Strategies

You are now ready to take the plunge to embark on your very own ALAR journey. Like any Backpack traveller, you have to equip yourself with the necessities for this journey of intriguing learning adventures. Here are 5 strategies you can take with you on your journey.

Develop a Focus

Make connections between your action research work, teaching and learning. Ask yourself what you need to know and find a means by which you can ask effective questions that lead to your research question.

1. Effective Questions
   Here are some starter phrases you may want to use to help you clarify your understanding of the situation you are studying
   • What happened or what’ll happen when I…?
   • What’s my reason for…?
   • What kind of outcomes do I anticipate…?
   • Why do I choose…?
   • Is there a relationship between…?
   • How has this experience confirmed or changed my thinking?
   • How often do I….?
   •  What’re the factors that…?
   • What has led me to conclude…?
   • What’s the impact of using … on…?
   • What else do I see necessary…?
2. Research Question
   Research questions written in the C O R R E C T way should be:
   • C lear
   • O pen-ended
   • R ealistic (manageable/attainable)
   • R eflective
   • E mbedded/Contextualised
   • C lassroom Practices (that concerns teaching and learning in particular)
   • T imebound

For example:

• How can the use of dataloggers in Chemical Kinetics help my Secondary 4 pupils see the connection between physical phenomenon and graphical representation?
• What strategies can I use to facilitate my pupils’ online History discussions so as to promote critical analysis of evidence presented?

Gather Data

You need systematic ways to gather data from varied sources. There are many ways to do so. Choose those that best serve your purpose.

Strategies	Suggested Uses
Interview	Get insights from stakeholders, e.g. pupils, teachers, parents
Field Notes	Observe and reflect on classroom activities and interactions
Pupils' work (e.g., project work, portfolio)	Provide pupils’ perspectives of an issue and diagnose pupils’ learning
Journals	Capture pupils’ and teachers’ reflections
Questionnaire/Surveys	Provide information and feedback on attitudes, preferences, opinions etc
Checklist	Check whether certain skills, behaviours, abilities are observed

Analyse Data

Decide what is important and how your findings answer your questions and provide insights to your focus of inquiry. Download:

data_matrix_template.doc

As you have many kinds of data, you should be working towards validating your data. Download:

triangulation_matrix_template.doc

Validating the data refers to checking whether findings are affirmed by different data sources.

Reflect

You need a log to record your search for answers as well as to consolidate your findings and thoughts about those findings discovered. Download: 

ar_journal.doc

Reflecting with your colleagues may help to surface some assumptions you have about your actions. Download:

double_entry_journal.doc

For more reflection strategies, you might want to refer to the following:

• Examining Reflective Practices

  examine_reflective_pract.doc

• Reflective for Action: A 12-Question Process 

  12q.doc

• Reflect on action, for action & in action

  reflect_on_action.doc

Share your Findings

Your colleagues may benefit from what you discover in your action research. There are various ways to share your findings. Before you decide, you may wish to find out how others share their findings. You may want to submit a paper for publication. Download:

ar_report_template.doc

or present your paper at an educational conference (View the list of conferences).

Now that you are equipped with the necessary strategies, we are also including an Experimental Toolkit 

toolkit.pdf

to help you get started on your journey.

When you have successfully completed your own exhilarating ALAR adventure, you will be ready to bring more friends on board with you! Read the next section to see how you can support others in their ALAR journeys.