Using Action Research to Assess Digital Learning
Projects & Learning/Using Action Research to Assess Digital Learning/Action Research Plan
Action Research PLan
My action research will try to find how learning is affected by using self-paced, interactive lessons for first-time instruction instead of a teacher-led lecture. Based on what I have researched in my action research literature review, students who are motivated and active in their learning tend to learn more. I want to test this idea in my classroom by allowing students to move through lessons at their own pace and place to see if it will increase student motivation and participation, and thus their learning.
Fundamental research question:
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How is student learning affected using interactive lessons for first-time instruction vs. teacher-delivered lectures for first-time instruction?
Implementing the plan
I plan to use quantitative data to answer my fundamental research question and to find any other noteworthy patterns in the data. I will set up my quasi-experimental study using a pretest-posttest control group design (Mertler, 2020). I will start the school year with a pretest for each of my above-level precalculus classes to identify which classes of students are most similar in prior knowledge. Then, use one of those classes as the control group and the other class as the experimental group to try the interactive lesson delivery. Before embarking upon my action research plan with my classes, I will notify the administration of my plan and the parents of the students in the experimental classes.
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What lessons will look like for the experimental group
I intend to give students the choice of either completing the lesson the evening before class or as the first activity they complete upon arriving to class. To complete the self-paced lesson each student will need to answer a set of comprehension questions. Students will be assigned to learning groups in class each day based on their results. Students who have mastered the concepts in the lesson prior to class will be in the learning group who starts class with a student-led discussion to talk about what they learned with others. Students who have not mastered the concepts but have completed the lesson will be in a group with the teacher to review the concepts. And students who have not completed the lesson will be in the group that completes the lesson upon arriving to class.
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Students will move in a circuit through stations to complete their learning for the day. The first discussion group will have the opportunity to complete independent and group activities during class time after discussion, where students who watch the lesson during class, will complete independent work at home, thus giving students the choice of what work they do at home.
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Collecting and analyzing the data
I will collect data from student test scores, relevant applications (projects), and one-on-one, oral questions to check for understanding. At the end of each unit, I will evaluate the posttest data to see the effects of the independent variable (interactive lesson use) on the dependent variable (overall learning). I also plan to survey students in the experimental group with a short Likert-scale questionnaire at the end of each grading quarter to see which method they prefer, completing the lesson before class, or completing it as their first activity in-class.
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At the end of each curriculum unit, I will compare the posttest data of the control and experimental groups. If data shows that the experimental group is falling behind in their learning compared to the control group, I will adjust the plan. At the end of the first quarter, if the data shows that the learning of the experimental group is greater than that of the control group, I will expand the experiment to my on-level precalculus classes to run the test again for validity.
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Developing the action plan
At the end of the second quarter, if learning is greater for the above-level and on-level experimental classes, I will implement interactive lessons in all my classes. I will monitor student learning outcomes and adjust the plan, as necessary.
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Sharing and communicating the results
As I collect data, I will share the results with my department chair, curriculum coach, and my colleagues. If other teachers would like to run the experiment in their classes, I will share my research and plan with them. Once they engage in the research, we can discuss their findings and I can include them in my results. I will publish my data and results on my ePortfolio.
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Reflecting on the process
At the end of every unit, as I analyze the data, I will reflect on what worked and what did not. I will adjust the plan as necessary before moving forward. My reflections will be published on my ePortfolio on my blog.
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