Pinpoint a specific area of concern or improve. Find a problem that matters to you
Make the topic manageable. Make the problem small enough to actually do something about
Define the scope. What exactly will you be looking at
Example:
The two teachers meet on a couple of occasions over the summer in order to identify the specific topic they hope to address through the examination and trial of this alternative instructional approach. They determine that they believe that their students struggle most in making connections between seemingly unrelated historical events. The department chair argues that perhaps this backward approach (i.e., beginning with more recent historical events with which their students will be more familiar) will have a positive impact on how well they are able to make these types of connections. The teachers decide to focus their attention on any differences that the two instructional approaches have on students’ abilities to make these connections
Gathering Information
Finding out everything you can about the problem before you try to fix it.
Collecting evidence to understand the situation.
Preparing to make informed decisions about your actions
Example:
The teachers decide to talk with the other social studies teachers, as well as teachers in other subject areas, in their building. They want to know what other teachers think about their assumption that students struggle with making connections between historical events, which occurred perhaps decades apart. They ask the others for their initial perceptions about the backward approach to teaching their content. Additionally, the two teachers spend time, independently, over the course of a few days to actually consider why they believe that this is the case for the struggles their students seem to experience. In other words, they carefully consider any “evidence” that may have led them to feel this way. They also strongly consider other possible solutions to this dilemma. At their next meeting together, they share what they had reflected on and decide that the backward approach continues to be worthy of investigating.
Reviewing related literature
Seeing what others have already learned about your problem.
Getting ideas from research and experts.
Making sure your actions are based on good information.
Seeing how your problem fits into the larger research landscape
Example:
The teachers then decide to collect more formal information—that based on research, in addition to what they had already obtained anecdotally from other teachers of history— about the effectiveness of backward approaches to teaching historical, chronological events; how other history teachers may have implemented this type of instruction; and any problems they may have encountered. They decide to split the tasks, with the department chair identifying and reviewing published research studies on the topic and the other teacher contacting history teachers through their professional organization
Developing a research plan
Create a step-by-step plan for your research making sure you have a plan for how you will collect data and possible ethical issues
Example:
Following the review of published literature and discussions with teachers from other schools and districts that have implemented this type of instruction, the teachers found enough evidence to support the focus of their proposed study (i.e., the backward approach to instruction is effective), although they also found some contradictory evidence (i.e., this approach is less or at least no more effective). The teachers decide on the following researchable question: Is there a difference in instructional effectiveness between a backward approach and a forward approach to teaching American history? Furthermore, based on their review of related literature and other information, the teachers state the following predicted hypothesis: Students who are exposed to the backward approach will experience higher academic achievement, as evidenced by their abilities to make connections between historical events, than those exposed to the more traditional forward approach.
Since their hypothesis implies a comparison study, the teachers decide to randomly split the eight sections of American history for the coming school year. Each teacher will teach four sections of American history—for each teacher, two sections will be taught using the forward approach and two sections will incorporate the backward approach. Achievement data, as well as other teacher-developed assessment data, will be collected from all students enrolled in the American history course for this academic year
The Acting Stage
Collecting data
Implement the planned data collection methods
Gather evidence
Document observations
Example
Throughout the school year, the two history teachers design performance-based assessments, which examine the extent to which students were able to connect historical events. In addition, students will take an American history achievement test in the spring, a portion of which focuses on critical thinking skills as they apply to historical events
Analyzing data
Make sense of the collected information
Identify patterns and trends. Find the story within the data
Evaluate the impact of actions. Did your actions make a difference?
Example
Immediately following the end of the school year, data analysis is undertaken. Test scores resulting from the administration of the standardized achievement tests are statistically compared for the two groups (i.e., the backward group versus the forward group). It is determined that the test scores of the students who were taught using the backward instructional approach are significantly higher than those of the students taught in the more traditional manner. In other words, the original research hypothesis has been supported. In addition, scores resulting from the various administrations of classroom-based performance assessments support the results of the standardized achievement tests. Again, the research hypothesis has been supported
The Developing Stage
Developing an action plan
What exactly are you going to do to solve the problem?
Make a clear list of steps
Who will do what and when?
Be ready for change if needed
Example
With their findings in hand, the teachers decide to approach their principal and district curriculum coordinator about temporarily revising the American history curriculum in order to capitalize on the apparent effectiveness of the backward instructional approach. They agree that it will be imperative to continue to study the effectiveness of this approach
in subsequent academic years. Similar findings in the coming years would provide a much stronger case for permanently hanging the approach to teaching American history.
The Reflecting Stage
Sharing and communicating results
Disseminate findings. Tell others what you have learned
Help others learn from your experience
Create discussions about your findings
Consider multiple ways to share. Presentations, written reports, informal meetings or digital mediums
Example
The principal and curriculum coordinator are quite impressed with the results of this action research study. They suggest to the department chair that the two teachers make a presentation to the school board and to the entire school faculty at a regularly scheduled meeting at the beginning of the next school year. The two teachers develop and make an effective presentation at the subsequent month’s board meeting. A teacher attending the board meeting later suggests that this study might make an interesting contribution at an annual statewide conference on instructional innovations and best
practices held each fall
Reflecting on the process
Think carefully about what you did
Take note of what did and did not work. How can you do better next time?
How can this experience help you in the future?
Example
Over the summer, the two teachers meet in order to debrief and decide on any adjustments to the process that might be beneficial for next year. They consider several questions, including: How well did the process work? Are we sure that the data we collected were the most appropriate in order to answer our research question? Were there additional types of data that could or should have been included in the data collection? Their answers to these questions will help guide next year’s implementation of the backward approach to teaching American history
