Online conferencing session
Action Research: Teacher as Researcher
Arnold Mühren


1. Action research - what is it?
2. Definitions "from the book"

3. Purpose of action research
4. Effects and benefits
5. Obstacles
6. Your own investigations thus far
7. Possible problem areas
8. A specific problem
9. Action research cycle
10. Action research techniques
11. Enquiry made public
12. Follow-up activity?


A specific problem

 

Can you identify a specific problem or issue from your own teaching practice that might be tackled through action research?

Brainstorm briefly the following questions and jot down your initial thoughts for each of them.

 

Assessing the problem and setting the scene for action

My initial thoughts in brief

What is my concern?

 

 

Why am I concerned?

 

 

What do I think I could do about it?

 

 

What kind of 'evidence' could I collect to help me make some judgement about what is happening?

 

How would I collect such 'evidence'?

 

How would I check that my judgement about what has been happening is reasonably fair and accurate?

 

How will I change my practice in the light of my evaluation? (a projection)

 


Adapted from McNiff (1988)

 


This is a session within the framework of Prof. Dafne Gonzalez' Research Methods in Applied Linguistics course at Universidad Simon Bolivar, Caracas - Venue: alado.net/webheads - Date and Time: Tuesday 12 October 2004, 22:00 GMT