Blog # 3 Action Research

Thoughts about action research:
I had never heard of action research before the class I am taking now. The mental picture that pops into my head when research is mentioned is not pretty. I associate research with a long, cumbersome journey into academia that would most benefit those wanting to write and publish a book. I did not associate research as something I could do in my classroom to better my student's experiences and my teaching ability. That was before I learned about action research. I now have a tool that can help me solve problems that I identify with my teaching or in my classroom and therefore maximize my efficiency. One of the great things about action research is it can be as complex or as simple as desired, according to the depth of the problem and the depth of the information the person is looking to attain. Action research can also uncover other questions as research is being done. This can lead to other ways to think about the original problem or shed light on new problems that may need to be addressed.

Ideas from my research:
I have found through my research that student-teacher ratios are important to students as well as teachers. The consensus is that around twenty students is a good student to teacher ratio, but this is not always achievable. Through my research, especially the student interviews I did, I now have better ideas of how to deal with classes that are too big or too small. I now have a sample representation of what students are looking for in a class to enhance their participation. I can adjust my teaching and classroom set up to accommodate their needs when I do not have the ideal classroom ratio. There were also a couple of questions and ideas raised by my research that have given me more to think about. One issue that was raised is the grouping of students in ELL classes. This could have more bearing on their level of success than student to teacher ratio would.

Suggestions to other teachers:
Through my action research I have realized that students are looking for a relaxed atmosphere with enough students in the classroom with them to make themselves feel less conspicuous. If a teacher has a small class I would suggest some teambuilding activities, because there will need to be a very trusting atmosphere for some students to really open up and participate. A class that is very large, on the other hand, needs to be somewhat broken apart so students can have peer support, but they can also have a sense of small community learning.

MTSU Honor Statement:

This assignment/assessment was solely written by me. In no way have I plagiarized (represented the work of another as my own) or otherwise violated the copyright laws and academic conventions of fair use. I know that violations of this policy may result in my being dismissed from Middle Tennessee State University and/or appropriate legal action being taken against me.

Sirci Stinson

10-13-10