Course Description

Action research and participatory action research across diverse contexts. The course includes a consideration of history and definitions of action research and participatory action research, and an analysis of their purposes, processes, and theoretical foundations. Students will engage in practitioner-based research strategies such as observations, interviewing, and document analysis.

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Athena Title

Action Research

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Equivalent Courses

Not open to students with credit in ETAP 7500E, QUAL 7500E, ERSH 7500E

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Prerequisite

Permission of department

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Semester Course Offered

Offered spring

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Grading System

A - F (Traditional)

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Course Objectives

Examine the historical and philosophical issues underlying teacher action research. Analyze the purposes and methods of conducting teacher action research by discussing pertinent articles. Design and implement a teacher action research study based on questions raised by each participant in the class. Examine the problems involved in teachers doing research in their own classrooms and schools, by keeping a research journal and responding to other students' presentation of their research results.

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Topical Outline

Participants' conceptions of action research; history of action research and teachers' involvement in research; examples of teachers reporting their research studies; asking research questions and designing a teacher action research study; doing school-wide research; students and action research; presenting and writing up what we learn from action research

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