| |
| |
Preface | |
| |
| |
Acknowledgments | |
| |
| |
About the Author | |
| |
| |
| |
"What is Action Research?" | |
| |
| |
| |
Introduction to Action Research | |
| |
| |
| |
Organizer | |
| |
| |
What Is Action Research? | |
| |
| |
Introduction to Educational Research | |
| |
| |
Overview of Educational Research | |
| |
| |
Overview of Action Research | |
| |
| |
Models of Action Research | |
| |
| |
Characteristics of Action Research: What It Is and What It Is Not | |
| |
| |
The Importance of Action Research | |
| |
| |
Connecting Theory to Practice | |
| |
| |
Improvement of Educational Practice | |
| |
| |
Connection to School Improvement | |
| |
| |
Teacher Empowerment and Intellectual Engagement | |
| |
| |
Professional Growth | |
| |
| |
Applications of Action Research | |
| |
| |
Identifying Problems | |
| |
| |
Developing and Testing Solutions | |
| |
| |
Preservice Teacher Education | |
| |
| |
In-Service Professional Growth | |
| |
| |
"Rigor" in Action Research | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 1: Improving Reading Comprehension in a Title I Program: Contributing to Widespread School Improvement | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 2: Conceptual Understanding of Mitosis and Meiosis: Collaborating for the Improvement of Educational Practice | |
| |
| |
Action Research Checklist 1: Action Research as a Part of Your Professional Practice | |
| |
| |
Related Websites: What Is Action Research? | |
| |
| |
Summary | |
| |
| |
Questions and Activities | |
| |
| |
Student Study Site | |
| |
| |
| |
Overview of the Action Research Process | |
| |
| |
| |
Organizer | |
| |
| |
| |
Identifying and Limiting the Topic | |
| |
| |
| |
Gathering Information | |
| |
| |
| |
Reviewing the Related Literature | |
| |
| |
| |
Developing a Research Plan | |
| |
| |
| |
Implementing the Plan and Collecting Data | |
| |
| |
| |
Analyzing the Data | |
| |
| |
| |
Developing an Action Plan | |
| |
| |
| |
Sharing and Communicating the Results | |
| |
| |
| |
Reflecting on the Process | |
| |
| |
A Brief Example | |
| |
| |
| |
Identifying and Limiting the Topic | |
| |
| |
| |
Gathering Information | |
| |
| |
| |
Reviewing the Related Literature | |
| |
| |
| |
Developing a Research Plan | |
| |
| |
| |
Implementing the Plan and Collecting Data | |
| |
| |
| |
Analyzing the Data | |
| |
| |
| |
Developing an Action Plan | |
| |
| |
| |
Sharing and Communicating the Results | |
| |
| |
| |
Reflecting on the Process | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 1: Improving Reading Comprehension in a Title I Program: Outlining the Action Research Process | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 2: Conceptual Understanding of Mitosis and Meiosis: Outlining the Action Research Process | |
| |
| |
Action Research Checklist 2: The Action Research Process | |
| |
| |
Related Websites: The Action Research Process | |
| |
| |
Summary | |
| |
| |
Questions and Activities | |
| |
| |
Student Study Site | |
| |
| |
| |
"How Do I Begin My Action Research Study?" | |
| |
| |
| |
Planning for Action Research | |
| |
| |
| |
Organizer | |
| |
| |
Identifying a Topic for Research | |
| |
| |
Preliminary Considerations | |
| |
| |
Limiting a Topic | |
| |
| |
Gathering Preliminary Information | |
| |
| |
Reviewing the Related Literature | |
| |
| |
Sources for Related Literature | |
| |
| |
Searching the ERIC Database Online | |
| |
| |
Searching Google Scholar | |
| |
| |
Writing a Literature Review | |
| |
| |
Writing Up Action Research: Topics and Literature Reviews | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 1: Improving Reading Comprehension in a Title I Program: Planning for Action Research | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 2: Conceptual Understanding of Mitosis and Meiosis: Planning for Action Research | |
| |
| |
Action Research Checklist 3: Planning for Action Research | |
| |
| |
Related Websites: Sources for Research Topics and Related Information | |
| |
| |
Summary | |
| |
| |
Questions and Activities | |
| |
| |
Student Study Site | |
| |
| |
| |
Developing a Research Plan | |
| |
| |
| |
Organizer | |
| |
| |
Research Questions | |
| |
| |
Basic Research Designs | |
| |
| |
Qualitative Research Designs | |
| |
| |
Case Studies | |
| |
| |
Observational Case Studies | |
| |
| |
Observational Studies | |
| |
| |
Constant Comparative Method | |
| |
| |
Quantitative Research Designs | |
| |
| |
Descriptive Designs | |
| |
| |
Correlational Designs | |
| |
| |
Group Comparison Designs | |
| |
| |
Mixed-Methods Research Designs | |
| |
| |
Explanatory Mixed-Methods Designs | |
| |
| |
Exploratory Mixed-Methods Designs | |
| |
| |
Triangulation Mixed-Methods Designs | |
| |
| |
Ethical Considerations in Your Research | |
| |
| |
Getting Organized for Your Research | |
| |
| |
Writing Up Action Research: The Research Plan | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 1: Improving Reading Comprehension in a Title I Program: Developing a Research Plan for the Study | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 2: Conceptual Understanding of Mitosis and Meiosis: Developing a Research Plan for the Study | |
| |
| |
Action Research Checklist 4: Developing a Research Plan for Conducting Action Research | |
| |
| |
Related Websites: Research Questions and Research Designs | |
| |
| |
Summary | |
| |
| |
Questions and Activities | |
| |
| |
Student Study Site | |
| |
| |
| |
"What Do I Do with All these Data?" | |
| |
| |
| |
Collecting Data | |
| |
| |
| |
Organizer | |
| |
| |
Qualitative Data Collection Techniques | |
| |
| |
Observations | |
| |
| |
Interviews | |
| |
| |
Journals | |
| |
| |
Existing Documents and Records | |
| |
| |
Reflective Teaching | |
| |
| |
Characteristics of Qualitative Data: Accuracy, Credibility, and Dependability | |
| |
| |
Quantitative Data Collection Techniques | |
| |
| |
Surveys, Questionnaires, and Rating Scales | |
| |
| |
Checklists | |
| |
| |
Formative and Summative Classroom Assessments | |
| |
| |
Standardized Test Scores | |
| |
| |
Characteristics of Quantitative Data: Validity and Reliability | |
| |
| |
Notes about Ethics and Data Collection | |
| |
| |
Writing Up Action Research: Data Collection Methods | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 1: Improving Reading Comprehension in a Title I Program: Developing a Plan and Collecting Data | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 2: Conceptual Understanding of Mitosis and Meiosis: Developing a Plan and Collecting Data | |
| |
| |
Action Research Checklist 5: Developing a Data Collection Plan for Action Research | |
| |
| |
Related Websites: Advice and Guidelines About Data Collection | |
| |
| |
Summary | |
| |
| |
Questions and Activities | |
| |
| |
Student Study Site | |
| |
| |
| |
Analyzing Data | |
| |
| |
| |
Organizer | |
| |
| |
Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques | |
| |
| |
Inductive Analysis | |
| |
| |
Using Computer Software to Assist With Qualitative Data Analysis | |
| |
| |
Quantitative Data Analysis Techniques | |
| |
| |
Using Descriptive Statistics | |
| |
| |
Using Inferential Statistics | |
| |
| |
A Note About "Analyzing" Standardized Test Data | |
| |
| |
Using Computer Software to Assist with Statistical Analysis | |
| |
| |
A Note About Mixed-Methods Data Analysis | |
| |
| |
Reporting the Results of Data Analysis | |
| |
| |
Guidelines for Reporting the Results of Qualitative Data Analysis | |
| |
| |
Guidelines for Reporting the Results of Quantitative Data Analysis | |
| |
| |
Writing Up Action Research: Data Analysis | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 1: Improving Reading Comprehension in a Title I Program: Analyzing Data | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 2: Conceptual Understanding of Mitosis and Meiosis: Analyzing Data | |
| |
| |
Action Research Checklist 6: Analyzing Data in Action Research | |
| |
| |
Related Websites: Guidelines and Resources for Data Analysis | |
| |
| |
Software Programs for Analyzing Qualitative Data | |
| |
| |
Software Programs for Analyzing Quantitative Data | |
| |
| |
Software Programs for Analyzing Mixed-Methods Data | |
| |
| |
Summary | |
| |
| |
Questions and Activities | |
| |
| |
Student Study Site | |
| |
| |
| |
"I've Got Results! … Now What?" | |
| |
| |
| |
Next Steps and Future Cycles: Developing an Action Plan | |
| |
| |
| |
Organizer | |
| |
| |
Developing Action Plans | |
| |
| |
Levels of Action Plans | |
| |
| |
Individual | |
| |
| |
Team | |
| |
| |
School-Level or Districtwide | |
| |
| |
Action Planning: A Time for Reflection | |
| |
| |
Writing Up Action Research: Action Plans | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 1: Improving Reading Comprehension in a Title I Program: Action Planning for Practice and Future Cycles of Action Research | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 2: Conceptual Understanding of Mitosis and Meiosis: Action Planning for Practice and Future Cycles of Action Research | |
| |
| |
Action Research Checklist 7: Action Planning for Practice and Future Cycles of Action Research | |
| |
| |
Related Website: Action Plans | |
| |
| |
Summary | |
| |
| |
Questions and Activities | |
| |
| |
Student Study Site | |
| |
| |
| |
Writing an Action Research Report | |
| |
| |
| |
Organizer | |
| |
| |
Conventions of Academic Writing | |
| |
| |
Titles of Reports | |
| |
| |
Person and Voice | |
| |
| |
Tense | |
| |
| |
Tentative Versus Definitive Statements | |
| |
| |
Clarity | |
| |
| |
Consistency | |
| |
| |
Simplicity of Language | |
| |
| |
Conventions of Format | |
| |
| |
A Word About Ethics When Writing Research Reports | |
| |
| |
Practical Guidelines for Writing | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 1: Improving Reading Comprehension in a Title I Program: Writing the Action Research Report | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 2: Conceptual Understanding of Mitosis and Meiosis: Writing the Action Research Report | |
| |
| |
Action Research Checklist 8: Writing an Action Research Report | |
| |
| |
Related Websites: Writing Action Research Reports | |
| |
| |
Still More Examples of Action Research Reports | |
| |
| |
Summary | |
| |
| |
Questions and Activities | |
| |
| |
Student Study Site | |
| |
| |
| |
Sharing and Reflecting | |
| |
| |
| |
Organizer | |
| |
| |
Communicating the Results of Action Research | |
| |
| |
Locally | |
| |
| |
Action Research Communities | |
| |
| |
Professional Conferences | |
| |
| |
District-Level Action Research Conferences | |
| |
| |
Academic Journals | |
| |
| |
Sharing Results Electronically | |
| |
| |
A Word About Ethics When Sharing the Results of Action Research | |
| |
| |
Reflecting on the Action Research Process | |
| |
| |
Writing Up Action Research: Reflecting on Research | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 1: Improving Reading Comprehension in a Title I Program: Sharing the Results of Action Research | |
| |
| |
Action Research Portrait 2: Conceptual Understanding of Mitosis and Meiosis: Sharing the Results of Action Research | |
| |
| |
Action Research Checklist 9: Sharing and Disseminating the Results of Action Research | |
| |
| |
Related Websites: Communication and Discussion About Action Research | |
| |
| |
Action Research Websites | |
| |
| |
Action Research Electronic Journals | |
| |
| |
Action Research Electronic Mailing Lists | |
| |
| |
Summary | |
| |
| |
Questions and Activities | |
| |
| |
Student Study Site | |
| |
| |
| |
Sample Action Research Report: Too Loquacious to Be Communicative: In Search of Opportunities for Comprehensible Output | |
| |
| |
| |
Sample Action Research Report: Meditations on Motivation: Collaborative Teacher Action Research 2000-01 | |
| |
| |
| |
Action Research Developmental Templates | |
| |
| |
Glossary | |
| |
| |
References | |
| |
| |
Index | |