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Action Research
(Improving Practice) |
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Course Description
The Scientific, Mathematical, Behavioral methods for research (Quantitative) and the Ethnographical, Sociological, and Historical methods for research (Qualitative) have been fighting over the battlefield of Education for at least the past forty years. Out of this conflict, Action Research is emerging as the victor with hardly a scratch. One of the primary reasons is that most practicing teachers don't have the time or interest to utilize the rigorous research done in the laboratories of either of the other types. What practicing educators do have time for, since they are already spending their lives there, is the examination of the issues and problems arising from, and requiring solution within their own practicum. This is the "laboratory" for the Teacher-Action-Researcher.
In this one credit module you will examine what the term "action research" means to the practicing teacher, and to the research techniques which you can adopt and use which fit within the types of problems you want to explore and examine. Facilitating this examination will be access to multi-media resources which will aid you in your reflection and your learning experience. You will have the opportunity to integrate this information into your own knowledge base, and make application to your practicum. A Capstone project utilizing what you have learned, as well as usage of mastery application skills for your practicum serve as the culmination of this learning experience.
Course Content
- Monitoring the engagement of students in learning activities, and the progress they are making, to determine if the pace or content of instruction needs to be modified to assure that all students accomplish lesson and unit objectives.
- Selecting and/or developing tests, performance measures, observation schedules, student interviews, or other formal or informal assessment procedures that are valid and reliable to determine the progress of all students including those from diverse cultural or ethnic backgrounds.
- Documenting student progress in accomplishing State and district standards, prepare data summaries that show this progress to others, and inform students, supervisors, and parents about progress in learning.
- Assembling, reflect upon, interpreting, and communicating evidence of one's own effectiveness as a teacher including evidence of success in fostering student progress in learning.
- If unsuccessful in fostering student learning, analyzing and interpreting why this was so, and determining what the teacher would do differently if a similar unit were taught again.
Capstone Activity
Using all that you have learned in your readings, interactions with others, and tasks for this module, and using your practicum as your "research laboratory", finalize the "mini" action project which you have developed in the three tasks above under the tutelage of your mentor/supervisor. Purposely hold the project to a limited scope so that you can complete it within the time limits of completion of this module.
Your project should be completed, your data collected, and analysed and your conclusions drawn by the end of this module. Implementation of your solutions may take place in this module or within the Leadership & The Teacher module.
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Professional Technical Education