Action Research : A Guide for the Teacher Researcher

by Mills, Geoffrey E.

• ISBN13: 9780137003143
• ISBN10: 0137003145
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-01-03
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

Born of the author's own experience working with teachers and principals, Action Research, Fourth Edition,provides a research-based step-by-step outline of how to do action research. The author guides teachers and administrators through the action research process via numerous concrete illustrations; positioning it as a fundamental component of teaching.   Action Researchhelps to develop teachers and administrators with professional attitudes, who embrace action, progress, and reform.   Features   Balanced coverage of quantitative data collection and analysis techniques Chapter 4, Data Collection Techniques, covers collection techniques for the most frequently used qualitative and quantitative data, including observations, interviews, teacher-made tests, and standardized test data. Chapter 6, Data Analysis and Interpretation, guides students through data analysis and provides techniques, coding guidelines, and examples for analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data. Additional coverage of mixed methods research has been added throughout the book.   A focus on producing critical consumers of action research A new chapter, Evaluating Action Research (Chapter 9), helps students become critical consumers of research.  Included in Chapter 9 is an article from an action research journal that is analyzed using the new criteria for evaluating action research. Appendix A, Action Research in Action, contains an extended example and evaluation of an action research case study.   An expanded coverage of ethics Chapter 2, Ethics, provides an expanded discussion of ethical guidelines and provides guidance for seeking and obtaining Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.   Integration to the MyEducationLab for Action Research website The fourth edition of Action Researchincludes margin note integration with MyEducationLab for Action Research, a dynamic online learning environment that provides students with the opportunity to build a better understanding of action research through engagement with real products from the research process.      A user-friendly format Chapter objectives give students targets to shoot for as they read and study Key Concept boxes provide students with an efficient review of important vocabulary and theory Research in Action checklists provide students with guidelines to use in each stage of the action research process

Author Biography

A native of Australia, Geoff moved to the USA in 1986 to undertake doctoral studies at the University of Oregon. After completing his PhD in 1988, Geoff accepted his first teaching position at Southern Oregon State College (now Southern Oregon University). After 12 years of teaching, Geoff moved into university administration and is now in his ninth year as Dean and Professor of Education in the School of Education at Southern Oregon University.

 

Geoff has traveled extensively and given invited action research presentations in Australia, New Zealand, Greenland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and many states in the US. In addition to Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, Fourth Edition, Geoff is also the only active author of Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Applications (2009) now in its 9th edition.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Understanding Action Research

Chapter 2: Ethics

Chapter 3: Deciding on an Area of Focus

Chapter 4: Data Collection Techniques

Chapter 5: Data Collection Considerations: Validity, Reliability, and Generalizability

Chapter 6: Data Analysis and Interpretation

Chapter 7: Action Planning for Educational Change

Chapter 8: Writing Up Action Research

Chapter 9: Evaluating Action Research

Appendix A: Action Research in Action: A Case Study of Curtis Elementary and an Article Critique

Appendix B: Standard Deviation and Action Research

Appendix C: Displaying Data Visually