Five Elementary Action Research Summaries
presented to Elementary Teachers in Hastings County,
Belleville, on January 31, 1997
by members of the B.Ed. Pilot Project, Queen's University

---

Jennifer Crits -- Lesson Transition Techniques

To begin my action research project I considered my own feelings of what I felt needed improvement in my teaching as well as my associate teacher’s observation of my teaching. I felt that my transitions between learning experiences could be more successful in order to improve the level of learning in the next lesson. I gathered data from my own reflections as well as comments from my associate. To assess my progress,I found it useful to observe the behaviour of my students as I attempted to implement lesson transition techniques.

For this project I worked largely along with the help of my associate. In future endeavours it would be very useful for staff members to work in small groups that would allow them to discuss their progress with other professionals, producing a larger pool of data. Action research at first glance appeared complicated and time-consuming, but once I began I found it to be something I could work on every day. It was practical, inexpensive, and required little additional time outside of my teaching day. Best of all, it was very beneficial to my students.

---

Sandra Head -- Instructional Strategies

My biggest task in my action research project was actually deciding what I was going to work on in my teaching practice. For days, I pondered possibilities and listened to my peers discuss their ideas. I considered questioning techniques, classroom management, presentation skills, and more. Finally, I settled on instructional strategies, a part of teaching that is one of the most essential in my opinion.

If children don’t understand the instructions their teacher gives, then learning cannot follow. So I set out to improve my instructions by writing more detailed lesson plans, reviewing plans more thoroughly before presenting them, and evaluating student feedback and responses through questioning and observation. Things started slowly and I made many mistakes, but persistence was the key. Soon I was presenting instructions in a more coherent and clear way than before I started my action research. Students were less confused and asked fewer questions. A questionnaire to a class of grade 5/6 students proved this. Several suggested that while my instructions were clear, my speech was sometimes too fast—another action research topic!

Completing a very short segment of my action research has shown me that I can only be as good a teacher as I want to be, and as I’m willing to make myself. While there are many ways to do this, action research will most likely always be one method for my professional development as a teacher. It is worth the effort!

---

Michael Hardy -- Reducing Schoolyard Violence

One of my greatest concerns centres around the high degree of violence in the schoolyard. I wanted to devise a strategy that would help minimize incidents of schoolyard violence. I felt that co-operative games emphasizing participation and skill rather than competition could be re-introduced to students to provide them with positive alternatives for play in the schoolyard.

How did you start your action research project?

I began by tracking down a variety of co-operative games (both past and present) that could be introduced in the schoolyard with minimal or not cost. I used the library, friends and fellow teachers as sources for games.

How did you carry out data collection?

The process of finding suitable games is ongoing. I am presently putting games into categories:  Playground games requiring markings on the ground, Tag Games, Skipping, and Parachute Activities.

How did you interpret data?

Observation, implementation of games and asking questions of teachers and students. For example, "What did you like about the games?", and "What games were least enjoyable? Why?"

Did you work alone or with others?

I worked through the data of my action research project with another teacher candidate. The concern over violence in the schoolyard is a school-wide undertaking. A less violent schoolyard requires that all staff and students participate. Co-operative games can be introduced to teachers and staff on a class-by-class basis.

What did you learn?

Teachers and students were very receptive to the concept of co-operative games. Instructions to games must be brief. Using co-operative games is just one strategy to help improve the climate of the schoolyard. A program with co-operative games for the schoolyard must be used year round, and this requires lists of games for each of the "seasons" in the Canadian school year.

---

Tanya Marwitz -- Answering Techniques

I initially approached my action research task with the intention of analyzing my questioning techniques with my students. In the Grade 6/7 class, I quickly discovered that it was the students who were asking most of the questions. I quickly changed gears and began to analyze my "answering techniques." I found it somewhat challenging to refrain from being the primary source of knowledge about the design project we were working on. However, my limited knowledge in the subject area actually worked to my advantage as I could genuinely direct my students to books, peers or other sources to find the answers to their questions. It was incredible to see them synthesize their own previous knowledge with the new information they were gathering.

Within the three-week placement, the evidence I gathered about the success of my "answering techniques" was purely observational and anecdotal. However, the acquired knowledge that my students displayed in their portfolios and in the final races of our electric cars was impressive. At this grade level, I would like to have included my students’ evaluation of my teaching style within my action research report. I would also have preferred to solicit more specific feedback from my associate teacher and other colleagues. With future classes and greater time to share my inquiries and results, I am eager to continue my analysis of redirecting my students’ questions to sources other than myself. This instructional method personalizes the learning process for everyone involved, student and teacher alike.

---

Christina Morgan -- Classroom Management Skills

My principal concern in my teaching practice is improving my classroom management skills. Initially, I read articles on positive reinforcement for classroom management, as this was where my interest lay. I wanted to develop positive reinforcement skills early in my career so that they would become "natural practice." The three techniques I chose were specific instructions, looking for good behaviour, and appropriate praise for the good behaviour.To ensure that my instructions were clear and specific, I would slowly go over the instructions once. Then I would ask a student what the first instruction was and continue to go over each instruction. I tried to keep the instructions short and simple. When we finished repeating the instructions, I would allow the students to start the activity and then I would praise those who were following the instructions.

This linked to my second and third techniques, which were looking for good behaviour and providing appropriate praise. In order to do this, I would focus on the behaviour, not the person. If a student was not following instructions, I would praise the nearest student who was following the instructions. When I used praise, I would describe the behaviour and give descriptive details. I made every effort to make this praise genuine. Occasionally, I used praise before the action. For example, I would use a phrase such as, "I really appreciate . . . ."

My evidence was my observation of the changes in student behaviour and the changes in the flow of my lessons.

1. I found an improvement during the transition times in my lessons. The majority of the students stayed on task.
2. Individuals changed their behaviour towards me. I found that difficult students started to listen to me when I gave them praise or guidance. Most students responded to my suggestions and instructions more readily.

With one individual whom I specifically focused my attention on, I saw real changes in his behaviour. He completed his work when prompted, helped me with the set-up and clean-up of many activities, and even discussed his home life. This was all new behaviour.

If I could do this again and had more control over the classroom situation, I would implement the three techniques more fully. Then I would extend them to include incorporating student models, using non-verbal reinforcement and allowing students to determine their own reinforcement. Examining an area of concern in my teaching practice through action research was a very useful experience. Now I feel prepared to do my own action research in a future classroom.

---

Posted by Tom Russell, June 4, 1997--updated 26 October 2000