I had not heard of Action Research prior to this
course but now understand the significance of it. I have learned that action
research involves clearly defining a problem, gathering data, evaluating the
data, reading others findings on the topic, making change based on the data and
sharing information gained with others. Action research is a good tool for
teachers and administrators to use for professional development. It allows for
collaboration among coworkers to solve current issues in the classroom or on
campus. It allows teachers and principals to focus on the problems at hand.
They are able to design the research project, collect useful data and analyze
it. Teachers are often more receptive to change based on action research
because they feel ownership in the findings. Action research also provides for professional
growth. It allows the principal to fell less isolated and allows him/her to
collaborate with others about current situations at hand. It allows the
principal to lead by example and help explore practices to make them the best
they can be. There are multiple areas for action research. They include: staff
development, curriculum development, individual teacher(s), individual
student(s), school culture/community, leadership, management, school
performance, and social justice or equity issues.
I met with my supervisor to discuss possible topics,
they include: 1. How can we get teachers and administrators on the same page in
regards to discipline? Is there a school wide discipline plan that needs to be
put in place? 2. How does flipped instruction benefit students? Is it a
feasible option in our school setting? and 3. How can we increase technology
use in the classroom? We discussed the three topics and their significance in
relation to our school. While increasing technology in education is important,
my principal heavily suggested I look into the flipped classroom model. He
wants me to pilot it and see how it works and possibly look at helping other
teachers move to the flipped model when we have iPads. I hope to be able to
answer questions like does it increase student engagement, what are the pros
and cons of a flipped classroom, is it feasible in a school that is not 1:1,
does it promote student academic success, how does the preparation time compare
to a typical lesson, and what are the best websites to use for flipped
instruction. My principal has asked me to start using a flipped classroom
model and to see how it would benefit our students. While this is becoming a
trend in education, I think it could be very useful with my subject I teach 8th
grade math and Algebra I. My students complain my parents can't help me with my
homework and my parents constantly tell me it’s been to long since I did that.
With a flipped classroom model, students would watch a 5-8 minute video on the
new topic and then we would do the application (homework) in class. This would
give the parents great insight on what their child is studying and it would
allow the students 50 minutes in class to work on the application of the new
concept. I hope to answer questions like How does flipped instruction benefit
students in the math classroom? What are the pros and cons of flipped instruction?
Does it increase student participation, motivation and engagement? Does it
promote student academic success? Is it a feasible option in a school with
limited resources (low socioeconomically). How does the preparation time for
teachers compare to that of a typical lesson? What are the best websites to use
for flipped instruction? As well as any other questions that may come up along
the way. I then developed a plan that included Goals and objectives/ outcomes
of the research investigation, Activities designed to achieve the objectives Resources
and research tools needed for data gathering, Draft timeline for completion or
implementation of activities, Persons responsible for implementation of the
action research plan, Process for monitoring the achievement of goals and
objectives, and Assessment instrument(s) to evaluate the effectiveness of the
action research study.
While carrying out my plan I will be using my blog http://mathclassontheflipside.blogspot.com
to post about my progress. Sharing findings from educational research has been
described as a “ripple effect” (Dana, 2009, p. 136). I plan on meeting with the director of
curriculum and instruction once a month to discuss progress. I also plan on
meeting with my site supervisor once a month to discuss progress. I teach at
one of three middle school campuses in the district and I have already been
asked to share my findings with the other campuses principals and instructional
facilitators when I have a final presentation to share. I also plan on
presenting my findings to all teachers at my school during professional
development. While presenting to principals, instructional facilitators and
other teachers, I will make sure to include background information, the design
of the project, data to support the findings and thoughts on the project (Dana,
2009, p. 163-168). My background information will include statements from
parents such as ‘I was never good in Algebra I can’t help my kid with their
homework’ and comments from students like ‘I get so frustrated with my math
homework’. Statements like these are the reason I wanted to look into a flipped
classroom, and so that parents can see what their students are learning and to
help alleviate the frustration with homework. One of the most beneficial meetings
was meeting in week 4 with my supervisor; she gave me the names of two high
school math teachers that are currently using the flipped model. I have added
these two names to my plan to speak with to gain insight on flipped
instruction. We also spoke about using an outside website or you tube and that
I needed to speak with our technology coordinator to get this approved. I am
looking forward to this project and the change that will follow.
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with Passion and Knowledge: The Principal
Action Researcher. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.
