Session Information
99 ERC SES 03 D, Interactive Poster Session
Poster Session
Contribution
Introduction
The purpose of this small-scale study is to study a perceived effectiveness of Action Research methodology and tools by teachers in the context of the Student Engagement project conducted by the SHARE community schools.
The SHARE (schools hub for action research in education) is a community of 25schools located in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Share community was established in 2019 for collaborative study and implementation of the Action Research methodology to enhance teachers' pedagogical practices in classroom.
In 2023 the Share schools collaboratively conducted “Student engagement” project. This practice-led research was aimed to study student engagement in the classroom and included the following:
- Data collection:
- Students survey
- Videotaping a lesson and then watching it with students and teachers
- Focus groups with cross-discipline teachers on how they engage students
- Focus groups with students attended the videotaped lesson
- Data analysis
- Data transcribing
- Data coding and interpretation
- Action plan
- Action plan collaborating
- Action plan implementing
- Observation and assessment of changes
Leaders of the SHARE community have developed the methodology of the 'Student Engagement' project. Throughout 2023, they supported project participants through in-service trainings and consultations. Additionally, the leaders provided participants with ready-made tools for project implementation, such as:
- survey,
- instruction for conducting the project,
- instructions for video recording and focus groups,
- an example of transcript and interpretation
- etc.
Each participating school independently utilized the knowledge and tools acquired from the leaders in their own school. Therefore, the project management processes and outcomes varied significantly, influenced by a wide range of factors such as:
- teachers' understanding of the Action Research methodology,
- teachers' assimilation and perception of the 'Student Engagement' concepts,
- each school's context and the specific choices of participating teacher-researchers and classes,
- character of collaboration among teachers in a separate school.
The factors influenced the focus and activity of teachers in applying tools. The current study aims to explore teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the Action Research methodology and tools, using the 'Student Engagement' project as an example.
The research questions:
- Do teachers consider the Action Research methodology effective for improving classroom practice?
- Based on the results of the Student Engagement project, which Action research tools teachers perceive as most effective and why?
Through an examination of these specific research questions, the research team also plans to better understand the context and factors influencing teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the Action Research methodology overall.
Method
Research site. The SHARE community comprises 25 schools in Astana, where dedicated teachers have actively participated in SHARE projects for an extensive period of over three years. The current study is the result of collaborative efforts by a team of educators within the professional research community of schools (#70, #59, #72, #76). The focal point of this collaborative exploration is the realm of Action Research, with a specific focus on evaluating the perceived effectiveness of tools aimed at enhancing classroom practices. Data collection and sampling. The study includes two phases: 1. Several survey questions on Action research methodology’s effectiveness as a part of a wider monitoring survey on results of SHARE project. All 25 schools - members of the SHARE community took part in the survey. 2. Interviews with teachers on perception of Action research effectiveness in the context of “Student engagement” project. By the time of abstract presenting the first stage of the study has been completed (November-December 2023). The survey was conducted among teachers participated in SHARE project. In total, 171 respondents took part in the survey from all 25 SHARE schools. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted in March – April 2024. Teachers participated in the “Student Engagement” project at different roles will be interviewed. The roles of teachers include the following: • Teacher conducting lessons during video recording; • Teacher observing the lesson; • Teacher recording video of the lesson; • Teacher conducting interviews; • Teacher participating in interviews as a participant; • Teacher participating in surveys or focus groups; • Teacher leading discussions of video recordings with students; • Teacher leading discussions of video recordings with the teacher who conducted the lesson; • Teacher participating in transcription; • Teacher participating in the analysis and interpretation of results. In most cases, teachers combined several roles in the project. Therefore, an average of 3-4 teachers from 5 schools are expected to participate in the interview.
Expected Outcomes
Survey The preliminary results of the first stage of the study - the survey covered two main topics: 1. The role of research teachers in the Student Engagement project 2. The implementation of Action research tools. According to the survey results, action research tools are used by research teachers as follows: • To analyze the lesson; • To monitor the lesson; • To record a video lesson; • To jointly analyze the lesson; Overall results showed that a large majority of teachers (90%), confirmed the effectiveness of Action Research tools. 10% of teachers expressed doubts, providing responses such as “ineffective,” “can’t say,” or “did not participate.” In the process of data analysis, an interesting fact emerged, which showed that the majority of teachers who do not realize the effectiveness of Action Research tools are those who participated in the project as teachers who carried out a joint analysis of video lessons with students. Among teachers who actively participated in lesson analysis, lesson monitoring, and video lesson analysis, 90% expressed strong support for the effectiveness of action research tools, rating them as “effective” or “very effective”. Interviews with teachers In the results of conducting interviews with teachers regarding their perception of Action Research effectiveness in the context of the "Student Engagement" the research team plans to reveal insights about context, factors and overall impact of Action Research tools to the chanages in teacher practices in classroom. Teachers may share their experiences and identify specific Action Research strategies that they consider effective in enhancing student engagement. On the other hand, the interviews may reveal challenges or barriers teachers have encountered while implementing AR methodology in the context of student engagement. The interviews can also help assess the alignment between the goals of the "Student Engagement" project and the perceived effectiveness of AR methodology.
References
Ayubayeva, N. & McLaughlin, C. (2023). Developing Teachers as Researchers: Action Research as a School Development Approach, In C. Mclaughlin, L. Winter & N.Yakavets (Ed), Mapping Educational Change in Kazakhstan, Cambridge University Press; Elliott, J. (1991). Action Research for Educational Change. Buckingham: Open University Press. McLaughlin, C. and Ayubayeva, N. (2015). ‘It is the research of self-experience’: feeling the value. Action Research. Educational Action Research 23 (1), 51-67. McLaughlin, Colleen. (2022). Connecting to School and Each Other: Towards a New Paradigm of a School Response to Mental Health. Impact, Issue 14. Rönnerman, K. (2003). Action research: educational tools and the improvement of practice. Educational Action Research, 11(1), 9-22. McLaughlin, C. & Ayubayeva, N. The teacher and educational change in Kazakhstan: through a sociocultural lens (2021), In Fielding, N. Ed. Kazakhstan at 30: The Awakening Great Steppe. (pp.175-191)
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