Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher

Geoffrey E. Mills

Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall, 2007 - Education - 254 pages

Known for its practical, step-by-step guidance for teachers on how to do research in classrooms. Born of the author's own experience working with teachers and principals, this book provides a step-by-step outline of how to “do” action research—backed by the most extensive theory and research coverage on the market today. The author guides future educators through the action research process via numerous concrete illustrations and a wealth of on-line resources; positioning it as a fundamental component of teaching, alongside curriculum development, assessment, and classroom management. Key changes in the revision include: a new chapter on ethics (Chapter 5), expanded discussion of literature review, expanded discussion of data collection techniques using quantitative data collection techniques, expanded coverage of data analysis and interpretation techniques, and expanded coverage of descriptive statistics in Appendix B. Accessible, comprehensive, scholastically sound—this is a “hands-on” guide for anyone who aspires to be an exceptional educator.

FEATURES:

• NEW! Expanded coverage of "Ethics"--Includes a new chapter devoted to ethics (Chapter 5).
• NEW! Revised and increased discussion of quantitative data techniques--Found throughout Chapter 3.
• NEW! Expanded discussion on the use of style manuals (e.g., APA Manual of Style)--Readers can find this important, applicable information in the newly added Chapter 8.
• NEW! Increased discussion of descriptive statistics and action research-- Includes other ways to calculate standard deviation, not just by using SPSS (Appendix B).
• NEW! Rearranged order of chapters pertaining to the writing of and sharing of action research-- Presents a clearer path to understanding.
  • Now in the new edition readers will learn about "Writing Up Action Research" (Chapter 8) before the "Sharing, Critiquing, and Celebrating Action Research" (Chapter 9).
• Coverageof how to visually display qualitative data in appendix.

  • Provides basic usable tools for presenting and interpreting qualitative data.

• Explanation of the four-step action research process–Accompanied by various models and discussion of each step's impact on results.

  • Guides, step-by-step, through conducting action research–identifying focus area, collecting data, analyzing/interpreting data, and action planning.

• Explanation of the “3 E's” of data collection–Experiencing, enquiring, and examining.

  • Ensures teachers understand the crucial importance of thorough data collection to the success of any research.

• Case study ofCurtis Elementary School–Presented in Appendix I–follows the text's action research process as it happens in an example school.

Contents

• Deciding on an Area of Focus: 22
• Insight Into Your Area of Focus Through Descriptive Activities Gaining Insight: 28
• The Action Research Plan: 44

Bibliographic information

• Title: Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher; Alternative eText Formats Series
• Author: Geoffrey E. Mills
• Edition: 3, illustrated
• Publisher: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall, 2007
• Original from: the University of Michigan
• Digitized: Oct 30, 2008
• ISBN: 013172276X, 9780131722767
• Length: 254 pages
• Subjects: Education / General; Education / Research; Education / Vocational & Technical; Social Science / Research