The four stages of action based research are planning, acting, developing, and reflecting. Considering the additional steps involved in each stage and the amount of time teachers generally have for planning, I would have to say the planning stage will be the most difficult to carry out completely. I am lucky to get a 50 minute planning time once a week to plan for the week ahead. In order to do all the steps, we would need a much longer time. I also think that many of the other stages, we do naturally. While I am teaching a lesson, I am able to change the direction and the questions I ask to fit the needs of my students and after every lesson, I take them time to reflect and change things for the next lesson.
During this course, I will be able to complete the planning stage and steps in my own research but I will have to complete others during the school year when I will have students and data to take from and reflect on.
Many of my previous courses will help me with the gathering information stage. In all of my classes, I have had to read and research for the discussion posts and assignments that I have had to do. One assignment that has prepared me the most is the literary review. I was able to find many places for research to learn about the benefits of ePortfolios in the classroom.
Professional reflection allows me to continuously evaluate and improve my teaching practices. It promotes self-awareness, encourages a growth mindset, and helps me to adapt my methods to better meet the needs of my students.
Action research and traditional research has some differences and some similarities. Action research is focused on practical problem-solving within the educator’s own context, while traditional research aims at generating generalizable knowledge. Action research is also cyclical and continuous where as traditional research is more linear. However, they both require rigorous data collection and analysis and they both aim to find a deeper understanding and improve practice.
I plan on measuring my student's academic progress in writing. I believe that implementing ePortfolios will enhance my students writing abilities by including many opportunities to write like the reflections after each assignment. Using the Influencer model's vital behaviors I would identify key behaviors that drive the success of ePortfolios, such as regular updates and meaningful reflections. The 4DX lead measure would be making sure that we frequently use the ePortfolio and that students are engaged in the reflection activities. The lead measure would be increasing writing performance. Understanding and applying these models will help me when I am structuring the research to ensure that the focus remains on actionable steps that lead to meaningful outcomes.
Research Question:
How does the use of ePortfolios in the third grade elementary school classroom affect the success of the students in writing?
To gather all the information needed a comprehensive collection approach is necessary. First, I will collect an initial writing sample to gauge students' starting points. Regularly collected ePortfolio writing samples and other writing assignments using standardized rubrics will monitor progress. Self-assessments and student reflections on their writing will provide insights into their learning processes. Quantitative data, such as scores from standardized tests administered before and after the study, and rubric scores tracked over time, will offer measurable growth indicators. Qualitative data from student surveys, interviews, and teacher observations will enrich understanding of students' experiences and engagement with ePortfolios. This mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data, will comprehensively evaluate the ePortfolios' effect on students' writing success.
Add comment
Comments