Action Research

Action Research: Becoming a Researcher in Your Classroom​

Why action research?

Action research is a powerful way to bridge the gap between theory and practice. It transforms your classroom into a living laboratory where you are both the lead investigator and the primary beneficiary.

Unlike traditional research, the goal isn't to find a universal truth, but to find what works for your specific students in your specific context.

Open Ended

What challenge do you face in your class?

Open Ended

The most effective research starts with a "burning question"—something that keeps you up at night or a persistent gap in student performance.

What questions come up into your mind when you face that challenge?

Phase 1: Identifying the Problem

• How to improve student's writing skill?

• Why don't my students do their homework?

• How to improve students understanding in waves topic?

• How to improve the use of descriptive adjectives in 7th-grade narrative writing?

• How does implementing a digital choice board for homework affect completion rates among struggling readers?

• How does the use of role play provide better understanding about the motion of particle experience waves?

Broad Questions

Narrow Questions

Phase 2: Planning the Strategy

Review Existing Ideas: You don't need to reinvent the wheel. Look at teaching blogs, peer-reviewed journals, or talk to a mentor to see what strategies have worked elsewhere.

Define the Variable: Clearly state what you will change. Will you use a new graphic organizer? A different grouping strategy? A specific piece of technology?

Set a Timeline: Decide how long the intervention will last (e.g., one three-week unit) to ensure you have enough data to see a trend.

Phase 3: Collecting Data (The Evidence)

To ensure your findings are valid, aim for triangulation—collecting three different types of data to see if they all point to the same conclusion.

Data Types to Consider

Type	Examples
Quantitative	Test scores, attendance records, tally marks for participation, time-on-task.
Qualitative	Student interviews, exit tickets, teacher journals, open-ended surveys.
Observational	Video recordings of lessons, peer observations, photos of student work.

Phase 4: Reflecting and Iterating

Data is just noise until you interpret it. This is where the "Research" turns into "Professional Growth."

Look for Patterns: Did the students who used the new strategy perform better than they did on the previous unit? Did their confidence (qualitative) match their scores (quantitative)?

Phase 4: Reflecting and Iterating

Acknowledge Outliers: If the strategy worked for 20 students but failed for 5, why? This often leads to your next research question.

Share the Results: Action research is most effective when shared with colleagues. It creates a culture of "collaborative inquiry" in your school.

Thank You