600_new_research

ELPS 600 RESEARCH PLAN

INDEX

SELECT TOPIC

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

LITERATURE REVIEW

DESIGN OF STUDY

DATA COLLECT PLAN

ANALYSIS OF DATA PLAN

THESIS FORMAT

ACTION RESEARCH WEBSITES

Reference Style: ELPS department is emphasizing APA style

Include transitions between each section and relate all sections to research questions

Define All Terms: Define all ambiguous terms in each section thesis

Sections 1, 2, 3 are to be used as guidelines for the Review of Literature

Sections 4 & 5 are to be used as guidelines for the Proposal Plan

Sections 6 - 11 are to be used as guidelines if you are writing a Thesis or Dissertation and therefore are not required for the ELPS 600 Class.

This is a Project that spans 2 semesters.

During the semester you take ELPS 600: you PLAN your own action research project and write up your plan as your Action Research Proposal. The Research Proposal (Review of Literature and Proposed Plan) should be 8-12 pages, including references.

During the semester you take ELPS 688: you do the actual data collection and analysis that you outlined in your Action Research Proposal. This then becomes your Action Research Leadership Project with your findings and reflections included in your ELPS 688 Fieldwork Portfolio.

ALL ACTION RESEARCH PROPOSALS MUST

1) Relate to an Educational Problem or Challenge

2) Demonstrates leadership capabilities that: a) has potential to result in improved

student achievement and b) involves a variety of leadership skills/tasks

NOTE: Your Proposal must EXPLICITLY address these variables

3) Include Action Research Cycles of Inquiry, Investigation, Action and Reflection

4) Involve original work. Must collect NEW data, not just analyze pre-existing data.

5) Must go beyond 1 individual classroom.

You can do research in your own classroom, but then must add another area of the school such as another class, the department, a school program, or special school populations. Can also explore at the district level.

Most Appropriate Research Methods for Novice Researchers

QUALITATIVE DATA COLLECTION: interviews, focus groups, open-ended observations, examination of student work, review of documents/records

QUANTITATIVE DATA COLLECTION: surveys, observation rating sheets/checklists, examination of trends in assessment data

Note: Qualitative studies or mixed methods studies are encouraged. Due to insufficient training in statistics, most quantitative study designs are not appropriate for this course, including pretest-post-test designs, experimental/quasi-experimental designs, and correlational studies. All data collected for this project should be considered preliminary or exploratory, rather than conclusive. It is understood that students may end up collecting actual data somewhat differently during ELPS 688 (Fieldwork) than they originally planned in the research proposal (ELPS 600) due to changing circumstances.

ACTION RESEARCH BASICS

THINK about these questions. No need to answer them directly

PHASE ONE: What is the Problem or Challenge"

1) Identify the problem or challenge (How do you know this is a problem?)

2) Why does the problem exist and what are the consequences of the problem?

3) What would you like to happen?

4) What do you need to learn to better understand the problem or a possible solution?

5) What resources do you have already or need to understand the problem or challenge?

PHASE TWO: Investigate - dig deeper into the problem by collecting "data"

1) Analyze impact of problem/challenge/topic

2) Systematic inquiry into perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, experiences of key stakeholders on the problem/challenge/topic

3) Document steps to find patterns and meaning in an effort to assess needs

4) What else do you need to know and why? What methods will help you find more?

5) Are there any risks? What are they?

6) Re-examine people's behaviors, interactions, activities, roles in formal and informal settings in or around the school to better assess the issue

7) What skills do you need? What are the next steps based on the new information?

PHASE THREE: Take Action: decide what to do - and carry it out.

1) What do you need to do to REFLECT on the process and the outcome itself.

2) Understand root causes of a problem, challenge assumptions/conventional wisdom about education

After the third phase, the steps repeat beginning again with Phase One.

Common Categories of Leadership Projects

Assess need for/plan/intervention (new to site or target group) or new teaching methods

Assess need for/plan/implement improvements on existing school program

Assess need for/plan/implement PD (intensive or series) or professional conference

Assess need for/plan/implement structural change (scheduling, course placement, etc.)

Assess need for/plan/implement two-way communication with diverse stakeholder groups (e.g., family or community outreach/program) or other forms of local collaboration

Assess need for/plan/implement behavior management/discipline program

Create report for program review/evaluation, writing major grant linked to student achievement, etc.

Possible Leadership Skills/Strategies Practiced in Project

Needs assessment

Facilitate planning process and monitor implementation

Seek and allocate resources

Data analysis, evaluation and presentation

Assemble committees, task forces, action teams

Seek input from and collaborating with key stakeholders for collaborative problem solving

Seek, assign, train, monitor personnel

Create/refine procedures and systems

Vision, goal setting, motivating others

ACTION RESEARCH BASICS

PHASE ONE: What is the Problem or Challenge"

1) Identify the problem or challenge (How do you know this is a problem?)

2) Why does the problem exist and what are the consequences of the problem?

3) What would you like to happen?

4) What do you need to learn to better understand the problem or a possible solution?

5) What resources do you have already or need to understand the problem or challenge?

PHASE TWO: Investigate - dig deeper into the problem or challenge at hand by collecting "data"

1) What else do you need to know and why? What methods will help you find more?

2) Are there any risks? What are they?

3) What skills do you need? What are the next steps based on the new information?

PHASE THREE: Take Action: decide what to do - and carry it out. Whatever the action is, and whatever the outcome of the action, you must REFLECT carefully on the process and the outcome itself.

After the third phase, the steps repeat beginning again with Phase One.

NOTE: THE REVIEW OF LITERATURE ASSIGNMENT ONLY INCLUDES THE SECTIONS I, II and III

THESIS FORMAT

a) Title Page; b) Title; c) Author's Name and Departmental Affiliation; d) Acknowledgments; e) Table of contents (List of Tables (if any) & List of Figures (if any);

f) Contents; g) Appendixes

I SELECT TOPIC AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS

REVIEW OF LITERATURE ASSIGNMENT: SECTIONS I, II and III

These Three Sections should be 3-5 pages

I TOPIC / RATIONALE

A Define Problem/Theme/Topic

1) Identify topic related to your area of expertise and particular interest and relate it to the field of education.

2) Narrow down the topic to a specific researchable problem by emphasizing

Who/What studied: When, Where and How?

Too narrow: 1 child in 1 class at 1 time; Too Broad: Entire School population!

B Define Purpose & Give a Rational/Significance for the need to do a study in this area

1) Include the "What" and "Basis" of what research intends

a) Need for research (why bother?);

b) How study can contribute to the solution of the problem

2) Significance of Topic to the field of education

3) Is area unexplored or poorly explored - explain why your study is so important (i.e. what will it contribute to the field)

Examples

This study is important because topic is recommended by . . .

This study will add clarity to important constructs from the Theoretical Literature

This study will extend research into areas that are unexplored, or poorly explored

C Provide Limitations of Proposed Action Research:

a) mention what problems your study will have or things that cannot be avoided

b) mention potential solutions to those problems

II RESEARCH QUESTIONS OR HYPOTHESIS

Choose a Hypothesis OR Research Questions Format

Hypothesis

State the problem that will be TESTED. Represent reasonable explanation for certain behavior, phenomena, that occur between variables. Include researchers expectations of what the outcome of the study will be.

USE ONLY WITH RESEARCH THAT WILL TEST SOMETHING

Research Hypothesis: Declarative Form: Expected relationship between two variables that research will verify through collection and analysis of date

Statistical Hypothesis: Null Form: No relationship between variables. Any relationship will be a change

Research & Subsidiary Questions

List 3-5 questions that encompass your research topic

Start with the macro (broad picture) and proceed to the micro (narrow picture)

Your questions can represent reasonable explanation for some behavior, phenomenon or event - of what the outcome of the study will be

Your questions can provide tentative explanation for certain behavior, phenomena or events that have or will occur

Your questions should not necessarily "prove" - but support your ideas & relationships

III LITERATURE REVIEW OF SELECTED ARTICLES

The Literature Review explains how existing academic literature relates to your study. In the process it not only reinforces the rationale for your study, but it helps to avoid unintentional duplication to what has already been published.

Your task in your Review of Literature is to show how YOUR research will

1) Discuss what has already been written by others in the field and why new information is needed

2) Show what is lacking in those publications or what needs to be updated

• Do not merely list, cite or summarize articles.

• Show how your own proposed research will be different from what has previously been published.

1) Start with sources that most broadly relate to your topic/question

a) Use Articles from Professional and Scholarly/Peer Review Journals

b) For this class, try to limit the articles to the last five years.

c) Check the bibliography given at the end of each article. Existing bibliographies are excellent sources of additional articles

2) Create an Abstract Format of each article read.

NOTE: THIS IS NOT YOUR WRITE UP BUT MERELY A WAY TO ORGANIZE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE VARIOUS ARTICLES

a) Write complete bibliographic reference

b) Classify and code articles according to some system (i.e. make a list of key words that relate to topic)

c) Summarize the articles (content, theory & methods)

d) show how the articles relate to what it is that you are proposing to do

YOUR WRITE-UP for the Review of Articles includes 3 areas of emphasis:

Review of articles - Emphasis on the Content of Major Themes. What have the various articles said about your topic? What is missing?

Review of articles - Emphasis on Theoretical Themes & Debates: What are the theories and/or debates that are referred to in the articles that you read. How do they relate to the theoretical perspective that will help shape your own research?

Review of articles - Emphasis on Research Methodologies: i.e. what type of research methods, research design, techniques were chosen for the articles reviewed?

RESEARCH PROPOSAL PLAN (Sections IV & V)

Sections IV & V should be 3-5 pages

These sections discuss in detail your chosen research design and specific research methodologies

Will it be Qualitative? Quantitative? Or a Combination?

How will your study become an Action Project?

What specific Methods will be utilized, i.e.

Ethnographic? Correlational? Experimental? A Little of Each?

Use terms learned in class to define your research methodology

IV RESEARCH PROCEDURES: STUDY DESIGN

Define specific and precise procedures (operational details) involved in the study: (e.g. specific sequence of activities; timing of the study; instructions given to subjects). Use diagrams if useful.

1) Describe Settings - description and selection process & why that particular site

Access and your role in access (ethics)

Field Boundaries - who, what, where, why, when

2) Define Participants - Target population - who and why those particular people

Size - how many

Characteristics - gender, age, grade level, student, teacher, administrator, parent, race/ethnicity, SES etc. Provide rationale for why these participants

Sampling methods - i.e. how did you choose these people

Define how introductions were made to informants - supports accountability

Describe the role of the researcher in selecting the participants including assumptions / biases and how you will deal with other aspects of subjectivity

Be aware of known and unknown agendas and cultural boundaries of informant

Examples:

1) elderly man seemed willing to talk - poor informant because he made sexual advances

2) women talks, then stops because, ethnographer, without knowing it, disputed cultural taboos

3) locksmith informant reluctant to take for fear of revealing trade secrets

V STRATEGY FOR DATA COLLECTION & IMPLICATIONS FOR ACTION RESEARCH

1) Describe data collection methods and instruments to be used in your action research project (i.e. how you will collect the data)

Define measuring instruments (e.g. describe tasks, tests and materials to be used, including booklets, programmed units, computer programs and rationale for selection). Write instructions for each situation to facilitate replication.

Try to develop a minimum of three different measuring instruments to ensure triangulation

Justify why particular research methods and measuring methods were was chosen and how relates to your research goals

Use Terms in Class to discuss data collection methods

2) Define how to ensure validity/reliability of data and identify limitations that will affect study: Triangulation; Member Checks; repeated Observations etc.

3) Describe Data Analysis Plan (how you will analyze the data)

What are your plans for recording, interpreting (sifting and sorting for patterns and making and validating conjectures for each of your data sources) and coding your data (making sure each interpretation has a thematic match)

4) Describe ethics for choosing and implementing research

Include description of YOUR role as a researcher in the research process

Include how you will maintain objectivity

5) Describe leadership component

Describe your role as a leader as a result of the project

How does the action research proposal relate to the major project on student learning section that you plan to do for your ELPS 688 fieldwork?

6) Describe the Preliminary Findings you have accumulated during ELPS 600. This includes information from your interview project, observation project and extra-credit assignments

7) Implications for Action Research in ELPS 688

Include how you will create elements for reflection so that you can build upon your research (i.e. Action Research components)

What are some other changes or action plans that your research could lead to?

What other new questions or ideas for further research based upon your pilot research might be important?

THE FOLLOWING IS FOR THOSE ACTUALLY WRITING A THESIS OR DISSERTATION

The Following is For Those Actually Writing a Thesis or Dissertation

VI ANALYSIS OF DATA PLAN

Redefine hypothesis/questions based on collected and analyzed date. Use analysis techniques to test research hypothesis/answer the research questions. Use contradictory information such as negative cases to refine further. Definition of techniques helps with replication of study.

(A) Describe Data Analysis techniques

Content analysis for qualitative data (e.g. observation and interview records and reports),
Statistical description and analysis of quantitative data (means, standard deviations, analysis of

variance, chi-squares)

(B) DESCRIBE DATA ANALYSIS PLAN

Define Evaluation Techniques to indicate strengths and weaknesses of selected design and methodologies
Describe Plan for coding, recording, interpreting (sifting and sorting for patterns and making and validating conjectures for each of your data sources) in the analysis stage.

Describe Plan for Time Factors: (A) Series of observations over time - generation of ideas!; (B) Longitudinal or freeze-time (short-term) observations

Describe use of Materials/Apparatus - booklets, programmed units, computer programs etc.

Describe Projected time schedule for each step and corresponding Budget

REFINE THEORY BASED ON MORE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

CONCLUSION OF RESEARCH / THESIS FORMAT

(1) NARRATIVE

(2) DRAWING AND STATING CONCLUSIONS

State in terms of original hypothesis or questions (restate)
Highlight results or findings and examine relationships if they support or contradict hypothesis

Relate results to those found by other investigators in the review of the literature. Indicate practical/theoretical implications

Specify exceptions and opposing points of view and your analysis of them. Be careful not to generalize beyond the limit of your sample

Identify limitations of present research

Present recommendations and suggest questions and hypotheses for further investigation

(3) REFERENCES (use only those directly quoted in the study)

(4) BIBLIOGRAPHY

(5) APPENDIX: Include: a) data gathering instruments; b) new computer program; c) scoring protocol; d) field notes; e) unpublished tests; f) New computer program; g) Scoring protocol; h) Unpublished test; i) data gathering instruments and j) Field Notes etc.

Selected Action Research Websites:

http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arhome.html

This is the "front page" of a substantial action research site at Southern Cross University. The link listed here will take you to some of the other parts of the site, and some of its associated resources. It includes samples of action research as well as useful suggestions.

http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~mryder/itc/act_res.html

Action research definitions, articles, and other resources housed at the University of Colorado at Denver.

http://actionresearch.altec.org/

An Action Research Network for teachers in the field as well as students pursuing an advanced degree in education.

http://www.e-lead.org/resources/resources.asp?ResourceID=9

E-Lead is a partnership of the Laboratory for Student Success at Temple University and the Institute for Educational Leadership, providing information about professional development for school leaders. It's resources include information about action research.

http://chiron.valdosta.edu/are/Default.htm

Action Research Exchange is an online journal dedicated to sharing current action research to assist educators as they plan, ponder, and practice. The focus is on the use of technology.

http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/navigating.php

Web Center for Social Research Methods

SELECT TOPIC	RESEARCH QUESTIONS	LITERATURE REVIEW
DESIGN OF STUDY	DATA COLLECT PLAN	ANALYSIS OF DATA PLAN
THESIS FORMAT		ACTION RESEARCH WEBSITES