
• survey research
• Reflective interview
• Team reflection
• Trend analysis
• Universal student success
• Performance targets
• Descriptive research
• Educated hypothesis
• Achievement target
• Adequate yearly progress
• Assessment of Student Learning
• Participatory Action Research
• Action inquiry
• Practitioner Researcher
• Praxis (critically informed, committed action)
• Systematic learning process
• collaborative research
• Field Research
• Change Agent

Subject Headings From ERIC Thesaurus

Subject headings (from eric thesaurus or other authoritative term lists).

• Evaluation Methods
• Methods Research
• Participatory Research
• Program Improvement
• Social action
• Teacher Researchers
• Theory Practice Relationship
• Data-driven decision-making
• Education -- Research
• Educational Sociology
• Action research
• Action research -- Handbooks, manuals, etc
• Action research in education
• Action research in education -- Case studies
• Action research in education -- United States – Evaluation
• Action research in education -- United States -- Methodology
• Action research -- United States -- Problems, exercises, etc

Research Report

Dr. Stafford requires that e ach student should complete an action research report using the following outline:

• Introduction
• Review of Related Literature
• Conclusions
• Appendixes  

            Title Page:

The title page should contain the title of the report, the student’s name, and the name of the institution. These items should be centered in the upper one-third of the title page. The items should be double-spaced. The title should summarize the main idea of the action research. The title should be 10 - 12 words in length.

            Abstract:

The abstract is a brief summary of the contents of the action research. The abstract should not exceed 120 words. The abstract should include  only information found in the body of the report. An abstract should be  brief, concise, accurate, coherent, and readable.  

            Introduction:

The introduction should explain why the study (research question) is important. The purpose and rationale of the study should be included.

            Review of Related Literature:

The important literature in the field should be reviewed in this section. Chose only the most relevant authors and studies in the field. You may read many articles, but not all will be cited in the review of related literature. Citations should follow the APA format for citing works. Technical writing is precise, requiring clarity and consistency.

            Method:

The method section should be divided into three areas: Participants, Materials and Procedure. General ideas about who was involved in the study, what materials were used, and how the materials and participants interacted should be described.

            Results:

A description of the analysis of the data collected in the study should be provided in this section. Charts, tables, written explanations can be used. The different types of statistical techniques used in the analysis of data should be mentioned. All relevant group results should be listed.

            Discussion:

The results of the analysis of the data should be interpreted in this section. The researcher should explain what the results means in terms of the variables in the study. The implications of the results should be given. The section should open with a clear statement of the support (or non support) for the original hypotheses.

            Conclusions:

  Final statement(s) of the meaning of the results. Implications for action.

            References:

A complete list of related literature reviewed should be provided. The reference list should be compiled using APA standards. Twelve to eighteen references should be listed.

Action Research Primer by Patricia H. Hinchley, published 2008. 

• Chapter 1 - Some Basics And Some History
• Chapter 2 - Scientific Paradigm and Action Research Models.
• Chapter 3 - Developing a Research Plan and Identifying a Research Question
• Chapter 4 - Collecting and Analyzing Data
• Chapter 5 - Action Plans, Recording Studies, and Sharing
• References and Further Resources

Journals of Interest

This is a limited and select list of titles.  To access a current and comprehensive list of education journals access the MC Library A to Z Journal List . 

• Active Learning in Higher Education
• Adult Education Quarterly
• American Educational Research Journal
• Chronicle of Higher Education
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Action Research for Science Teachers

The Science Teacher—February 2020 (Volume 87, Issue 6)

By Scott B. Watson and Michelle J. Barthlow

Share Start a Discussion

The purpose of educational research in general is to develop information which can be used to improve education. Alexakos (2015) stated that teachers conduct research to answer these questions about their own practice: How am I doing? How can I improve? What works? To answer these questions, teachers may conduct action research.

Action research

Action research is a special form of educational research. Gall, Gall, and Borg (2007) , authors of some of the most respected educational research texts, define action research as: “A type of applied research the purpose of which is the improvement of education professional’s own practice.” Lesha (2014) describes action research as being a cyclical or spiral process that begins with a teacher-researcher identifying a problem, investigating the problem, taking action, evaluating the results of the action, and then repeating the process. In doing so, teachers can develop the most appropriate strategies for their own classroom or school.

How is action research different?

Action research is not necessarily very different from other forms of educational research. The main difference is that it is conducted by practitioners in the schools instead of someone from outside the school, such as a university professor or another researcher. With schools focused on learning outcomes for students and the call for decisions based on student data, teachers need the skills and confidence to scientifically evaluate their own practice in order to make curriculum and instructional decisions. Action research provides teachers with the data needed to make informed decisions to benefit their students and improve their own classroom practice.

Action research is a great way for teachers to experience the 3D (three dimensional) approach of the Next Generation Science Standards ( NGSS ). NGSS incorporates the three dimensions of learning science: crosscutting concepts, science and engineering practices, and core ideas. As teachers embrace the NGSS , they will consider the crosscutting concepts of effective teaching and focus on the core ideas to be taught as they plan for instruction. Through action research, teachers can investigate their natural world—classroom instruction—to determine what is and is not resulting in learning gains for their students.

Educational trends without research

So why should science teachers be interested in research? Although most educational research is conducted by college professors and other professional researchers, teachers can enhance their own knowledge and may contribute to the research base through research in their own classrooms ( Abell 2007 ). Science teachers, because of the nature of their discipline, have a natural interest in research, and often have a good understanding of research methods.

Teachers seem to know many things intuitively (and through experience). A good example is using a hands-on approach to teaching science. The idea is that simply doing many activities is conducive to learning, which is not necessarily the case. Research findings indicate that if students do not fully understand what the activity is all about, very little learning really occurs ( Gough 1990 ; Nadelson 2009 ). In order to maximize learning (and achievement), a minds-on approach should be added to the hands-on approach. This should include using higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in addition to simply participating in an activity ( Lumpe and Oliver 1991 ).

As another example of the practicality of conducting and understanding research for science teachers, consider the case of Mr. Nolan, a young chemistry teacher. Almost all of Mr. Nolan’s classes in college included midterm and final exams, mostly using a multiple-choice format. When he started teaching, he followed the same model with his own students. His whole evaluation system was based on teacher-made tests.

In an effort to increase his own knowledge in science and in education, Mr. Nolan enrolled in a graduate degree program at his local university. One of the early courses he completed was in educational research. During that time, he learned about reliability (internal consistency) of tests. Reliability is normally determined on a scale of 0 to 1, with 1 being perfect. It is an indicator of the precision, consistency, and stability of an instrument ( Gall, Gall, and Borg 2007 , p. 149).

One of his projects was to determine the reliability of one of his own tests. He picked one that he considered his best, and he ran a reliability figure using one of many available computer programs. Much to his dismay, he found that the reliability of his prized, multiple-choice measure was a .58, which is substantially lower than what is minimally acceptable for research purposes. He realized that relying on imperfect tests alone for grading purposes was a mistake. This discovery changed his teaching almost immediately, and he started including more projects, presentations, and practical labs as part of his assessment system. This also produced greater interest and participation among his students.

Basics of research methods: qualitative vs. quantitative

Two types of research methods are qualitative and quantitative studies. Denzin and Lincoln (1994) describe qualitative research as “interpretive, naturalistic….Qualitative researchers study things in their natural setting, attempting to make sense of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them.” Quantitative research “…describes and explains…reality by collecting numerical data on observable behaviors…and by subjecting these data to statistical analysis” ( Gall, Gall, and Borg 2007 ).

Qualitative research differs from quantitative research in that it depends on numerical data; no statistics are needed. Qualitative research methods include interviews, surveys, and observations. Teachers could prepare a questionnaire to determine what methods and activities students feel are most beneficial to their learning. For more in-depth information, a teacher could conduct interviews with students.

A focus group of students can provide valuable insight into their experience in the classroom. Ary, Jacobs, and Sorenson (2010) point out that an advantage of a focus group is that participants respond not only to the interviewer but also to each other. These student-to-student interactions can result in more information than is typically collected in a one-on-one interview or survey.

Quantitative research is the systematic study of the relationships among variables. A variable is anything that can change during a study. An independent variable is sometimes referred to as the manipulated variable as it is deliberately changed (manipulated) during an experiment. A dependent, or responding, variable is one that may change as a result of the experiment. A controlled variable is a variable that you try to keep constant during the experiment. An extraneous variable is an outside or unknown variable that you have no control over.

Further explorations

For an action research project, Ms. Jones is curious about using the flipped classroom model, in which students first watch instructional videos outside of class and do homework and practice problems in class ( Brunsell and Horejsi 2013 ). For one unit of study, she decides to teach half of her class periods using the flipped model and the other half using the traditional model, where students engage in learning activities in class and do homework at home. She will give the same unit assessment to each group and compare the results.

Her independent variable is classroom pedagogy (flipped classroom vs. traditional). Her dependent variables are unit test results. The controlled variables include the length of time for the unit, the state standards, and the homework practice problems utilized. The examples given in class and on the teaching videos are all the same. Ms. Jones will compare the two group’s performance on the unit test using a t- test, which will allow her to determine if one group performs significantly better than the other on the assessment based on her pedagogy. Knowing what works best for students in her classroom will allow Ms. Jones to improve her teaching skills and will likely increase learning for her students.

Correlation studies

Simple forms of correlation research can be used to determine if there is a relationship between two continuous variables. A continuous variable is one that has a maximum value and a minimum value and can be any value in between ( Gall, Gall, and Borg 2007 ). A correlation will not show causation but will show if a relationship exists between two variables. An example action research project would be to determine if using a web-based practice quiz site prepares students for tests. A correlation could be performed to determine if the number of practice problems a student answers correctly correlates with their summative test score.

Quasi-experimental and causal-comparative designs

Statistical analysis, free statistical calculators.

Many statistical tests are available at no cost online or using Microsoft Excel. Some can even be performed with scientific or advanced calculators. Statistical analysis sources may be found by doing simple internet searches. One example of a free online resource for performing statistical calculations is GraphPad .

Getting started

Science teachers, due to their content training, have a real head start on most teachers in other fields when it comes to conducting research. Science teachers also have an advantage in their understanding of research because they already know that research can be fun, so get started!

Ary D., Jacobs L.C., and Sorenson C.. 2010. Introduction to research in education (8th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Brodie K. 2013. The power of professional learning communities. Education As Change 17 (1): 5–18. doi:10.1080/16823206.2013.773929

Brunsell E., and Horejsi M.. 2013. Science 2.0: A flipped classroom in action. The Science Teacher 80 (2): 8.

Denzin N.K., and Lincoln Y.S.. 2014. Handbook of qualitative research. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications.

Gall M., Gall J., and Borg W.. 2007. Educational research: An introduction . Boston: Pearson.

Gough P. B., Ed. 1990. Hands-on/minds-on: Making science accessible. Kappan 71 (9).

Lesha J. 2014. Action research in education . European Scientific Journal 10, 379.

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