Conducting and Understanding Research in Relation to your Teaching Greg Kessler Ohio University

Quick overview Why do research in your own classroom? How to do research in your own classroom How to avoid common research mistakes How to make sense of extant research How to use previous research to inform your own teaching Quick overview

Why Do Research in your Own Classroom? Develop Better Understanding of Your Students’: Progress Over Time Noticing of your Feedback Uptake of your Feedback Autonomous Learning Abilities Intercultural Communicative Competence Turn Taking Behaviors Negotiation of Meaning Group Work Practices Anything Else That Might Inform Your Future Practice and Their Future Success

Why Do Research in your Own Classroom? Develop Better Understanding of Your: General Instructional Practices Approaches to Providing Feedback Lesson Design Task Design Materials Design Assessment Practices Learning Environment Design Group Work Practices Share your Findings with the World (e.g. Become Rich and Famous)

Unique Challenges in Researching Your Own Classroom Establishing Boundaries Avoiding Interference Critical Distance Maintaining Objectivity Maintaining Credibility Maintaining Honest Curiosity Transferability Designed Intentionally Tasks, Materials and Activities not so Unusual Utilizing Generally Available Resources

Unique Challenges in CALL Research Complex Academic Ancestry Varying Theoretical and Methodological Models Dynamic Nature of CALL Infinite New Opportunities Unfamiliar or Untested Contexts, Materials, Activities, Procedures Potential Distractions Moving Target Shelf Life Varied Potential Topics Temptation to Focus on Gadgetry

Action Research Focused on Better Understanding Your Context Classroom School Department Focused on Contextual Understanding Focused on Data Validation of Anecdotal Observation Focused on Intervention Focused on Authentic Improvments Cyclic Potential Handout

What to do First Become Familiar with the Existing Literature Consider Broader Conceptual Studies Consider Aspects that Transfer to Other Tools & Contexts Consider Longevity Identify a Topic That is: Observable Accessible Interesting Worthwhile Inadequately Addressed Not too Personal

Design Studies that Align with: Student Behavior Language Production Language Development Cultural Awareness Observation Monitoring Tracking Progress What to do Next Gather Everything you Can Imagine Might Inform your Understanding Triangulate the above with surveys, interviews and focus groups

What Not to do Studies that Prove you are the Perfect Teacher Studies that Prove your Students are the Best (or Worst) Ever! Novelty Studies Tool-Centric Studies Redundant Studies Irrelevant Studies “Everything is Awesome” Studies Repeat Previous Past Mistakes Too Much Reliance on Surveys Oversimplification of Results Overly Optimistic

Understanding CALL Research to inform your own teaching The ecological realities of your environment are more important to align with previous studies than any particular individual element. Context is (almost) Everything All technologies are not created equal All wikis (or CMC tools) are not created equal All classes are not created equal All classrooms are not created equal All teachers are not created equal

Thanks! Questions? http://llt.msu.edu/papers/index.html Kessler@ohio.edu Slides: Gregkesslerphd.com/calico16