The current zeitgeist in education encourages teachers to implement "research-based" methods in their classrooms. Most people wouldn't argue against using strategies that have evidence of success, but where does this leave fruitful innovation of new teaching approaches that might not yet be backed by research?
If we're going to insist that systematic research is necessary to provide evidence that any new approach works (and it often is), we need to reframe our expectations of who can do the research. Unfortunately, there has been a common compartmentalization in the education field of educators as teachers or as researchers—not both. This may be because preservice education didn't focus on developing teachers as researchers (Hennessy & Lynch, 2018); because researchers have an incongruous view of teachers' work (Newkirk, 1992); or because teachers own perception that they cannot be researchers (Bennett, 1993). Whatever the reason, we can encourage educators to be teacher-researchers by facilitating action-based research.
There are three types of action research: individual teacher research, collaborative action research, and schoolwide action research, with the latter two types supporting partnerships and collaboration (Calhoun, 1993). Taylor and Moohr (2018), who encourage preservice teachers to enter the profession as teacher-researchers with an understanding of action research frameworks, suggest using basic action research language (e.g., independent variable, dependent variable, significant difference, markedly different) and preservice capstone projects for research experience. By taking this approach, educators can help struggling students, make data-based decisions, conduct systematic research with the action research cycle, develop partnerships, and provide support to colleagues.
Inspired by previous researchers' action research cycles, I created the Action Research for Classroom Teachers Organizer to help teachers systematically research with students. (See Figure 1 for more detail.)
Figure 1. Action Research for Classroom Teachers Organizer
Note: IV = independent variable; DV = dependent variable.Source: Jonte' C. Taylor, adapted from Calhoun (1993) and Sagor (2000).
Making Data-Based Decisions
Understanding what constitutes data is essential in today's classrooms. Teachers are asked to be collectors, curators, interpreters, and evaluators of students' data. The use of classroom instructional supports or the implementation of school- and districtwide initiatives should be based on evidence of success. If evidence for new ideas' effectiveness is scant or does not exist, that's where teacher-researchers' action research frameworks come in.
Before teachers begin action research, they need a general understanding of what constitutes data. Calhoun (1994) describes funneling together internal and external information to help teachers make beneficial decisions for students. For these purposes, we use two types of data collection: systematic and nonsystematic.
Nonsystematic data is informal information from other teachers who previously had the same students or anecdotal comments made by the students' parents or a casual review of students' cumulative records. Systematic data is purposefully collected and can be qualitative (asking groups of students what they think of a recent classroom activity) or quantitative (timed vocabulary tests or data regarding engagement during a lesson) or both.
Conducting Systematic Research (The Action Research Cycle)
Armed with an understanding of the need for data, teacher-researchers can proceed to systematically collect information to improve outcomes for their students, themselves, or their colleagues. This is particularly salient when students struggle academically or behaviorally, or if you want to explore a strategy or method that addresses that area of struggle. Figures 2 and 3 show a modified version of the action research cycle applied to specific examples for classroom teachers.
Figure 2. Example One: Use of Action Research for Classroom Teachers Organizer
Note: IV = independent variable; DV = dependent variable.Source: Jonte' C. Taylor
Figure 3. Example Two: Use of Action Research for Classroom Teachers Organizer
Note: IV = independent variable; DV = dependent variable.Source: Jonte' C. Taylor
Action Research for Classroom Teachers (ARCT) encourages teacher-researchers to answer the following questions:
- What student(s) or problem(s) do you need to focus on; what strategy, intervention, or approach will you use to address the problem(s); and how will you assess them?
- What previous research (or closely related research) supports what you want to do, and what is your research question or hypothesis?
- How will you collect your data (quantitative vs. qualitative; pre- or post-test; baseline or intervention) and show it (visualization; graphs vs. tables)?
- What are the outcomes from the data, and what decisions can you make from it?
As a classroom teacher in an alternative school setting, I was frequently confronted with scenarios in which I had to incorporate both informal and formal data collection. I would often have students who struggled in grammar and had trouble identifying basic parts of speech. A review of students' records indicated that a number of students had irregular school attendance over multiple years, which led to significant knowledge gaps across subjects. Because of the setting and situation, my intervention choices (independent variables) were limited.
I took an action research approach (Figure 1) by identifying my focus (grammar skills) and independent and dependent variables (using song lyrics; achievement and engagement); planning my strategy (creating steps) and research questions (does using song lyrics to teach grammar improve student engagement and achievement?); gathering data (systematic data collection before instruction and teaching using hypothesized strategy); and deciding what to do next through reflection on the research findings and outcomes (results indicated improvement and merited continued use of strategy).
Developing Partnerships with Colleagues
K–12 teachers and university faculty have untapped potential to form significant partnerships to improve student outcomes. Teacher-researchers interested in conducting action research should feel comfortable reaching out to university personnel who are either interested in research or familiar with the teacher-researcher's strategy, approach, or intervention. In turn, university researchers should make themselves available to teachers for questions, guidance, and encouragement in conducting action research.
For my own teacher research project, I developed a strategy that used popular song lyrics to work on academic skills and tested the strategy's effectiveness with the ARCT process. Figure 4 outlines steps I used in the Teaching Using Popular-Music Across the Curricula (T.U.P.A.C.) strategy. When I presented T.U.P.A.C. at conferences and workshops, I met another classroom teacher from across the country who had found success using the strategy with her students and teamed up. We have since done workshops and presentations together, which led to more connections with researchers. Now, as a university faculty member, I encourage new and veteran classroom teachers to think about being action researchers and seeking out presentation and writing opportunities.
Figure 4. Steps for Teaching Using Popular-Music Across the Curriculum (T.U.P.A.C.) Strategy
Source: Jonte' C. Taylor
A Two-Way Street
Action research can be a mechanism for increasing classroom effectiveness and efficiency. The needs of students change, and our ability to address their needs should follow suit. By using action research, collaborating with university-based researchers, and focusing on data-based decisions, teachers can be flexible to the needs of students and still ensure their classrooms are steeped in proven methods.