|
Have you updated your AlertNow Emergency Information Virginia Beach Adult Learning Center: Where Learning Never Ends! Nationally-known presenters Daniel Pink and Tony Wagner slated to speak
|
Action
research realized…. Ultimately, 21 VBCPS teachers signed up for the course. We are pleased that one, Princess Anne High School Spanish teacher and department head Claudia Cosimano, agreed to write a feature article detailing her experience. You will find the article not only interesting, but inspiring. In addition, three additional teachers shared information regarding their own experiences with action research in a Q & A (see below) format that we’re also pleased to be able to share with you. Again, their comments offer insight into the process of doing action research as well as into the product they created. Teachers who are interested in participating in a cohort of the PDP Action Research course contact the Department of Research, Evaluation, and Assessment at 263-1030 for more information.
Action research? I had never heard the term before I saw the article last spring in Kaleidoscope explaining an upcoming course dealing with the topic. As a veteran teacher, it has been some time since I did actual research in college, but as I read the article, I realized that this would not be typical research as I imagined it would be. This is more of a reflective process that solves problems in order to improve specific practices or strategies. This intrigued me. I recently received my National Board certification through a process that involved a great deal of reflection, and I learned how valuable that process is. Action research appealed to me also because it offered the opportunity to select an area of my instruction that I wanted to improve and then work to research a way to accomplish that improvement. What a great idea- using research for a practical and meaningful purpose and taking a class that would guide me through the process. I decided to give it a try. The class met five evenings in the spring with Dr. Jared Cotton as our instructor. He led us through the definition of action research and the procedure for choosing our area of research. I knew that I wanted to investigate how to improve my students’ vocabulary learning. As a Foreign Language teacher, I know that students’ greatest obstacle when trying to use the language is their lack of vocabulary. It affects their ability to read, write, speak and listen. I wanted to find the best methods to help my students retain as much vocabulary as possible. Our class quickly discovered that it was hard to limit our study to one variable. We first worked through the different aspects of our problem and then brainstormed possible solutions. I proposed ten different strategies that could help improve my students’ vocabulary. Much to my dismay, Dr. Cotton said we had to limit our solutions. I narrowed the list to four, and then discovered we could have only one solution, or variable, to research. I chose an active vocabulary technique and wrote my proposal based on that. I then had to determine what measure I could use to gather data on the effectiveness of this strategy. By the end of the course I had written an action research proposal. I narrowed my topic, chose four different data-collection techniques, and even created a student feedback survey as one of them. This course was beneficial to me as a teacher for two reasons: First, I learned to reflect on a specific instructional problem and its possible solutions; second, I now have a plan to specifically examine a proposed strategy and determine its effectiveness. Both these will help me improve my teaching. Would I recommend this course to any teacher who wants to develop his/her instruction? I certainly would! Action
Research Q&A |
Action research: reflection and results