An Introduction to Action Research: Evidence-Based Teaching Practice

1. An Introduction to Action Research: Evidence-Based Teaching Practice ST603 Research Methods in Science Education Dr. Margaret Waterman Professor Biology and Middle & Secondary Education Southeast Missouri State University

2. What is Action Research? • Often called Classroom Research in education settings • Designed to make a difference by taking actions. • E.g., poor student performance on a chemistry topic, can’t apply info • Use of cases and simulations improves performance and ability to apply concepts

3. Examining Science Curriculum, Teaching and Learning at all levels

4. Emphasis on Application: Teaching, Learning

5. Action research projects:• focus on improving students’ experience• result in ACTION

6. Action Research Takes Place in Teaching Settings

7. Action Research Grows Out of Teacher’s Interests and Concerns Collaborative learning Applying science knowledge Improving learning in labs

8. Sample Projects • Factors affecting student success on long range science projects • Investigating grouping practices • Simulations for physics learning • Teacher implementation of things they learn in workshops • Effect of different methods of teaching on learning

9. The Action Research Cycle Identify issue and potential solution Design the study Develop or locate instruments Develop Action Plan Gather data Interpret data Analyze data

10. Be thinking about the following questions DESIGN • From whom are you gathering data? • Remember, we are looking at evidence of student learning for at least one source of data • When will you gather data? METHODS • How will you gather data? • Where will you gather data?

11. Linking Study Design and Methods Suppose the DESIGN is on one class (the who), pre and post test (the when) Pretest Do new thing Post test O1  X1  O2 How and where the data will be gathered are METHODS questions.

12. Action Research Often Uses Qualitative and Survey Methods Observations Surveys Videos Artifact Analysis Interviews

13. Three Ways to Gather Data • Make observations • Unstructured or structured observations • Ask questions • Surveys • Interviews • Examine and Score Artifacts • Tests, portfolios, treatment plans, student comments • Must design scoring guide

14. Structured Observations • Examples: • Use a class map to keep track of who asks questions, answers questions, makes comments. • Have a list of behaviors. Make simple hash marks for each type of behavior when it occurs. • Make a list, from a recorded class discussion, of the kinds of questions you asked.

15. Methods: Unstructured Observations • Examples • A journal that an instructor keeps to record personal impressions of how a class is going. • A written remembrance of interactions with one or a few students that are being tracked over time. • A written set of impressions made while watching a videotape of a class.

16. Methods: Questioning with Surveys • Examples: • A survey of attitudes toward science • Rankings of importance • Student ratings of instruction • May include open-ended questions, e.g., what element of this course most helped you to learn? • May include some content, but if only content, it’s a test and is an artifact of the course.

17. Methods: Questioning with Interviews • Advantage over surveys: can ask follow-ups, more personal contact. • Examples: • Sort readings by usefulness, telling why • Solve a genetics problem aloud, explaining thinking • A focus group • Interview of team members in small groups

18. Method: Examine and Score Artifacts • Examples of artifacts: • Diagrams of cells before and after instruction • Wear on computer keys to see which are hit most • Answers to a test question • Portfolios • Term papers • Case analyses • Management plans • Treatment plans

19. Methods: Artifact Analysis • Decide what kinds of materials you want to collect • Justify why the artifact you are choosing is a good choice given your research question • Create a scoring rubric (guide) to assign points • Good for pre-post designs

20. Keys to Success • Keep your data collection focused on what will help answer your question. • Try to keep the project reasonable in scope for the time you have available. These are small projects. • Don’t procrastinate!

21. Another KEY TO SUCCESS: Pilot Test Your Instruments • Give a small group of people (not in your class if you can) your survey or interview • Collect sample artifacts to see if your grading scheme works • Try out your observation scheme to see if it needs to be tweaked.

22. To create your own plans answer the questions below: • What question are you asking? • From whom are you gathering data? More than one class, subgroups? • When will you gather data? First week of classes? After the new thing has been introduced? • How will you gather data? Questions, artifacts, observations? • Where will you gather data? Classroom, online forum, dropbox survey?

23. Human Subjects • Because you are working with humans, you must submit a Human Subjects form to your college. Read policy in Faculty Handbook • Our projects are Category I - what one might do in the normal course of teaching • You need to tell how you will collect data, how you will protect privacy. • It is not necessary to get student permission in most cases.

24. Human Subjects • Science and Mathematics • http://www.semo.edu/cosm/images/COSM_hs_form_2006.doc

25. Questions??