How can action research improve teaching strategies in your classroom?

Action research (AR) is a process for improving teaching practice and strategies. As a teacher, through AR: 1) You will act as a researcher in your own classroom and conduct research to identify the strengths and weaknesses in your teaching. It allows you to examine the effectiveness of your teaching practice. 2) You will actively involve in observing and collecting data about a class through questionnaires or interviews. 3) You will identify the problems faced in teaching and test out a strategy to fix the problems. This can help you improve your teaching and become a more capable teacher.

Action research is a powerful tool for educators to enhance teaching strategies. Firstly, it promotes reflective practice by encouraging teachers to analyze their own methods and identify areas for improvement. Secondly, it fosters collaboration among educators, allowing them to share insights and best practices. Lastly, it empowers teachers to tailor instruction to meet the diverse needs of their students, ultimately leading to more effective teaching and learning outcomes.

Action research is a system of continuous improvement through self-reflection and inquiry. This is a very similar system to the Japanese concept of Kaizen which tracks continuous improvement through a lifetime of practice.

Action research in the classroom involves systematically observing and reflecting on teaching practices to identify areas for improvement. It allows teachers to tailor their strategies to student needs, test interventions, and assess their effectiveness in real-time. By engaging in this process, educators can continuously refine their teaching methods, leading to more effective instruction and improved student outcomes.

Action research is an effective tool for improving teaching strategies. It involves educators investigating and reflecting on their own practices in the classroom. The process includes identifying areas for improvement, setting clear objectives, collecting and analyzing data, implementing changes, reflecting on results, and sharing findings with colleagues.

Before making any changes to your current system it's best to dive into a planning phase and to determine what needs to be changed and then put plans of observation into place so you can determine the areas that need the most improvement.

Action research allows you to experiment with new teaching tactics and ideas in a methodical way. This enables you to create unique approaches that are appropriate to the requirements of your students and the context of learning.

The action phase is where you would begin your observation of your implementation and begin to make observations about what is working and what is not. A lot of self-reflection is required at this point to allow you to determine the changes that need to be made.

The teacher, the counselor, and the principal shared the information with the faculty who were, in turn, stunned. Student responses such as, “None of the teachers seem to know my name,” and “No one speaks to me” tugged at their heart strings. The group not only faced up to the challenge by developing multiple plans that responded to revealed student information, they “commissioned” additional surveys that year and subsequent years to check their success in responding to the findings from the initial survey. Parents, impressed with the school’s growing Action Research efforts, asked for the school’s cooperation in surveying parents about the same issue.

When observing it's best to take notes and make detailed observations about what it is that you think is not working and be sure to mark down your notes on changes you think could make the biggest impact when changed.

Using your senses fully as you observe is one way of optimising results. Capturing exactly what you perceive without subjective colouring really helps with the 'purity' of the data. In other words be scientific in your approach to gathering data. You can still seek creative ways of gathering data but ensure the data gathered speaks to the learners' experience and captures it. You can also be creative in the strategies for analysis. But as I suggest the best results will be revealed with objective observations. The learners will speak for themselves in the colour of their own experience. We will capture the colour best as objective recorders of their reactions and responses.

As a whole school art teacher, reflection is integral to honing our craft. Observing the impact of innovative strategies reveals much about their efficacy. It’s crucial to ask: Did the strategy meet expectations? Which elements thrived, and which require refinement? This reflective stage transcends mere success metrics; it’s about comprehending and learning from the outcomes. These reflections are invaluable, informing subsequent action research cycles and fostering an evolution in our teaching approaches. Through this process, we continuously sculpt our educational artistry, ensuring our teaching remains dynamic and responsive to our students’ needs.

For example: Jeremy’s third-grade teacher watched him out of the corner of her eye. Though he sat quietly reading, she knew that he could, and often did, erupt into loud, emotional displays. On this particular day, the eruption came just after recess. Inexplicably, Jeremy jumped up, swept papers off his desk, and with a loud roar, tipped the desk over. The teacher managed to get him out of the classroom and into the safety of the nurse’s office while his classmates patiently straightened his desk and gathered his scattered belongings. Still, in spite of their practiced efficiency, a half-hour passed before the teacher could get the class settled and working again. She did a little Action Research project on Jeremy.

La investigación-acción es un proceso reflexivo que permite a los docentes analizar y mejorar sus estrategias de ense?anza. A través de la observación y la reflexión crítica, los educadores pueden identificar áreas de mejora en su práctica docente y desarrollar soluciones innovadoras. Este enfoque fomenta una ense?anza más efectiva al adaptar las técnicas pedagógicas a las necesidades específicas de los estudiantes y al contexto del aula. Además, promueve el desarrollo profesional continuo de los docentes al involucrarlos activamente en el proceso de aprendizaje y en la toma de decisiones basadas en evidencia.

Estoy de acuerdo en que, periódicamente, debemos examinar nuestras prácticas y estrategias de ense?anza. Me parece nutritivo el artículo. Ahora bien, es MUY importante tener en cuenta que cada investigación, planificación y ejecución del plan de acción debería ser diferente, incluso para un mismo concepto a transmitir... y esto es en función del grupo al cual estamos dirigiendo la ense?anza. No todos los grupos tendrán las mismas necesidades, herramientas, habilidades y capacidades.