COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION
ACTION
RESEARCH
LEVEL 300
END OF SECOND SEMESTER EXAMINATION
SET ONE
1.
Explain five (5) needs of carrying out action research
that you will discuss with your mentor during your STS visit, aimed at
persuading them to engage in it and enhance
their teaching practices. (20 marks)
2.
As a student teacher with knowledge in action research,
explain to your colleagues student teachers the following key principles
associated with action research: (20 marks)
i. Reflective critique
ii. Dialectical critique iii. Collaborative resource iv. Plural structure
3.
As a student teacher, you have learned about data
collection and analysis in action research at your college this semester. Apply
the knowledge gained to elucidate five (5) live methods a researcher can use in
collecting and analyzing data in action research. (20 marks)
4.
You are expected to carry out an action research
project work in your final year. As an action researcher,
a)
Explain your role in the research process. (4 marks)
b)
Explain four (4) ways you will abide by ethical
considerations in carrying out your research. (16 marks)
5. In your final year as a student teacher, explain
with relevant examples five (5) reasons why you would prefer collecting
quantitative data over qualitative data for your action research project. (20
marks)
MARKING SCHEME
Q1.
i.
Professional Growth: Action research helps mentors grow
as educators, develop new skills, and stay updated with effective teaching
methods.
ii.
Student Success: It can lead to better teaching
practices, ultimately benefiting students and improving their learning
outcomes.
iii.
Reflective Teaching: Action research encourages mentors
to reflect on their teaching, identify strengths, and address weaknesses.
iv.
Problem Solving: It provides a structured approach to
address specific classroom challenges and find practical solutions.
v.
Personalized Development: Mentors can tailor their
research to focus on areas they find most relevant, making it a personalized
learning journey.
vi.
Collegial Collaboration: It fosters collaboration among
mentors, allowing them to share insights and learn from each other.
vii.
Evidence-Based Practice: Action research is based on
data and evidence, making it a reliable method for enhancing teaching
practices.
Q2.
i.
Reflective critique: This means thinking about what
you’ve done as a teacher, what worked, and what didn’t. You reflect on your
actions and decisions to improve.
ii.
Dialectical critique: It’s like having a conversation
where you discuss different viewpoints and ideas about teaching. It helps you
see things from various angles.
iii.
Collaborative resource: This means working together
with others, like fellow teachers, to gather and share information and ideas to
improve teaching.
iv.
Plural structure: It’s about recognizing that there are
many ways to do things in teaching. It’s not just one right way; there can be
multiple approaches.
Q3
i.
Surveys: Researchers can create questionnaires or
interviews to ask people questions about the topic they’re studying.
ii.
Observations: They watch and take notes on what happens
in real-life situations to understand the problem better.
iii. Interviews: Researchers talk to people involved to gather their opinions and
experiences.
iv. Document
Analysis: They examine documents like reports or records to find relevant
information.
v.
Focus Groups: Researchers bring a small group of people
together to discuss the
issue and gather their insights.
Q4a Action research is when people, like teachers or
anyone working on a problem, look at what’s not working well. They think of
ways to make it better. They try those changes, see what happens, and learn
from it. Then, they make more changes and keep doing
this until the problem gets better. It's like a loop of
trying, learning, and improving. The key is that the teacher doing the research
is also the one taking action and making
things better, instead of just
studying the problem from a distance.
4b i. Informed consent: informed consent means that
before doing something, like a medical treatment or a research study, the
person involved should be told all the important information about it in a way
they can understand. They should then agree or give permission to go ahead.
It’s like making sure you know what’s going on and you’re
okay with it.
ii. Access and acceptance: Access and acceptance are about making sure that
everyone has a fair chance to use or get something. It’s
also important that people are treated equally and without discrimination. This
is like giving everyone a chance and treating them with respect.
iii.
Privacy: Privacy is all about keeping your personal
stuff, like information or belongings, safe and away from others unless you say
it’s okay for them to see or know. It’s like having your own space that others
should respect.
iv.
Anonymity: Anonymity means that your name or identity
is kept secret. When you do something without revealing who you are, it’s like
being a mystery person. This can be
important for privacy.
v.
Confidentiality: Confidentiality is about keeping
information shared with someone a secret. When you tell someone something and
they promise to keep it private, they should not tell others. It’s like a trust
agreement to keep things between you and them.
Q5
i.
Measurable Outcomes: Quantitative data allows for
precise measurements, making it easier to quantify changes in student
performance. For instance, tracking test scores can show clear improvements.
ii.
Objectivity: Quantitative data tends to be more
objective as it relies on numbers and statistics rather than subjective
interpretations. This can reduce bias in the research. iii. Statistical
Analysis: Quantitative data is well-suited for statistical analysis, enabling
the use of various tests to determine the significance
of findings, such as t-tests or ANOVA.
iv.
Comparative Studies: It’s easier to make comparisons
between different groups or interventions using quantitative data. For example,
you can compare the effectiveness of two teaching methods by analyzing test
score data.
v.
Generalizability: Quantitative data can often be
generalized to a larger population, providing insights beyond the specific
classroom, which is valuable for educational
research.
vi.
Objective Feedback: Teachers can use quantitative data
to provide objective feedback to students and parents, which is particularly
important in the context of assessment and improvement.
vii.
Data-driven Decision Making: Schools and educators
increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making processes, and quantitative
data is instrumental in this regard. It informs strategies and policies based
on hard evidence.
SET TWO
1.
Reflect on your understanding of action research and
explain four (4) types of action research projects that you believe can help
solve a problem. (20 marks)
2.
Describe any four (4) steps involved in writing chapter
three of an action research. (20 marks)
3.a) Explain the
difference between participatory and practical action research. (4 marks)
b)
Outline four (4) characteristics of action research. (8
marks)
c)
Elucidate four (4) advantages of using observation in
action research. (8 marks)
4.a) Discuss the historical development and evolution of
action research as a methodology. (5 marks)
b) Explain five (5) advantages of
using interviews in action research. (15 marks)
5. Critically discuss five (5) processes involved in conducting action
research. (20 marks).
MARKING SCHEME
Q1
i.
Participatory Action Research: This is when a group of
people, like a community or organization, work together to study and
solve a problem they all care
about. They participate in every step, from planning to
taking action.
ii.
Practical Action Research: It’s about finding practical
solutions to specific problems, often in everyday settings. People do this to
improve their daily work or life.
iii.
School-wide Action Research: In schools, teachers and
staff use this type to investigate and enhance teaching and learning across the
whole school. They work together to make education better.
iv.
District-wide Action Research: This is like
school-wide, but it happens at the district level, involving multiple schools.
It focuses on improving education policies and
practices for a whole school
district.
v.
Individual Action Research: Here, one person does
research to improve something in their own life or work. It’s not a group
effort but a personal journey of learning and change.
Q2
i.
Research Design: This is like a plan for a research
project. It’s how you decide to do your research, what you want to find out,
and how you’re going to do it.
ii.
Population: This is everyone or everything that your
research is about. For example, if you’re studying dogs, the population is all
the dogs in the world.
iii.
Sample Size: When you can’t study the whole population,
you study a smaller group from it. Sample size is how many of these smaller
group you’ll study to make your
research.
iv.
Sampling Technique: This is how you pick the smaller
group (sample) from the bigger group (population). You can pick randomly, use a
specific method, or choose in some other way.
v.
Instrumentation: This means the tools or things you use
to collect information. It can be surveys, tests, or anything that helps you
gather data. vi. Pre-intervention: This is the period of time before you do
something in your research.
It’s like the “before” phase.
vii. Intervention: This is
what you do in your research. It’s like the action or the treatment. viii.
Post-intervention: This is the period after you do something in your research.
It’s like the “after” phase.
ix. Data Analysis: This is when you take all the
information you collected and try to understand it. You might use numbers,
charts, or graphs to see what it tells you.
Q3
a) Participatory action research involves the active
participation of the community or stakeholders in the research process, while
practical action research focuses on finding solutions to practical problems
but may not involve as much community involvement. b)
i. It
is a cyclical process of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting.
ii. It aims to bring
about positive change or improvement in a specific context. iii. Researchers
often work closely with participants and stakeholders. iv. It emphasizes the
real-world application of research findings. c)
i. It
provides direct and firsthand data.
ii. It allows for the
study of behavior in its natural context. iii. Observations can capture
non-verbal cues and subtleties. iv. It facilitates the identification of
patterns and trends over time.
Q4
a)
Action research is like a detective story for making
things better. It began with a clever man named Kurt Lewin in the 1940s. He
wanted to change things in the real
world, not just study them. Lewin’s idea was to mix
research with action. He said, “Let’s figure out how to solve problems by
studying and doing at the same time.” It was like a detective solving a mystery
while writing a story about it. People loved Lewin’s idea, and they started
using it to improve things in their communities, schools, and workplaces.
Action research spread like wildfire, helping people solve real problems, step
by step. Over time, others joined in, making action research even better. They
added new tools and ideas, like data collection and group discussions. This
made it easier for people to tackle tough problems together. Today, action
research is a popular way to create positive change. It’s still like a
detective story, but with teams of people working together to make the world a
better place.
b)
Rich Data: Interviews provide detailed information,
allowing researchers to gain a deep understanding of the subject or issue.
Clarification: Researchers can ask follow-up questions
to clarify responses, ensuring they fully grasp the participant’s perspective.
Personal Insights: Interviews enable researchers to
explore personal experiences and viewpoints, uncovering unique insights.
Tailored Questions: Researchers can customize questions
for each participant, making the process more relevant and effective.
Empowerment: Interviews involve participants actively,
empowering them to express their thoughts and opinions.
Flexibility: Researchers can adapt the interview
process as they progress, adjusting questions based on emerging findings.
Builds Relationships: Conducting interviews can foster
positive relationships with participants, enhancing cooperation and trust in
the research process.
Q5
i.
Identify a Problem: First, you find a problem or
something you want to change. It could be in a school, workplace, or community.
ii.
Plan: Next, you make a plan. You decide how to study
the problem, who will help, and what data to collect.
iii.
Collect Data: This means gathering information about
the problem. You might use
surveys, interviews, or
observations.
iv.
Analyze Data: After collecting data, you look at it
carefully. You try to understand what it means and find patterns.
v.
Take Action: Based on what you learned, you make
changes or take action to improve the situation. This is the most important
part of action research. SET THREE
1. Explain four (4) importance of
reviewing literature. (20 marks)
2a. In not more than 50 words,
define sampling. (5 marks)
b. Explain three (3) types of
non-probability sampling. (15 marks)
3.
State and explain four (4) ethical considerations in
action research. (20 marks)
4.
State and explain 4 paper and pencil methods of data
collection in action research.
(20 marks)
5. Explain five (5) advantages of
using interviews in action research. (20 marks) MARKING SCHEME
Question 1
i. To help the teacher-researcher make informed
decisions about the research focus and plan. ii. To provide guidance for
defining or limiting the problem.
iii.
Helps in developing an appropriate research design or
for selecting the techniques
for collecting data.
iv.
Provides an opportunity for the action research to
connect existing theory and research to the actual classroom practice
Question 2
a)
Sampling refers to the process of selecting a portion
of the population to represent the entire population. Sampling also enables the
researcher to study a relatively small
number of units in place of the target population, and to obtain data that are
representative of the whole target
population.
b)
Convenience sampling: This also referred to as
opportunity sampling or accidental sampling in which the nearest person is
chosen as a respondent. Such a strategy of
choosing very near persons is
adopted until the entire target is got.
Purposive sampling: This is a type of sampling whereby
the researcher handpicks the cases to be included in the sample on the basis of
their judgement of typicality.
Snowballing: With this type of sampling, the
researcher identifies a small number of individuals who have the
characteristics of their informants. These people are then involved as
informants to identify or put the researcher in touch with others.
Sure, I can add spaces between each word in the
provided text. Here it is:
Question 3:
Obtaining permission: This is where the researcher or
investigator seeks or checks with the appropriate “gatekeepers” (e.g.,
teachers, administrators) and obtain permission to conduct the study and
collect data.
Confidentiality: In this case, the research takes a
deliberate step to protect the rights of the participants by making sure that
names of participant, sensitive information are guarded and not to be
disclosed.
Informed consent: This is where the researcher seeks the formal consent of the
participants of his/her intention to involve them in
the study and will allow them to make a thoughtful decision about whether to
agree or disagree to be part of the study.
Respect toward the research site: In this instance, the
researcher is mindful of respecting the needs, goals, and priorities of the
school or classroom where the inquiry is to be done or carried out. Also, the
findings when presented must be done truthfully, but with sensitivity, and with
the greatest care not to hurt the participants’ feelings and
self-image.
**Question 4:**
Personal field notes: These are made up of critical
incidences, anecdotes, situations, events, insights, questions, and
uncertainties that a researcher considers as relevant to the study.
Unstructured journal entries: These are records that
form the researcher’s perspective of whatever happens in class that seems
valuable and important to the inquiry.
Structured journal entries: These include list of
events, particularly daily activities, and specific students’ behavior dated
and timed. For example, taking anecdotes on students’ interactions as they work
on a project.
Pupils’ diaries: Pupils’ diaries are types of diaries
that are used as research instruments to collect detailed information about
behavior, events, and other aspects of individuals’
daily lives.
**Question 5:**
Rich Data: Interviews provide detailed information,
allowing researchers to gain a deep understanding of the subject or issue.
Clarification: Researchers can ask follow-up
questions to clarify responses, ensuring they fully grasp the participant’s
perspective.
Personal Insights: Interviews enable researchers to
explore personal experiences and viewpoints, uncovering unique insights.
Tailored Questions: Researchers can customize
questions for each participant, making the process more relevant and effective.
Empowerment: Interviews involve participants
actively, empowering them to express their thoughts and opinions.
Flexibility: Researchers can adapt the interview
process as they progress, adjusting questions based on emerging findings.
Builds Relationships: Conducting interviews can
foster positive relationships with participants, enhancing cooperation and
trust in the research process.
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