Action Research
In their chapter Sustainability of Researched-Based Practices, Vaugn, Klingner and Hughes (2004) highligted variations of sustainability as it relates to research based practices.
The first type is proactive sustainabilty. This is characterized by teachers using a practice much like it was taught to them. The teachers can articulate the theory behind the practice and thus tailor the practice to match the needs of their students.
The second is routine sustainability. In this example, teachers implement the practice in their everyday teaching routines. The practice maintains its validity because teachers use it in a similar manner in which they were taught.
Third is modified sustainability. In this case, teachers may modify a practice because they lack of understanding or because they are trying to improve the practice to match their students’ needs. However, in modifying the practice they may be comprimising its effectiveness as a research-based practice. “Teachers with modified sustainability believe they are still implementing the practice, but have just made a few changes’”.
If teachers consider their modification or creation “action research”, why not collect data related to its effectiveness? If data is not collected, how will teachers truly know that their students’ improvement is due to the modifications they made or created? Also, if their practice is truly beneficial to students, why not contribute to it becoming a researched based practice in which others can benefit?
Collecting data is not hard when you have a defined system. It may not be empirical research, but could fit into single subject research or case study.
I agree with Diann. Action research is good teaching, however I don’t believe you can add the “research” component enless it includes a process of evaluation. Again, how does a teacher know it is effective? A gut feelings is not enough. Teachers must look at student progress wholistically. What else in the students’ life may be contributing to their progress. Has their home environment improved? Has their medications changed? Are they receiving a related service that they had not received before? All of these can impact the progress of students. If teachers attribute student progress to an intervention minus all of these factors, is it really true? It may be…but I’d rather see their claims within a more wholistic context and with data to back it up.
I think personnel preparation programs need to improve their practice of preparing teachers to identify easy but effective ways to collect data in the classroom.
I think researched based practice and action research is cylclical. Each contributes to the other.
