Professional Development

Action Research

October 29, 2014

Goals of Presentation:

Understand Action Research

Be inspired and motivated to do Action Research

What is Research???

“Wonderings”

Wonder is the foundation for formulating a researchable question based on issues, tensions, problems, or dilemmas experienced by the teacher. (Dana, 2013, p. 10)

“Wonderings” Activity

Take 3 minutes and write down one wondering…

Rarely does any teacher researcher eloquently state his or her wondering immediately. It takes time, brainstorming, and actually ‘playing’ with the question . . . By playing with the wording of the wondering, teachers often fine-tune and discover more detail about the subject they are really passionate about understanding. (Dana & Yendol-Silva, 2009, pp. 57-58)

Now, take your wondering and apply it to the Wondering Litmus Test.

Question 1: Is your wondering something you are passionate about exploring?

Question 2: Is your wondering focused on student learning?

Question 3: Is your wondering a real question (a question whose answer is not

known)?

Question 4: Is the wondering focused on your practice?

Question 5: Is your wondering phrased as dichotomous (yes/no) question?

Questions…

“Wondering” ideas:Perhaps a particular learner or group of learners is/are…

-struggling with the content you are teaching.

-not behaving in ways that are conducive to your classroom

environment.

-advanced academically and have already mastered the curriculum

you are charged with teaching this year.

-coming to school hungry, without basic health care.

Question 1: Is your wondering something you are passionate about exploring?

Example:How does one create a student-driven

versus teacher-driven afterschool session?

Question 2: Is your wondering focused on student learning?

Example:In what ways will implementing a mini-lesson series on organization with three

first0grade special-needs students impact the quality of the work they are able to

produce throughout the school day?

Question 3: Is your wondering a real question (a question whose answer is not

known)?

Example:How do my struggling readers experience reading time in my third-grade classroom?

Question 4: Is the wondering focused on your practice?

Example:What strategies can I incorporate as a virtual

school teacher to support my Spanish II students who have fallen significantly

behind the pacing schedule and/or have logged into the class infrequently?

Question 5: Is your wondering phrased as dichotomous (yes/no) question?

Example:What is the relationship between

teachers’ analysis of ISTEP+ data and changes they make to their reading

practice?

Thank you!

Contact me if you have questions and/or want to share your wondering stories

with me!

Bobbie Jo Monahan, Ph. D.bmonahan@indstate.edu

Dana, N. F. (2013). Digging deeper into action research: A teacher Inquirer’s Field Guide. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.