"This book is a modern catalyst for change in education. I have made it required reading for doctoral students, administrators, and faculty who must update their pedagogy to raise student learning." -Joseph Martin Stevenson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jackson State University "This is a wonderful book for learning communities to use to self-evaluate prior to beginning new teaching techniques, and throughout the process." -Donna Walker Tileston, President Strategic Teaching and Learning Convert frustrations into solvable problems through action research! Action research provides a process for educators to individually and collectively study their own situations, try new practices, evaluate those innovations, adjust, and try again. In this revised second edition, Richard Schmuck demonstrates how educators at all levels can use action research to improve their professional practice and change the culture of their schools, districts, or communities. He shows how educators, by reflecting on their past, present, and future practice, can convert frustrations into solvable problems. This updated workbook covers both the proactive and the responsive models of action research and also includes: Easy-to-understand explanations of methods, steps, and phases A chapter devoted to questionnaires, interviews, observations, and public documents Guidelines for both solo and cooperative projects "How-to" worksheets that guide readers through the process Journal-writing activities at the end of every chapter Case studies of real action research projects Practical Action Research for Change is the essential tool to help educators tailor action research to their specific situation and improve professional practice.

'Practical Action Research' is a compilation of critical commentaries that offer practical steps for understanding and implementing action research. The contributors demonstrate how educators can reflect, collect data, and create alternative ways to improve their practice in the classroom and schoolwide.

Introduction to action research -- Choosing and learning about your research topic -- Approaches to action research -- Developing a plan of action -- Data collection tools -- Using assessment data in action research -- Data analysis and interpretation -- Writing, implementing, and sharing the research findings.

Practical and down-to-earth, the second edition of Action Research in Teaching and Learning is an ideal introduction to the subject, offering a distinctive blend of the theoretical and the practical, grounded firmly in the global higher education landscape. Written in an accessible style to build confidence, it provides easily adaptable, practical frameworks, guidelines and advice on research practice within a higher education context. The reader is guided through each stage of the action research process, from engaging with the critical theory, to the practical applications with the ultimate goal of providing a research study which is publishable. Supplemented by useful pedagogical research tools and exemplars of both qualitative and quantitative action research studies, this new edition features chapters engaging with teaching excellence and analysing qualitative and quantitative research, additions to the resources section and a new preface focusing more explicitly on the ever-growing number of part-time academics. Action Research in Teaching and Learning combines a theoretical understanding of the scholarly literature with practical applications and is an essential, critical read for any individual teaching or undertaking action research.

This book is a practical guide for English language teachers and teacher educators seeking to carry out and promote teacher action research within their institutional context. Based on contemporary theory and a reflexive and social approach to teacher professional development and learning, it offers readers structured methodologies and concepts, wide-ranging hands-on activity sets, and focused suggestions for appropriate and sustainable ways to implement action research across an institution. Experts Anne Burns, Emily Edwards, and Neville John Ellis close the book by presenting ideas for conducting teacher research through reflective practice, exploratory practice, and action research.

You don't need a tweed jacket to be a researcher—in thousands of schools across North America, practising teachers conduct studies on best practices, alternative approaches, and effective learning strategies. Classroom teachers have experiences and opportunities unavailable to researchers in a university setting, and action research—site-based, teacher-conducted research—can have a valuable impact on the educational community. Yet many teachers don't see their work as real research, and many other teachers have great ideas for research projects but don't know where to begin. For these teachers, Engaging in Action Research demystifies the world of educational research and provides support, guidance, and encouragement. From creating a research plan to reporting findings, this book provides step-by-step instructions to help teachers conduct research projects in the classroom, using strategies that work. Get ready to investigate, analyze, and share!

This accessible guide will be an invaluable resource for early years practitioners looking to make a positive difference in their settings by using action research or teacher enquiry. Guiding readers through the practical steps, issues, and potentials of conducting research in a variety of early childhood settings, the book will increase practitioners’ confidence, enabling them to bridge the gap between recognising room for improvements and instigating necessary changes. Divided into easy-to-follow sections, A Practical Guide to Action Research and Teacher Enquiry: Making a Difference in the Early Years offers clear definitions and explanations of action research along with explanations of how it can be applied in early years settings to effectively and efficiently improve outcomes for children. Chapters outline a clear rationale for engaging in action research, highlight purposes and potentials of various approaches, and provide a helpful step-by-step discussion of the different stages of enquiry. Ten examples of practice are used to clearly illustrate the action research cycle in a variety of settings, and in relation to a range of topics and ages, thereby providing readers with a wealth of tried-and-tested ideas for application in their own settings and projects. These are supported by a range of downloadable resources which can be used as tools to support the planning, reflecting, and evaluation of practitioners’ research activities. Informative, inspiring, and highly relevant to practice, A Practical Guide to Action Research and Teacher Enquiry will support and scaffold the research activities of early years practitioners, managers, and students.

Which topics are right for Action Research in an education context? How do you go about planning a project, collecting and analysing your data? What′s the best way to present your research findings to parents, colleagues or funding bodies? Whether you are a busy teacher doing research in your classroom, an undergraduate starting your research project, or a Masters level or education doctorate student writing up your dissertation, this step-by-step guide takes you through every stage involved in carrying out Action Research. In this brand new edition, you will find additional guidance on: - philosophical underpinnings of Action Research - the challenges of being an insider researcher - searching and analysing literature from the internet - children′s participation and children′s rights in action research projects in educational settings - validity and authenticity in action research - a new chapter on writing for publication - an action research planning sheet. This book draws on Valsa Koshy′s extensive experience of supervising researchers at all levels, and includes examples of Action Research carried out by practitioners across a range of topics and age groups. Case studies include UK and international examples, allowing you to reflect on multiple perspectives of Action Research in education. Those new to Action Research, and those looking for a straightforward explanation of the methods involved, will find this book invaluable. Valsa Koshy is Professor of Education and Director of a Research and Development Centre at Brunel University.

This issue is a nuts-and-bolts guide to action research, a powerful technique for identifying and meeting instructional challenges and for improving programs for adult learners. The authors outline the action research process step-by-step, provide a convenient project planner, and present examples to show how action research yielded genuine improvements in six different settings, including a hospital, a university and a literacy education program. This sourcebook is intAnded for educators and trainers of adults in formal settings, such as higher education; continuing progessional education; corporate training; adult basic and literacy education; and religious or health education. It is also intAnded for those working in many of the informal adult education activities, including volunteer training, some types of distance education, and community development work. In any of these settings, action research provides a systematic discovery process that has helped hundreds of adult education practitioners understand, analyze, interpret, and resolve day-to-day problems in the educational workplace. This is the 73rd issue of the quarterly journal New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. For more information on the series, please see the Journals and Periodicals page.

Richard Schmuck demonstrates how educators can use personal reflection and action research to convert frustrations into solvable problems and improved professional practice.