Module 1
Overview
Instructions
Before you read/watch some resources talking about Action Research, write a very brief definition (1 or 2 sentences) of what you understand Action Research to be.
We will be back to this definition later.
Task
Choose two of the resources below and reflect on the following questions:
a) What's Action Research?
b) What's NOT Action Research?
Overview of Action Research
By Margaret Riel
This is the first video of a series of 6 tutorials to support learning through the use of open source and free resources.
Action Research in TESOL
By Anne Burns
Anne Burns talks about action research in TESOL. In this video, she addresses: what action research means, how to apply it, how to identify a focus and topic of research, how to establish the scope of research, how to develop research questions, and how to collect and analyze data.
An Overview of the Methodological Approach of Action Research
By Rory O'Brien
University of Toronto
Planning and Conducting Action Research
By Andrew P. Johnson
Minnesota State University
This is the first in a four-part series looking at action research for teacher professional development. Here, Dr. Andrew Johnson goes over the basic descriptors and steps of Action Research.
A Practical Guide to Action Research for Literacy Educators
By Glenda Nugent, Sakil Malik, Sandra Hollingsworth
This handbook has been written to assist school personnel to understand what Action Research is, why we should conduct Action Research, who conducts Action Research, and the process of Action Research. It is hoped that this will develop knowledge and skills so that administrators, mentors, and teachers can conduct school-based Action Research projects that result in positive changes in their schools. Specific goals of this handbook are to help educators do the following: define and explain Action Research; demonstrate an understanding of how to use the recursive nature of Action Research to improve their teaching of instructional literacy; provide examples of the Action Research process in action; identity action-researchable issues in their own schools and classrooms; plan and implement Action Research projects in their own schools and classrooms; assess and share the results of their own action research with colleagues; learn to improve instructional decision-making through a continuous reflection point of view.
Instructions
Go back to your first definition of Action Research and incorporate what you have learned from the resources you read/watched. Comment with your peers your approaches, definitions and comments and discuss differences and similarities.
Instructions
Before you begin to study Action Research methodology in more depth, a discussion of different paradigms in research is very important.
What are the most common types of research?
Read the paragraph below and provide a brief explanation of what you understand these types of research to mean. If you need to consult further sources, read the resources below.
"Researchers often refer to positivist and naturalistic paradigms. A positivist researcher often gathers large amounts of data in the form of large-scale surveys and analyses them in order to make generalizations, while a naturalistic, interpretative researcher tries to get inside individuals and institutions to understand situations and people. As an Action Researcher you are likely to follow the latter method." (Koshy, p. 85, 2005).
Telling a Complete Story with Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research
By John W. Creswell
Dr. John W. Creswell explores how the use of both Qualitative and Quantitative research methods can provide a more complete picture.
From the All-American game of baseball to, the gripping stories of Holocaust survivors, Mixed Methods Research plays an important role of telling and completing the story.
What is Mixed Methods Research?
By John W. Creswell
Dr. John Creswell introduces mixed methods research in this video. He also provides some research examples that used mixed methods.
What Skills are Needed for Mixed Methods Research?
By John W. Creswell
Dr. John Creswell talks about types of skills needed for mixed methods research: skills in understanding the research process; skills in understanding quantitative research; skills in understanding qualitative research, and skills in understanding mixed methods research.
Developing Mixed Methods Research with Dr. John W. Creswell.
By John W. Creswell
Explore developing your own Mixed Methods Research plan as Dr. John W. Creswell uses mixed methods research to survey participants testing a new video game.
Instructions
Think about what you have read/watched so far and reflect on the following question:
How is Action Research different from other types of research?
If you can't answer this question yet, go back to the beginning of the module and review it.
Think about your own context and what you know about action research. Reflect on the following questions:
How does Action Research address the relationship between theory and practice?
How can you use Action Research to improve your own practice?
More Resources
Click Support & Resources to find websites, an extensive bibliography and a collection of research journals for your consultation.