Improving Schools Through Action Research A Reflective Practice Approach

by Hendricks, Cher C.

• ISBN13: 9780132868648
• ISBN10: 0132868644
• Additional ISBN(s): 9780134029320, 9780205578467
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-02-12
• Publisher: Pearson
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

Cher Hendricks' Action Research for School Improvement: A Reflective Practice Approach, Third Edition , is a brief, accessible, and practical text that prepares educators to conduct their own action research projects. The third edition provides the information needed to complete each step of the action research cycle. Chapter activities include a research paper component that helps readers create a research paper as they complete the activities. Additional activities have been added in this edition to help educators navigate through each step of the action research process-from choosing a topic and generating research questions through data analysis and reporting results and conclusions. Other features of the book include detailed strategies for (1) reviewing and synthesizing the literature and writing a literature review, (2) collecting, triangulating, and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data (including how to graphically display results), (3) drawing conclusions from results, and (4) writing in APA (6th edition) style. Numerous Internet resources-including links to action research networks, professional organizations, and journals-are provided. Throughout the text, the book incorporates numerous pedagogical devices such as Exercises and Cases to help readers practically explore topics. Examples are provided throughout the book to document the ways teachers, principals, counselors, administrators, and support staff can improve their practice through action research. Among the changes and additions to the third edition, the text now presents a sharper focus on reflection in the action research cycle--including new reflection activities in every chapter. The book also places a greater emphasis on working with a critical friend or colleague throughout the action research process and incorporates updated and new online and professional resources as well as a more detailed explanation of how to analyze and interpret qualitative data, and instructions on formatting the research paper using the latest APA Guidelines.

Author Biography

Cher Hendricks is a research scientist at Georgia Institute of Technology in the Center for Education Integrating Science, Math, and Computing (CEISMC). The focus of her work is on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research at the K-12 and post-secondary levels. Prior to her work with Georgia Tech, Cher was an associate professor of educational research and worked with masters, specialist, and doctoral students facilitating their action research projects. Prior to that, she was a teacher of students with disabilities in both inner city Houston and on a barrier island in South Carolina.

Table of Contents

Research Methods in Education	p. 1
Ways Research Advances Knowledge About Education	p. 2
Quantitative Research	p. 2
Qualitative Research	p. 3
Action Research	p. 3
Comparison of Articles on Cooperative Learning	p. 7
The Origin of Action Research	p. 7
The Action Research Process	p. 10
Types of Action Research	p. 11
The Importance of Action Research for Improving Schools	p. 13
Becoming Familiar with the Language and Process of Action Research	p. 16
Reading Action Research Studies	p. 16
Summary	p. 77
Additional Reading Materials	p. 17
Action Research Resources	p. 18
Generating Research Ideas Through Reflection	p. 26
The History of Reflection in Education	p. 28
Reflection in Action Research	p. 29
Engaging in Reflexive Inquiry as a Way to Know Yourself as an Educator	p. 32
Reflecting to Identify a Research Focus	p. 33
Reflective Journals	p. 36
Reflecting with a Critical Friend	p. 38
Reflecting to Identify a Research Focus	p. 39
Summary	p. 41
Connecting Theory and Action: Reviewing the Literature	p. 42
Reviewing Literature as a Professional, Intellectual Activity	p. 43
Sources of Topic-Specific Literature	p. 45
Searching for Literature to Review	p. 47
ERIC	p. 48
ProQuest	p. 50
EBSCOhost	p. 52
Documents Not Available Full-Text	p. 53
Choosing, Evaluating, and Synthesizing Reviewed Literature for Action Research Studies	p. 53
Choosing Literature	p. 54
Evaluating Literature	p. 55
Synthesizing Literature	p. 56
Organizing and Writing the Literature Review	p. 57
Reviewing the Literature	p. 62
Summary	p. 64
Initial Planning of the Action Research Study	p. 69
Articulating Research Questions	p. 70
Articulating Research Questions	p. 74
Planning the Intervention	p. 75
Participants	p. 77
Collaboration	p. 78
Ethical Guidelines for Action Research Studies	p. 81
Planning the Intervention	p. 82
Gaining Informed Consent	p. 87
Summary	p. 87
Strategies for Collecting Data	p. 88
Collecting Multiple Forms of Data to Establish Credibility and Validity	p. 89
Methods of Data Collection: Artifacts, Observational Data, and Inquiry Data	p. 90
Artifacts	p. 91
Observational Data	p. 100
Inquiry Data	p. 109
The Importance of Collecting Baseline Data	p. 119
Aligning Data Collection Strategies with Research Questions	p. 120
Choosing Data Collection Strategies	p. 121
Summary	p. 122
Final Planning Before Implementation of the Study	p. 123
Definitions of Validity	p. 124
Determining Ways to Increase Validity	p. 125
Creating a Plan for Increasing Validity	p. 131
Engaging in Continuous, Ongoing Reflective Planning Throughout the Study	p. 131
Creating a Timeline for the Project	p. 133
Ongoing Reflective Planning and Creating a Timeline	p. 135
Summary	p. 135
Strategies for Data Analysis	p. 137
Interim Data Analysis	p. 137
Using Software Packages to Analyze Large Amounts of Data	p. 139
Analysis of Quantitative Data: Reporting, Comparing, and Displaying	p. 140
Tests	p. 141
Closed-Ended Items	p. 144
Checklists and Tally Sheets	p. 147
Computer-Generated Reports and School Records	p. 150
Analysis of Qualitative Data: Looking for Themes and Patterns	p. 153
Analysis of Quantitative Data	p. 154
Interviews, Focus Groups, and Conferences	p. 156
Observational Records and Field Notes	p. 160
Documents and Journals	p. 160
Open-Ended Items (Surveys, Scales, Self-Assessments, Peer Reviews)	p. 163
Analysis of Qualitative Data	p. 167
Triangulating Data Sources and Drawing Conclusions from Data	p. 168
Answering Research Questions and Reaching Conclusions	p. 170
Summary	p. 171
Writing and Disseminating the Action Research Report	p. 173
Guidelines for Writing the Final Action Research Report	p. 174
Paper Format	p. 174
Content Format	p. 177
Disseminating Action Research Findings	p. 179
Other Ways to Write Up Research	p. 184
Concluding Comments	p. 185
References	p. 186
Index	p. 191
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