Let’s do Action Research ! Ideas in Motion for our Integrated English Course
Paul Kawachi FRSA
OU of China, 24 July 2010
Why do action research ?
What is action research ?
How to do action research ?
( and if time . . . topics for action research )
overview
Why ?
Why do action research ?
Why do action research ?
What is it ? and why me ?surely others who have time and interestcan do this. And they can tell me the result.or I can read about it when I get time.
It’s easier to read what I need to knowthan bother about doing the research myself.Anyway, I‘m not good at research !
‘Action Research’ is personalabout your own feelings in your own classroom
‘Action Research’ is not difficultindeed it is easy, and saves you time( the idea is to save you time and energy and stress )
it helps you work more intelligently … not harder !
okay . . . so What exactly is ‘Action Research’ ?and When will I have time to do it ?
You want to make your job easier,and more enjoyable, and fun
You want to make your job easier,and more enjoyable, and fun
for your students too.And you want them to get higher gradesmore easily, rather than having to work harder
You already are working hard to help your college and studentsget better and better every year . . .
and you yourself get better at teaching with practice, experience and studying . . .
You already are working hard to help your college and studentsget better and better every year . . .
and you yourself get better at teaching with practice, experience and studying . . .
so you are already doing ‘Action Research’
You already are working hard to help your college and studentsget better and better every year . . .
and you yourself get better at teaching with practice, experience and studying . . .
so you are already doing ‘Action Research’but maybe you still want to make things easierand you want others to respect your hard work !
‘Action Research’is only about your own classroom( face-to-face or online )
it is not only about solving classroom problemsit is about coping
‘Action Research’is only about your own classroom( face-to-face or online )
it is not only about solving classroom problemsit is about coping well
‘Action Research’is only about your own classroom( face-to-face or online )
it is not only about solving classroom problemsit is about coping welland improving your styles in small waysto become more and more efficientand professional
being professional
professional means to
- systematically question one’s own teaching - acquire the skills to study one’s own teaching - test out theory in practice- allow other teachers to observe one’s work and - discuss it with them on an open basis
Stenhouse 1975 p.144
the motivations to do Action Research :
vocational academic personal social
the motivations to do Action Research :
vocational extrinsic : intrinsic :academic personal social
the motivations to do Action Research :
vocational extrinsic : qualifying for a better job intrinsic : get skills for own future desiresacademic extrinsic : get more knowledge intrinsic : pursue own study interestspersonal extrinsic : show capability to others intrinsic : desire for self improvementsocial extrinsic : outside activities intrinsic : lifelong learning Kawachi 2002
the motivations to do Action Research :
vocational extrinsic : qualifying for a better job intrinsic : get skills for own future desiresacademic extrinsic : get more knowledge intrinsic : pursue own study interestspersonal extrinsic : show capability to others intrinsic : desire for self improvementsocial extrinsic : outside activities intrinsic : lifelong learning Kawachi 2002
“ it is not enough that teachers’ work should be studied : they need to study it themselves ”
Rudduck & Hopkins 1985 p.93
before looking at what is ‘Action Research’
let’s look at more reasons given by some othersfor why ‘Action Research’ will help us . . .
Why do Action Research ?
- to adhere to principles of good teaching- to update strategies and increase flexibility- to serve the increasing diversity of students and our students’ modern needs - to provide leadership models to students and society- to improve the quality of our students’ learning- to compete against rival colleges- to broaden open access for more students- to develop now and save $ money in the future
Collis 1998, Pajo 2001, Farrell 2002
maybe you can add a lot more reasonswhy you want to resolve classroom difficulties and help your students learn better
maybe you can add a lot more reasonswhy you want to resolve classroom difficulties and help your students learn better
e.g.
We have to keep up with new internet technology
maybe you can add a lot more reasonswhy you want to resolve classroom difficulties and help your students learn better
e.g.
We have to keep up with new internet technologyOur students must learn new things which we ourselves never learnt before
now let’s look at What is action research ?
What is action research ?
action research is a small area,
What is action research ?
action research is a small area,essentially private,
What is action research ?
action research is a small area,essentially private, personally meaningful . . .
What is action research ?
action research is a small area,essentially private, personally meaningful . . . a constructive systematic way to resolve our own worries,to serve our own curiosity, to take control of uncontrolled happenings
What is action research ?
is one kind of research . . .
What is action research ?
is one kind of research . . .you need to know some basics about research
What is action research ?
is one kind of research . . .you need to know some basics about researcheg there are two kinds quantitative qualitative
What is action research ?
is one kind of research . . .you need to know some basics about researcheg there are two kinds quantitative objective qualitative subjective
What is action research ?
is one kind of research . . .you need to know some basics about researcheg there are two kinds quantitative objective tests a known theory qualitative subjective describes a situation
quantitative
objective from a theory = deductivecountsunframed, unlimited
qualitative
subjectivecreates theory = inductivedescribesframed, limited
quantitative
objective from a theory = deductivecountsunframed, unlimited
qualitative
subjectivecreates theory = inductivedescribesframed, limited
action research
What is action research ?
is one kind of research . . .you need to know some basics about researcheg there are two kinds quantitative objective tests a known theory qualitative subjective describes a situation
What is action research ?
qualitative subjective very personal
What is action research ?
qualitative subjective very personal describes only our own classroom
What is action research ?
qualitative subjective very personal describes only our own classroom
interprets events
What is action research ?
qualitative subjective very personal describes only our own classroom
interprets events responsive to social actions
What is action research ?
qualitative subjective very personal describes only our own classroom
interprets events responsive to social actions discovers new concepts
What is action research ?
qualitative subjective very personal describes only our own classroom
interprets events responsive to social actions discovers new concepts reveals practice
What is action research ?
qualitative subjective very personal describes only our own classroom
interprets events responsive to social actions discovers new concepts reveals practice increases understanding
now let’s look atHow to do action research ?
How to do action research ?
Step-by-Step
How to do action research ?
Step-by-Step ( and in small safe steps )
How to do action research ?
Step-by-Stepreflect and improve one aspect of current course
How to do action research ?
Step-by-Stepreflect and improve one aspect of current course ( and only one )
How to do action research ?
Step-by-Stepreflect and improve one aspect of current course ( and only one aspect at a time )
How to do action research ?
Step-by-Stepreflect and improve one aspect of current course
- make the lessons more flexible- more-engage our students- get students more-focused on interactions- more-finely tune our teaching
How to do action research ?
Step-by-Stepreflect and improve one aspect of current course
- make the lessons more flexible- more-engage our students- get students more-focused on interactions- more-finely tune our teaching ( = adapt closer to students’ needs )
okay . . .so what topics should I look at ?
okay . . .so what topics should I look at ?
any topic is fine ( but only one small aspect at a time )
okay . . .so what topics should I look at ?
e.g.what homework will my students want to do ?
okay . . .so what topics should I look at ?
e.g.what homework will my students want to do ?
ask them
okay . . .so what topics should I look at ?
e.g.what homework will my students want to do ?
ask them, how long they have, what kinds ofthings they enjoy doing, what points do they want to improve most
okay . . .so what topics should I look at ?
e.g.what homework will my students want to do ?
Design a simple survey
okay . . .so what topics should I look at ?
e.g.what homework will my students want to do ?
Design a simple surveywith closed and open questions
okay . . .so what topics should I look at ?
e.g.what homework will my students want to do ?
Design a simple surveywith closed and open questionsand ask another teacher too, find if she has same interest, and her students ?
okay . . .so what topics should I look at ?
e.g.what homework will my students want to do ?e.g.what page do my students like best in this chapter ?
okay . . .so what topics should I look at ?
e.g.what homework will my students want to do ?e.g.what page do my students like best in this chapter why ?
okay . . .so what topics should I look at ?
e.g.what homework will my students want to do ?e.g.what page do my students like best in this chapter why, who likes which page, why ?
action research means helping yourself to work less and achieve more
summary
action research means helping yourself to work less and achieve more
for yourself
summary
action research means helping yourself to work less and achieve more
for yourself and for your students
summary
action research means helping yourself to work less and achieve more
for yourself and for your students
your students now
summary
action research means helping yourself to work less and achieve more
for yourself and for your students
your students now, and for your students next year !
summary
Action Research should be fun, rewarding, and worthwhile
try chatting with a colleague about your own lesson or about his or her lesson together you will enjoy learning
summary
for our further discussion :
http://OpenTeacher.blogspot.com
QQ 60338304 : Open Teachgoogle group : Open-Teachemail : [email protected]
You can download these slides freely from
http://www.open-ed.net/actionresearch.ppt
or by email to me at
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