Course description

This course will introduce students to action research, a form of self-reflective systematic inquiry by practitioners on their own practice. The goals of action research are the improvement of practice, a better understanding of that practice, and an improvement in the situation in which the practice is carried out. The primary objective of the course is to prepare students to do action research in schools. There are three other goals: 1) the development of professional community; 2) the illumination of power relationships; and 3) students' recognition of their own expertise.

Topics include an analysis of collaborative and spectator forms of research, ways to identify problems to investigate, the selection of appropriate research methods, collecting and analyzing data, and ways to draw conclusions from the research. The major assignment for the course will be the completion of a mini-research project undertaken in an educational setting in which the student is engaged in professional practice.

Because this course involves research with "human subjects," all students must complete UMass Human Subjects Training. This is done on-line at this link: http://www.umass.edu/research/comply/hstraining.html .

Course requirements

1. A significant part of this course will be class discussions of readings assigned for each week. Therefore successful completion of this graduate level course requires attendance of all classes and active participation in the discussions. Carefully read assigned readings for each class. Come to class prepared to contribute your critical reflections on both your own experiences and ideas and those of others as presented in the readings. Your reflections on the readings should be recorded in your research notebook (see 2 below). Most weeks there will be reading questions that must be submitted to me through WebCT before the class meeting.

2. Keep a research notebook in which you regularly (at least weekly) record your experiences in carrying out action research. The purpose of the notebook is to help you to reflect on your practices, formulate ideas for action or changes in practice, and evaluate those actions. You will be using your research notebook as a data source for writing an analysis of your action research project.

3. Participate in a " research notebook response group [RNRG]." Form a group of 3-5 students who will meet at least once per week for a minimum of one hour outside of class time to discuss research notebook entries, the readings for the classes, and your research projects. No more than half of the group meetings can be done online using the WebCT chat function . Your RNRG will be required to make a presentation to the class about how your group operates. These presentations will begin on March 8.

4. Prepare an informed consent form . This will be due on October 3. Please submit the consent form to me via WebCT. A final copy of your consent form should be included with your action research report (assignment #8).

5. Write the text for a Starting Point Speech [M11] to a group of colleagues explaining why the problem of thematic concern you have identified for your project is educationally important. This speech is due to be presented in class on October 10, and submitted to me via WebCT , after revising in response to feedback received in class, by October 17.

6. The speech should include the results of your Photovoice project . It should also include references to the appropriate research literature. October 17?

7. In order to receive feedback on your on-going efforts, a 2-3 page interim report of your project, including a statement of your thematic concern or general idea for inquiry and the results of reflecting on your initial data collection, should be submitted to me via WebCT by November 21, following the data workshop.

8. Complete an analysis (in approximately 10-15 pages) of your action research project according to guidelines to be provided by the instructor (see calendar for URL). A presentation to the class during the last sessions will be expected and the final report will be due on the last day of class (December 12).

9. In addition to the above assignments, there will be shorter assignments that help move you through the research process. These include the Slice of Life [M3] ; Consent form ; a Data Collection Plan ; and other "M" assignments from Altricher et al. You are required to submit all written work to me via WebCT .

Grade policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by your level of completion of all assignments and your participation in the class. Assignments #5-8 will have the greatest weight. How well you present your starting point speech, data for the data workshop, your final paper will be another component of your grade. Your participation in class, including preparedness to discuss readings and attendance, is an important component of your grade. Read the syllabus carefully and see the instructor if you have any questions about what is required of you. Satisfactory work at the graduate level for all course requirements will result in an A- in the course. Outstanding work will result in an A. Any written work deemed unsatisfactory by the instructor will be given back to the student with comments for improvement. The instructor will make adjustments in these requirements for students with learning disabilities.

All course work must be completed and handed in to the instructor by December 12. If for some reason this cannot happen, the student must make arrangements with the instructor to complete the work before a mutually agreed upon date. The student and instructor will draw up a contract specifying the work that needs to be completed and the completion date. They will both sign the contract and each will receive a copy.

Calendar

September 12: Course overview and introductions.
What is research? The Ladder of Inference
An introduction to The PhotoVoice project [M14]
The Gap [M6] and the Analytic Discourse [M7]
Tremmel, R. (1993) [WebCT] (Information on the Slice of Life assignment)
Wang (1999) [WebCT] (Information on the Photovoice Project)

September 19: The nature of action research and finding a starting point for research.
The research notebook and Informed Consent
SLICE OF LIFE DUE [M3]
Altrichter et. al. Ch. 2 [WebCT]
Feldman (1998) ( All Feldman articles can be found at http://www.unix.oit.umass.edu/~afeldman/ActionResearchPapers/ARpapersindex.html )
Calhoun (2002) [WebCT]
Feldman & Capobianco (2000)
Informed consent materials: Preparing an Informed Consent Form and Human Subjects Review

September 26 : The nature of action research (part 2).
M2 DUE
Altrichter et. al. Ch. 3[WebCT]
Lytle & Cochran-Smith (1990) [WebCT]
Lytle & Cochran-Smith (1992) [WebCT]

October 3: Self-study and existentialism
Acknowledging starting points
M5, M6 OR M7 DUE
CONSENT FORMS DUE
Altrichter et. al. Ch. 4 [WebCT]
Feldman (2002) [WebCT] or
Feldman, Paugh, & Mills (2004) [WebCT]

October 10: STARTING POINT SPEECHES

October 17: How to do action research: Data Collection
WRITTEN STARTING POINT SPEECHES DUE
Altrichter et. al. Ch. 5 [WebCT]
Feldman, A. (1996)
Feldman & Minstrell (2000)

October 24: Data Analysis
BEGIN RNRG PRESENTATIONS
M12, 13, or 15 DUE
DATA COLLECTION PLAN DUE
Altrichter et. al. Ch. 6 [WebCT]
Calhoun (1994) Ch. 6 [ eReserves ] http://ereserves.library.umass.edu/ password: Feldman]
McNiff Ch. 6 [eReserves]

October 31: Action research and Self-studies.
Hollingsworth (1994) [eReserves]
Winograd (2000) [WebCT]
Russell (2000) [WebCT]
Action research reports from this course http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~afeldman/ARpapersfall2000
Networks: An On-Line Journal For Teacher Research http://education.ucsc.edu/faculty/gwells/networks/

November 7: DATA WORKSHOP

November 14: No Class
"M" ASSIGNMENTS FROM CHAPTER 5 DUE
Complete UMass Human Subjects Training http://www.umass.edu/research/comply/hstraining.html

November 21: Issues of validity.
INTERIM REPORT DUE.
"M" ASSIGNMENT FROM CHAPTER 6 DUE
Jigsaw:
Group 1 reads Feldman (1994a) and Lather (1986) [ eReserves ]
Group 2 reads Eisner (1981) [ eReserves ] and Phillips (1987) [ eReserves ]
Group 3 reads Feldman (in press) [WebCT] and (Heikkinen, Huttunen, & Syrjala, in press) [WebCT]

November 28: Precursors to action research and multiple traditions.
Metaphor Assignment [Mvx] DUE
The Acoma Pueblo
Schön (1983) Ch 2 [ eReserves ]
McCutcheon & Jung (1990) [WebCT]
Altrichter, Kemmis, McTaggert & Zuber-Skerritt (2002) [WebCT]

December 5: Critical theory and action research.
Making research public.
Altrichter et. al. Ch. 7&8 [WebCT] :
The Acoma Pueblo revisited [WebCT]
Tripp (1990) [WebCT]
Carr (1997) [WebCT]
Feldman, A. (undated). Writing the action research report .
Rubric for the final report .

December 12: PRESENTATIONS OF RESEARCH PROJECTS.