This document discusses simple classroom-based research techniques that teachers can use to evaluate what works in their lessons. It begins by defining several terms for classroom-based research such as participatory research, action learning, and teacher research. The document then explains that classroom-based research involves reflective teaching as well as systematically planning an intervention, observing its impact, reflecting on the results, and revising the approach. It provides examples of researching a classroom issue using this cyclical process and emphasizes the importance of collaboration and sharing results. In the latter half, it discusses using item analysis of student assessments to help evaluate teaching effectiveness.

1. HOW DO YOU KNOW
WHAT WORKED?
SIMPLE CLASSROOM-
BASED RESEARCH
TECHNIQUES
Dr. Deborah Healey, dhealey@uoregon.edu

2. Agenda
 Synonyms
 Teaching diary
 Reflective teaching – why and how
 Classroom-based research methods
 Putting it into practice
 A quick look at item analysis

3. Classroom-based research
 participatory research
 collaborative inquiry
 emancipatory research
 action learning
 contextual action research
(O’Brien, 2001: 1)

4. More…
 practitioner research
 teacher research
 site-based research
 action science
(http://cs3.wnmu.edu/elearning, cited in ProDAIT)

5. Think-pair-share
 Why are there so many different
terms?

6. What do teachers do?
 Plan
 Try
 Consider
 Re-think

7. How do you know what worked in your
lesson?
 Reflective Teaching Diary activity

8.  Reflective teaching video
 fromShaping the Way We Teach
English, Chapter 14

9. Think-pair-share
 How would you define “reflective
teaching”?

10.  Classroom-based research is
reflective teaching
PLUS…

11. Some definitions
“systematic enquiry designed to yield
practical results capable of improving a
specific aspect of practice and made
public to enable scrutiny and testing”
(www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/research/glossary)

12. Some definitions
“systematic enquiry designed to yield
practical results capable of improving
a specific aspect of practice and made
public to enable scrutiny and testing”
(www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/research/glossary)

13. “inquiry-based research conducted by
teachers that follows a process of
examining existing
practices, implementing new
practices, and evaluating the
results, leading to an improvement
cycle that benefits both students and
teachers”

14. “inquiry-based research conducted by
teachers that follows a process of
examining existing
practices, implementing new
practices, and evaluating the
results, leading to an improvement
cycle that benefits both students and
teachers”

15. Method
 Start: a classroom issue or question
 Dig: do others have this issue? What
do they do?
 Plan: one change
 Act and observe: take notes
 Share
 Revise and retry

16. Spiral

17. Spiral
 planning a change,
 acting and observing the process and
consequences of the change,
 reflecting on these processes and
consequences, then
 re-planning,
 acting and observing,
 reflecting and so on ...
 http://www.prodait.org/approaches/research/how.php

18. Sharing
 Is important!
 Collaborate
 Get another perspective
 Test the results

19. Your turn…
 Think of a problem or question
 Work in a small group
 Plan your intervention/change
 What do you expect?
 Bestcase
 Worst case
 How will you collaborate/share?

21.  Do you create tests or quizzes for
your students?
 Do you use rubrics?
Item analysis can help!

22. Overall assessment
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
From http://fcit.usf.edu/assessment/selected/responsec.html
D. Healey & D. Shaw

23. Multiple choice assessment
From http://fcit.usf.edu/assessment/selected/responsec.html
D. Healey & D. Shaw

24.  Comments and questions…

25. Thanks!
dhealey@uoregon.edu
http://www.deborahhealey.com
sites.google.com/site/healeyclassroomres
earch