Teacher Training Programme for the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Classroom research: Action research 1

Overview 1.Introduction to classroom research 2.Observational studies 3.Non-interventionist quasi-experimental studies 4.Interventionist quasi-experimental studies 5.Action research

Introduction to classroom research

A broad umbrella-term for empirical investigations that use the classroom as the main research site Dörnyei, 2007, p. 176 Primary site of applied linguistics investigations ibid

E.g. seminar rooms, language labs, computer rooms, lecture theatres, ‘virtual’ classrooms…

Research methods are not unique to classroom settings Three unique aspects to conducting research in a classroom context:

1. The research method of classroom observation 2. The prominence of mixed-methods research 3. There are inherent difficulties and challenges

Observational studies Describing what happens in own terms or by using existing frameworks, e.g. Communicative Orientation of Language Teaching (COLT) developed by Spada & Fröhlich, 1995 (Loewen & Philp, 2012, p.56) event sampling (e.g. every time the teachers asks a question) versus time-sampling

Observation provides direct information rather than self-report accounts Participant versus non-participant Structured (observation scheme: quan) versus unstructured (field notes, qual) Dörnyei, p.179

Non-interventionist quasi-experimental studies Studies that attempt to measure learning in the classroom Specific types of instructional activities identified to be examined more closely Provide insight into L2 learning processes Variables are not manipulated but learning outcomes measured Loewen & Philp, 2012, p.58

+ high ecological validity - cannot control extraneous or variables (e.g. pretests targeting linguistic items) Logistically and ethically difficult to have a control group (and using another class introduces additional uncontrollable variation) Loewen & Philp, 2012, p.58

Longitudinal studies: length varies Cross-sectional studies: compare learners at different proficiency levels Loewen & Philp, 2012, p.59

Interventionist quasi-experimental studies Interventionist studies exert more control over variables + researcher has more control (e.g. which linguistic features are to be targeted) + still conducted in the classroom and often representative of instructional contexts - research conditions impose some level of artificiality - classrooms are messy places; cannot control all potentially interring variables Loewen & Philp, 2012, p.62

Action research (AR) A generic term for related methods that share common principles Close link between research and teaching, researcher and teacher Purpose: to gain a better understanding of educational environment to improve effectiveness of teaching Dörnyei, 2007, p. 191

AR involves a self-reflective, systematic and critical approach to enquiry by participants who are at the same time members of the research community. The aim is to identify problematic situations or issues considered by participant to be worthy of investigation in order to bring about critically informed changes in practice. Burns, cited in Cornwell, 1999

Issues with AR: Teachers lack (a) the time, (b) the incentives, and (d) the expertise of professional support to meaningfully engage in research Dörnyei, 2007, p. 191

Carrying out action research Plan ActObserve Reflect

Key features Focus on a particular context Collaboration and dialogue (to identify issues, to collect and analyze data) Deliberate intervention Research leads to construction of knowledge, theory and critical action AR is exploratory research, not research in the positivist, scientific tradition Burns, 2008

Step 1 Find a general focus or topic How could you do this?

Task Discuss the following in groups: What topic(s) are you interested in researching? How did you identify this/these topics? Why are they of interest to you? Burns, 2008

Step 2 Refine your focus and develop your questions Define the scope of the study

Homework Go back to your focus area and develop one or two research questions

References Burns, A. (2008). Exploring teaching through action research. Thailand TESOL presentation. Accessed 6 October 2013 from Cornwell, S. (1999). An interview with Anne Burns and Graham Crookes. The Language Teacher, 23 (12), 7-9. Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics: Quantitative, qualitative and mixed methodologies. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Loewen, S. & Philp, J. (2012) Instructed second language acquisition. In Mackey, A. & Gass, S. (Eds.) Research methods in second language acquisition: a practical guide [electronic resource]