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"ACTION RESEARCH  A UD  TH

TACH ACH ecnd ditn

GOFFRY E. MILS SOHER RGON UNIVRIT

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brar o ogr aagngncaon aa

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Mis, Goffry E. Acton rsrc: a gd for th thr rsrcr offry E Ms2nd d p em Inclds bibogrphc rrncs nd ndx SBN 013-0454 Acton rsrc  uctionUntd SttsHndbooks mns tc  Tcngntd StHndooks mnus c Tt LB084 M55 003 0005870

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Vc Prsidn nd Pubish" Jff Jonson Ecutv Edtor Kvn M Dv Dvopmn Edr J Ptrs Edtor Assstn: Atumn Crisp Producion Edtor: Mr rn Prodcon Coordntor Jn Brng Crnd Pucton Svcs Osgn Coordntor Dn C ornzo Covr Dsgn Htr Mir Covr Poto Corbs Soc Mrkt Dsgn nd Istrtons Crnd Pcton Svics Producton Mngr Lr Mssry Drctor of Mrktg An Cst Dvs rting Mng" Ay Jn Mring Coordntor Tyr Coopr

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Ts oR ws s n mond Lgt y / Crnd Compn t s prntd nd ond y Mp-V Bo Mnfcurng oup T covr ws prnd y Pon Coor Corp

Prson Educton Ltd Prson Edcton Asr Py mitd Prson Edcton Sngpor P Ltd Prson Edcton Noh Asi Ltd. Prso Edcton Cnd td Prson Edcc6n d Mxico SA d C Prson Edconpn Prson Educon Mys Pt Ld Prson Edcon

v    J

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Copyright 203, 2000 by Pearson Educaio In. Uppe Sadde Rver New Jerse 07458 g    e U  of Ame T po  po  opg  pmo o e o om  pe po o  poe poo oge   ee em o mo   fom o   m leo ml pooopg eog o kee Fo mo gg peo() e g  emo Depm

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9 6 31

SBN3-0454-

chapter

chapter Undsndig Aion Rs

This chapter ntoduces the topc of acton eseach by povng a exam ple of an acton eseach poject fom a ea teache-eseache, a expo aton of the hstoca an theoetcal founatons of acto eseach, a s csson of the goas a stfcato fo acto eseach a a expaato of the acton eseach pocess.

Afte reg hs ch pe you shou e e o: l. Defne co eserch. 2. Descrbe he hstorcal fouatos of aco research 3 Ide the smtes a feences bewee ctcal/osodern ad ractcl theoies o aco resech 4. Descbe he gos o d jtcton fo co esearch 5 Lis the four sges o he cton resech ocess

ht tivt Umtivtd tdt EBOH OH

Deborah South, a teacher in a rural Oregon high school, wa a paticipant in an acon  shares th chaenges h faced when, owing to a lat-minute teaching asignment, she found hef work ing with a group of 'unmoivated" tudent. Dborah story lustrates the wide aie of ctors that cn inu ence tudents leaing and a teache ingness to cticaly examine her taching methods and how the aected the chdren in her cassroom Alhough Deborah interpretation of th resuls of her stu dd not adate her pracce, th xing curiculum for unmotited tudent

Teacing udent wo ae unmotivated and apa ttc can b a diicu calng o any tacr to overcom Tee tudent typicaly can be dirup tive and negative and otn rquir an raodinay amont o teacr m to manage t bavio My concen wit eacing unmotvated tudent a eited almot nce  began tacng ya ago  an ducato, on tri al knd o poib tatg to encouage udn to b uccefu Howevr, ee tratege do not work wit unmoti vated tudnt wo a apatetic and ebit unac cptabl bavor Evnually te paienc run out and a aamed a I am to admit it I top trying o ind way to reac ee paticuar udent It oon bcom noug tat tey tay in ti at, b ut and do not ditub anyon However, lat tem my attitude wa orced to cang I wa gvn a tudy kl group of o t owet acieving 8 grad in t coo Ti new ca conied o boy and gir My tak wa to omow ak t udent and maculouy mak tem movated aciving udnt wa trained in a tudy kill pogam bo te term tartd and I tougt tat I wa prepared: ad t tudnt, I ad t curriculum and ad t ep of an outtanding aide Wtn a wk I nd we wr in troubl My tudnt otn owd up wit no uppl T beavior wa atocou Ty cad ac o



6

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As a esult of this nvestigation, I learned many thngs. For example for ths group o students atten

name tew variou item aound t oom, and walkd aound t caroom wen ty f ik it T attude toward m w ngatv I bcame concrnd about tacing te tun In par I felt bad ta ty wr o diluioned wit cool and tir uture; I ao el bad bcau  ougt o tacng n i nvironmen vy day fo anot wk mad m i ummr vacaton we  Gvn ti ituation I dcdd to do ome ad ing about ow oter teacr motvat unmotvatd tudn and to omulate ome Ida abou t varable at contribute to a tuden cc n coo Variabl I invtigatd includd adult appoval peer inunce and ucc in uc ub jc a ma cince, language a and ocal tude a wel a ltm and tudent' vew o tr academc abiiti I colcted t maorty of t daa rog ur vey, intevew, and rport cad/attndanc rcod in an ort to anwer t ollowng uo:



 manc? How doe attndance afct tudnt prfo How a tudn inucd by ir ind n  compeing coolwok? How do adu (paren, teac afct te  ucce o Uden  ave Wat v of el-tm do e tud

were dong better than they had dung the st quarter Between the second and thrd quates

As a esult of this nvestigation, I learned many thngs. For example for ths group o students atten dance does not appear to be a factor-wth the excepton of one student their schoo attendance was eguar Not surprsngy pee groups dd affect student peormance Seventythree pecent of my students reported that their fends never encour aged dog homework or puttng any efort into homewok Another surpising esult was the lack o mpact of a teacher's approval on student achievement. netyou percent o my students ndicated that they never or seldom do thei homework to eceve teache appoval Altenatvely percent indcated that they oten o always do their homewok so that ther famles wll be proud o them One of the most inteesting ndngs o this study was the reaization that most o my students misbe have out of rustration at thei own lack o abites They ae not being obnoxious to attenton but to attenton om the act that hey do not know how to complete the assgned wok Whe I ooked at eport cards and compaed grades ove thee quaters I notced a tend Between the rst and second quate student pe fomance had ncreased hat is most students

7

gi



were dong better than they had dung the st quarter Between the second and thrd quates however gades dopped dramatcay I tried to detemne why that dop would occur and the only common experience shaed by these students was the act that they had been moved into my cass at the beginning of the 3rd quate When presented my project to the action research cass duing our endofterm "ceebaton I was convnced that the cause of the students' unmotvated behavior was my teachng I had con cuded through my data anayss and ntepretation that the one expeience these chden had in common was partcpation n my stdy skils class his concusion howeve was not eady accepted by my critica friends and coleagues in the action research class who uged me to consder othe inte petatons o the data o example perhaps the crit ical mass o negatvty present in one classroom po vded the chdren wth a catalyst to act out against the teacher Ater all this was the oy class shaed exclusivey by these twenty students Afterard shaed the indngs of my study wth my school prin cpal As a esut she decded not to goup these stu dents togethe homogeneousy or a study skils class the oowing yea







I

U C SE A

s aco eseach s a wodely ucomfoable (Lyle,  lace o bece we sa ou jouey of vesgao, hee s o way of kowg  advce whee we wl ed u Aco eseach e ay ohe oem solvg ocess, s a ogog ceae acvy ha exoses us o suses alog he way Wha aeed o mae  he lag sages of a aco eseach ves gao may ovde us wh oly a h a scachg of he suface of wha s e he focus fo ou vesgaos ow we dea wh he uceay of he ouey osos us as leaes of ou ow caf a aude ha s ccal o ou success hs book aems o fose a oeess  he s of quy gUded by aco eseach

A Be Overview o Educion Reserch Whe you hea he wods e eea you obably h of a sces  a whe l co (usuly a bldg, mddleged m wh  ocke fu of es  hs  jace! mg chemcals o dog exemes volvg whe mce adoal scess, e he oe cued  hs ahe e mge, oceed wh he eseach ude he assumo ha all behvos ad eve ae odey ad ha a eves hae dscoveabe causes Gy,    hs adoal beef ha aual



C



phenomena can b paind n an ordy way sng mpica scncs is somimes caed potvm Human beings, howvr, are vey compicad organims and compard h

phenomena can b paind n an ordy way sng mpica scncs is somimes caed potvm Human beings, howvr, are vey compicad organims and compard h chemicasand mic fo ha matteh bhavor can b dsodrly and faily nprdicable his psens a chalng o dcaiona sachs, ho are con cnd wih gaining insgh ino hman bhavio in ducational nvionmns sch as schools and classooms. he goal of radtonal educaona esach is o explain, predc ndor cono edcatona phenomena (Gay p. o do this eseaches y o manplat and conol ctan r (h factos ha migh affc th ocoms of a paicua study) to est a hpo (a satemen he eseache maks ha pedicts wha wil happen o explans wha th ocome of he sudy will be) or xamp, sarchers mght b intsd in sdying th ffcs of a c tain phoncs pogam (h ndpnden vaiable) on the ate a whch chldn lean o ead (th dpendent vaiabl) h seaches may hypothesie ha th s of his phonics program wil shortn th me it taks fo stdnts to lean o ad o confm o jc his hypothsis, they mgh sdy the eadng pogrss of one goup of childen who wr agh sing the phonics pogam (th xprmn grop) and compa it wth the eading pogss of anohe goup of chdn (calld he contro grop) who we taght adng who he phon pogam Chden wold b rnoml assignd o ther he prmnal or h conol gop as  way o dc h dffences that might exist in natualy occng grops A th end of h xprmnt the eseachers wold compa h pogss of ach gop and decide whhe th hypohsis cold b accepd or recd with a pedeemned level of tttc gncnc (fo xamp, ha th diffence between the man fo th contol gop and the man fo h prmna grop s age, compad wih he sandad eo) Finally the eseachrs wod psn th fndings of th sdy at a confnce and pehaps pbsh he suts · his pocss may sound vy saghfoad In classroom and school s ings howev it is dffcl to conol al of the fatos ha affc h outcomes of our aching withou dispng th naual classroom envionment Fo xample how do w know tha th phonics progam is he ol vaiable affecing h ae at whch stdnts lean to ead haps some sdns a bing ead to at home by hei paents pehaps one teach is moe effectie than anoh phaps on gop of studns gts to ad moe exciting books han the oh phaps on grop of chidren has diffcly concnating on h adng becaus hy a skipped beakfast Action eseaches acknowdg and embace these compications ahr thn ty to cono them n addition, action eseaches diffe fom tadtional esarchs bcas hey a commitd to tk to and eet potve eutioa e basd on thei findings ahe han bing saisfid ih. porng thei con clsions to othes Anohe diffenc is ha wheas dcaona sarch has hisocaly been done by niversiy pofessos schoas, and gadae stdens on childn teachs, and pinipals action searchs ar oftn the schooachs and pinpas who wee fomely the sbjects of dcational sach As such, hy paticipae in hi oz inquiis, acting as boh eache and eseach at the sam tm eachr rseach is gaining a high proriy in he nited States as pa of the eog W Bush dcation agenda "No ld e Bed Accoding o Imig

, 

DSD CON SC

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,

s egso s "pofoud "sweepg "iusive f eacig, d upecedee. As pt of tis egso stes will be equied to test sudets  eaig a m  eey y i gades toug 8 wit sctios fo scools ta fi o e "dequate yey pogess Imig p Te lik betwee is ki of egslaio i Ameic ad cio eseac is cle Ho c eces sow tt ey e makg a difeece wt tei ecg fo l studes? Acto esec povides teces wi  posopy a pcice tat lows em to systemticay sdy te efects of tei tecig o stuet leig Fily esec s lso ctegoze by te meods te eseces use Simply put difeet ese poblems equie difee esec ppoces Tese appoces to educaioa esec e ote cssied as ie quitive o quitaive esec Quntttve reerc focuses o cot  l g a small umbe of vaibles to eemie cuseeffect etiosips o e segt o tose eaiosps. is ype of esec uses umbes to qu e causeefec ea iosp Quttve eerc uses aaive descipive pces to da collectio o desa te wy tigs e d wa t meas fo te pespecives o te eseac pacipas Quative ppoces mig clue fo eample, co ducg cetce iteews mkig obsevtios d ecdig teactios o videotpe Key Cocepts Box compes tdiioal sec ad cto eseac Altoug ffeet, te two appoces eed o be sideed mutuy excusve  stuy mig icopoae bo quattve ad qlittive tecques o example eseces iteesed i te eliosip be studet cievemet ad seleseem mig beg e iquy by comig e gde oit ave ges o ig scool sudes w te sudets umeic sces o a mutiple coice questioie desiged o measue te seesee  gai a boade

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3





KEY OES OX 1- �

WHAT?

4

A'oparso o TaloIE1r  

RAIONAL RESEARCH

CIO REARCH

Wh?

Cndted b nety fe hla and gadate tdent   expeeta and ntl gp

Cndted y teae and pnpal  hlde the ae

Whee?

 nnment whee aale

I hl and la

an e nted



Hw?

Ung anttate ethd t hw t e edetemned degee  tatta gnane a ae eet elatnhp etween aae

ng atat  t de what  hapeg ad t ndetand the e  e edatnal te

Why?

 rept and ph nn that an e genealzed t lage ppatn

 take atn and et pte edatnal hang he pe hl enne t wa tded

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CH 

underandng f h cpcated reatnhp, reeacher mgh al nervew and erve a ne f tdent  gthe addna daa

underandng f h cpcated reatnhp, reeacher mgh al nervew and erve a ne f tdent  gthe addna daa The aea f fc Or  es erch qetion dentfed  he reeacher w deemne he mt apppate apprach (quantatve and/r qalave  e. ecaue mt acn reeache e narratve decrpve mehd the empha n h k wl e n he ue f atave reearch.

Definng Action Research ve the pat decade he pca reqred" reearch cue n man chl, c lege and depamen f eacher edcan ha changed frm a adna urve cla n reeach mehd t a e pacca reeach cue hat ehe fce n r ncde he pc f acn eeac B wha  actn reeach, and wh   capurng he atenn f teache admnrar, and pcmake? Acton reearc  an tematc nu cnducted  teacher eearcher, pn , r ther leanng envn rnen  gat er  an a  w he parca chl perae hw he each and hw wel he den lear h nfan  gathered wth he gal f ganng ngh de·epng eecve pacce, effecng pve change n he chl envnmen and n edcaa prcce n general and mprvng u den ucme and he e f he vlved Actn eearch  reearch dne by eacher r hemeve; t  nt ped n hem  mene ele ctn reearch engage teacher n a frep prce:



Iden an aea f fc Clec data 3 Analze and nterpet data 4 Develp an acn plan Befe we elaae n hee f ep hwever, we wl expre the htrca aneceden f acn eearch and he hereca fundan f crent actn reeach practce A · read thee decpn, cnde whch phph e  ur eef a acn eearch, teachng and leanng hen cnder hw  mght ncrprate actn reearch n r prfenal lfe

Orgins o Acion Reseach

 he h f acn eeach ha een welldcmened and deaed (cf Ademan 1993 Gn 1996 em 1982; Nfke 1994 ur Lewn 1891947)  fen creded wth cnng the erm acn eearch n aut 1934 Afe a ee a a ear n he came  vew acn prce ha gve credence  the deve pmen f pwer  reece hu  cu n, ecn and act n r na pepe parcpatng n clecve reearch n prvae le ht hae n cmmn A e man, 1993 p  man decendant f ear acn reeache flw dfferent ch f acn eearch hught ncdng he Amercan actn eearch grup wh  rt n the pgee edcatn mveen parcular n he wk f Jhn Dee (Nfke 1994 he efft n he nted ngdm tad crrcum refm and geaer pfenalm n eachng (Eltt, 991) and Autralan eff lcaed SN CON SC



witi  brodrngng oeent tord olbortie rri lnng (Kei 199

witi  brodrngng oeent tord olbortie rri lnng (Kei 199 s is edet te geogrl loton nd soiooti ontext n wi tion reer efort otie to eoe  gretly Howeer te ri ou o l of tee eforts regrdes of te otext i o ennng te ie o tdet A Noke (199 reids  redng te ot of tio reer written by eole oed i ertie doe itte to lte te roo exeriene o teers d wt tey oe to gn ro ritng i tin reser tiities. Tereore tis boo oue on teer exiing isses relted to te eduton o ildre d o tnering wt teers diitrtor oneors d ret in te tio reser roe

Theoeical Foundatons of Acton Reseach Te teoreti erete nd ilooie tt infor te rtie of tody teer reerer re s ried s te toril root or tio reser n te ollowing setion we w brie reiew e wo in teorie of to reser: rti (or teobed d r RCAL ON EEARH

i lo now  entoy to reer bee o its go of bertion trog nowedge gterng Te ter ra ao eear deries it ne ro te body o ritil teoy on wi it is bsed o bee ts ye of tion reser i rtl s i ltfiding or iortnt" ltog t y eily be bot Te rtole for rit tion reer is roided by riti teo in te ol ene nd nities d by tere o ostodernis Critil teory in tion reser d te soil siene nd unte sres eer fndentl roes Ke 1990) Tee sir iteret or oonlities o intent nde Critical acion resrch

1 A sred interet i roees for enigtenent 2 A ed iterest in liberting idiids ro te ditte of trdtion bt' nd burery 3 A oitent to rtiito deorti roese or reor

l

n ddition to it roots i te ritil teoy o te oil iee nd ities riti tio reser so drws eily ro  body of teory led postmodrnsm, wi lenge te noton of £t d objetty uon w te trditonl ientifi etod reie. Ined o ling te introertbiy o t otoderists rge tt tr is rete odto nd ittion nd tt nowedge i lwy  otgro of reio exeriene For xe itory tere  been little or o onneto beween reser d rtie in ed tion rent iure o reser to ffet teing. T  not ew for teer! Reer  been ieed s oetig doe o te not for te. Aordig to Kenedy 1997), te  o ene of reer o rtie  bee ttrbuted to te folowig ulitie o edutonl reer



C 



t s not persuasie and has laked he quaies f beng mpeng o eah  es It has n een reant t teahes daily paiesit has aked paay  I has n een expessed n ways hat are aessble t eahes

The  addresses many of these kn  n ssuptn  f day assro  fr reseah that life and presening h tha ae reatie, on iiona  satina , and based o 1O n thr eahers assrooms and shQ»  n  assroo/sho s mre ikey o be per  aion resear on  e n ngs expesse in ways ha are meanngfl  suasi re evan eahers they dsset and examnes he mehansms of knowed e don and esions many mp ns on whih mdern lfe   ns ires us  eamine he r nay ee da aken-fr in whh we organze an ay ou  prae, soa, and professnal av tie nger p  gves s a represen he  assrom eahers' experenes ha ake hs exmnaon onsed. e dtae that al edatonal resea  shd be soily espnsve as wel as:

_

 DemoratiCEnabing prtipatin of peope. EqutaeAknwedgng pepe's ealiy of wh 3 LberangProvding freedom frm oppressve debitang ondtn

4

nhanCingEnbling he expresson of poples fl hman penal (rnger, 1993 p 48)

Althugh hs rial theybased approah has been riied by sme for lak  patl feasbiy (Hammersey 1993)  is nneheess mpran o onsde  ease  prodes a help hers,  robem-sovng appoah fr teaher  wh ae ommitted t inestigate hrough aton reseah he akenfr-ganed rea nshps and praies in her pfessional lves Key nepts Bx 12  smma ries the ms mporan omponents of a ra perspeve f an reseah PRACICAL CTION ESEARCH

paes mre emphaSiS on he how-" appoah o h proesses of aion researh and has a ess phspha bent t assmes   sme degee, hat ndida teahers r teams of eahes ae anms and a deemne he nare f he nvesgaon t be underaken I als assmes ha eahe reseahers ae ommtted  ntinued prfeSSonal deelopmen an  shol mpovemen and tha teahe researhers wan o systemaialy ree  he prates Finaly, he patia an researh perspetive assmes ha a deson makes eaher reseahers wll hoose her own areas f fos, deer mine thei daa oetn ehniqes, analyze and interpet her daa and develo  atin plans ased n he findngs hese beefs are smmarized in Key onept Box 3 Prctc cto reerch

ST    CO SC

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KEY ONTS OX 2

. ,Cdpone!s of a Criicl Perspectlve o ActIo

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EXMPLE

KEY CONEPT

Acto esearch is particpatory a eocratic

You hae iefie a area i your teachg that you beiee ca be iproe (base o ata o your suets You ecie to  ' iesigae the ipact of you teeo � a to oito f i aes a ifferece.

Acto research is socialy resposie a taes pace  cote

You are cocee that ory chre fo exape ESL [Eglish as a Seco aguage] stuets i your classroo are ot beg presete wth curiculu teachig stateges that are culturaly sesie. You ecie o ler ore abo· how best to teach ES chlre a o  _ ipleet soe o these strateges.

Acio research helps teache researchers exae the eeryay, tae--gate ways i whch they carry ou poessoal pactice.

You hae aopte a ew atheatcs probesolg curcuu a ece otor its ipact o stuet perorac o ope-ee proble-solig questos  a sues aitues towar atheatic   i geeral .

' ;

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Kowlge gaie hrough acio research ca liberte stues, teachers a aiistraos a ehace learg, teachig a policy aig



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Your school has a hgh icece o suet abseteeis i spite o a ewly istrict-we polcy o absetees. You estgate the perceptos o  chlre, a parets towar abseteeis o oe uly uersta why the exisg s ot haig the ese outcoe. Base what you lear you ipee a ew poicy a systeatcaly oitor s Ipact o ., abseteeis eels a stuets atttue towa schoo



Goas ad Raioale fo Actio Reseac Alhogh th crtcpoor  pcc thori o co rrch w o vl it oi h o tict r phiooh r it  ommo gol tht go  og  tor brgg htr phloophicl, hitori cl ocil  rgiol rio it. Aco rrh crr t ccorg to oh phioophi cr oppoi ti o l o o impo h i o chil  to lr ot h crf o tchg Al co rrchr rgl o thr picr chool o hoght or

8

C



KEY CONCPTS BOX 13

' ¢OmpOS o   :  ra�al spcl oAco Rsach E CONCEPT

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EXAML

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Tehe esehes hve decisionmin uthoity

You school hs doped  schoo-bsed desion min ppoh tht povides tehes with the uthoiy o me desons tht mos diely impt tehin nd lenin Gven this decision-mn uhoity you decide s pt o you oninued pofessonl development to investe he efeveness of  newly dopted siene uicuum on students pocess sils nd ttudes

Tehe eseches e ommited o connued pofession deveopment nd school mpovemen

sed on the esuls of sttewde ssessment tests nd cssoom obsevtions the tehes nd pnip  you scool detemne tht edin compehenson ss e we Cobotivey, the sff detemnes the ous fo  schoo impovement efot nd identies the necessy poessionl development th will be oeed to chne the wys tehes teh edin

Tehe eseches wnt o eflet on thei pcices.

You e  successfu clssoom tehe who euly efles on you dily techn nd wht es oud be impoved You believe ht pt o bein  pofession teche is the wllinness to coninuly  exmine you techn ectiveness.

Teche eseches w use  systemtic ppoch o eectin on thei ptce

Given  schoolwide edn compehension fous you hve deided to mono the efeiveness o  new edin cuiulum nd techin steies by videotpin  edin esson one pe monh) dministein edn compehension pobes" (once pe wee), intevewin chlden in you clssoom once pe tem nd dminisein sewide ssessmen tests t the end of the shool ye)

Tehe eseches will choose n e o ocus detemine dt olletion echniues nlyze nd inepet dt, nd develop cton plns

To coninue the exmple bove, you hve focused on the eectiveness of  new edin uuum nd tehin sttees. You hve deided to collec dt usin videotpes of lessons eu pobes inteviews, nd sttewide ssessment ests Duin the ye you ty to ntepet the d you e oletn nd decide wh these dt sues bout the efetvenes o the new uiculum nd tehin stteies When l o the d hve been coected nd nlyed, you deide wht ion needs o be ten to efine impove o mnn he edn ompehenson cuculum nd tehin steies.

NSNN CON S

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hoical poion a commi o a ciical amination of caoom taching pincip an h ffct tac' acion a on t cin in thi ca. y now i houl b in that ucaional chang that nhn th l   chln i a man goal of action ach u acion ach can ao nhn th l

 ff.

man an okamp 1993 poi a wonfu aional fo action a a a pofiona gowt oppouniy in ti co fo ci pacic": Eon n pofional gowh oppounii 2 Al pofional wan to impo 3 A pofiona n lan 4 A pofional a capabl of auming ponibiity fo hi own pof  ional gowth an lopmn. 5 Popl n an wan infomation abou i own pfomanc 6 olaboaion nic pofional lopmn p 46

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ac i lagy about oping h pnl ptn  of tach i ncouaging ac to b coninuou anin thi claoom an in thi pactic. Alhough acion ac i not a unial panaca fo t inactabil i of ucaional fom i i an impoant componnt of t pofiona ipoi tion of tac bcau it poVi tach wih th oppotuni to mol fo ti knowlg i cat. ac i ao about incopoating into h aiy tacing outin a ta n ceth Wilingn to ciicaly xamin on taching in o o impo  o nhanc it It i abou a commitmnt o  pinCipl that a a tac  on i away itanc fom t ia but i iing towa it anwayi' t y natu of ucation! Acion ac ignificanty conibu o t pofSSiona  anc tha tach aopt bcau it ncoug thm to xamin t ynamic of i claoom pon t acion an inaction of unt aiat an cal lng iting pacic an tak ik in th poc n ach gain nw unaning about bot ti own an ti un' bhaio toug action ach y a mpow to

 Mak infom ciion about what to cang an wat not to chang ink pio knowlg o nw infomaion fom pinc (n faiu)  Lan Ak uion an ytmaticaly fin anw. (Fuyo & Koolan 1997

hi goa of ach o b pofiona pobm o wo a commit to impoing boh hi own pactic an tunt outcom poVi a powf a  on o pacic acion ac Jufy cto Reeach: e Impact of Action Reeac o Pacce At h bginning of a cou on action ac  oftn ak tach to ct on  wha y o in hi cool an claoom; that i wht a h aumption ty

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 1

ae fo graned in he schoos and wha are he ogns of hose pracices? Ofen he responses incde he folowing In elemena gades,  s impoan o do he s sbjecs n he moning and he "socia sbecs in he afernoon becse h s when yong chidren can concenae beer and lean moe The bes way o do whole  gop inscion wih yong chden gades K3 is o have hem s on he ma in  ccle Th wy hey re close o he eache and py more aenion o wha is being said In hgh schools he opal me for a leanng peod s 43 mines Anhng longe hn ha and he sdens ge resess and lose concenrion. Therefore, I hn ha he poposa for bloc schedlg is s n aemp o make s more le elemeny schoo eachers If yo simply shae scoing gides wih chlden hey w omaicay do bee on he es. Thees no need o chnge nscional appoches In  science laboaoy if children spend less me colecng daa, hey wl develop  deeper ndersndng of he science conceps beg agh Alhogh hese ae rel exmples of s  few of he na e heoies bo eaching and earnng h I hve head, h so ndice he n he field of edcion To wha een has been resech? follore? Do echers ac e ifomed firs as nd he clre o eching of sdens nd hen s echers How did eches ge o be he wy ey  re Ae some of he derogaory Holywood poryals of eaches lls u ec) relly ple, s chaceized in Fs Bl Dy  wrrned Wha is i bo research h maes eaches in generl snice a he hogh h i cn in some wy impove prcice Wha is he poeni for hs discssion o p acon ino cion research effos? Accoding o Kennedy (1997) sdies of he connecon beween reseach nd prcice and he apparen fae of reseach o fec eching hs provded he olowing inghs

M

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Teachers do no fnd esech persasive or horaive. Research has no been elevan o pracice nd hs no addressed eches' qesions. Reseach fndngs hve no been expessed in ways ha are compehensible o eachers he edcaion sysem sef is nabe o chnge or, convesely, i s iheeny nsble and sscepibe o fads.

Mny eacher reserchers my conside Kennedys hypoheses o b se mens of he obvios; however hese saemens povide ye anohe raionae fo why many eaches have chosen o be reflecve prcioners: o ddress he DSD CO SC

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tactablty of he educatoa yem Thee hypohee ao peak to the dee o put acto ito ogog aco eeach effot CI SAC s PSUASIV AD UTHATIV

Reeach doe by teache fo eache vove colecto of peaive data. Thee data ae peuaive becae teache ae veed  he legmacy of he data coecto that  they have deied data ouce hat povide peave ight to he impact of a iteveto o de otcome Similaly he fidig of acto eeach ad the aco ecommeded by thee fidig ae ahoiave fo teache eeache I doig actio eeach, teache eeache have developed oo to hei ow poblem Teacheo outde expeae the authotie o what wok  the caoom. CTI SACH s LVA

The eevace of pblihed eeach to the el wod of teache i pehap the mot commo coce aed by teache whe aked abo the pacical appca tio of edcatioal eeachthe the pobem veigated by eeache ae ot he poblem teache eally have, o the choo o claoom i which the eeach wa codcted ae vaty diffee fom thei ow chool eviomet I eviewig the at wo decade of eeach o choo ad teachg howeve Keedy (1997) cite he ema wok of acko' (196) L n Cssroos ad Lote (19 hoohr a way to iutate the elevace of he fidig of thee udie Keedy eview (197) fod that caoom lfe wa chaaceized by cowd powe paie ad cetaty

  o 

CowdSdet ae alway goped with 20 o 0 othe whch mea that they m wat i e wai to be caled o ad wait fo help. PoweTeache coto mo acto ad evet ad decide what the gop w do aieTeache gve ad withhod paie o tde kow which of he camate ae favoed by he teache UcetatyThe peece of 20 to 30 chide i a igle caoom mea thee ae may pobite fo a iepo i oe wok

Keedy (1997) age that oe of he am of eeach  to iceae ceaiy by ceag rictbiiy wih the claoom becae Routie ceae pedctabilty ad deceae aey fo both teache ad det (p 6 Oe of he otcome of actio eeach i tha i atife the deie of all teache o ceae the pedicabiiy of what happe  the claoomi pa ica to ceae the ikehood ha a gve cuiclm uctioal ttegy, o e of techoogy wl potively affect tde otcome Ad although thee deiabe otcome come at the iital expee of pedcablytha i hey have meged fom the mpemeatio of a n iteveio o iovatiothe fid ig of yo actio eeach iie wl ove ime cotbte to the pedctabity of yo eachig evomet

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CHT

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CI SARCH WS ACHRS CCSS

SARCH FDIGS

Kennedy 99) aso hpothesizes that the apparent ack of connecion between reseach and practce s due o eachers poor access to research findings Ths apparent lack of impac of research on teaching s, in pa credited o eachers' prior beiefs and values and the realization tha eachers practces cannot be changed simply by nfoming them of the results of a stud After al, f we relect on how we current teach and ha we hod as sacred practices, we are lkey to find tha o beie s and a es sem rom ow e "·ere taugh as children me and m successful Im a teacher) and how we have had teach our eachng ing modeed for us eaching Simpy formng teachers abot research s unlie to bring abou change. herein lies the eauy power and potenial of acton research to positively affec pracice a teacher researcher ou abou teachrnigYearch findings are meaning o you because the ara to In shor on and change your veniona o has led ou o become a successfu and roucie member of the professional



Yu yu

CT SARCH HALLS H RACABIY  RM  H DCATIA YSM

Kennedys 997 fina hpohesis offered is tha the lac of connection between research and practce can be aributed to the educaiona system isef not the research. Kennedy (997 characterizes the America educatonal system as a sysem that: n concensus on goas and gUiding principles  Has Has no central auhoriy o setle disputes. Is coninualy bombarded th new fads and fances   Provides imted evdence to suppot or refte any pacular dea. Encourages reforms tha run a crosspurposes o each oher / eachr lss me than most oher counries to deveop curricua an  Gves daiy lessons

Given his characerizaton it is ile wonder that the more hngs change, the more hey say he same! Again acton research gives teacher researchers he opportuniy to embrace a probemso·ng phiosophy and pracice as an ntegra part of the cul ture of their schoos and her professional disposion, and to chaenge he intracabiy of educationa reform by makng action research a part of he sysem rather han just anoher fad CI SARCH

  A AD

One insight tha Kenned does no address when discussig the apparen failure of research to affect teachers practices is the belief of many classroom eachers that

researhers ted to vestgate tredy ads ad are terested oly  the urrular approah or st.Jtoa method du jOr. hereore t s ot srsg to hear rts o ato researh say: Why bother hs s just aother d that, lke other ds  eduato, wl evetualy pass   a wat t out But ato researh s dededy ot a ad or oe smpe reaso:  Good teache ha lwas sstematcally ooked at the eects /their teachng stdent learning hey ay ot have alled ths pate ato researh, ad they my ot have thought ther releto ws or ma eough to be labeled research, but ato researh t ws! 



Making Acion Researc a Pat of Dal eacig Pacices he rst step  makg ato researh a p o daly tehig prates s to beome amlar wth the proess ad reoge how mh ato researh s aready a pa o daly le as a assroom teaher Cosder ths alog that reveals how smlar the at o teahg s to the at o dog ato sarh I ay dvdul lesso, you pla, mplemet ad evaluate your tehg just as a teher researher does whe udetakg ato researh You develop a lst o obetves (a ous area) mplemet the lesso relet o whether the hdre aheved the obetves through summatve evauato statemets (data olto), sped tme at the ed o a esso reetg o what happeed (data aalysi ad terpretato), ad sped tme at the ed o the day osderg how todas esso wll aet tomorrow's lesso (ato plag). ke ato researh the at o teahg s argely a tutve proess arred out dosyratally by  epereed ad ove teahers  was reetly remded by a teaher eroled  oe o y ato researh lasses that  m ervor ad ethusasm to ustrate data alss ad terpretato  prate (based o some o my ow researh), I had uwigly made her eel that researh was somethg that ou d realstally be doe oly by a ulltme researher who dd ot have a "rea ob to oted wthael teahg vey lvely rst graders! he teaher et oved that ato resrh as so dult ad tmeosumg that t ws ureasoabe to epet a mee oral to udeake the atvty She elt as  she eeded "Super eaher to but to the lassroom ad take over busess! Not so I the proess o ato resrh aot be doe wthout adversely aetg the udameta work o teahg the t ought ot to be doe at al hroughout ths tet we wll eplore pratal realti wys tht ato researh a beome a ormatve part o the teahg  earg roess here wl be a tal ommtmet o tme ad eergy as oe lears the ress but that tme s a vestmet  erhg the eduato o studets I oe s to realstaly orporte the proess o ato researh to daly teahg pes, a ew thgs eed to happe

8



the procs and be convnced that the inestme  e an ene are oh the otcomes Frst, udeake a ato researh projet tht s ma

gu to you ad addresses the eeds o your studets e the projet s ompeted you wll see the otrbuto your ew udedg o the sub et wll make to your teahg or your studets learg (or deally both Oy the wll you be uly odet that ato reseah s a worthwhle 4

CAT 1

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nesmen o your me and enegy Your belefs and audes abou o reser w be anged ae you ve ed i or yoself Ko- tat aco eearc i  poce tt cn e unetken itout aing  ee ipct o or peona n pofeiona e or exame, o eser, as  s desied n is book, is no inended o be jus one mor n or you o do Teaes lredy ave oo mu o do and no enoug me n w o do  e aon esea oess dvoaed in is book s inended o rovide you wi a sysemai ramework a n be aied  your daily eang ounes. e invesmen of ime as you en ow o d aon resea wil oeuy be wo e ouomes e roess may lso ode unexeed osive ouomes by rovidng ooruniies fo olb orae efos i olegues wo se a ommon re o fous Tis book odes sraegies you an se o develo you ectie pctce uizing man of e eising da soures n your assoom and soo I wil rovde you  a model a an be sared w lkeminded olegues wo lso e ommed o mrovng e eanglerning oess n eir lassooms Ak fo sUpp0 fom YHr pofeSSona coeage it impementtion Aoug su saegies as sudyng eoy, obseving demonsaions, nd raing wi eedbak enabe mos eaers o develo e skls o e on a e an use a model uidy skills deveomen by iself does no ensure skils nsfer Relaivey ew ersons wo lean new oes o eing wl negre ei skills ino egulr e uness ey eeive oang oye Hers Mibben,  is and gidane rom oer eeeseres is ial o you suess s an aon reseae ese suggesions e summrized in Reser Cekls 1

&

9

e Pocess of Acin Reseach No a e ve deined ion ese desibed is isora nd eoreil foundons nd w ees do i, les exlore e oess o ion reser any gudenes nd models ave been rovided over e yers o ee reserers o ollow or exame



ur Len 95 desribed a sirng ylil oess  inluded ln nng eeuion and reonnaissne

RESEARCH IN ACO CHECKLIS 11

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Ai Resea a a  Your Auly t e roess o onvne yourself  e nvesmens of ie nd enegy e wo e ouomes Reogne  ion ese is oess  n be undeken wou negivel ffeing your esonl nd ofeonl life Seek suo from your roessiona oleages

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NSNN CON SC



5

What is happening ow Gnral dea Rcnassanc Fel of Atio

Dscussig Negotiatig Exploig opptes Assssng possbiltes Examig cosats Ho ca I oni h ecs  my action?

 Rvis Gea Pa

FIGURE



esang 

l

A Representaio f Lewi's Acio Reseach Cycle

So: Acon Researh in Retropct d Ppet . 2 b S Ki, 88 ioia Aaa: a i P, diibr Coyig 88 a iy pid w pr i rd.

 h tph Kmm 988) t  wlkow ptto of th tio p  Fgu  tht il th til htt of  

Lw mol Kmm' mo u o, plg t to tp motoig ltig thg  vltio Emly Cho 99)   Ato Rh Cy  Fg 2 tht l tg   o polm  i tt ltig t ogiig t lig  tpttg t  tkg to Goo Wl 99) i wht h l  li Mo of th Ato Rh Cy ( Fgu 3 tht lu og tptig pg hg tig  th pttio po tho (p 27) whih iom  i ifom y th to h y



  -

4

Analyze ad Inerpre D

 w

IUR

Te Aio Resear e

Coiect Data

 u   ,

Source: o U Acon Rach In h Sl-Rnwng School p. by Emy Calhon 1994 Aexadria VA Assiato fo SpervsIon ad rrcm Deveoment oyrght 099 ASD Reited by permsso A rits eseed

/  �

Ac

ersona heoy

igure

3

tepre

Pa Chag

A deaized Moe of he Aio Resear e

Sorce Changng School from Whn: ang ommun o nqu,  2 y Gordo Wes, 99, Tooto Ontao S Press opyight 994 OS ess Repted y ermsso A rights see US gts gant y permisso o Gordo Wes angng Shool om hn ng ommun o Inu (Henemann A dvso o Read sevie nc otsmot N 99)

 Ees Strger 996) desred  Ao Reser terg Sprl se Fgure 1 t udes loog, tg d tg s  ouly rey g se o tes" p   Rrd Sgor (2000) desred  seestep proess t ludes sele  ous ryg tores detyg reser uestos oetg d  lyzg dt reporg resus d tg ormed o.  Jo Creswel (2002) desres to reser s  dym, lexle pross  my ole te ollowg seps determg  to resr s t st desg to use deyg  prolem to sudy lotg resoures to lp ddress te proem, detyg eessry ormo mplemetg te d olleo yg te dt deeopg  p or to d mpemetg e p d reeg o weer or o  mes  deree U N D   S A N D  N  A C   O N     A C 

7

LOOK OOK OO OO A

 Acon Researh A ndbk f Pce NK

NK

THINK

Ao esech ecing 

FGURE

ou:  7 by nst ti 996 Thosan Oaks, CA a Coyih 99 a biations t b ission  a baons n

Al of  odl  njod ng dg of olri, ddig on t cott i wic t  bn d o  t ctio rc od  bn lid to grictr,  c fcto work ttg d cout dont in otd r. Clrl t cton rc od r o coon lt:   of o bd on  robl or  of focu (idntfiction of  r of focu), obtio o oitong of ctc (colctio of dt), t of ifotio gtd (i nd ntrrtto of dt) d o fo of "ctio tt ibl il t rc bck to t oc tdl (dlont of  ctio ln) T d lnt  wt w wi focu o  t book T following ct will ddr  dt ow to ocd wt n ctio c roc tt icud t fo nt tond bo dentng an aea of focu data coecton data anay and ntepetaton d acton pannng. K Conct Bo 14 ltrt t ctio rc roc ud b Dbo ot, dcbd t t bging of t ctr  fot roc, ic I  td t Daectc Acton Reeach Spa i ilutrtd n ig 15 t od tc c wit  ti gUid d ilutt ow to rocd wit qui t i  od fo rc do  tcr d tc nd tdt ot rc do t nd  c   dnc d oi od tt cn b dtd to dfft cott d ro t w dignd to oid tc c wit roocti d cotct w of tikg bot ti wok (Wolcot 1989  137)





Smma Acton eeach i ttc inqur do b tc (o otr iddu n t tcg/ng onnt) to gt nfotio bond ubqut

8

AT

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KY CONCS BOX 

Collecting data

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Aalyzin and int!rpreting the

,-

:, '

"

. Attenda�b;did not ppr to  a su �ilde atted s6hool regr eer gfop did ae perorman, Studets eouraged eh ote ( ot to ompt howork" sigets Teahr approva  _r appeare �ve lite eect o tdent' or aits)wes aou the hl o the hilreQ idicated tat tey wer oivatd to omplte their homeWor to eceiv parental approval  average stdent grade had dropped dramatica dig the trm I wih they wre enroled i - the study sills class: teqJretatio  tdy sils l was avng a egatve on student

-



FGURE

 .



-5 Te Dae Ato Reeah a  N    S  N         N   S  A  C

9

imovow tr P!1ur oo or ow y   ow w r ut r T gogrl tig  or otxt i wi io rr or volv r vr Two mi ilooil riv iorm urrt io rr ri: crtca acton rach, w  it roo i ri  otmor oy  mz mory  lbro;  pracca acton rarch w tk  mor l  oxuiz ro o io rr T r gol or l ty o o rr  to mrov  lv o t  r. room r r ot ktil o rr bu o t ior ilur to o o lroom r  t xr o tr  ut io rr i o  ig  bu goo tr v wy rily rflt uo r ri Ti x wil rovi rlii rt g  ril gul or iororg o rr o r' ily lroom ri Aloug tr r  mbr o mol or og tio rr, t i  oit o our  nt an ara o foc coct ata, ana an ntpt ata,  op an acton pan T oowg tr will xlor  our  i grtr tl.

.2

Fo Fuhe hogh How woul you b  uro() o io rr How o  tt o  rtiVomor rv uo t  or o rr? uo t t  i your l r o ogrig i y wrig  you  o g  our  i  tio rr ro rib i i r,  ou brifly w you mgt o to ytmilly m t iu 4 Your ool  riv  lrg roio vom grt ou o imrovig ilr' or o  tio rig  ou biv t your xiig rig rogrm i rog. Wt k o tio rr uy migt you ou o r t ir btw your urr rig rogrm ouom   ot  o t iol t

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H

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