HELLO PROBLEM …

… GOODBYE!
 CONDUCTING
CLASSROOM-BASED
ACTION RESEARCH

NAOMIE BAGUINAT-DAGUINOTAS
Lecturer
Action Research
is a method for
addressing school
problems
Why do it?
1. To be able to say with greater
certainty, beyond anecdotal evidence,
that your efforts are having an effect
(hopefully positive!)
2. To conduct formative and summative
evaluation.
Action Research
is a process of systematic
inquiry into a self-identified
teaching or learning problem to
better understand its complex
dynamics and to develop
strategies geared towards the
problem’s improvement

Hamilton, 1997
Action Research
It provides training to teachers
in planning and carrying out
actions to improve instruction.
ACTION RESEARCH is not
writing a social science
research paper
Social Science vs Action Research
What is the How do I influence the
relationship between quality of teachers’
teacher motivation experience in school
and teacher retention? so that they decide to
stay?
Does management How do I improve my
style influence worker management style to
productivity? encourage
productivity?
Will a different seating How do I encourage
arrangement increase greater audience
audience participation through
participation? trying out different
seating arrangements?
Action Research has main
purposes

1. to seek solutions to ongoing

problems;
2. to improve the teaching and
learning processes
Action research follows the
Cycle of Reflective Teaching

 Planning
 Taking action
 Observing results
 Making judgment
 PROBLEM

Plan

Make Judgment Action

Observe
Action research follows the
following steps:
1. Define the problem
2. Formulate testable hypotheses
3. Review related literature
4. Arrange the research setting
5. Establish the evaluation criteria
6. Identify possible source of data
7. Analyze the data and evaluate the
outcome.
Characteristics of Action
Research
 It is all about the teacher’s own practice
 It can solve a problem or institute a
change.
 It can be used to document teacher
professional growth.
Approaches to Action
Research
1. individual teacher research
2. Collaborative action
research
3. School-wide action research
Ethical Considerations

sensitive to existing problems related to

the teaching-learning process
possess basic research skills that will
enable him to gather & analyze data
can communicate findings that can
motivate teachers to take actions
have at least basic knowledge in
statistics
Examples of school problems affecting
teaching–learning process

Low students participation in class

activities
Irregular attendance/tardiness in classes
Negative attitude towards math & science
Low motivation to perform their best in
tests
Non- accomplishment of
assignment/projects
Activity
Think of a teaching-learning problem you encounter in
your class that you wish would be solved so your
teaching could be effective.

1. What is the problem?

2. What do you think are causes of the problem?
3. What do you suspect are factors aggravating the
problem?
4. What are the three alternative solutions to the
problem?
5. What is the most feasible plan on how you will
carry out the solutions?
Where do research questions
come from?

Action research questions

originate in a teacher’s
reflections
 Strategies you can use to
develop a research question
(Patterson et al., 1993)

1. Keep a journal for at least two weeks

2. Set aside 10 minutes to write every day
3. Look for recurring themes
4. Brainstorm what to investigate
5. Write the a first draft of your question
6. Support your question with a rationale
7. Reflect on the formulated question
Box your question!
1. Match data sources
2. Collect data from sources
3. Keep a data log
4. Thematize
Sample for the Study
•can be obtained from the students
available in the classroom

the classroom action research

usually uses intact sections in order
not to interrupt regular classes
Example of a research sample description and
duration of conduct of study for action research

The study was conducted among 64 students

from the two sections in Grade 8 computer
classes and one section in Grade 9 IT class. Both
Grade 8 classes had four 50-minute
lessons/week, while the Grade 9, had five 50-
minute lessons/week. The duration of the
conduct of the study was six (6) months.
Research Design
In action research, little attention is given to
control of the experimental conditions or
reduction of errors. Procedures are planned in
general terms prior to the start of the study. In
the case of the study of a classroom problem,
changes may be made during the study if they
seem likely to improve the teaching situation.
Sometimes no comparison group is used only a
one group design.
Duration of the Study
The duration of data collection varies
depending on the problem being
investigated. It could be over a long
period of time, a few days of which
are spent for preliminary
investigation (gaining acceptance,
feeling around and formulating
research questions).
Reliability and Validity of Data
A. Several methods of data collection
should be employed for the same
purpose.

- refers to the use of multiple

approaches called triangulation
TRIANGULATION
getting perspectives from
•Multiple methods (observation,
interview and survey)
•Multiple instruments (structured
questionnaire, interview questions,
test)
Reliability and Validity of Data
a. The researcher’s own views should
be under control.
b. Use objective recording devices and
techniques
d. The findings may be discussed with
the participants in the research.
Data Analysis
In action research simple data analysis
are sufficient. Practical significance,
rather than statistical significance, is
emphasized. Generally, the intent is
not to generalize to all schools, but
primarily to the school or the class
being studied.
 Data Analysis
WORK NO. OF NO. OF STUDENTS
GROUP MEMBERS Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Group A 9 4 6 7 9
Group B 8 3 5 6 8
Group C 10 4 7 9 10
Group D 9 5 6 5 8

Table shows that there is a consistent

increase in the number of students actively
engaged in the discussion among the four
groups utilized.
Results Applied
 Findings from the action research can be
used and applied immediately to other classes
of the participating teachers which expectedly
would led to the improvement of the teaching-
learning process.

 There should be frequent exchanges of ideas

and sharing of information on results so that
other teachers can adopt or try out the action/
treatment in their own classes.
Validity of Action Research Findings
In scientific research, internal and external
validity are given emphasis
•Internal validity – if the observed results are
due to the action introduced; in simple
language, the action led to the expected
results.
•External validity – can be replicated in other
similar settings.
WORKSHOP 1
In formulating research
questions …
Focus on your existing role in the classroom.
Complete these sentence stems:

1. One thing I would like to change is …

2. The best learning environment for
students …
3. My student would do better if …
Things to consider when
developing a research
question
1. Practice
2. Value
3. Climate
4. Literature
5. Data
6. Interest
Action Research Process
1. Planning
2. Action
3. Observing
4. Reflecting
Problematize

There is very low verbal

interaction between teachers
and students, as well as among
students in a computer class
Solve

Rotate the groupings in the

laboratory activity and
impose group work to
increase verbal interaction.
Observe

Take note on their progress,

and identify issues during
the activity (arguing, not
getting along, etc.)
Reflect

Find out things that are not

working/working perfectly.
Is your plan working?
- modify
- re-observe
Developing knowledge
of the issue

1. Talk
2. Read
3. Learn
Review of RL
1. Learning after reading?
2. Proposed solutions?

Sources of background knowledge

can be networking, published
materials and expert knowledge
WE WILL BE USING THIS

MODEL SO BE
ATTENTIVE AND LEARN
THE PROCESSES
UNDER IT
AR MODEL (Susman, 1983)

1. Diagnosing
2. Action planning
3. Taking action
4. Evaluating
5. Specifying learning
AR MODEL
(Susman, 1983)
STEP 1 - Diagnosing

1. Gap Analysis
2. Critical Thinking Tool
3. Problem Tree
4. Opportunity Tree
Gap Analysis

1. What should be
2. What is the actual
3. What is the gap
Critical Thinking Tool
Which among the gaps is the
most

1. relevant
2. important
3. urgent
4. doable
Problem Tree

1. immediate causes
2. underlying causes
3. root causes
Opportunity Tree

Reverse the Problem Tree

- From the problem to
immediate causes, to
underlying causes, to root
causes
- Replace negative statements
to positive statements
STEP 2 – Action Planning-
Considering alternative
courses of action
Choosing the best possible solution
or strategy

1. Identification of a problem (CTT)

2. identification of decision criteria
(what’s important/relevant in
resolving the problem
Decision Criteria

1. Manageability of data
2. Speed of implementation
3. Within the span/jurisdiction
of the researcher
4. Cost-efficiency
5. Likelihood for success
6. Potential impact
3. Allocation of weights to the criteria
(most important = 6)

4. Development of alternatives (root

solutions identified in OT)

5. Analysis of alternatives – evaluate

each alternative by using the decision
criteria in S2; give scores, multiply,
total for each alternative=WC; rank
6. Selection of an alternative
(generated the highest total in S5)

7. Implementation of an alternative –
putting decision into action

8. Decision effectiveness – find out if

the problem has been resolved or
remedied
Get ready to

1. State your action research

title
2. Formulate your three
research questions
3. Formulate your alternative
and null hypotheses
4. Significance of your study to
teachers, pupils/students,
school heads, and the other
DepEd officials
5. Scope and delimitation of the
study
STEP 3 – Taking Action
Selecting a course of
action
Selecting a course of action
includes
1. Selecting a research design
2. Planning the methodology
3. Writing the action plan
4. Planning and preparing the
monitoring and evaluation
scheme
5. Implementing the plan
Methods and Design
1. Selecting a course of action to
address identified gap
Action Plan preparation
1. List down all the activities that will
answer the three research questions
2. Arrange the activities
chronologically
3. Transfer activities in the action plan
template
4. Determine objectives, persons
involved, time frame, resources
needed, expected output and
statistical tools
Action Plan Template
1. Objective/target
2. activities/tasks/steps
3. Persons involved
4. Time frame
5. Resources needed
6. Expected output
7. Statistical tools/Data Analysis
The Action Plan
Template completes
the Action Research
Proposal
WORKSHOP 2
Action Plan
Template making
STEP 4 – Evaluating
Studying the
consequences of an
action
Analyze and evaluate the data
to derive the results of the
implementation of action
Monitoring and Evaluation Template

1. Target
2. Actual Output
3. % Accomplishment
4. Remarks
Present the answers to the research
questions

1. Given the problem, what have you

found out?

Based on the survey instruments, what

did you find out?
Conclusion

- Written by doing Step 5 which consists

of identifying general findings
STEP 5 – Specifying Learning –
Identifying the General Findings

Formulate your conclusion based on these

findings.

State the impact of your result on the

improvement of the teaching-learning
process, performance targets or indicators
and current educational practices.
WORKSHOP 3
Points to remember
1. Spell-out names used for the first
time
2. Spell out stand-alone unit of
measurement
3. Spell-out any number used as first
element
4. Use word equivalents for 0-9,
numerals for 10+
5. No full point for abbrev. titles
Points to remember
6. Complete scientific names of species
in first mention
7. Use gender-sensitive language
8. Use English equivalents of Latin
abbrev if not within the parentheses
9. Use symbols in tables
10. Times New Roman, 12”, single space
GRAMMAR
1. Proposal = Future
2. Introduction (Chapter in a chapter =
present)
3. RRL = past or present perfect
4. Chapter Summary = past tense
(current); present tense (next)
5. Methodology = past tense
6. Results = past tense
7. Implications/Conclusions = present
To describe your methodology and
report your results

At the time you are writing your report,

you have already completed your study,
so you should use past tense in your
methodology section to record what you
did, and in your results section to report
what you found.
When referring to the work of
previous researchers, use past tense.
Whatever a previous researcher said, did
or wrote happened at some specific,
definite time in the past and is not still
being done. Results that were relevant
only in the past or to a particular study
and have not yet been generally
accepted as fact also should be
expressed in past tense.
Per APA 3.18, refer to the work of
another researcher in the past

•Patterson (2012) presented, found,

stated, discovered…
Sample Sentence Explanation
"Smith (2008) reported Smith’s study was
that adult respondents completed in the past
in his study and his finding was
remembered 30 specific to that particular
percent more than study.
children."
"Previous research The research was
showed that children conducted in the past,
confuse the source of but the finding is now a
their memories more widely accepted fact.
often than adults
(Lindsey et al., 1991)."
However, there can be a shift to the
present tense if the research findings still
hold true.

•King (2010) found that revising a

document three times improves the final
grade.
•Smith (2016) discovered that the
treatment is effective.
To describe a fact, law or finding that is
no longer considered valid and relevant
Sample Sentence Explanation
"Nineteenth-century Note the shift here
physicians held that from past tense
women got migraines (discredited belief) to
because they were 'the present (current
weaker sex,' but current belief).
research shows that the
causes of migraine are
unrelated to gender."
To express findings that continue to be
true

Use present tense to express general

truths or facts or conclusions supported
by research results that are unlikely to
change—in other words, something that
is believed to be always true.
Sample Sentence Explanation
"Genetic information is encoded in Note also that no source citation is needed
the sequence of nucleotides on here since it is a widely known and well-
DNA." accepted fact.
"Galileo asserted that the earth The asserting took place in the past, but
revolves around the sun." the earth is still revolving around the sun.

1) “Singer (1982) stated that sexual Here you use past tense to indicate what
dimorphism in body size is Singer reported (sentence one), but
common among butterflies.” present tense to indicate a research result
2) "Sexual dimorphism in body size that is unlikely to change (sentence two).
is common among butterflies
(Singer 1982)."
"We chose Vietnam for this study Use past tense to indicate what you did
because it has a long coastline." (chose Vietnam), but present tense
to indicate you assume that the length of
Vietnam's coastline is unlikely to change.
"We used cornmeal to feed the Past tense reflects what you did (used
fingerlings because it provides high cornmeal), but present tense indicates that
nutritional content at a relatively neither the nutritional content nor the cost
low cost." of cornmeal is likely to change.
To discuss your findings and present
your conclusions
Sample Sentence Explanation
"Weight increased as the Use past tense to
nutritional value of feed indicate what you found
increased. These results [weight increased], but
suggest that feeds higher use present tense to
in nutritional value suggest what the result
contribute to greater implies.
weight gain in livestock."
To refer to the research undertaking
itself
Sample Sentence Explanation
"Table 3 shows that Table 3 will always
the main cause of show this; it is now
weight increase was a fact that is unlikely
nutritional value of to change, and will
the feed." be true whenever
anyone reads this
sentence, so use
present tense.
To preview what is coming in the document
or to explain what is happening at that
moment in the document, use the present
or future tense:
•In this study, I will describe…
•In this study, I describe…
•In the next chapter, I will discuss…
•In the next chapter, I discuss…
To refer back to information already covered,
such as summaries of discussions that have
already taken place or conclusions to
chapters/sections, use the past tense:

•Chapter 1 contained my original discussion

of the research questions.
•In summary, in this section,
I presented information on…
Bottomline

1. Third person is potentially

confusing/ambiguous, so other
institutions use the pronoun “I”

1. No “I think”/”I believe”. Use strong

introductory phrases instead
 Coming together is a
beginning; keeping together
is progress; working
together is success.
-Henry Ford
Sources

1. Publication Manual of the American Psychological

Association, 5th Ed. The Comprehensive Guide to
Writing in the Health Sciences, University of Toronto.
2. academicguides.waldenu.edu
Action Research
Phase 2
 Conceptual framework of action research in
education (Tamayo et al., 2014)
• Diagnosing (identifying\defining a problem)
• Action planning (considering alternative courses
of action)
• Taking action (selecting a course of action)
• Evaluating (studying the consequences of an
action)
• Specifying learning (identifying general findings
 Introduction
Diagnosing … writing process

• Gap analysis: Narrate how the gap analysis

(assessment of current practices,
performance, behavior or situation based on
standards) was conducted
• What should be? What is actual? What is the
gap?
• Cite pieces of evidence
 Introduction
Diagnosing … writing process
• Critical thinking tool
• Rank: What is relevant? What is important?
What is urgent? What is doable?
• Narrate how the most RIUD among the gaps
was determined
• Cite pieces of evidence/reasons to support the
decision
 Introduction
Diagnosing … writing process
• Problem tree: identification of the causes of
the problem; evidence-based
• Identify the immediate, underlying and root
cause/s of the most relevant, important,
urgent, doable gap
• Narrate the process on how IUR causes were
identified
• Cite pieces of evidence
 Introduction
Diagnosing … writing process
• Opportunity tree: identification of the
possible solutions
• Identify possible solutions of immediate,
underlying and root cause/s of the most
relevant, important, urgent, doable gap
• Narrate how possible solutions were identified
• Cite related study to support the proposed
probable solutions
 Introduction
action planning … writing process
• Choosing the best possible solution/strategy
(decision making model)
• Statement of the problem
• Formulation of essential research questions
• Formulation of hypothesis
• Statement of the purpose and significance of the
study
• Specify the scope and limitation
 Introduction
action planning … writing process
• Which of root solutions is the best strategy that
can be done to address the gap?
• What is the problem of the study?
• … questions to be investigated?
• … hypothesis?
• … purpose? Who will benefit ?
• Who are included/not included in the study?
 Methodological approach to the
conceptual framework
Parts of an action Action research model (Susman, 1983; Parts of a Parts of a
research (Fraenkel & Tamayo et al., 2014) research research
Wallen, 2010) proposal report

√ √
Introduction Diagnosing
√ √
Action planning
√ √
Method and Taking action
Design
√
Results Evaluating
√
Conclusion Specifying learning
 Action plan template
• Objectives
• Activities/tasks/steps
• Persons involved
• Time frame
• Resources needed
• Expected outputs
• Statistical tools to be used
 Guide questions
• What is the plan?
• Objectives?
• Steps that will be undertaken?
• How are data collected?
• How will data be statistically treated?
 Method and Design (writing
process)
• State and define the research design and
methodology including the statistical
tools/treatment that will be used in the study
• Describe the plan of action
• List down chronologically the activities to be
undertaken
• Identify the persons involved, time frame, etc