Action Research:
Considering Learners' Voices
and Asking about Technology
Are you a reflexive practitioner* who may want to conduct your own action research?
ACTION: The process of doing something intentional to improve my practice.
RESEARCH: The design of research questions to pose to my learners, collecting the data, applying what I learned to improve my adult education practice.
We invite you to...
REVIEW the PAL working group members' action research approaches that some of our working group members took by going directly to their learners for new insights...
CONSIDER whether the questions they asked would be something you would like to ask your learners.
CONDUCT YOUR OWN ACTION RESEARCH...
If action research resonates with you, use the questions our PAL working group members asked their learners to enhance your practice!
Our Action Research
Two Locations and Two Different Approaches
Two Locations and Two Different Approaches
- GEORGINA'S & JOE'S APPROACH
Georgina Smith and Joe Spencer conducted valuable action research with their learners in the Adult Learning and Skills Development program at the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
"We decided to plan and conduct formal focus groups at the OCSB"
We planned for several focus groups designing a list of questions that our learners in the Adult Learning and Skills Development Program at the Ottawa Catholic School Board would answer and then discuss in a formal focus group setting.
Thirty-seven (37) students participated in the focus groups.
Georgina's Reflections
I found connecting with learners through the focus groups to be the most thought provoking part of this project. Because I was also completing PAL working group tasks, I was able to connect some of the theories and ideas for lesson flow that I was introduced to during this project and connect them to the learner perspective.
My students actually said: ‘Helping others is a good way for the teacher to assess how we're doing.’ The thought was great! And they can problem solve together. They just liked the idea of this kind of communal learning, even though people were at different levels.
—Georgina Smith
Georgina's Findings (scrollable files)
Georgina's Focus Group Findings.pdfNOTE: Georgina took her findings and created some specific recommendations for lesson flow. See those lesson flow recommendations stemming from Georgina's action research in the chart's right-hand column.
Joe's Reflections
My biggest "aha moment" in the entire PAL project would be the focus group responses that were gathered. It was very interesting to get feedback from learners about how they use technology and what their learning goals are with technology.
For example, I thought that many of my learners would answer the question regarding their level of comfort with technology as low; however, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the vast majority described themselves as somewhere between comfortable and very comfortable with technology.
It was interesting to see the progress that students in my computer class made, as many of them had initially come to me with limited digital skills; however, by the time of this focus group, many of them had improved significantly.
—Joe Spencer
Joe's Findings (scrollable files)
PAL Action Research Focus Group—Joe's Findings.pdf2. SMITA'S IN-CLASS APPROACH
Smita Parpani, an LBS instructor at the Toronto District School Board's Essential Skills Upgrading program created an in-class questionnaire to draw out learner voices.
"I used an in-class questionnaire to gain insights from my small group of learners in TDSB program"
I conducted an informal action research piece via a questionnaire form for my small group of learners during class. It was a good opportunity for my six (6) learners to reflect on learning with technology, their digital practices and what they would like to learn more about.
Smita's Reflections
The questions about what my small group wanted to see more of and why, helped my learners to decide their next short term goals, which was an added bonus to update their files and work towards these targets.
To act on the findings, I also created activities to address the needs the learners articulated.
It was encouraging to have students reflect on what they confidently know how to do with technology.
—Smita Parpani
Smita's Findings (scrollable files)
ACTION RESEARCH - Smita's Findings.pdfPUTTING ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER
Combining Action Research and the BOPPPS Lesson Planning Model
Combining Action Research and the BOPPPS Lesson Planning Model
Taking what was asked for by learners during the action research, planning a BOPPPS lesson plan around that, considering flow, delivering the lesson AND reflecting on the lesson...
This lesson plan that was delivered in April 2024 brings together the BOPPPS lesson planning model, the notion of purposeful and planned flow, and incorporates many of the tips and strategies that check for learning and understanding in real time.
There is also a thoughtful reflection at the end of this lesson that identifies the strengths of the lesson and next steps in future lessons.
ACTION RESEARCH-BOPPPS-PAL REFLECTIONS-Full Cycle Example.pdfAre you inspired to do conduct your own action research with your learners to add to your lesson planning?
