Elements & Explanation of an Action Research Project

Project Information

Name of Author(s):

Name of Project:

Discipline:

Course Title, if applicable:

Course Number, if applicable:

Clear Goals

A.  Abstract

Your abstract should concisely summarize and highlight the primary points of your Action Research Project. The purpose is to help colleagues quickly decide if your project can support their own project or practice. Abstracts should include the purpose, methods, and results of the project only. The abstract should be short.

B.  Research Question
The following prompts can help you identify the question that will be the basis for your Action Research Project. Answer the questions that are relevant to your project as a way to focus your ideas. Remember, action research questions are about what you are doing, not what other people are doing. 

1. What is the question?

· Is there a persistent problem or area of concern in my class/professional setting? What is my concern? Why am I concerned?  What kind of evidence can I produce to show the situation as it is? 

· Is there a teaching method I would like to explore/incorporate in my practice?

·    Is there a topic in my discipline I would like to teach or present differently?

·    Would I like to explore alternative methods of assessment?

·    Would I like to have evidence of the effectiveness of something I am currently doing?

·    Have I seen an Action Research question that I would like to alter/modify/investigate in my practice?

·    Will I be able to follow this question through multiple semesters?

     2. Is the question appropriate for Action Research?

· Is it significant and related to improving student learning?

· How will finding the answer inform my teaching?

· Is it under my control (teaching strategies, classroom activities, student assignments)?

· Is it feasible in terms of time, effort and available resources?

· Can I take action based on my results?

· Is this an area where I am willing to make a change?

· Am I willing to make a change based on my results?

3. How might I address the question?

· Can I clearly state the Research Question (or hypothesis) that I want to test?

· Can I clearly state the goal or set the standard to which I want to compare my students’ achievements?

Adequate Preparation

A.   Background from Multiple Perspectives
The following prompts can help you gather background information to help you sufficiently explain your preparation for this project. Answer the questions that are relevant to your project as a way to focus your ideas.

1.   Student Perspective

· What do my students think about the problem/situation/success I’ve identified in my research question? In other words, do they confirm or fail to support my assumption about what I think is going on in the classroom?

· How can I find out their opinions?

2.  Colleague Perspective

· What do my peers think about the problem/situation/success I've identified in my research question? Do they confirm or fail to support my assumption about what I think is going on in the classroom?

· Do they experience similar things in their practices?

· Do they perceive my research question as a worthwhile item for investigation?

· How can I get this information from them?

3.   Expert Perspective

· What do experts in the field say? Do they confirm or fail to support my assumption about what I think is going on in the classroom?

· What does a review of relevant literature reveal? 

· Is there professional literature or scholarly writing related to my question? 

· What kind of research can I do to assist me with my question?

· Is the literature consistent with my ideas and assumptions?

· Include References at the end of this section

2.  Self Perspective

· What does my own personal experience tell me? Does it confirm or fail to support my assumption about what I think is going on in the classroom?

· Why have I identified the question above?

· What personal experiences inform me that this is a worthwhile question?

· What makes this question important to me?

Appropriate Methods
A. Methods and Assessment Plan

1. Student Learning Outcome Statement (SLO)

Define student learning outcomes (SLO's) for your project.  A learning outcome is the skill, knowledge, and belief that develops as a result of a learning experience. 

· What will my students know and be able to do better as a result of the intervention or strategy I employ here?

· What Student Core Competences (TVCA) are addressed in this SLO?

· Does the SLO connect to or support the outcomes of a course or program?

· Does the SLO describe learning that is meaningful in a real-world context?

            Definition of Student Learning Outcome:

A statement of what a student should understand and be able to do as a result of what he or she has learned in a course or learning program ... in other words, "the essential and enduring knowledge, abilities, and attitudes or dispositions" that enable a student to practice and apply her learning in the real world.  Synonyms:  learning goal, competency, and ability.

Effective Student Learning Outcomes should be results-oriented, clearly understood by colleagues and students, and measurable.

2. Performance Indicators of Student Learning Outcomes

With each Student Learning Outcome, Performance Indicators identify the small steps students take to achieve the learning outcome.  Performance Indicators are pre-determined criteria, stated by you, that identify these steps.

Keep in mind, many people think about the Student Learning Outcome (#1) before Performance Indicators (#2). This section, particularly, lends itself to recursive thinking.

The following questions can help you identify the performance indicators of the student learning outcomes for your project. Answer the questions that are relevant to your project as a way to focus your ideas.

· What specific qualities or evidence will I observe in the students' work/performance/behavior that will demonstrate to me they have achieved this competency or indicator?

· What is the minimum level of performance I am willing to accept from a student to say he or she has achieved the learning outcome(s)? (This is your criteria.)

· What student core competencies and indicators (TVCA) are related to these outcomes?

      Definition of Performance Indicators of Student Learning Outcomes:

The qualitative or quantitative interim measurements demonstrating that the meaningful steps in student learning are being taken to achieve mastery. In other words, Indicators identify the specific, incremental traits or features of successful student mastery.

3. Teaching, Counseling, or Librarianship Strategies of Student Learning Outcomes

The following questions can help you decide the methods, strategies, and/or techniques to support student mastery of the student learning outcomes you identified in your project. Answer the questions that are relevant to your project as a way to focus your ideas.

· What are my learning activities? Will these activities prepare my students for mastery?

· What are the processes for taking students from beginning to end?

· How can I establish an inclusive and safe learning environment for my students during this process?

· How will my students make connections with the content, each other, and the instructor, counselor, or librarian?

· How am I going to keep records of the processes (student learning, teaching strategies, etc.) for my action research project?  For example, written methods: personal journal or diary, field notes, surveys, questionnaires?  Live methods: Interviews, role play, video or audio tape?

4.  Assessment Strategies of Student Learning Outcomes

The following questions can help you decide the most effective assessment methods. Answer the questions that are relevant to your project as a way to focus your ideas.

· How will I measure the performance indicators described in the Student Learning Outcomes section?

· What tool(s) am I going to use to measure/gauge how my students perform in relation to the indicators in the Student Learning Outcome?

· Are there tools I can use that will give the students formative feedback (prior to receiving summative feedback)?

· How will my students know the standards or criteria their work will be evaluated against?

When choosing an assessment technique, I should ask myself:

· Is the assessment technique chosen appropriate to my goal?

· Can I integrate the assessment technique into my activities?

· Will it contribute to learning?

          When applying an assessment technique, I should ask myself:

· Have I tried it?

· Have I done a run-through with a colleague?

· How will I make its purpose clear to students?

· How will I make its process clear to students?

· How will I provide the necessary practice for students?

· Have I allowed enough time to apply the technique?

5. Action Research Methodology Design

Action Research is a scholarly inquiry to improve teaching and student learning. You have already described your plan's student learning outcomes, performance indicators, strategies, and assessment methods of the student learning outcome. Now, you will design a plan to assess the effectiveness of the innovative teaching and assessment methods you implemented in your project. Remember, action research is about what you are doing, not what other people are doing.

 The following questions can help you decide the most effective methods to measure the usefulness of your innovations. Answer the questions that are relevant to your project as a way to focus your ideas.

· How will I know whether or not (to what degree) my innovations have worked?

· Have I planned how I will analyze the data?

· Have I collect a reasonable amount of data?

· Is my process of analysis manageable?

· Have I planned adequate time to do the analysis?

Consider the validity of your results: 

· What kind of evidence will I produce to judge the value of my innovation(s) incorporated in my action research project?

            For example,

o If applicable, compare the results of a base class and pilot class

o If applicable, compare the results of a base assignment and pilot assignment

o If applicable, compare the results of a base class with aggregate departmental data

Consider the reliability of your results: 

· Will the statistics be the same if another researcher replicates your project? 

· If you replicate the project in other classes, how will you demonstrate reliability and/or effectively describe your project for replication?

Significant Results
A. Project Results

This section provides the answer to your research question. The following prompts can help you explain the finding of your Action Research Project. Answer the questions that are relevant to your project as a way to focus your ideas.

· How shall I describe the results of my research project?

· How well did my students measure up to the goal or standard?

· Did the methods remedy the problem in terms of changes in knowledge, abilities, attitudes, values (values not mentioned as part of student LO), and commitment of students or of myself?

B. Interpretation of the Results

    Consider causal vs. correlative relationships:

· Action research may reveal correlation between variables, but it will often not establish a cause and effect relationship.

· Controlled experiments are needed to convince sophisticated readers of a cause and effect relationship between variables.

· You may choose to make a case for cause and effect based on your professional judgment.  If so, explain the factors informing your judgment.

When correlation is claimed, consider and describe explanations other than cause/effect (confounding variables).

· What perceived impact did the innovation have in terms of changes in knowledge, abilities, attitudes, values and commitment of students or of myself?

· Were the results what I expected?

Reflective Critique
A. Reflection on the Action Research Project

An essential function of the action research concept is to value the importance of looking back on one's work, both in terms of process and results.  The overarching questions to answer are "How do you intend to use the results of this project? and "What would I do differently next time?"  The following prompts can help you formulate a purposeful reflection on your project. Besides these questions, the following questions may also help you focus your reflection: 

· Given my results, how will I use this information to improve student learning in the future?  To improve my practice?

· What additional questions arose that I might want to pursue? Do I have further research questions?

· How might I change my research question in light of the results?

· What other innovation might I try next time, based on these results?

· How relevant or realistic were my standards or expectations?

· How might my research question be investigated in the future?

**Reflection on Essential Competencies **

ARPs done as part of the tenure process require candidates to critically evaluate each specified essential competency in the LO.  Tenure candidates are required to answer the following questions: 

· For each of the Essential Competencies of a Valencia Educator demonstrated in this LO, explain how the methods used aided student learning and/or helped the candidate to become a better counselor, teacher, or librarian.

· How can the methodology used in attaining the Essential Competency be improved?

Effective Presentation

Plan for Dissemination

It is commonly held that scholarly work should be made public. In one or two sentences, describe how you will make your project public. The following prompts can help you identify how you plan to make your work public, beyond the Action Research Builder.

· Will I present my result to my ILP Review Panel?

· Department or discipline colleagues?

· Valencia faculty development forums, such as Destination, Faculty-to-Faculty, Assessment Initiatives, etc.)?

· Professional journal article?

· Professional conference presentation?

Remember, When Communicating Your Results:

· Include measures of central tendency and measures of variation in your statistics when you gather sufficient quantitative data

· Use charts and graphs when possible

· Provide descriptive titles and clear labels

· Use scales consistently