حوراء الحصن
12-10-2008, 12:06 PM
Dr.Jodi Marshall
STEP ONE: Creating the Question
Several of you have already started forming a question (pertaining to your practice) that you would like to research. Read over it and make sure you still like that question - and determine if it is a "researchable" one. (Feel free to email it to me if you would like help!) We will have time at the end of our next meeting to discuss, as well. Think along these lines:
• Why do you want to do it? Is it an important and practical problem, something worth your time and effort, something that could be beneficial to you, your students and others?
• Is the problem stated clearly and in the form of a question? Is it broad enough to allow for a range of insights and findings? Is it narrow enough to be manageable within your time frame and your daily work?
If you are still having trouble thinking of a question, remember these helpful starters ...
1. I would like to improve...
2. I am perplexed by...
3. Some people are unhappy about...
4. I'm really curious about...
5. I want to learn more about...
6. An idea I would like to try out in my class is...
7. Something I think would really make a difference is...
8. Some I would like to do to change is...
9. Right now, some areas I'm particularly interested in are...
A few last minute things to consider when reviewing your QUESTION. Make sure it's:
1. One that hasn't already been answered
2. A higher level question which can get at explanations, reasons, relationships. "How does...?", "What happens when...?"
3. Not a "Yes-No" question
4. Written using everyday language; avoid jargon
5. Not too lengthy; concise; doesn't have to include everything you're thinking
6. Something manageable; that you can complete it
7. Something do-able (in the con**** of your work)
8. allowing you to "follow your bliss"; you will want to feel commitment to the question; passion
9. Close to your own practice; the further away you go, the more work it is
10. Has some tension; provides you an opportunity to stretch
11. Meaningful to you; provides you a deeper understanding of the topic
12. A question that can lead to other questions
STEP TWO: Create a Plan of Action
You need to develop a plan to carry out the research. Think about the following:
• Will you develop and implement a new strategy or approach to address your question? If so, what will it be?
• Will you focus your study on existing practices? If so, which particular ones?
• What is an appropriate timeline for what you are trying to accomplish? I would suggest not going over one school year!
Most action-research projects include a write-up of existing literature. Make sure you have selected a topic that you either know a lot about (and can easily provide a review of the literature) or one that you would be excited reading and learning more about!
STEP THREE: Data Collection
Think about the data you might use and how you will collect it. Here are some ideas:
1. Interviews with students, parents, other teachers
2. Checklists of skills, behaviors, abilities, procedures, interactions, resources
3. Portfolios of a range of work from students of different abilities around a particular topic; a representation of a total experience; a collection of ********s for analysis
4. Individual files of students' work (e.g., samples of work, art work, memos, emails, photos of models/projects, reports), of students' opinions; of student attitudes, of students' experiences
5. Diaries/journals written by teachers, students, parents
6. Logs of meetings, lessons, excursions, school expectations, material used
7. Student-teacher discussion/interaction - records of comments and thoughts generated by students (ORAL COMPONENTS?)
8. Questionnaires of attitudes, opinions, preferences, information
9. Audiotapes of meetings, discussions about data gathered, games, group work, interviews, whole class groups, monologues, readings, lectures, demonstrations (Elluminate or phone calls)
10. Case study - a comprehensive picture/study of a student or a small group of students
(Most of the above steps were modified from the ***site http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/sod/car/carhomepage.html
Feel free to visit that site and continue to read more about action-research!)
STEP ONE: Creating the Question
Several of you have already started forming a question (pertaining to your practice) that you would like to research. Read over it and make sure you still like that question - and determine if it is a "researchable" one. (Feel free to email it to me if you would like help!) We will have time at the end of our next meeting to discuss, as well. Think along these lines:
• Why do you want to do it? Is it an important and practical problem, something worth your time and effort, something that could be beneficial to you, your students and others?
• Is the problem stated clearly and in the form of a question? Is it broad enough to allow for a range of insights and findings? Is it narrow enough to be manageable within your time frame and your daily work?
If you are still having trouble thinking of a question, remember these helpful starters ...
1. I would like to improve...
2. I am perplexed by...
3. Some people are unhappy about...
4. I'm really curious about...
5. I want to learn more about...
6. An idea I would like to try out in my class is...
7. Something I think would really make a difference is...
8. Some I would like to do to change is...
9. Right now, some areas I'm particularly interested in are...
A few last minute things to consider when reviewing your QUESTION. Make sure it's:
1. One that hasn't already been answered
2. A higher level question which can get at explanations, reasons, relationships. "How does...?", "What happens when...?"
3. Not a "Yes-No" question
4. Written using everyday language; avoid jargon
5. Not too lengthy; concise; doesn't have to include everything you're thinking
6. Something manageable; that you can complete it
7. Something do-able (in the con**** of your work)
8. allowing you to "follow your bliss"; you will want to feel commitment to the question; passion
9. Close to your own practice; the further away you go, the more work it is
10. Has some tension; provides you an opportunity to stretch
11. Meaningful to you; provides you a deeper understanding of the topic
12. A question that can lead to other questions
STEP TWO: Create a Plan of Action
You need to develop a plan to carry out the research. Think about the following:
• Will you develop and implement a new strategy or approach to address your question? If so, what will it be?
• Will you focus your study on existing practices? If so, which particular ones?
• What is an appropriate timeline for what you are trying to accomplish? I would suggest not going over one school year!
Most action-research projects include a write-up of existing literature. Make sure you have selected a topic that you either know a lot about (and can easily provide a review of the literature) or one that you would be excited reading and learning more about!
STEP THREE: Data Collection
Think about the data you might use and how you will collect it. Here are some ideas:
1. Interviews with students, parents, other teachers
2. Checklists of skills, behaviors, abilities, procedures, interactions, resources
3. Portfolios of a range of work from students of different abilities around a particular topic; a representation of a total experience; a collection of ********s for analysis
4. Individual files of students' work (e.g., samples of work, art work, memos, emails, photos of models/projects, reports), of students' opinions; of student attitudes, of students' experiences
5. Diaries/journals written by teachers, students, parents
6. Logs of meetings, lessons, excursions, school expectations, material used
7. Student-teacher discussion/interaction - records of comments and thoughts generated by students (ORAL COMPONENTS?)
8. Questionnaires of attitudes, opinions, preferences, information
9. Audiotapes of meetings, discussions about data gathered, games, group work, interviews, whole class groups, monologues, readings, lectures, demonstrations (Elluminate or phone calls)
10. Case study - a comprehensive picture/study of a student or a small group of students
(Most of the above steps were modified from the ***site http://www.madison.k12.wi.us/sod/car/carhomepage.html
Feel free to visit that site and continue to read more about action-research!)