How can your professional practices foster social justice in Early Childhood Education?

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Content Expectations:
The following content areas are required for this assignment:

  • Part 1: Content/Course Reflection
  • What are the five most important “big ideas” related to the NAEYC Professional Standards and Code of Ethics that you learned about in this course?
  • How can your professional practices foster social justice in Early Childhood Education?
  • How did your understanding of 21st century teaching and learning develop further in this course?
  • Based on your experience in this course, what are your strengths and areas for improvement in professional knowledge and skills? Where are your “blind spots”?
  • Part 2: Program/Personal Reflection
  • What does ‘leadership’ mean to me?
  • What type of leader do I want to be and why?
  • Why is it important to be an innovative leader in Early Childhood Education?
  • Why is it important to you to uphold social justice as an Early Childhood Education leader?

2 to 3 pages doubled space. Thank you

Explain the purpose of assessment. Refer back to your first Week One discussion to assist with this.

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Assessment Plan

As early childhood educators, it is our job to ensure that students are learning and developing at an appropriate rate. As we have learned throughout this course, using developmentally appropriate assessment is one of the most efficient ways to be able to ensure that this happens. While it is our responsibility to understand the assessment process and the various strategies, tools, and procedures that are used with young children, the families of the children we work with may not always understand why we are doing what we are doing when it comes to assessment. As the director of an NAEYC-accredited preschool, you have decided to develop a comprehensive strengths-based and family-centered assessment plan where families are included each and every step of the way.

For this assignment you can choose to create your assessment plan in many formats. You could develop a handbook using Word, create a PowerPoint Presentation, or even create an assessment website using a tool such as Weebly. Regardless of which format you choose, your strengths-based and family-centered assessment plan must include the following sections:

Introduction:

  • Describe your center or school’s philosophy of assessment. Your philosophy must be supported by scholarly or credible sources.

Goals, Benefits, and Uses of Assessment:

  • Explain the purpose of assessment. Refer back to your first Week One discussion to assist with this.
  • Discuss the assessment cycle. Refer back to your second Week One discussion to assist with this.
  • Describe the principles of assessment that will guide the use of assessment in your center. Refer back to your second Week One discussion to assist with this.

Types of Assessments: For each of the types of assessment listed below, you will need to define the assessment, provide a rationale for using this type of assessment, share an example, and explain at least one way you use the information from this assessment to inform your instruction.

  • Observations. (Refer back to your work from Week Three to assist with this.)
  • Checklists, rating scales, rubrics. (Refer back to your Week Four discussion to assist with this.)
  • Teacher-designed assessments. (Refer back to your Week Four assignment to assist with this.)
  • Performance-based assessments. (Refer back to your Week Five discussion to assist with this.)
  • Standardized assessments. (Refer back to your work in Week Two to assist with this.)
  • Portfolios. (Refer back to your Week Five assignment to assist with this.)

Using Assessments to Inform Instruction:

  • Analyze how the assessments you are using meet ethical standards
  • Examine how you use these assessments to make decisions; include specific examples
  • Discuss how you will use assessments to help ensure students are meeting their goals on their IEPs and/or IFSPs.

Assessment Partnerships with Families:

  • Explain how your school will develop an assessment partnership with families. Include specific strategies for involving families and communities in their children’s learning and development. (Refer back to your Week Six discussion to assist with this.)
  • Discuss, using specific examples, how you will use parent conferences to communicate about assessments. (Refer back to your Week Three assignment to assist with this.)
  • Explain how diverse families and community characteristics will be taken into consideration when communicating about assessments.
  • Share at least two professional organizations or assessment based resources you can provide families with to help them better understand the use of assessments.

Research and Resource Expectations:

  • Source Requirement:
    • At least two scholarly peer-reviewed or credible sources

Writing and Formatting Expectations:

  • Title Page: Must include the following:
    • Title
    • Student’s name
    • Course name and number
    • Instructor’s name
    • Date submitted
  • Academic Voice: Academic voice is used (avoids casual language, limited use of “I”, it is declarative).
  • Purpose and Organization: Demonstrates logical progression of ideas.
  • APA Formatting: Papers are formatted properly and all sources are cited and referenced in APA style as outlined
  • Assignment Length: Your Assessment Plan Assignment should be eight pages in length (not including title and reference pages).Running Head: Teacher Designed Assessment 2

     

    Teacher Designed Assessment 2

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Teacher-Designed Assessment

    ECE657: Assessment to Support Young Children and Families

    Annette Williams

    Instructor Strout

    December 9, 2019

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The teacher-designed assessment chosen was Teacher-Designed Assessment 1 on odd and even numbers. The test is related to the course objectives and learning outcomes because it tests the cognitive skills of the students. The students are tested on their ability to problem solve and think logically. The sections in the tests were also taught in the class and students should be able to answer them. There are also clear directions in each section of the test. Students were given clear directions to count stars and determine whether the resulting number was an odd or an even number.

    The questions were not arranged from simple to complex. The initial question asked students to count stars and indicate that the resulting number is odd or even. The first two questions were about counting starts while the other two questions were about indicating the shapes that were even and odd in combination. All the four questions, however, seemed to be the same because they asked about counting and determining odd and even numbers.

    The point values were clearly stated and the test included various types of questions. This is because some questions required the students to count the rectangular objects while others required them to count circular objects. This is even though the same concept was tested for all the questions, the difference being the color of the shapes used. Question types were also grouped because the first two questions asked students to count and indicate whether the final number was odd or even while the last two questions required students to indicate whether the shapes were odd or even and this could be determined without counting.

     

     

    There was ample room for answers since students had to tick the correct answer. The appropriate reading level was used for those in 6th grade. The test would determine their knowledge of odd and even numbers and their ability to count numbers properly. Students in the 6th grade should have known how to count numbers.

    The purpose of the assessment is to guide teacher planning since it identifies the competencies and skills that the students have already acquired. The instructor may notice that some students are not able to differentiate between odd and even numbers. This will help him/her enhance the teaching of odd and even numbers. The assessment also determines whether the students have adequate problem-solving skills, and whether or not they can add numbers correctly. The teacher will, therefore, determine whether he/she should give the students more tasks on problem-solving.

    The teacher-designed assessment meets the characteristics of a quality teacher-designed assessment. This is due to various reasons. First of all, it is valid. The teacher-designed assessment has achieved content validity because it efficiently measures the cognitive skills of students such as the ability to problem-solve. The assessment tests the level of knowledge of students in counting numbers and differentiating between odd and even numbers (Bruno, 2013). By presenting questions and giving the students some choices to choose their answers from, the test allows them to acquire problem-solving skills. Students are also asked to choose the choice that has an even number of circles.

    The test is also reliable because it can measure the performance of students consistently. It ensures that all students give answers in a standard format. The students are required to tick the correct answer from the choices given, therefore, the answers of a specific group of students can be compared with the answers given by other groups. Since the students are to choose the correct answer, it does not matter who marks the scripts. The answers may not change since the test contains definite questions with specific questions. “Assessments are usually expected to produce comparable outcomes, with consistent standards over time and between different learners and examiners” (Bruno, 2013). It is, therefore, consistent and meets the features of quality tests.

    The assessment is fair to all students since it requires all students to choose answers from the given options. The questions are closed-ended to ensure that all students give standard answers. They also engage and motivate the students to learn more about counting and identification of odd and even numbers. The assessment is appropriate for those in the 6th grade because it tests them with the addition of numbers. Students in the 6 grade should acquire problem-solving skills. By sitting on the test and answering the questions, their problem-solving skills are enhanced. The test also enhances their memory because it teaches how to store information for long periods. For example, some questions ask the students to determine the odd numbers and the ones that are even. It is up to the students to remember that odd numbers always end with 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9 while even numbers always end with 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8. Their long term memory is tested because they have to remember information that was acquired a long time ago.

    Students in 6th grade should have acquired math skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They should also be able to perform the operations with decimals and fractions. The assessment is, therefore, a perfect opportunity for them to remind themselves of performing the operations correctly (Linan-Thompson, 2017). The shapes given in the assessment enhanced the visual processing of the students. They were able to identify various shapes such as circles, stars, and rectangles.

    The assessment aligns with the purposes of teacher-designed assessments because it can guide the instruction by teachers and the topics that they should focus on. By determining whether or not students understand odd or even numbers, teachers can know whether or not they should continue teaching their students on the topic. The assessment can be used to inform instruction by determining the topics that students should be taught. If students report the wrong numbers in the addition section, they should be taught more also. In some cases, the assessment results may be such that a large percentage of the students performed well in addition to numbers (Shepard, 2014). This would mean that there is no need for teaching the students also. However, if a large percentage of them fail, they should be taught also, therefore, this should be included in the curriculum.

    The assessment would reveal the level of knowledge, reasoning and thinking among the students. The assessment results may be used to determine the instruction strategy to be used. They will inform instruction in that they will determine to identify the problems that students face and the number of students who are faced with the problems. If a high number of students have failed, instructors have to think of alternative ways of instruction. The teachers may realize that the level of intelligence is the difference amongst their students when they see the assessment results, therefore, they may be forced to use an assessment that accommodates the differences in intelligence among students.

     

     

     

     

     

    REFERENCES

    Bruno, J. E. (2013). Using testing to provide feedback to support instruction: A reexamination of the role of assessment in educational organizations. In Item banking: Interactive testing and self-assessment (pp. 190-209). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.

    Linan-Thompson, S. (2017). Response to instruction, English language learners and disproportionate representation: The role of assessment. Psicothema, 22(4), 970-974.

    Shepard, L. A. (2014). The role of assessment in a learning culture. Educational researcher, 29(7), 4-14.

Information Literacy Due In 20 Hours

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DUE IN 20 HOURS:

 

GEN 499

Information Literacy

Prior to beginning work on this assignment, review the Research Guides and Tutorials under the Getting Research help tabs in the Ashford University Library.

Prepare: Knowing how to thoroughly research a topic is extremely important while achieving your education. You may be asked to support your information with peer-reviewed scholarly resources, but how can you find this type of resource? The Ashford University Library allows you to search through different avenues to find the requested types of resources. You can narrow your search by the author, year published, title, subject, and by indicating what type of resource you are looking for. You even have access to a librarian if you need some guidance in finding more resources on your topic.

Reflect: Given that you have been in college for awhile, it’s time to reflect on what you have learned through the use of the Ashford University Library in relation to how you learned to acquire new information from a variety of sources.

Write: This week, you will take the Threshold Achievement Test for Information Literacy (TATIL) (Links to an external site.). This test is not graded, and your results are anonymous. The TATIL assesses students’ ability to recall and apply their knowledge and their metacognition about core information literacy dispositions that underly their behaviors. Through this combination of knowledge and dispositional assessment, TATIL offers a unique and valuable measure of the complexities of information literacy. The results of this assessment will guide Ashford University in developing the best possible library resources and research methodologies training.

After completing the TATIL (Links to an external site.), in a two- to three-paragraph response with each paragraph consisting of five or more sentences,

· Describe your experiences using resources, including concerns encountered when conducting academic research through the Ashford University Library. Areas of concern may include developing a research strategy, using the search function within a database, or evaluating sources.

· Explain how using the Ashford University Library has improved your experience in conducting research. For example, you could identify and explain how specific tutorials that you have used have helped improve your ability to conduct research.

The Information Literacy paper

· Must include at least two paragraphs (of at least five sentences each) that respond to the two prompts, and that are formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA Style (Links to an external site.) resource.

· Must include a separate title page with the following:

o Title of paper

o Student’s name

o Course name and number

o Instructor’s name

o Date submitted

o Running header with page numbers

·

For further assistance with the formatting and the title page, refer to APA Formatting for Word 2013 (Links to an external site.).

· Must have no more than 15% quoted material in the body of your essay based on the Turnitin report.

· Must include a separate references page when citing specific sections and/or tutorials of the Ashford Writing Center. See the Formatting Your References List (Links to an external site.) resource in the Ashford Writing Center for specifications.

INSPIRATIONS VIDEO

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1). Based on the video that inspire you as a leader and change agent in education. Discuss how the presenter leads or inspires change in the field of education.

Dave Eggers: My Wish: Once Upon a School (use this video for question 1)

2).  Based on your passions and interests in education, share your initial ideas for how you want to make a positive difference in the field of early childhood education.

3).  Share any of the videos or articles you have read in the program so far that inspires you to make similar changes in your organization or school.

Using Technology to Reimagine Education  (use this video) for question 3

Required Resources

 

Text

Mills, G. E. (2014).  Action research: A guide for the teacher researcher  (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu

· Chapter 1: Understanding Action Research

· Chapter 3: Deciding on an Area of Focus

Sagor, R. (2000). Guiding school improvement with action research. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com/corp

· This ebook is available in the Ashford Library ebrary. This book discusses how action research can be applied in classrooms and schools to transform learning and outcomes for children.

· Chapter 5: Choosing the Right Research Questions and Assessment Criteria

Article

Davis, K. (2015). Determining the impact of individual goal setting aligned with standards on kindergarten students’ math proficiency (Links to an external site.) [PDF file]. Journal of Teacher Action Research. Retrieved from http://www.practicalteacherresearch.com/uploads/5/6/2/4/56249715/davis_47-62.pdf

· This published study serves as an example of designing and implementing action research in an early childhood education setting.

Rust, F., & Clark, C. (n.d.). How to do action research in your classroom: Lessons from the teachers network leadership institute (Links to an external site.) [PDF file]. Retrieved from http://teachersnetwork.org/tnli/Action_Research_Booklet.pdf

· This guide to action research provides clear steps for educators and professionals to get started with action research through a practical approach.

Stremmel, A. J. (2007). The value of teacher research: Nurturing professional and personal growth through inquiry. Voices of PractitionersLinks to an external site. [PDF file]. Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/resources/pubs/Value%20of%20Teacher%20Research.pdf

· This article discusses how action research can support educators and leaders in early childhood education to grow and develop both personally and professionally, while making a positive difference in the education of young children.

Multimedia

Carr-Chellman, A. (2010, October).  Ali Carr-Chellman: Gaming to re-engage boys in learning (Links to an external site.)  [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/ali_carr_chellman_gaming_to_re_engage_boys_in_learning#t-74954

· In this Ted Talk, the Carr-Chellman (2010) discusses how to engage boys in learning through games. This video is one of the choices offered in the Introduction Forum. Closed captioning and transcripts can be accessed here (Links to an external site.). Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Cliatt-Wayman, L. (2015, May).  Linda Cliatt-Wayman: How to fix a broken school? Lead fearlessly, love hard (Links to an external site.)  [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/linda_cliatt_wayman_how_to_fix_a_broken_school_lead_fearlessly_love_hard?language=en

· In this video, the Cliatt-Wayman (2015) speaks from the perspective of a school leader in facilitating and leading change. This video is one of the choices offered in the Introduction Forum. Closed captioning and transcripts can be accessed here (Links to an external site.). Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Conscious Educating. (2009, November 7).  Action research in the classroom part 1 (Links to an external site.)  [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDVH0u4tUWo

· This first part of two videos is an excellent snapshot that highlights the big picture of theory, benefits, and methodology of Action Research in the classroom. This source provides foundational information on action research to support the discussions and assignments in the course. Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Eggers, D. (2008, February). Dave Eggers: My wish: Once upon a school (Links to an external site.) [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/dave_eggers_makes_his_ted_prize_wish_once_upon_a_school?language=en

· In this TED Talk, Eggers (2008) discusses a framework for actively and creatively engaging with public schools. This video is one of the choices offered in the Introduction Forum. Closed captioning and transcripts can be accessed here (Links to an external site.). Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Khan, S. (2011, March). Salman Khan: Let’s use video to reinvent education [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/salman_khan_let_s_use_video_to_reinvent_education?language=en

· In this Ted Talk, Khan (2011) discusses how he has used video and asynchronous multimedia to transform education and support student learning. This video is one of the choices offered in the Introduction Forum. Closed captioning and transcripts can be accessed here (Links to an external site.). Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Mitra, S. (2013, February). Sugata Mitra: Build a school in the cloud [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_build_a_school_in_the_cloud?language=en

· In this Ted Talk, Mitra (2013) discusses the future of learning where children can explore and learn from each other. This video is one of the choices offered in the Introduction Forum. Closed captioning and transcripts can be accessed here (Links to an external site.). Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Robinson, K. (2006, February). Ken Robinson: How schools kill creativity [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity?language=en

· In this TED Talk, Robinson (2006) makes a case for nurturing creativity in education. This video is one of the choices offered in the Introduction Forum. Closed captioning and transcripts can be accessed here (Links to an external site.). Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Sethi, K. (2009, November). Kiran Sethi: Kids, take charge [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/kiran_bir_sethi_teaches_kids_to_take_charge?language=en

· In this video, Sethi (2009) encourages educators to foster the empowerment of children in taking charge of their own education through real world context. This video is one of the choices offered in the Introduction Forum. Closed captioning and transcripts can be accessed here (Links to an external site.). Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Tezuka, T. (2014, September). Takaharu Tezuka: The best kindergarten you’ve ever seen [Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/takaharu_tezuka_the_best_kindergarten_you_ve_ever_seen?language=en#t-21002

· In this video, Tezuka (2014) discusses a kindergarten experience designed differently than the typical kindergarten classroom. This video is one of the choices offered in the Introduction Forum. Closed captioning and transcripts can be accessed here (Links to an external site.). Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Wagner, T. (2014, January) Tony Wagner: Reinventing education for the 21st century [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54gzmxlPbsA

· In this video, Wagner (2014) discusses the need for change and innovation in education to reinvent education in the 21st Century. This video is one of the choices offered in the Introduction Forum. Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Web Pages

Journal of Teacher Action Research (Links to an external site.). (http://www.practicalteacherresearch.com/)

· The Journal of Teacher Action (Links to an external site.) Research is a peer-reviewed journal available online that focuses on practical research implemented in Pre-K-12 classrooms. This journal is a good source for action research articles to guide and inform the development of the action research proposal.

TED (Links to an external site.). (https://www.ted.com/talks)

· TED is an organization committed to spreading good ideas among the global community. This website houses a collection of thousands of videos from the world’s most inspired thinkers and innovators. This website can be used to locate alternative videos for the Introduction forum of the course. Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Recommended Resources

 

Article

Biddix, J. P. (n.d.). Writing research questions (Links to an external site.). Research Rundowns. Retrieved from http://researchrundowns.wordpress.com/intro/writing-research-questions/

· This site reviews a collection of views and advice on composing research questions from a problem statement. It mostly reads as a list of tips and suggestions. This source can support the development of research questions.

Dilucchio, C., Leaman, H., Eglinton, Y., & Watson, L. C. (2014). Emerging questions: K-3 teachers’ reflections on action research questions (Links to an external site.) [PDF file]. Voices of Practitioners, 9(1). Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/images/voices/14_DiLucchio%20v9_1.pdf

· This NAEYC article discusses the power of meaningful, contextually driven research questions for driving inquiry-based practice. This article can inform the development of the action research study.

Purdue Online Writing Lab. (2013). Choosing a topic (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/658/03/

· An excellent, credible, APA source for virtually every topic covering solid writing practices.

Websites

Jing (Links to an external site.) (http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html)

· Website for the web-based screen recording software that allows for up to five minutes of narration for on screen content, including a presentation, with a free account. Web-based publishing of recordings is possible as well through the associated screencast service with a free account. This source can be used in specific discussions or assignments where there is an option for creating an audio-visual presentation. Accessibility Statement  (Links to an external site.) Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

National Association for the Education of Young Children (Links to an external site.). (http://www.naeyc.org/)

· NAEYC is a professional organization that promotes high quality learning for all children, birth through age eight, by connecting practice, policy, and research. NAEYC provides many professional resources related to best practice, policy, and research in the field of early childhood education. The resources available from this organization can support any of the course discussions and/or assignments. Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

Prezi (Links to an external site.). (https://prezi.com/)

· Website for designing cloud-based, interactive, professional presentations. This source can be used in specific discussions or assignments where there is an option for creating a visual presentation. Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

VoiceThread (Links to an external site.). (http://voicethread.com)

· Voice thread is a digital tool used for communicating, collaborating, and connecting through a cloud-based platform that integrates both visual and auditory input. This source can be used in specific discussions or assignments where there is an option for creating an audio-visual presentation. Privacy Policy (Links to an external site.)

YouTube (Links to an external site.). (http://www.youtube.com)

· Website for the web-based video creation and distribution service, which allows for webcam recordings, video uploads, video editing, narration, and captioning options, and much more for public, unlisted, and private videos. If you would like a video to be viewable only by those who have a direct link, select “unlisted” as the option for distributing your video. This source can be used in specific discussions or assignments where there is an option for creating a video. Using a Screen Reader (Links to an external site.) Privacy Policy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ECE660- Action Research and Inquiry in Education Week 1: Instructor Guidance Learning Outcomes

This week students will:

1. Analyze the goals, origins, rationale, and value of action research. (CLO 1)

2. Differentiate between traditional educational research and action research. (CLO 1)

3. Generate a preliminary action research plan and area of focus. (CLO 5)

“Research is creating new knowledge.” – Neil Armstrong

Overview 

 

As educators you are constantly conducting research in your classroom or programs.  There are times when you are fully aware that you are collecting data.  You may not even realize that any time you are collecting information, that information can be analyzed and used to inform your decisions.  Any information you collect can be considered research if it is being used to inform your teaching or your behaviors.  This week you will be first gaining an understanding of action research and the many ways we see it happening in schools and programs.  As you work through the discussions and prepare for the assignment this week, you are encouraged to reflect on your own setting and the different ways that you may have collected data that informed your instruction.  This week you will also begin thinking about an area that you would like to research within your own setting.  Many ideas may come to mind and it might be helpful to first start out by brainstorming and writing down everything that comes to mind.  Throughout the discussions you may gain some greater insight to help you narrow your focus.

Weekly Vocabulary Qualitative research (Links to an external site.) – collection data through open-ended, objective methods Quantitative research (Links to an external site.) – systematic process in which numerical data are collected and analyzed

Essential Learning

Discussion 2 Elaboration – Understanding Action Research

When we hear the word research we tend to think of scientists in a lab with microscopes.  Research can be found in any industry and it does not necessarily mean that those conducting research are dressed in white lab coats looking at things through a magnifying lens.  However, in research, we DO look at things more closely.   There is a difference between traditional research and what we do in education that is known as action research.  Within education we seek to find alternative ways to address situations, challenges, or problems that may arise in teaching and learning.  We become intrigued with how learning happens and why.   Anytime you look more closely for answers behind what is taking place, you are, in some ways, taking on the role of teacher researcher.  “The goal of teachers to be professional problem solvers committed to improving both their own practice and student outcomes provides a powerful reason to practice action research.” (Mills, 2014, p.22)

 

Diving into research may make you feel overwhelmed at first.  In the world of education, most everything you teach is based on theory and/or research.  You can trace everything that you do back to research.  As you begin to formulate your response for this discussion, reflect on yourself as a learner and as a teacher.  What do you think the quality of your learning experience would be if the teaching was not based on any research?  What if the instructor only taught you concepts based on experiences?  Now think about your role as an educator.  If you monitor student progress you may be conducting research monthly, weekly, or even daily.  What are the results you are looking at?   How do you use this information to improve outcomes for your students, for your program, or for a school?  What type of research model do you use when you are completing progress reports, report cards, or feedback to families?  Research in education drives most of what we do.  It determines the methods we use for teaching, the material we teach, and how respond to learners.  Knowing all of this, how can it be used to further contribute to the educational setting?

Discussion 2 Elaboration – Preliminary Area of Focus

 

One of the exciting parts of research is exploring a topic of interest to you.  When you choose your topic you will want to really reflect on what the topic means for you.  You really want to be sure that you select a topic that you are highly interested in and even passionate about.  Spend some considerable time reflecting on your work.  Are there any burning questions you have?  Is there a practice that you have always felt could improve within your setting or in the field of education?  Understand that you will be absorbed into the reading and writing of your topic.  This is why it is crucial that you have a high level of interest in what you choose.   When you select your topic, determine if it presents a problem or if it is a current situation that needs to be improved.  It the problem or situation large enough that changes being made would improve or impact the field?  Review the following helpful criteria outlined in your Mills (2014) text to help you narrow down your area of focus:

· The area of focus should involve teaching and learning and should focus on your own practice.

· The area of focus is something within your locus of control.

· The area of focus is something you feel passionate about.

· The area of focus is something you would like to change or improve.

Assignment – Action Research Area of Focus

“Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.”  – Zora Neale Hurston

This section includes additional specific assistance for excelling in the discussions for Week One beyond what is given with the instructions for the assessments. If you have questions about what is expected on any assessment for Week One, contact your instructor using the “Ask Your Instructor” discussion before the due date.

You will be taking your information shared in Discussion Two and elaborating more for your assignment.  As you prepare for this assignment you will want to reflect on your topic.  Mills (2014) offers guidance on gaining insight into the situation you want to change or improve by focusing on who, what, when, where, and how (p.45).  What is the problem or situation that you want to address?  What is the outcome you hope to achieve through your research? Why is it meaningful to you? Why is it important to investigate this topic?  Who will potentially benefit from the results?  These questions will help you dive deeper in formulating your research question.  The research question should align with your focus and must be answerable.  Research questions should be designed to discover facts or establish relationships. What is it that you are hoping to discover through your research?

Additional Resources

Articles Biddix, J. P. (n.d.). Writing research questions (Links to an external site.). Research Rundowns. Retrieved from http://researchrundowns.wordpress.com/intro/writing-research-questions/ Dilucchio, C., Leaman, H., Eglinton, Y., & Watson, L. C. (2014). Emerging questions: K-3 teachers’ reflections on action research questions (Links to an external site.) [PDF file]. Voices of Practitioners, 9(1). Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/images/voices/14_DiLucchio%20v9_1.pdf Purdue Online Writing Lab. (2013). Choosing a topic (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/658/03/

Websites Jing (http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html) National Association for the Education of Young Children (Links to an external site.). (http://www.naeyc.org/) Prezi (Links to an external site.). (https://prezi.com/) VoiceThread (Links to an external site.). (http://voicethread.com) YouTube. (http://www.youtube.com)

References

Mills, G. E. (2014). Action research: A guide for the teacher researcher (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. Sagor, R. (2000). Guiding school improvement with action research. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com/cor