action research for_librarians_carl2012
DESCRIPTION
How the action research methodology can be used by librarians.TRANSCRIPT
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Action Research How to easily incorporate
evidence based research into your practice
CARL Pre-conference
Thursday, April 5, 2012, 8:00 am – 12: 00 pm
Salon A-C
San Diego, Calif.
April Cunningham, Saddleback Community
College
Stephanie Rosenblatt,
California State University, Fullerton
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Learning OutcomesI. Articulate questions about your practice and collaborate with peers to generate ideas for investigating these questions
II. Practice using various methods and tools for data collection and analysis.
III. Understand the concept of action research
Learning Outcomes
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Action Research Cycle
Plan
Act
Reflect
Share
Types of Action Research
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5
Evidence Based
Librarianship
Action Research
Action Research is…6
Informed by concerns about practice/praxisConducted and often initiated by the
librarian(s)impacted as their expertise is valued
CollaborativeCritical, deliberative, and self-reflexiveInstigated with the goal of changing
practices, processes, policies, theories, or systems
Applicable to the local context
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What do you
do?
What do you hope to get out of today’s session?
Where do you work?
What kinds of
research/evaluation have you
done before?
Getting to know…
YOU!
Plan8
• What’s problematic in your work? • Identify partners and “critical friends”
by talking to them throughout the process
• Review the literature• Develop a research plan
• What kind of information do you need to investigate your question/problem?
• How can you collect it?
Task: Consider Your Work 9
• Take a moment to think about your own work. What’s problematic?
• Generate one or two questions you’d like to investigate.
• Talk to a partner in your group. Do you share any questions/problems in common?
Problems/Questions10
?????????????????????
PLAN: Identifying a problem
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http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=5770291&height=267&width=200
PLAN: Thinking about Data and Analysis
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http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=5778656&height=267&width=200
http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=5778765&height=267&width=200
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METHODOLOGY INTERLUDE
BUT FIRST: WORLDVIEWS (ESPECIALLY PRAGMATISM)
Quan
Qual
Mixed
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Act
WORLDVIEW RESEARCH FOCUS
Pragmatism Problem centered
Postpositivism Theory verification, Objectivity
Constructivism Multiple meanings, Subjectivity
Advocacy Empowerment, Change oriented
Quantitative Inquiry
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Intent: see how data fits an existing theory, model, or explanation
Ask close-ended questions
Collect and analyze numbers; Statistics
Large samples
Qualitative Inquiry
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Act Intent: learn participants’ views
Ask open-ended questions
Collect and analyze words and images; themes
Small Samples
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ActQuantitative Qualitative
Collection•Quasi-experiment•Close-ended Survey•Usage Statistics
Collection•Interview•Open-ended Survey•Focus Group•Observation
Analysis•Descriptive statistics•Cross-Tabulation•Correlation•Comparing Means
Analysis•Coding•Discourse analysis
TYPICAL METHODS
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ActQuantitative Qualitative
•Statistical methods: -rejecting hypotheses -calculating effect sizes
•Large, random or representative samples
•Take steps to remove researcher bias
•Coding methods: -identifying themes
•Small samples studied in depth in their natural environment
•Peer review of data and analyses; reciprocity with participants
VALIDITY
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Qualitative data enhance quantitative findings because they explain the statistical relationships
Qualitative data can inform instrument design for a later quantitative phase
ct
MIXED METHODS:
“clarify subtleties, cross-validate findings, and inform efforts to plan, implement, and evaluate strategies”Creswell & Clark (2007). Designing and conducting mixed methods research.
a) Qual a)Quant
a)
Supported by b)
Complementary
Qual &
Quant
1. Exploratory 2. Explanatory
3. Embedded 4. Triangulation
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Break for 10 minutes. When we come back, we’ll…
o Collect datao Analyze datao Continue talking to our collaborators
ACT22
•Collect data
•Analyze data
•Continue to talk to collaborators or friends about your findings to get different perspectives on your process/methods and what you’re discovering
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Data Collection Tools:
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Data Analysis Tools:
Tableau Public Excel Rubrics LIWC Word text.stat
HTTP:/ /WWW.TABLEAUSOFTWARE.COM/PUBLIC
Tableau Public25
Microsoft Excel41
Descriptive statistics Inferential statistics
Describing the numerical data you have by organizing, graphing, or tabulating.
Using the sample you have to make inferences or hypotheses about a larger population.
Types of Statistics42
0
2
4
6
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Nominal
Ordinal
IntervalRatio
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Microsoft Excel
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10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100M
ore
0
1
2
3
4
5
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Pretest Results
Frequency
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100M
ore
0
2
4
6
8
10
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Posttest Results
Frequency
Rubrics48
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Microsoft Word50
HTTP: / /WWW.LIWC.NET/TRYONLINE.PHP
Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC)
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HTTP: / /TEXTSTAT.SOFTWARE.INFORMER.COM/
Text Stat56
ACT: Asking for Help
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Coding document or
checklist used to analyze types of sources used by
students.
http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=5778959&height=267&width=200
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Your Turn: Data Analysis
Task: Analyze data
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Were you able to learn something about the instruction program in this scenario?
What was a successful approach to the data?
What was frustrating?
How else could you investigate the problem/issue?
Task: Your Turn to Reflect
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Action Research Cycle
Plan
Act
Reflect
Share
Reflect67
Think about how the findings will impact your own work.
What will you change?
Do you now have new questions? How can you explore those?
Share68
Findings
How?
Where?
Who?
Task: Share
What did you learn about the instruction program in this scenario?
How could you use what you learned about the program?
Changes?
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Your turn: Plan your own project
Identify potential collaborators
What problems are you having?
Identify or collect the information you need
How might you analyze that information?
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Applying the Action Research
Methodology