Classroom Action Research

CLASSROOM ACTION RESEARCH

1) The Definition
A. Action Research
- Meaning
Action Research is a reflective process of progressive solving led by individuals working with others in teams to improve the way they address issues and solve problems.
- Theory
Action Research contributes to teacher’s experience of dignity and self worth and supporting capacity to make informed professional judgment.
- Paradigm
Action research is research which identifying social problem, is primarily designed to provide an empirical test of a problem solution: it contains an innovation to produce the change in policy/procedure monitored by social research method.

B. Classroom Action Research
- Meaning
Classroom Action Research is an activity undertaken by teachers to improve their performance and teaching skills in the classroom.
- Theory
Classroom Action Research is a method of finding out what works best in your own classroom so that you can improve student learning. There are many ways to improve knowledge about teaching. Many teachers practice personal reflection on teaching, others conduct formal empirical studies on teaching and learning.
- Paradigm
Positivist paradigm and its emphasis on measurement through experiment or survey, is couched in design and sampling processes that are applied to ensure wider applicability than the initial research study. However, phenomenological paradigm methods such as case study, interview and observation etc, focus on detailed understanding of specific environments and groups and may look to offer general sable knowledge to other similar settings. This argument is supported by Kincheloe (1991) who points out that in traditional research all that is needed to ensure transferability is to understand with a high degree of internal validity something about, say, a particular school classroom and to know that the make up of this classroom is representative of another to which the generalization is being applied.
However, this traditionalist concept of external validity is far too simplistic and asserts that if generalizations are to be made - that is if researchers are to apply findings in context A to context B – then we must make sure that the contexts being compared are similar. (Easterby-Lowe et al., 1997)


2) Synthesis of Definition, Theory, and Paradigm
A. Action Research
Action research is an intentional, systematic method of inquiry used by a group of practitioner-researchers who reflect and act on the real-life problems encountered in their own practice. Often the research is conducted in partnership with academic researchers or professional development staff that helps facilitate the process.
This reciprocal process, in which practice and research inform each other, leads to new knowledge and increasingly effective action.

B. Classroom Action Research
Classroom action research is the systematic investigation of what works in the classroom, with the goal of improving student learning. Although we know a great deal about good teaching in general, every teaching situation is unique in many areas, such as content, level, student skills and learning styles, and teacher skills and teaching styles. Teachers conducting classroom action research ask what works best in a particular teaching situation. These teacher-researchers typically gather both quantitative and qualitative data from several sources and share their results with those directly affected, so that others may take action based on the findings.

3) Review
A. Action Research:
- Principles
Action research has been recognized for its breadth as a field of research practice and its depth as a discourse of theoretical insight. It does not have one neat, widely accepted definition. Points to some reasons for the difficulty of formulating a generally accepted definition of action research, and argues why action research should not be confined but should be both clarified for communication and open for development. The discussion stems from a working definition developed with participants in an international symposium that serves as a classic definition of action research. Presents several alternative approaches to resolution and argues for a judicious mix of pragmatism and flexibility in approaching the definition issue.

- Type of Action Research
a. Individual
Individual action research is when one person--be it an administrator or teacher--works alone to refine his or her skills.
b. Collaborative
Collaborative action research takes place when a small group of people work together to identify challenges and analyze the data they have gathered.
c. School Wide
School wide action research, however, includes majority of the school staff. Principals, teachers, and the district engage in action research together to help improve the school.

- Characteristic
a. Practical Focus
The aim of action research is to address an actual problem in an educational setting. Thus, action researchers study practical issues that ill have immediate benefits for education.
b. The Educator-Researcher’s Own Practices
When action researchers engage in a study, they are interested in examining their own practices rather than studying someone else’s practices. In this sense, action researchers engage in participatory or self-reflective research in which they turn the lens on their own educational classroom, school, or practices.
c. Collaboration
Action researchers collaborate with others, often in involving co participants in the research. These co participants may be individuals within a school or outside personnel, such as university researchers or professional association groups.
d. Plan of Action
The next step is to identify a plan of action. At some point in the process, the action researcher formulates an action plan in response to the problem.
e. Sharing Research
Action researchers often share reports with local school, community, and educational personnel. Although action researchers publish in scholarly journals, they are typically more interested in sharing the information locally with individuals who can promote change or enact plans within their classroom or building.
- Goal
a. Action research allows individuals to identify problems they consider important rather than addressing issues others outside the system deem as important.
b. Several different types of action research can occur in a school simultaneously.
c. Action research is a process that allows educators to experience problem solving and model it to their students and colleagues.
d. Action research can revitalize the entire learning and professional community.

B. Classroom Action Research:
- Principles
Teachers who have experienced teaching for many years and for many different levels will find it easy to cope with problems in a classroom. They already have equipped themselves with various teaching techniques and methodologies. Therefore, they seem to have confidence in their performance in class, to have answers for questions asked by students, and to master the classroom entirely. However, a novice teacher will have a hard time when he or she is assigned to teach a class which requires him or her to be creative.

- Type of Classroom Action Research
a. Instructional plans including plans that are covert in nature and rarely recorded
b. Methods of communicating objectives to students including classroom process objectives that establish norms for daily interactions
c. Creating environments that sustain classroom norms such as for argumentation and conjecture
d. Setting assignments and communicating criteria,
e. Applying criteria to grading student work,
f. Providing feedback to students on daily work and larger projects,
g. Adjustments to instruction that incorporates what is learned from students and from the grading of student work.




- Characteristic
a. An inquiry on practice from teacher
b. A collaborative effort between school teachers and teacher’s educators
c. Reflective practice made public

- Goal
a. Provides a framework for trying out different approaches and ideas
b. Helps develop reflective practice enables teachers to make choices and decisions about their teaching styles
c. Helps develop confidence
d. Helps teachers improve student learning