ED 635 Action Research

Unit 2: Action research specifics

Unit overview

From unit 1 you got a little bit on what action research is... or at least according to the authors of the chapter you read. Action research is the process of practitioners (in our case, teachers) trying to get smarter about teaching and learning. Action researchers may employ either quantitative or qualitative methods but their goal is always local - to learn more about how teaching and learning works in their own school or classroom. Explore these resources carefully and build your understanding about what this all means for you.

Moodle discussion

After investigating all the resources at this unit, go to the appropriate Moodle forum and discuss these questions:

1. What is action research? How is it similar to and different from more tranditional quantitative and qualitative research? Mills uses the phrase "wonderfully uncomfortable" to describe action research... why? What does he mean by this? Imagine in what ways the process of action research may be wonderfully uncomfortable for you? What is the link between action research and reflective practice? How can one support the other? Do they share methods and/or strategies? Are the goals similar or different? List some qualities or characterisitcs of an action researcher. What barriers do you see in your school, classroom, community, profession... that may limit your ability to become either a reflective practitioner or an action researcher? To what degree are you already one or both of these?

Unit content

Read this and consider the questions above as you do. Also... check out these action research websites and consider these questions:

• What does these websites suggest about the goals of action research?
• What support or networks exist (or need to exist) to support action research?
• What role do you think action research can or should play in the broader development of teachers in general?