1. Educational Action Research Todd Twyman Summer 2011 Week 1

2. Ethics of Research Three basic principles: 1. Respect 2. Beneficence 3. Justice

3. Respect Allow participants to make choices about participating. Select methods that minimize harm. Maintain confidentiality.

4. Beneficence Try to ensure participants’ well-being Consider… How will the research benefit the participants in the study? How will the research benefit the participants in the study? How will the research benefit the population or society at large? How will the research benefit the population or society at large?

5. Justice Consider who ought to receive the benefits of research and bear its burdens Who is involved in the research? Who is involved in the research? Who will benefit? Who will benefit? Focus on overcoming your own inherent biases that will influence your interpretation of ‘reality’. General semantics (from reading) General semantics (from reading)

6. The Influence of Perspective Each of you will be assigned a particular perspective. Each of you will be assigned a particular perspective. Go outside and observe for 15 minutes from the perspective you’ve been assigned. Go outside and observe for 15 minutes from the perspective you’ve been assigned. Return and meet with others who share your perspective to discuss what you saw / any meanings it might hold. Return and meet with others who share your perspective to discuss what you saw / any meanings it might hold. Share as a class. Reflect Share as a class. Reflect

7. The questions you ask determine: Your methodology Your methodology Methods of gathering data Methods of gathering data Types of analyses you will run Types of analyses you will run The sort of conclusions you can come to The sort of conclusions you can come to In short, your questions drive your research

8. Two Major Traditions Qualitative Qualitative Attempts to figure out why things are the way they are, to describe cultures, groups, events Attempts to figure out why things are the way they are, to describe cultures, groups, events Microscopic look at phenomena Microscopic look at phenomena Quantitative Attempts to figure out the extent to which something is related to something else; to generalize to a larger population Wide-angle look at phenomena

9. Research Typically leans most heavily on one or the other research methodologies. But may use methods from the other to present a more well-rounded picture. Case study with test scores used as one form of data. Case study with test scores used as one form of data. Treatment/ Control Group Pre- Post-test design with interviews as one form of data. Treatment/ Control Group Pre- Post-test design with interviews as one form of data. Reflect

10. Research BasicApplied Action Research Evaluation QuantitativeQualitative DescriptiveCorrelationalGroup Comparison SurveyObservationalExperimentalQuasi-experimentalEx Post Facto Pre/Post Control Post Only Control Single Measurment One Group Pre/Post Static Group Interrupted Time Series Single Subject Nonequivelant Control Group EthnographyCase StudyHistorical

11. Elements of Research Reflection - define the problem Reflection - define the problem Select a Focus - state a hypothesis or research question Select a Focus - state a hypothesis or research question Collect and Analyze Data - design a study to gather relevant information Collect and Analyze Data - design a study to gather relevant information Interpret Data - consider the results in light of the context Interpret Data - consider the results in light of the context Draw Conclusions - determine what actions can be taken Draw Conclusions - determine what actions can be taken

12. Reflection: Understand the Context Action research is conducted within a context. Action research is conducted within a context. Consider the context when identifying the problem situation. Consider the context when identifying the problem situation. Review the relevant research that may inform the situation. Review the relevant research that may inform the situation.

13. Select a Focus Identify: Identify: What do you want to change? What do you want to change? What will make a difference? What will make a difference? Frame your focus: Frame your focus: Measurable Measurable Observable Observable

14. Pose a Question Research Question Research Question Open ended approach to research Open ended approach to research Not stated as an expected outcome Not stated as an expected outcome Hypothesis Hypothesis Focused approach to research Focused approach to research Clear expected outcome Clear expected outcome Null hypothesis: Statistical step; not needed in Action Research Null hypothesis: Statistical step; not needed in Action Research

15. Collect and Analyze Data: Select an Approach Mixed-Methods v Single Method Mixed-Methods v Single Method Qualitative Qualitative Descriptive Descriptive Observational Observational Narrative Narrative Quantitative Quantitative Numerical Numerical Measured outcomes Measured outcomes Statistical analysis of results Statistical analysis of results

16. Collect and Analyze Data: Select a Design In Quantitative approaches: Identify the target variables Identify the target variables Determine how you will investigate the relationship between the variables Determine how you will investigate the relationship between the variables Control for outside sources of error Control for outside sources of error In Qualitative approaches, these steps may be more fluid.

17. Examples Spending an additional 20 minutes a day reading silently in the classroom will improve student scores on statewide reading tests. Spending an additional 20 minutes a day reading silently in the classroom will improve student scores on statewide reading tests. Students who eat a light snack 1 hour before reading class will improve scores on ORF tests faster than students who don’t eat a snack or who eat a full 800 calorie lunch. Students who eat a light snack 1 hour before reading class will improve scores on ORF tests faster than students who don’t eat a snack or who eat a full 800 calorie lunch.

18. More Examples Students prefer using electronic readers (eBooks) to print texts with identical content. Students prefer using electronic readers (eBooks) to print texts with identical content. Students retain more of the information presented in class lectures when they are required to reflect on that information in writing at least once per hour during lectures. Students retain more of the information presented in class lectures when they are required to reflect on that information in writing at least once per hour during lectures.

19. Nonexamples What can I do to make students pay attention in class? What can I do to make students pay attention in class? How can I deliver this material to make it more interesting? How can I deliver this material to make it more interesting? Is there any way I can get more money for my work? Is there any way I can get more money for my work? Why did I go into teaching in the first place? Why did I go into teaching in the first place?

20. Homework Read Chapters 3 - 4 in Glanz (after class). Read Chapters 3 - 4 in Glanz (after class). Make a list of possible topics for an Action Research project this term. I’ll collect them tomorrow morning… Make a list of possible topics for an Action Research project this term. I’ll collect them tomorrow morning… Purpose: To solidify the skills you’re learning. Purpose: To solidify the skills you’re learning. Goal: A complete study (including data which you’ve analyzed) by the end of Fall 2011 term. Goal: A complete study (including data which you’ve analyzed) by the end of Fall 2011 term. Remember: This is an exercise; you are building the ‘muscles’ to perform independently in the future! Remember: This is an exercise; you are building the ‘muscles’ to perform independently in the future!