This document provides an overview of action research and guidance for educators on conducting action research in their own classrooms. It defines action research as a form of self-reflective inquiry aimed at improving educational practice. The presentation reviews the steps of action research, which include selecting a focus, developing research questions, collecting and analyzing data, and taking informed action. Sample research questions are provided. Educators are then guided through beginning the process, including identifying issues in their teaching and developing potential research topics and questions to explore. The goal is to help teachers shape best practices through studying their own practices.

1. Action Research
Spreading English Knowledge in Ecuador
Monique N. Simpson
Ibarra, Ecuador

2. TODAY'S AGENDA:
ò Review Steps of Action Research
ò Discuss Potential Topics
ò Group Work – Brainstorming on Topic
Ideas
ò Follow-up meeting & Team Support

3. +
Action Research: How to conduct a study in your own
classroom to shape best practices in English
Ali Cullerton, Ph.D.

4. Resources
“Action Research”
The Center for Technology in Education (CTE)
Johns Hopkins University
cte@jhu.edu

5. What is Action Research?
ò Action Research is a form of disciplined inquiry that impacts directly on
a teacher's practice and empowers them to renew their classrooms and
promote instructional improvement. (Glanz, 1991)
ò Action Research is a form of self-reflective inquiry (Kemmis, 1983)
ò Action Research is the systematic study of attempts to improve
educational practice by groups of participants by means of their own
practical actions and by means of their own reflection upon the effects of
those actions. (Ebbutt, 1985)
ò Action Research is a disciplined process of inquiry conducted by and for
those taking the action. The primary reason for Action Research is to
assist the "actor" in improving and/ or refining his or her actions. (Sagor,
2000)
Action Research , The Center for Technology in Education (CTE), Johns Hopkins University

6. +
What IS Action Research?
Often Qualitative
Intended to assist the “actor” in improving his or her
actions
Non experimental
Teachers researching their own classrooms
Relevant to participants

7. +
Goals and Purposes of Teacher
Research
Professional
engagement of
teachers
It can contribute to
improving teaching
or instruction
Helps teacher make
informed decisions
on how to improve
teaching or
instruction
Offers a different,
less removed point of
view for research
Building the
reflective practitioner
Make progress on
school-wide
priorities
Build professional
cultures

8. Benefits for
PUCE-SI
Instructors
ò Help PUCE-SI improve
its standing in academia
ò Receive an extra point in
yearly work evaluation
ò International conference
presentations
(scholarships)
ò The start of something
bigger (PhD, proper
research, book or chapter
in a book, teacher trainer,
etc.)
ò ????????

9. +
Phases of Study
Select a
focus
Clarify
theories
Identify
research
questions
Literature
review
Collect dataAnalyze data
Report
results
Take
informed
action

10. A.R. STEPS
ò Step 1 : Identifying issues and developing questions
ò Step 2 - Learning more about your issue (Lit Review)
ò Step 3 - Developing a strategy for your study (Intervention)
ò Step 4 - Gathering and analyzing data
ò Step 5 - Taking action and sharing your results
ò Step 6 - Personal Reflection
Action Research , The Center for Technology in Education (CTE), Johns Hopkins University

11. How do I begin the
Action Research?
Guiding Questions or "Things to think about when
beginning an Action Research project "

12. Guiding Questions
ò What do you want to LEARN as a result of this activity?
ò What ISSUE are you going to explore?
ò What do you want to CHANGE?
ò What STRATEGY will you use to gather information before and during the
study?
ò What kind of ANALYSIS will you do to find out if things have changed?
ò Did anything change as a result of your INTERVENTION?
How do you know?
Action Research , The Center for Technology in Education (CTE), Johns Hopkins University

13. WHAT ARE SOME PROBLEMS IN
THE ENGLISH CLASSROOM FOR:
1. EFL TEACHERS
2. ECUADORIAN STUDENTS
DISCUSSION

14. • LACK OF MOTIVATION
• RUN-ON SENTENCES/
OVERUSAGE OF COMMAS
• STANDARD ACADEMIC ESSAY
• CRITICAL THINKING
• SPEAKING TOO MUCH IN
SPANISH
PROBLEMS = RESEARCH

15. INDIVIDUAL WORK
• LOOK AT YOUR WORKSHEET,
“Step 1 : Identifying issues
and developing questions”
• COMPLETE THE WORKSHEET INDIVIDUALLY
• THEN SHARE YOUR ANSWERS WITH A
SMALL GROUP OF AT LEAST THREE (3)
PEOPLE

16. SHARING IS CARING
WHAT WERE SOME COMMON
THEMES FROM THE WORKSHEET?

17. COLLABORATION
MAKE A NOTE OF PEOPLE WHO HAD
SIMILAR CONCERNS/IDEAS AS YOU
BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT WOULD LIKE
FOR YOU TO CONDUCT AN ACTION
RESEARCH WITH A PARTNR

18. +
Select a Focus
What element of your
practice or what aspect
of student learning do
you wish to investigate?
Reflect on identifying a
topic that is worthy of
your time.

19. +
Example Problem
! I see my students using the English in the
classroom, but I’d like for them to speak
more. Also, I’m not sure exactly what
purposes they have for speaking and I
think if I know the purposes I will be able to
better understand how to support oral
language in the classroom.

20. +
Identify Research Questions
Once you have
clarified your focus,
develop a set of
research questions to
guide the inquiry.
RQ must be focused
(not too general),
informed, clearly
framed and
manageable
RQ is significant, the
value of the answer
obtained is likely to
justify the effort and
resources that go into
addressing it
RQ must be
motivating, or
personally
meaningful

21. +
Example Focus
RQ: How do students
use oral language in
an English language
classroom?
RQ:Why do students
use oral language in
an English language
classroom?

22. A Good A.R. Question:
ò Gets at explanations, reasons, relationships.
ò "How does....?"
ò ”What happens when....?"
ò Is manageable and can be completed.
ò Provides you an opportunity to stretch.
ò Provides a deeper understanding of the topic
and is meaningful to you.
Action Research , The Center for Technology in Education (CTE), Johns Hopkins University

23. Sample Research Questions:
ò How can I make students feel more comfortable working with
diverse groupings of classmates?
ò How can I more effectively facilitate independent writing in
my kindergarten classroom?
ò How does the Writing Workshop approach affect my students'
writing and their feelings toward writing?
ò What classroom strategies are effective in developing student
self-evaluation of their learning?

24. PARTNER WORK
ò WORK WITH A PARTNER TO CREATE
POTENTIAL RESEARCH QUESTIONS FROM
YOUR “STEP 1” WORKSHEET
ò IT IS NOT IMPORTANT THAT THESE ARE
QUESTIONS THAT YOU WILL ACTUALLY
RESEARCH. YOU WANT TO GET PRACTICE
CREATING QUESTIONS.

25. WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP?
ò PARTNER: YOU WILL NEED TO FIND A PARTNER TO
CONDUCT A RESEARCH WITH
ò FOLLOW-UP: IN TWO (2) WEEKS, MAFER WANTS US
TO MEET-UP AGAIN
ò TASK:
ò CREATE A RESEARCH QUESTION WITH A PARTNER
ò COMPLETE “Action Research Project Planner”
WORKSHEET
ò REVIEW THE ENTIRE PPPT AND DOCUMENT ABOUT
CONDUCTING AN ACTION RESEARCH

26. QUESTIONS?

27. RESOURCES:
ò Alexis 'Ali' Cullerton Carella, Ph.D.
English Language Fellow with Georgetown University and the
U.S. State Department at Centro Ecuatoriano Norteamericano in
Loja, Ecuador from 2014-2015.
www.alexiscullerton.com
Center For Collaborative Action
http://ccar.wikispaces.com/Action+Research

28. PPT available at
SlideShare – Monique Senseii