Conducting Action Research

Overview for KRA Research and Studies Practitioner Award

Kansas Reading Association

I. OVERVIEW OF ACTION RESEARCH:

What Is Action Research?

It is research used by classroom teachers or building administrations to ask focused questions

about instructional practices or student learning
A reliable research method which assists educators in organizing and interpreting school data
sources (Calhoun, 2002; Moore, 2004)
A method of assessing ones practice in order inform instructional decisions
A series of steps (planning, acting, observing, reflecting) used to study questions or problems
about the classroom or school
A way to conduct systematic reflection on instruction, curriculum, assessment, decision-making

Why Do Educators Conduct Action Research?

To think about instructional decision-making and actions regarding student learning

To systematically examine how learners respond to instructional decisions
To assist in making instructional decisions based on results
To resolve challenges through questioning, data collection and analysis

Action Research Is Based on Assumptions

Educators are able to identify questions and work on questions/problems related to their
practice
Educators who examine and assess their own work are able to consider ways in which they
might work differently and more effectively
It takes time for educators to think deeply about their practice
Action research is one way that educators can reflect and change their teaching practice

II. STEPS IN CONDUCTING ACTION RESEARCH:

Identifying a purpose/problem and rationale
Begin by identifying a problem or asking a question about something that is happening related
to your practice, in essence the purpose for looking into this further. You might even use an I
wonder statement. Write a list of things you have thought about doing, doing differently or
changing. Think about something you have learned from observing another teacher or which
you know about from professional learning. What questions do you have about effectiveness in

your own classroom or school? You might consider conducting an action research project
focused on a learner that is puzzling to you.
Developing research question(s)
Write simple, focused, open-ended questions. Limit your questions to one, two or three.
Here are some examples: How does the knowledge gained by students from developing their
own rubrics transfer across content areas? How do graphic organizers influence students use of
details in narrative writing? Which is more effective in teaching phonemic awareness:
cooperative groups or direct instruction?
Conducting a brief literature search
Explore background information related to your research focus by locating journal articles or
professional texts. You might also discuss your topic with a knowledgeable professional, for
example, a reading specialist, if your focus is on a literacy-related question.
Implementation
Making decisions about your participants
Decide which students, parents, or teachers will be the participants in your action research
project. You might choose to study an entire class, a small group of students, or a single
student. You could study the parents in your classroom or school. If you eventually plan to
present your research or publish it, you will need to obtain parent permission if your
participants are students. You should always inform your principal about your action research
plans in advance.
Planning what you will do
Review your research questions. Think about where you can find evidence or artifacts to
address each one. You should have at least two sources of data for each of your research
questions. But, keep in mind that one data source can be used for more than one question. If
you eventually plan to present you research or publish it, you probably need at least three data
sources. Do not create new data sourcesuse what you already do in your setting. Determine
what you will collect, where you will obtain it, what you need, your timelines and how you will
do your data-collection (collect artifacts, audio-record, etc.) You may want to consider gathering
data both pre- and post-. Here are some potential data sources to consider:
Student-created projects/artifacts, assessments, interviews, portfolios, writing samples,
work samples, Likert (rating) scales, observation checklists, anecdotal notes, journals
Collecting data

Prior to data-collection, determine what you are going to collect, why you are collecting the
data, and when, where and how you will collect it. Include a time frame. If gathering initial
data, do that first. Keep data throughout the designated time frame. As you gather initial data,
be sure to code the data and consider whether you need to adjust your data design/sources.
Coding data
To code your data, look through everything you have collected from your research project
(including the results of assessments, anecdotal notes, observational notes, your own reflective
journal pages, student work samples, survey questions, etc.) As you collect the data, you can
use a color-coding technique to keep the data organized (Bogdan & Biklen, 1998). Color code
your data according to your research questions (for example, green highlights are coded for
question one; yellow highlights are coded for question two). Highlight just the words that will
inform your questions and the themes that emerge from the data (Falk & Blumenreich, 2002).
You will likely go over your data more than one time, and you may find you will decide to change
your color coding as you go along. Work with a colleague as a way to ensure that you are not
biased in your coding. (Tip: Do not attempt to code everything you collect. Instead look for
poignant words, important information related to your themes and questions and/or a specific
set of assessment results.)
Determining results/implications
Look for patterns in what you have coded. These will become your categories or themes. What
emerges from your thoughtful consideration of data is what you will use to explain your results,
to summarize or to frame the concepts based on the responses you have acquired. Ask yourself:
What have I learned from the data that will inform my teaching? What patterns or insights have
I discovered within the coded data?
Based on your findings, write about what you will do differently as a result of your action
research. Think about how you will use the results to inform teaching, learning, and leading.
What are the implications for your own teaching and learning? Then, think about how you will
share your finding with others. What did you find out that will be useful for others to consider?

III. MORE POSSIBLE ACTION RESEARCH RESOURCES:

Bogdan, R.C. & Biklen, S.K. (1998). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theory and
methods. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Calhoun, E.J. (2002). Action research for school improvement. Educational Leadership, 59(6), 18-24.
Falk, B. & Blumenreich, M. (2005). The Power of Questions: A Guide to Teacher and Student Research.
Portsmouth NH: Heinemann.
Moore, R. A. (2007). Taking action: Assessing the impact of preservice teaching on learning. Action in
Teacher Education, 28(3), 53-60.
Moore, R. A. (2003). Classroom research for teachers: A practical guide. Norwood, MA: Christopher
Gordon.
Moore, R. A. (1999). Teacher research: Changing the way we think about teaching and learning, Inquiry:
Journal of Teaching and Learning, 16-23.
Moore, R. A. (1999). Preservice teachers engaged in reflective classroom research, Teacher Educator,
34(4), 259-275.
Zuber-Skerritt, O. (1996). New directions in action research. Washington, DC: Falmer Press.

IV. HELPFUL LINK

For more information on teacher action research, click on the link below.

http://gse.gmu.edu/research/tr/