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| Understanding Action Research | |
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| What Motivates Unmotivated Students? | |
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| A Brief Overview of Educational Research | |
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| Defining Action Research | |
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| Origins of Action Research | |
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| Theoretical Foundations of Action Research | |
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| Critical Action Research | |
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| Practical Action Research | |
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| Goals and Rationale for Action Research | |
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| Justifying Action Research: The Impact of Action Research on Practice | |
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| Action Research Is Persuasive and Authoritative | |
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| Action Research Is Relevant | |
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| Action Research Allows Teachers Access to Research Findings | |
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| Action Research Challenges the Intractability of Reform of the Educational System | |
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| Action Research Is Not a Fad | |
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| Making Action Research a Part of Daily Teaching Practices | |
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| The Process of Action Research | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Further Thought | |
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| Deciding on an Area of Focus | |
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| Interactive Teen Theater | |
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| Clarifying a General Idea and an Area of Focus | |
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| Criteria for Selecting a General Idea/Area of Focus | |
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| Reconnaissance | |
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| Gaining Insight Into Your Area of Focus Through Self-Reflection | |
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| Gaining Insight Into Your Area of Focus Through Descriptive Activities | |
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| Gaining Insight Into Your Area of Focus Through Explanatory Activities | |
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| Review of Related Literature | |
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| Searching Online Resources | |
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| Searching the Internet and the World Wide Web | |
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| Becoming a Member of Professional Organizations | |
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| Visiting a University Library | |
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| Evaluating Your Sources | |
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| Abstracting | |
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| Analyzing, Organizing, and Reporting the Literature | |
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| Writing Tools and Suggestions | |
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| The Action Research Plan | |
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| Write an Area-of-Focus Statement | |
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| Define the Variables | |
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| Develop Research Questions | |
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| Describe the Intervention or Innovation | |
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| Describe the Membership of the Action Research Group | |
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| Describe Negotiations That Need to Be Undertaken | |
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| Develop a Timeline | |
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| Develop a Statement of Resources | |
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| Develop Data Collection Ideas | |
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| Put the Action Plan Into Action | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Further Thought | |
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| Data Collection Techniques | |
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| Reflection on Action Research | |
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| Qualitative Data Collection Techniques | |
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| Triangulation | |
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| Experiencing Through Direct Observation | |
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| Participant Observation | |
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| Fieldnotes | |
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| Enquiring: When the Researcher Asks | |
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| Informal Ethnographic Interview | |
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| Structured Formal Interviews | |
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| Focus Groups | |
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| E-Mail Interviews | |
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| Questionnaires | |
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| Examining: Using and Making Records | |
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| Archival Documents | |
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| Journals | |
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| Making Maps, Videotapes, Audiotapes, Photographs, Film, and Artifacts | |
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| Quantitative Data Collection Techniques | |
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| Teacher-Made Tests | |
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| Standardized Tests | |
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| School-Generated Report Cards | |
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| Attitude Scales | |
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| Other Measurement Techniques | |
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| Realign Your Area of Focus and Action Research Plan When Necessary | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Further Thought | |
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| Data Collection Considerations: Validity, Reliability, and Generalizability | |
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| Improving Student Understanding and Motivation of Multiplication Facts | |
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| Validity | |
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| Guba's Criteria for Validity of Qualitative Research | |
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| Maxwell's Criteria for Validity of Qualitative Research | |
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| Anderson, Herr, and Nihlen's Criteria for Validity in Action Research | |
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| Wolcott's Strategies for Ensuring the Validity of Action Research | |
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| Reliability | |
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| The Difference Between Reliability and Validity | |
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| Generalizability | |
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| Personal Bias in the Conduct of Action Research | |
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| Propositions | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Further Thought | |
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| Ethics | |
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| The Use of Technology to Enhance Mathematics Achievement | |
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| The Ethics of Research | |
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| Informed Consent and Protection from Harm | |
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| Deception | |
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| Doing the Right Thing: The Role of Ethics in Action Research | |
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| Ethical Guidelines | |
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| Flinders's Conceptual Framework for Ethics in Qualitative Research | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Further Thought | |
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| Data Analysis and Interpretation | |
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| Emphasizing Learning by Deemphasizing Grades | |
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| Ongoing Analysis and Reflection | |
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| Avoid Premature Action | |
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| The Role of Analysis and Interpretation | |
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| Data Analysis Techniques | |
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| Identifying Themes | |
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| Coding Surveys, Interviews, and Questionnaires | |
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| Analyzing an Interview | |
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| Asking Key Questions | |
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| Doing an Organizational Review | |
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| Developing a Concept Map | |
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| Analyzing Antecedents and Consequences | |
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| Displaying Findings | |
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| Stating What's Missing | |
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| Using Computer Software to Assist with Data Analysis | |
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| Data Interpretation Techniques | |
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| Extend the Analysis | |
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| Connect Findings with Personal Experience | |
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| Seek the Advice of "Critical" Friends | |
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| Contextualize Findings in the Literature | |
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| Turn to Theory | |
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| Know When to Say "When"! | |
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| Sharing Your Interpretations Wisely | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Further Thought | |
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| Action Planning for Educational Change | |
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| Reflecting on Admission Criteria | |
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| Developing Action Plans | |
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| Levels of Action Planning | |
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| Action Should Be Ongoing | |
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| The Importance of Reflection | |
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| Some Challenges Facing Teacher Researchers | |
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| Lack of Resources | |
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| Resistance to Change | |
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| Reluctance to Interfere with Others' Professional Practices | |
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| Reluctance to Admit Difficult Truths | |
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| Finding a Forum to Share What You Have Learned | |
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| Making Time for Action Research Endeavors | |
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| Facilitating Educational Change | |
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| Teachers and Administrators Need to Restructure Power and Authority Relationships | |
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| Both Top-Down and Bottom-Up Strategies of Change Can Work | |
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| Teachers Must Be Provided with Support | |
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| Every Person Is a Change Agent | |
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| Change Tends Not to Be Neat, Linear, or Rational | |
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| Teacher Researchers Must Pay Attention to the Culture of the School | |
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| The Outcome of Any Change Effort Must Benefit Students | |
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| Being Hopeful Is a Critical Resource | |
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| What Do Teachers Gain Through All of This Work? | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Further Thought | |
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| Writing Up Action Research | |
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| Why Should I Formally Write About My Action Research? | |
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| Format and Style | |
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| Sample Annotated Action Research Article | |
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| Rituals and Writing | |
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| Establishing a Writing Routine | |
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| An Outline for an Action Research Report | |
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| Other Structures in Action Research Reports | |
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| General Guidelines for Submissions to Journals | |
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| Choosing a "Journal" Style | |
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| APA Publication Manual Conventions | |
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| Self-Assessing Your Write-Up | |
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| Integrating Teaching, Research, and Writing | |
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| How Long Should the Write-Up Be? | |
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| Seeking Feedback | |
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| What's in a Title? | |
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| Polishing the Text | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Further Thought | |
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| Sharing, Critiquing, and Celebrating Action Research Online | |
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| Reflecting on Reflective Teaching | |
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| Sharing Action Research | |
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| Electronic Means for Sharing Action Research | |
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| A Word on Quality Control on the Internet | |
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| Using the Internet to Get Connected | |
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| What Different Types of Online Resources Can I Use? | |
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| Action Research Web Sites | |
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| Listservs | |
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| Online Journals | |
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| Online Action Research: Challenges and Cautions | |
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| The Challenge of Technophobia | |
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| The Challenge of the Ever-Evolving Internet | |
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| Caution: Monitor Your Time Online | |
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| But Is It Really Research?-Criteria for Judging Action Research | |
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| Personal Reflection | |
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| Celebration-It's Time to Party! | |
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| This Is Just the Beginning! | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Further Thought | |
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| Action Research in Action: A Case Study of Curtis Elementary School and an Article Critique | |
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| The Setting: Curtis Elementary-A Professional Development School | |
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| The Area of Focus: Constructing Meaning in Reading | |
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| Reviewing the Literature | |
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| Creating an Action Plan | |
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| Creating Meaning in Reading | |
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| Sharing the Findings | |
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| Critiquing Action Research | |
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| Audience | |
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| Format | |
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| Prejudices | |
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| Professional Disposition | |
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| Reflective Stance | |
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| Life Enhancing | |
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| Action | |
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| Action-Data Connection | |
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| Impact | |
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| Changes | |
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| Colleague Response | |
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| Celebrating Action Research | |
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| Final Thoughts | |
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| Summary | |
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| For Further Thought | |
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| Descriptive Statistics and Action Research | |
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| Count What Counts! Using Descriptive Statistics | |
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| Why Use Descriptive Statistics? | |
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| Measures of Central Tendency | |
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| Measure of Variability: Standard Deviation | |
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| An Illustration | |
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| Be Careful About Your Claims | |
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| Displaying Data Visually | |
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| Writers Workshop and ESL Students' Written Work and Attitudes | |
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| Teaching Mathematics Using Manipulatives | |
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| The Impact of Book Sharing on Student Motivation to Read | |
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| Mapping Teacher's "Locus of Control" and "Movement" | |
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| Concept Map | |
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| Summary | |
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| References | |
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| Author Index | |
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| Subject Index | |