action research in education
DESCRIPTION
Dr. Edwin D. Bell, Department of Education, WSSU February 12, 2008TRANSCRIPT
Action Research in EducationAction Research in EducationBrown Bag LuncheonBrown Bag Luncheon
2/12/082/12/08
Edwin D. BellEdwin D. Bell Department of Department of
EducationEducation Winston-Salem Winston-Salem
State UniversityState University
What is it?What is it?
Action ResearchAction Research
A group of A group of research research methodologies thatmethodologies that
pursue change and pursue change and understanding. It is understanding. It is a cyclical process a cyclical process that alternates that alternates between action between action and critical and critical reflection.reflection.
What is It? (continued)What is It? (continued)
Action research is a particular Action research is a particular type of descriptive research that type of descriptive research that can be carried out by educators. can be carried out by educators. (Slavin, 2006)(Slavin, 2006)
Why Do We Use It?Why Do We Use It?
What is the relationship of What is the relationship of Action Research to the Action Research to the Education?Education?
It is grounded in It is grounded in constructivismconstructivism It supports the Scholarship of It supports the Scholarship of
Teaching from Teaching from Boyer’s Scholarship reconsidereBoyer’s Scholarship reconsideredd (Boyer, 1990) (Boyer, 1990)
How Does the Process Work?How Does the Process Work?
Look at the situation:Look at the situation: Gather relevant dataGather relevant data Define and describeDefine and describe Build a picture to describe the Build a picture to describe the
situation, e.g., situation, e.g., force field analysisforce field analysis
(Stringer, 1999)(Stringer, 1999)
(This concept emerged from the (This concept emerged from the work of Kurt Lewin)work of Kurt Lewin)
Process (continued)Process (continued)
Think about the situation:Think about the situation:- Explore and analyze- Explore and analyze
- What is happening here- What is happening here - Interpret and explain- Interpret and explain - How and why are things the way - How and why are things the way
they are (Stringer, 1999)they are (Stringer, 1999)
Process (continued)Process (continued)
Act:Act:
- Plan, i.e., develop a - Plan, i.e., develop a logic logic
Model Model
- Implement- Implement
- Evaluate (Stringer, 1999)- Evaluate (Stringer, 1999)
What Tools Do We Use?What Tools Do We Use?
True and True and Quasi-Experimental Research dQuasi-Experimental Research designs esigns (Gribbons & Herman, 1997)(Gribbons & Herman, 1997)
TriangulationTriangulation Quantitative MethodologyQuantitative Methodology Qualitative MethodologyQualitative Methodology
What tools Do we Use? What tools Do we Use? (continued)(continued)
Grounded Theory: A thumbnail sGrounded Theory: A thumbnail sketchketch
Always try to use field notes as Always try to use field notes as part of your triangulation.part of your triangulation.
What Do We Do NextWhat Do We Do Next
Look at the situation through a conceptual Look at the situation through a conceptual framework that you develop.framework that you develop.
I encourage people to use Karl Weick’s I encourage people to use Karl Weick’s loosely-coupled systems perspective loosely-coupled systems perspective (Weick, 1976)(Weick, 1976)
I encourage them to collect and use I encourage them to collect and use analytical, empirical, and intuitive data in analytical, empirical, and intuitive data in the decisions that they make about the decisions that they make about teaching and learning.teaching and learning.
I encourage them to submit their written I encourage them to submit their written analysis to peer review, i.e., publish.analysis to peer review, i.e., publish.
QuestionsQuestions
ReferencesReferences
Boyer, E. (1990) Boyer, E. (1990) Scholarship Reconsidered: Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate. Priorities of the Professoriate. Retrieved on Retrieved on 2/8/08 from 2/8/08 from http://www.sfsu.edu/~acaffrs/faculty_manual/dhttp://www.sfsu.edu/~acaffrs/faculty_manual/docs/other/Scholarship_Reconsidered.dococs/other/Scholarship_Reconsidered.doc
Dick, B. (2005). Grounded theory: A thumbnail Dick, B. (2005). Grounded theory: A thumbnail sketch. sketch. Resource Papers in Action Research, Resource Papers in Action Research, Retrieved from Retrieved from http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/groundedhttp://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/grounded.html.html
Gribbons, Barry & Herman, Joan (1997). True and Gribbons, Barry & Herman, Joan (1997). True and quasi-experimental designs. quasi-experimental designs. Practical Practical
Assessment, Research & EvaluationAssessment, Research & Evaluation, 5(14). , 5(14). Retrieved May 31, 2006 from Retrieved May 31, 2006 from http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=5&n=14http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=5&n=14
References (continued)References (continued)
Slavin, R. E. (2006). Educational Psychology: Theory Slavin, R. E. (2006). Educational Psychology: Theory and and Practice, 8Practice, 8thth Edition, Boson, MA: Allyn and Edition, Boson, MA: Allyn and BaconBacon
Stringer, E. T. (1999). Action Research, 2Stringer, E. T. (1999). Action Research, 2ndnd Edition, Edition, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Weick, K. (1976) Educational organizations as loosely Weick, K. (1976) Educational organizations as loosely coupled systems, coupled systems, Administrative Science Administrative Science
Quarterly, 21. Retrieved on 2/8/08 from Quarterly, 21. Retrieved on 2/8/08 from http://faculty.babson.edu/krollag/org_sihttp://faculty.babson.edu/krollag/org_site/org_theory/Scott_articles/weick_lcs.htmlte/org_theory/Scott_articles/weick_lcs.html