Action Research In Schools
3
credits
Spring
2004
Instructor:
Allan Feldman
Tel:
545-1570 (office) or 549-1469 (home)
230 Furcolo Hall
email: afeldman@educ.umass.edu
http://people.umass.edu/afeldman/
This course will introduce students to action research, a form of
self-reflective systematic inquiry by practitioners on their own practice. The
goals of action research are the improvement of practice, a better
understanding of that practice, and an improvement in the situation in which
the practice is carried out. The primary objective of the course is to prepare
students to do action research in schools. There are three other goals: 1) the development
of professional community; 2) the illumination of power relationships; and 3)
students' recognition of their own expertise.
Topics include
an analysis of collaborative and spectator forms of research, ways to identify
problems to investigate, the selection of appropriate research methods,
collecting and analyzing data, and ways to draw conclusions from the research.
The major assignment for the course will be the completion of a mini-research
project undertaken in an educational setting in which the student is engaged in
professional practice.
1. A significant
part of this course will be class discussions of readings assigned for each
week. Therefore successful completion of this graduate level course requires
attendance of all classes and active participation in the discussions.
Carefully read assigned readings for each class. Come to class prepared to
contribute your critical reflections on both your own experiences and ideas and
those of others as presented in the readings. Your reflections on the readings
should be recorded in your research notebook (see 2 below). Most weeks there
will be reading questions
that must be submitted to me through WebCT before the class meeting.
2. Keep a research
notebook in which you
regularly (at least weekly) record your experiences in carrying out action
research. The purpose of the notebook is to help you to reflect on your
practices, formulate ideas for action or changes in practice, and evaluate
those actions. You will be using your research notebook as a data source for
writing an analysis of your action research project.
3. Participate
in a "research notebook response group [RNRG]." Form a group of 3-5
students who will meet at least once per week for a minimum of one hour outside
of class time to discuss research notebook entries, the readings for the
classes, and your research projects. No more than half of the group meetings
can be done online using the WebCT chat function. Your RNRG will be required to make a presentation to the
class about how your group operates. These presentations will begin on March
31.
4. Prepare an informed
consent form. This will
be due on March 2 when you give your starting point speech. Please submit the
consent form to me via WebCT. A final copy of your consent form should be
included with your action research report (assignment #6).
5. Write the text for a short speech (5-10 minutes) to a group of colleagues explaining why the
problem of thematic concern you have identified for your project is
educationally important. The speech should include the results of your Photovoice
project. It should also
include references to the appropriate research literature. This speech is due
to be presented in class on March 2, and submitted to me via WebCT,
after revising in response to feedback received in class, by March 9.
6. In order to
receive feedback on your on-going efforts, a 2-3 page interim report of your project, including a statement
of your thematic concern or general idea for inquiry and the results of
reflecting on your initial data collection, should be submitted to me via
WebCT by April 20, one week following the data workshop.
7. Complete an
analysis (in approximately 10-15 pages) of your action research project
according to guidelines to be provided by the instructor (see calendar for
URL). A presentation to the class during the last sessions will be expected and
the final report will
be due on the last day of class (May 11).
8. In addition to the above assignments, there will be shorter assignments that help move you through the research
process. These include the Slice of Life; Consent form;
M2; M4, M5, OR M6;
M9, M10, OR M11; a Data
Collection Plan; and
M29. The "M" assignments are from Altricher et al. You are
required to submit all written work to me via WebCT.
Your grade in
this course will be determined by your level of completion of all assignments
and your participation in the class. Assignments #5-7 will have the greatest
weight. How well you present your starting point speech, data for the data
workshop, your final paper will be another component of your grade. Your participation in class, including
preparedness to discuss readings and attendance, is an important component of
your grade. Read the syllabus carefully and see the instructor if you have any
questions about what is required of you. Satisfactory work at the graduate
level for all course requirements will result in an AB in the course.
Outstanding work will result in an A. Any written work deemed unsatisfactory by
the instructor will be given back to the student with comments for improvement.
The instructor will make adjustments in these requirements for students with
learning disabilities.
All course work
must be completed and handed in to the instructor by May 11, 2004. If for some
reason this cannot happen, the student must make arrangements with the
instructor to complete the work before a mutually agreed upon date. The student
and instructor will draw up a contract specifying the work that needs to be
completed and the completion date. They will both sign the contract and each
will receive a copy.
February
3: Course overview and introductions.
What is research? The Ladder of Inference
Holly, M. (1989) [eReserves]
Tremmel, R. (1993) [WebCT]
Wang (1999) [WebCT]
February 10: The nature of action research and
finding a starting point for research.
The research notebook and Informed Consent
SLICE OF LIFE DUE
Altrichter et. al. Ch. 2
Feldman
(1998) (All Feldman articles can be found at http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~afeldman/ActionResearchPapers/ARpapersindex.html)
Calhoun (2002) [WebCT] or http://search.epnet.com/direct.asp?an=6504018&db=aph
Stenhouse (1981) [eReserves]
Informed consent materials: Preparing
an Informed Consent Form and Human
Subjects Review
February 17: The
nature of action research (part 2).
M2 DUE
Altrichter et. al. Ch. 3
Lytle &
Cochran-Smith (1990) [WebCT] or http://silk.library.umass.edu:2056/direct.asp?an=9103183654&db=aph
Lytle & Cochran-Smith (1992) [WebCT]
February 24: Self-study and existentialism
Acknowledging starting points
M4, M5 OR M6 DUE
Altrichter et. al. Ch. 4
Feldman (2002) [WebCT] or http://www.triangle.co.uk/pdf/validate.asp?j=ear&vol=10&issue=2&year=2002&article=Feldman_EARE_10_2
Feldman, Paugh, & Mills (in press) [WebCT]
March 2:
CONSENT FORMS DUE
STARTING POINT SPEECHES
March 9: How to do action research.
WRITTEN STARTING POINT SPEECHES DUE
Altrichter et. al. Ch. 4
March 23: Data
Collection
M9, M10 OR M11 DUE
Altrichter et. al. Ch. 5
McNiff Ch. 6
March 30: Action research and Self-studies.
DATA COLLECTION PLAN DUE
BEGIN NBRG PRESENTATIONS
Hollingsworth (1994) [eReserve]
Winograd (2000) [WebCT]
Russell (2000) [WebCT]
Action research reports from this course http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~afeldman/ARpapersfall2000/ARpapersfall2000index.html
Networks: An On-Line Journal For Teacher Research http://education.ucsc.edu/faculty/gwells/networks/
April 13: AERA Ð no class
April 20: Analyzing data and Issues of validity.
INTERIM REPORT DUE.
Altrichter et. al. Ch. 6
Calhoun (1994) Ch. 6 [eReserves]
Eisner (1981) [eReserves]
Lather (1986) [eResearves]
Phillips (1987) [eReserves]
Feldman (2003) [WebCT] or http://www.aera.net/pubs/er/pdf/vol32_03/AERA320304.pdf
Bullough & Pinnegar (2001) [WebCT] or http://www.aera.net/pubs/er/pdf/vol30_03/AERA300304.pdf
April 27:
Precursors to action research and multiple traditions.
M29 DUE
The
Acoma Pueblo
The Acoma Pueblo revisited [eReserves]
Schšn (1983) Ch 2 [eReserves]
McCutcheon & Jung
(1990) [WebCT]
Altrichter, Kemmis,
McTaggert & Zuber-Skerritt (2002) [WebCT]
May 4: Critical theory and action research.
Making research public.
Altrichter et. al. Ch. 7&8:
Tripp (1990) [WebCT]
Carr (1997) [WebCT]
Lather (1986) [eReserves]
Feldman, A. (undated). Writing
the action research report.
Rubric
for the final report.
May 11: PRESENTATIONS OF RESEARCH PROJECTS.