Action Research Outline

Action Research - short summary

In regards to Action Research, I feel as though the assessments that are utilized within all educational fields are the best topics to be approached when using this specific type of methodology. According to Mertler and Charles (2011), “action research is [utilized] by educators, [it is] accomplished in the local school setting, [and it is] intended to resolve [localized] school concerns [and] questions” (p.336). Anytime an educator may feel as though his/her instruction is not meeting the needs of each individual student, the educator could easily implement action research methods in order to discover why this may be the case. An instructor can implement the steps that are contained within
Because action research is a cyclical process, the educator will be able to conduct on-going assessment projects in regards to a specific problem.
Action research is a fantastic tool that educators can (and should) use in order to evaluate their own performances. We, as educators, have to come to terms with the fact that we will never be perfect; education and educational practices will always evolve and therefore educators have to find ways to change, as well as to improve their instruction. In the Handbook of Action Research, Reason and Bradbury (2001) write that “[g]ood action research emerges over time in an evolutionary and developmental process, as individuals develop skills of enquiry and as communities of enquiry develop within communities of practice” (p.
I teach at a public school in South Carolina (SC). SC is one of many states that have adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). According to Mertler and Charles, “evaluation research is generally done in an effort to determine if certain programs, curriculum, or procedures are effective; this type of method differs from action research in that it examines the quality of [a particular] curriculum – action research develops new and innovative ideas/plans” (2011). If I wanted to evaluate the quality of the CCSS, I could research the past assessment results of students - while they were learning under the SC State Standards - and compare them to the present assessment results of students who are learning under CCSS. It would be important for me to research the assessment results and then compare them to the same (or a very similar) population of students. I could also research information pertaining to the financial aspects of the CCSS as well as the guidelines that are set in regards to teacher certification. All of the latter topics are things that I would consider to be important in regards to the quality of a given