7-1MillsAction Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 5e © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Action Research

Geoffrey E. Mills

Fifth Edition

© 2014, 2011, 2007, 2003, 2000Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Guide for the Teacher Researcher

7-2MillsAction Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 5e © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 7

Action Planning for Educational Change

7-3MillsAction Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 5e © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

“No action without research; no research

without action.”—K. Lewin, cited in Adelman, 1993, p. 8

7-4MillsAction Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 5e © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Developing Action Plans Reflect: “Based on what I have

learned from this investigation, what should I do now?”

7-5MillsAction Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 5e © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Steps to Action Summarizing findings Recommending action Determining responsibilities Sharing findings with colleagues Ongoing monitoring (data

collection) Creating timeline Developing resources

7-6MillsAction Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 5e © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Steps-to-Action Chart

7-7MillsAction Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 5e © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Levels of Action Planning Individual

curriculum development, implementation instructional & assessment strategies classroom management strategies/plans community involvement

Team teachers, administrators, parents

Schoolwide

7-8MillsAction Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 5e © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Action Should Be Ongoing Taking action is a regular part of

teaching based on formative feedback often intuitive and informal

7-9MillsAction Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 5e © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reflection What were the intended and

unintended effects of your actions? What educational issues arise from

what you have learned about your practice?

7-10MillsAction Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 5e © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Challenges Facing Teacher Researchers

Lack of resources Resistance to change Reluctance to interfere with others’

professional practices Reluctance to admit difficult truths Finding a forum to share what you

learned Making time for action research

7-11MillsAction Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 5e © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Facilitating Educational Change

Restructure power and authority relationships

Use top-down and bottom-up strategies

Seek and gain support Consider every person to be an agent

of change

7-12MillsAction Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 5e © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Facilitating Educational Change

Remember change is not neat, linear, or rational

Attend to school culture Remember that outcomes must

benefit students Consider hope as a critical resource

7-13MillsAction Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher, 5e © 2014 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

What Do Teachers Gain? New commitments to action New relationships with colleagues Freedom from accepting with blind

faith something that may have been forced on you

The belief and knowledge that those who are the real beneficiaries are the students in your care