EDLD 5315-Action Research Design Outline
This outline is essentially a preview/framework for my final detailed action research plan that I will submit for this course. It's meant to organize my thinking and show how all the pieces (innovation plan, research methods, literature, and broader implications) will come together in my final project.
I. What is the topic of your action research?
The topic of my research is the impact of ongoing, content-specific professional learning impacts CTE teachers’ ability to align their curriculum with academic standards and industry requirements.
II. What is the purpose of your study?
The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether a professional learning group using PLC protocols and reflection cycles supports CTE teachers in improving their curriculum alignment and instructional practices and how it affects student learning outcomes in CTE students grades 10-12.
III. What is your research question?
My fundamental research question is “How does participation in ongoing, content-specific professional development influence high school CTE teachers’ instructional strategies and student learning outcomes?”
IV. What is your research design (Qualitative, Quantitative, or Mixed Methods)?
According to the Table in 4.1 in Action Research: Improving Schools and Empowering Educators, qualitative approaches are suited for understanding processes and experiences, while quantitative designs are better for measuring changes in outcomes (2024). Because my research focuses on teacher experience and behavior changes, a combination of both qualitative and quantitative seems best to approach. The qualitative data would consist of teacher reflections, PLC session notes/transcripts and interviews, while the quantitative data would consist of pre/post assessments and rubric based evaluations of curriculum alignment. Having both qualitative and quantitative data collected will allow me to understand both what changes and how or why those changes happen. I feel that the appropriate type of data to collect would be teacher reflections and feedback, classroom observations of instructional strategies and student performance data, like certification pass rates.
a. Why did you choose this design?
I selected a mixed-methods design because my study seeks to explore both the measurable outcomes of professional learning and the experiences and perspectives of participating teachers. Professional learning influences teacher practice and student learning in intricate, interconnected ways that can’t be fully understood through quantitative data alone. By using both qualitative and quantitative data, I can look at the results from different angles, which helps make the findings more accurate and meaningful (Mertler, 2024). This approach will give a better picture of how professional learning makes an impact.
V. What data will you collect?
Data I will collect will include:
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Teacher reflections and feedback
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Classroom observations
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Student performance data such as assessments and certification passing rates
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Surveys
VI. What types of measurement will you use?
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Classroom observation checklists/rubrics to document teaching strategies in action
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Student pre/post assessment scores or benchmark data to measure changes in learning outcomes
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Teacher surveys and interviews to gather self-reported instructional changes
VII. What is the focus of your lit review?
My literature review will focus on the effectiveness of professional learning in improving teacher performance and best practices for content-specific and ongoing professional development within CTE and secondary education. I’d also like to explore the relationships between teacher professional learning and student achievement, as well as connecting teacher growth with instructional quality and student outcomes.
References
Mertler, C. A. (2019). Action research: Improving schools and empowering educators (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
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Mertler, C. A. (2019). Video 3.1 – Developing a Research Question. Retrieved from https://edge.sagepub.com/mertler5e/student-resources/chapter-3/video-resources
Mertler, C. A. (2019). Video 4.1 – Planning for Data Collection. Retrieved from https://edge.sagepub.com/mertler5e/student-resources/chapter-4/video-resources
Master's in Education Educational Technology Leadership
- Stephanie Scaletta E-Portfolio is an eportfolio designed to showcase classwork and specific projects for a Master's course. The focus is on highlighting skills and demonstrating work through the featured projects. The eportfolio will also include links to EDLD 5389, EDLD 5318, EDLD 5315 and EDLD 5317.