[MUSIC] This is Dr. Suzy Gronsef from the Learning, Design and Technology program at the University of Houston. In this course, we have learned about many powerful Web 2.0 tools that can be used in teaching and learning. Now, it is time to use those tools to positively impact our effectiveness as educators. And to remote the memorability of content for our students. One way that we can find out if the chosen tool works for our teaching situations, is to use action research. In this video, I will introduce the concept of action research and explain how we will use the action research to better understanding application, a Web 2.0 tools in our classrooms [MUSIC] The term action research is credited to professor Curt Lewin back in the 1940s. Action research is a disciplined process of inquiry conducted by and for those taking the action. The primary reason for engaging in action research is to assist the actor in improving and or refining his or her actions. In order to find out if our chosen teaching tools and strategies are making a difference in our classrooms, we can put on our researcher hats and use action research to objectively investigate how well selected Web 2.0 tools help to address instructional issues that we are currently facing. Action research enables us to do this because it is done by us the teachers, in our own classrooms with the purposes of improving or refining our own teaching practices. And helping our own students engage with content to the effective ways. There are several advantages to using action research as we implement Web 2.0 tools in our classrooms. The first advantage is relevance. Action research works because it is relevant to the participants. It involves real life problems teachers are encountering in their own environments. And seeks out potential solutions better then, tested to meet those problems. Action research is also empowering to the teacher researchers as it leads teachers to reflect on their practices and work to develop and improve their teaching. Gaining a better understanding of how effective, specific teaching practices are with students, can be motivating to faculty, as it helps teachers answer the question, am I making a difference? This can be done through the action research process in which teachers collect and analyze compelling data from students in order to improve or refine their teaching strategies. Thus, action research helps educators be more effective in their teaching because it is a discipline inquiry approach. Action research helps to professionalize teaching as it leaves the teacher-researchers to look objectively at what they are doing in their classrooms. And to try out new tools and strategies to meet the diverse needs of their students. Action research can be a form of professional development leading teachers to learn more about their current practices. And to find solutions for instructional issues they are having in their classroom. [MUSIC] Action research involves action, research, and training. Lewin's conceptualization of action research is that of a spiraling process in which the practitioner, which in our case is the teacher researcher, moves through action, research, and training cyclically. This process involves seven steps. The fist three steps are to select a focus, clarify theories, and identify research questions. The teacher researcher identifies and focuses in on an instructional issue that he or she is experiencing in the classroom. For example, you may want to bring closure to a unit of study by leading students to express their learnings in a visually and memorable way. What tools would enable students to do this effectively? Once the focus has been adequately defined, it is time to collect some data. Collecting several sources and types of data is a way to triangulate, that is, compare and check one set of data with another. And it is a good way to ensure that you have a complete and accurate picture what is happening in the classroom. In relation to your research questions. Sources of data may include questionnaires, surveys, reflections, observations, interviews, student works samples, test scores, attendance records, markings of student time on task and teaching diaries which are personal reflections on your teaching. It is important to collect data objectively and completely so that the data can inform the final three steps in the action research process, analyzing the data, reporting the results and taking informed action. Data analysis tells us the story of the data. It helps us to understand why the story played out how it did. The data along with the teacher researcher's reflections on his or her teaching practices can yield valid and reliable information that can lead to meaningful findings and process of changes. In this course, the many action research activity offers you an opportunity to do some action research in your own classroom. A template is provided to help guide you through the process. In the first section of the template scenario, you identify an instructional issue that you are having in your classroom or training situation. You need to describe the location, school, grade level, specific topic, and course your subject in which you're having the instructional issue. Consider a report the type of technology that's available in you school or company for you and your students. Next, select the Web 2.0 tool to help you in solving the issue. Provide the web address, URL, or link of the tool. Outline the most applicable features of your selected tool that you belive will help you solve the instructional issue. Based on the features of the tool, identify the Web 2.0 category to what you think the tool belongs. Consider and record any specific skills and technological or non-technological resources that the teacher and learner should have to use the tool. In the using Web 2.0 tool section of the template, describe how you would implement the tool in your instruction to solve the issue. Be sure to mention the lesson details in which you'll use the tool. You could link to your teaching outline lesson plan or other instruction materials if you so, choose. The many action research activity is intended to lead you to actually implement your selected Web 2.0 tool to solve instructional issue. However, due with the time limitations of this brief course, you can engage in this activity with or without actually implementing the Web 2.0 infused lesson. If you are able to implement the lesson in your class or training, describe the outcome. How did your Web 2.0 tool affect student learning and engagement? What data did you collect to determine this? If you're not able to implement the lesson in your class or training, describe how you potentially could implement it. Think about and write down your ideas of potential problems you might have and how these problems could affect student learning. What data could you collect to determine the lessons impact? Finally, decide whether or not you would recommend this tool to others. Support your recommendation with at least two advantages and one disadvantage of the tool in the lesson you described that you can mention more. Give your tool a score between one and five, based on your recommendations. In this video, we have seen how action research is an empowering experience that offers relevant information collected and reflected upon by teacher researchers to improve their instructional effectiveness. John Huddy, in 2003, distinguishes between educators with years of teaching experience and educators with high levels of teaching expertise. Meaning that a teacher can have years of teaching experience, but not display dimensions of teaching expertise in the way that the teacher represents concepts, manages the flow of a classroom, monitors learning, and provides feedback, and influences student's outcomes. Results from an action research study can help teachers turn experience into expertise. And take informed action to improve instruction quality and expand the teaching repertoire with powerful Web 2.0 tools for teaching and learning. [MUSIC]
