Article 1, 2 & 3:
Stress on importance of meta cognitive, cognitive and motivational factors in learning and reflection process.
Collaboration action research approach is use.
Classroom setting
Article 1: Action research on students self assessment in mathematics
Article 2 & 3: Action research on teacher professional development skills in teaching proficiencies and problem solving skills
Sample
Article 1: Special education students are used beside normal students (41 students in two Grade 3 classes)
Article 2 sample: In-service science teachers (20 teachers from 6 schools)
Article 3 sample: Pre-service teacher (5 teachers)
Research Time Frame
Article 1: Short time frame (10 weeks)
Article 2 & 3: Long time frame (1 & 3 years)
Procedures
Article 1
Each class is given 5 minute multiplication facts tests once a week for 10 weeks. Flash card games and students partnering is use as strategy to practice. Weekly testing with prediction exercise and reflection sheets was used by students to predict the scores and compare with their actual scores to enhance students learning process. In addition, students write down whether the goal has been achieve, did the strategy work and what strategy can be use further. Reflection sheets were modified to include some selected response and drawing for special education students as they have problem in reflection process.
Article 3
Pre-service teachers were introduce to action research process through professional development session. In first step, teacher will need to generate the action research question and plan of action, the second was to analyze and reflect on data collected and to revise the plan if necessary, and the final step was to finalize analyses, interpret findings, and write up action steps based on what was learned.
Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data from students’ bar graphs and reflection sheets. Qualitative data from student reflection sheets were summarized into tables to inspect for patterns to generate case studies. Combination data were use in addressing motivational and cognitive level question to increase student involvement in assessment and displaying the clear pattern of study strategies. Predicted and actual scores for both classes were plotted in graphs of mean, minimum, and maximum meanwhile type of strategies use by students were display in table form.
The teachers take a very long time to develop professionally, especially while working in collaboration with other teachers on actual instructional tasks. Qualitative and quantitative methods including field notes, interviews, observations, video & audio taping, document analysis, and surveys of students’ and teachers’ opinions were used to collect data for a closer analysis of the effectiveness of the instructional modules. In 1st stage, science teachers designed instructional activities on related concepts in Physics, Biology and Chemistry. At 2nd stage, teachers will need to use more flexible strategies in designing that would best fit their students’ needs. The instructional module developed in the 3rd stage is based on a cross-disciplinary model, involving the integration of the concepts and principles across various subject boundaries. Each instructional module developed in this study was evaluated by experience science teachers and science educators before was tried out in actual classroom settings.
Article 3
Data sources used in the study were pre/post and mid-term individual interviews, audiotapes of planning, mid-term evaluation, and final evaluation action research discussion between pre-service teacher and onsite, teacher educator, research/dialogue journals, action research plans, including reflections written by the pre-service teachers, final action research reports, structured in-class writings from the pre-service teachers, and researcher field notes study. Content analysis and pattern matching were used as data analysis procedures. Construct validity was concentrate by using multiple sources of evidence and establishing a chain of evidence.
The sample of students that were used in this action research may not sufficient to display a clear pattern of students self assessment as the sample use is little. Beside normal students, reflection of special education students in learning process were conducted which is good as these students found to have problems on doing their reflection in sheet provided and shows teacher need to do adjustment to suits students’ need. However, this article does not discuss on the validity and reliability in this research.
This action research inclusive deep detail of literature review, procedures/results is extensive and took 3 years to complete which is good as professional skills in teachers does not develop in overnight and need longer time to achieved coherent results. However, in my opinion, the results of constructed instructional science modules shown is too simple whereby readers unable to understand the modules as their guide for teaching. No discussion was made on the validity and reliability in this research.
Provide good guidelines for engaging teacher through action research to enhance teaching professional teaching in all skills. However, no data were present in statistical form and findings were based more on case studies.
The study suggest student able to do their self assessment by including meta cognitive level and reflection process on their learning strategies. Various pattern of learning strategy is used by students and by participating in the reflection helped students understand the value of their own studying process. However, student self-assessment does not guarantee student learning or involvement. Support, guidance and coaching are required in student self assessment along with learning strategies.
Instructional modules which were developed in this study resulted a good instructional quality to help teacher grows professionally in science teaching. Involvement of teachers in this study also shown improving skills in reflection, discussion, communication technologies and collaboration.
In this study, exposing pre-service teacher to collaborative action research during internship provide wide opportunities to gain valuable insights about self as teacher, the students, the curriculum, teaching, and their roles and responsibilities as teachers. It also revealed major significant of focused inquiry, reflection, analysis, collaboration and thoughtful actions for professional development as teachers.
41 students including special education student participate in Minute Math project on collaboration with 2 university supervisors, 3 teachers and 3 students teacher. Students is required to predict and graphing their test scores on a weekly conventional timed test of multiplication facts. Students also reflected their progress, the success of their studying and problem-solving strategies each week by writing on reflection sheets. Student self-assessment was successful to increase memorization task of learning and provide deeper experience in monitoring their own mathematics learning.
Collaborative action research approach which consisting of science educators/researchers, graduate assistants and science teachers from six junior high schools to help science teachers develop professionally through the development of instructional modules on integrated science and technology. The entire study were conducted in 3 consecutive years where the instructional modules developed were discussed by participants of this study and evaluated by external experts before were tried out in actual classroom. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data for a closer examination of the effectiveness of the instructional modules and of the increase in teachers’ instructional proficiencies.
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