Taking Action in Science Classrooms Through Collaborative Action Research: A Guide for Educators

✍ Scribed by Karen Goodnough

• Publisher: Sense Publishers
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 113
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This book provides an introduction to the nature of collaborative action research, explains how to engage in the action research process, and offers readers insights into how collaborative action research may be embedded in everyday classroom practice. The latter objective will be accomplished by engaging the reader with four case studies about teachers who took part in collaborative action research. Each case study focuses on teacher beliefs about science teaching and learning, how school-based teams of teachers develop and implement plans of action in their classrooms, and how action research results in changes teacher learning and classroom practice. This book will be of interest to anyone who wishes to develop an understanding of or engage in collaborative action research, especially practitioners and teacher educators.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover......Page 1
Taking Action in Science Classrooms Through Collaborative Action Research......Page 4
ISBN 9789460915826 (hardback)......Page 5
DEDICATION......Page 6
TABLE OF CONTENTS......Page 8
INTRODUCTION......Page 12
PART ONE......Page 14
ACTION RESEARCH IN THE CONTEXT OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH......Page 16
THE NATURE OF ACTION RESEARCH......Page 17
ACTION RESEARCH: A BRIEF HISTORY......Page 19
THE ACTION RESEARCH CYCLE......Page 20
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION......Page 23
IDENTIFYING AN AREA OF FOCUS......Page 24
INTERROGATING THE AREA OF FOCUS (RECONNAISSANCE)......Page 28
DEVELOPING RESEARCH QUESTIONS......Page 30
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION......Page 31
THE PLAN OF ACTION......Page 32
CONSIDERING SCOPE AND RESOURCES......Page 35
REFLECTING ON OUTCOMES AND DISSEMINATION......Page 36
CONSIDERING ETHICS......Page 37
DECEPTION......Page 42
ACCURACY......Page 43
ENSURING QUALITY IN ACTION RESEARCH......Page 44
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION......Page 46
Observation (Experiencing)......Page 48
Interviewing (Enquiring)......Page 50
Artifacts and Documents (Examining)......Page 51
Data Analysis......Page 52
Coding......Page 53
Data Interpretation......Page 54
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION......Page 55
CONSIDERATIONS PRIOR TO SHARING......Page 56
The Degree of Detail......Page 57
FORMATS FOR SHARING OUTCOMES......Page 58
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION......Page 59
PART TWO......Page 60
DEVELOPING A PLAN OF ACTION......Page 62
IMPLEMENTATION......Page 63
EVALUATING AND AMENDING THE PLAN......Page 64
KATRINA: REFLECTIONS ON COLLABORATIVE ACTION RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING......Page 65
Part A: Webquests......Page 67
Item A (Journal reflection)......Page 68
Item B (Student survey)......Page 69
EXPECTATIONS/RESEARCH FOCUS......Page 70
PLANNING/DEVELOPING AN ACTION RESEARCH PLAN......Page 71
IMPLEMENTATION......Page 72
EVALUATING AND AMENDING THE PLAN......Page 73
ARLENE, ERNIE, AND LISA: REFLECTIONS ON COLLABORATIVE ACTION RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING......Page 74
Part A: Concept Mapping......Page 76
Part C: Learning outcomes targeted in the Light unit......Page 77
Part D: Student Survey......Page 79
EXPECTATIONS/RESEARCH FOCUS......Page 82
PLANNING/DEVELOPING A PLAN OF ACTION......Page 83
IMPLEMENTATION......Page 84
EVALUATING AND AMENDING THE PLAN......Page 85
LANA AND SONYA: REFLECTIONS ON COLLABORATIVE ACTION RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING......Page 86
Part A:Integrated Curriculum......Page 88
Part C: Student Survey......Page 89
EXPECTATIONS AND RESEARCH FOCUS......Page 92
PLANNING/DEVELOPING A PLAN OF ACTION......Page 93
IMPLEMENTATION......Page 94
EVALUATING AND AMENDING THE PLAN......Page 95
DEIDRE, JUDI, LOIS, NANCY, AND SAMANTHA: REFLECTIONS ON COLLABORATIVE ACTION RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING......Page 96
Part A: The Nature of Problem-Based Learning (PBL)......Page 99
Part B: Learning Outcomes Targeted in Nancy’s PBL Unit......Page 100
Part C: PBL Hook......Page 101
Part E: The Text From A Final Presentation Prepared by One of the PBL Groups.......Page 102
CONCLUSION......Page 104
REFERENCES......Page 106
INDEX......Page 110