Deck 20: Action Research

Question 1

Which of the following is an action research reconnaissance activity as presented in your text?

A) Self-reflection
B) Pragmatic application
C) Taking action
D) Follow-through

Answer 1

A

Question 2

One primary criticism of critical action research is that it is not

A) conducted in a timely manner.
B) socially responsive.
C) practically feasible.
D) consistent with teachers' values.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

That action research should be socially responsive is a value of __________ action research.

A) practical
B) applied
C) reflective
D) critical

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following is a component of a critical perspective of action research as presented in your text?

A) Teacher researchers want to reflect on their practices so that they can effectively train other novice teachers..
B) Teacher researchers have decision-making authority to change education from inside the classroom at the district level.
C) Teacher researchers examine taken-for-granted ways in which they carry out professional practice.
D) Teacher researchers will use a systematic approach for reflecting on their practice both inside and outside of classroom communities.

Question 5

Lyla feels she may not be as successful as she would like to be in conveying to her students the connections between current Middle Eastern relationships and the historical foundations of the region. She has identified this as an area of focus for her action research study. She now is engaged in reconnaissance. Which of the following activities is Lyla likely to engage in?

A) Persuasive activities
B) Descriptive activities
C) Application activities
D) Implementation activities

Question 6

Given what you know about types of research data, of the following, which is the most likely data source for an action researcher?

A) Classroom test scores
B) Informal interview data
C) Survey data
D) Pre-existing achievement data

Question 7

According to your text, which of the following is NOT a key characteristic of Action research?

A) Action research is persuasive.
B) Action research is relevant.
C) Action research is intricate.
D) Action research is accessible.

Question 8

The two main types of action research as presented in your text are

A) professional stance and theory-based action research.
B) critical action research and practical action research
C) practical action research and applied action research
D) dialectic action research and critical action research

Question 9

Which of the following is the best example of an action research study topic for Ron, a third grade teacher, to pursue?

A) The decrease in the schools' scores on the third grade state-wide mathematics scores.
B) The effectiveness of a new creative writing program he's implemented in his class.
C) The effects of the recent publication of third grade teachers' qualifications by the local media.
D) An examination of the nutritional needs of his students compared to the national standards.

Question 10

Of the following groups of researchers, which is NOT discussed as a level of action research?

A) Individual teacher research
B) District-wide research
C) Single department research
D) School-wide research

Question 11

Eve wants to conduct a study that examines the benefits and drawbacks of using thematic units to teach core concepts in her middle school. Of the following, who is the most likely collaborator for Eve to work with on her study?

A) Kerry, her principal
B) Kim, her superintendent
C) Pat, a University researcher
D) Carol, another middle school teacher

Question 12

Which of the following is the last step in the action research process?

A) Data analysis
B) Data interpretation
C) Action planning
D) Generalizing the findings

Question 13

According to your text one of the reasons that teachers might avoid conducting action research involving multiple schools is the

A) organizational complexity of schools.
B) politics of working with other districts.
C) concerns of parents in different communities.
D) limited experiences of teachers conducting research.

Question 14

Which of the following is a component of a practical perspective of action research as presented in your text?

A) Teacher researchers are participatory and democratic.
B) Teacher researchers are socially responsive.
C) Teacher researchers want to reflect on their practices.
D) Teacher researchers conduct action research without compensation.

Question 15

According to your text, which of the following statistics is the one most likely to be used by an action researcher?

A) T-Test
B) Standard deviation
C) Correlation coefficient
D) ANOVA

Question 16

Emancipatory action research is also known as _____________ action research.

A) practical
B) applied
C) critical
D) reflective

Question 17

The four-step action research process as presented in your text is termed

A) the Dialectic Action Research Spiral.
B) the Action Planning and Implementation Cycle
C) Professional Stance in Action Research System
D) Reciprocal Action Research in Application.

Question 18

Nina is engaged in the action research process for a study that considers the role of oral reading during instruction. She is considering the educational values that she holds. In which phase of the action research process is Nina currently engaged?

A) Identifying an area of focus
B) Data collection
C) Data analysis and interpretation
D) Action planning

Question 19

Educational action research is generally conducted by

A) school board members.
B) superintendents.
C) policy analysts.
D) teachers.

Question 20

Which of the following is the best example of action research?

A) As requested by the school board, Maurice examines motivation for second language acquisition by fifth-grade students.
B) Samantha assesses her fifth grade learners' second language acquisition during the school year and issues each a grade.
C) Dana examines whether the way she is teaching second language vocabulary is successful.
D) Nina tests whether there should be a second language program for middle school children in the state.

Question 21

Naima is a speech and language specialist. She works with several students in a large elementary school. She uses mixed age groupings to work with children with specific needs. For example, she places all the students who are disfluent in one group. This year the age discrepancies in her groups seem particularly large and this has made her consider this as an area of focus for an action research study.
By asking students how they feel about the mixed age groups, Naima may be demonstrating several characteristics of action research. However, in so doing she is best illustrating which of the following characteristics of action research?

A) Action research is democratic.
B) Action research is equitable.
C) Action research is liberating.
D) Action research is enhancing.

Question 22

For teachers working in school districts, who best determines the action research topics addressed in a school?

A) The district school board
B) Teachers conducting the research
C) Parents of children in the district
D) The children in the school district

Question 23

Naima is a speech and language specialist. She works with several students in a large elementary school. She uses mixed age groupings to work with children with specific needs. For example, she places all the students who are disfluent in one group. This year the age discrepancies in her groups seem particularly large and this has made her consider this as an area of focus for an action research study.
According to your text, which of the following is a key characteristic of action research?

A) Action research is intricate.
B) Action research is positivist.
C) Action research is persuasive.
D) Action research is objective.

Question 24

According to your text, one of the main goals of action research is

A) informing educational policy for stakeholders.
B) determining district-wide curriculum for teachers.
C) educational change that enhances the lives of children.
D) data collection for the benefit of school personnel.

Question 25

Marcus, a new coach, is concerned with the ways in which summer football camp is conducted. Potential athletes are required to come to mid-day sessions in August before school starts. Marcus knows that there is little 'building up' to these sessions and that many of the athletes are not in excellent condition nor are they used out exercising in the heat in full equipment. Even though he is very cautious about the amount of water breaks and rests he employs, he is concerned the athletes may get seriously injured during football camp. Marcus decides to conduct an action research study on the issue.
Marcus starts to look into the history of football camp at the school and how the camp developed over time. Marcus is involved in which phase of reconnaissance?

A) Application
B) Description
C) Explanation
D) Self-reflection

Question 26

Naima is a speech and language specialist. She works with several students in a large elementary school. She uses mixed age groupings to work with children with specific needs. For example, she places all the students who are disfluent in one group. This year the age discrepancies in her groups seem particularly large and this has made her consider this as an area of focus for an action research study.
Noah is a pack leader conducting an action research study on the structure of his group's scouting experiences. Which of the following data sources is Noah most likely to consult within the context of his study.

A) State-wide demographics of the type of children enrolled in scouting in Noah's state.
B) Data from an experimental study that addressed the effects of scouting on students' self-esteem.
C) Correlational data regarding the relationship between scouting and later environmental activism.
D) Data from semi-structured interviews he conducted with his group members and their families.

Question 27

Marcus, a new coach, is concerned with the ways in which summer football camp is conducted. Potential athletes are required to come to mid-day sessions in August before school starts. Marcus knows that there is little 'building up' to these sessions and that many of the athletes are not in excellent condition nor are they used out exercising in the heat in full equipment. Even though he is very cautious about the amount of water breaks and rests he employs, he is concerned the athletes may get seriously injured during football camp. Marcus decides to conduct an action research study on the issue.
Of the following, which is the next process Marcus will likely employ?

A) Marcus will next engage in fully describing the football camp situation he would like to change.
B) Marcus will collect data to make decisions about changes to football camp.
C) Marcus will carry out his action planning and share his findings with school administrators and parents.
D) Marcus will take action, and change football camp to protect the health of his athletes.

Question 28

Takota works in a school with racial and ethnic conflict among the students. He questions whether implementing a peer tutoring program could reduce tensions and is interested in conducting an action research project on the topic.
Takota's research study is best described as an) ____________ action research study.

A) emancipatory
B) critical
C) practical
D) reflective

Question 29

Tasa is a primary grade teacher in a rural school district. She and the other teachers have found that after kindergarten there are large differences among the rising first grade students. Some are reading and writing well and others are still 'catching up'. Tasa would like to investigate this further.
Tasa' s issue is appropriate for an action research study because

A) the study involves something Tasa would like to change.
B) the study should not cost too much to conduct.
C) administrators and policy makers will support the study.
D) there is a body of relevant related empirical research.

Question 30

Tasa is a primary grade teacher in a rural school district. She and the other teachers have found that after kindergarten there are large differences among the rising first grade students. Some are reading and writing well and others are still 'catching up'. Tasa would like to investigate this further.
Tasa's research study is best described as an) ____________ action research study.

A) emancipatory
B) critical
C) practical
D) reflective

Question 31

Liz is a coach who wants to examine the ways in which her coaching addresses sportsmanship. Which of the following is the most relevant data for Liz to consider?

A) National trends in sportsmanship among athletes.
B) Parents' perceptions of her athletes' sportsmanship.
C) Athlete's behaviors on the field.
D) Data from a survey administered in the school.

Question 32

Takota works in a school with racial and ethnic conflict among the students. He questions whether implementing a peer tutoring program could reduce tensions and is interested in conducting an action research project on the topic.
Takota's issue is appropriate for an action research study because

A) the study will appeal to the students and parents in the district.
B) the study involves something Takota is interested in exploring further.
C) the district administrators will support the study.
D) peer tutoring is widely accepted in school districts.

Question 33

Takota works in a school with racial and ethnic conflict among the students. He questions whether implementing a peer tutoring program could reduce tensions and is interested in conducting an action research project on the topic.
When Takota collects data he should consider collecting data that has which of the following characteristics?

A) The data should be objective.
B) The data should be persuasive.
C) The data should be quantitative.
D) The data should be causal.

Question 34

Which of the following is a question one engaged in descriptive activities might ask?

A) What educational values do I hold?
B) What is the historical context of my school?
C) What evidence do I have that this is a problem?
D) How can I make sense of these data?

Question 35

Van is a high school language arts teacher engaged in an action research study that considers the role of dramatic play in his curriculum. He feels that dramatic play is an important part of language arts instruction. He is currently considering why he believes that dramatic play is so critical. In which phase of the action research process is Van currently operating?

A) Identifying an area of focus
B) Data collection
C) Data analysis and interpretation
D) Action planning

Question 36

Which of the following is NOT a key characteristic of action research?

A) Action research is empirical.
B) Action research is accessible.
C) Action research is authoritative.
D) Action research is relevant.

Question 37

Aggie is a paraprofessional conducting an action research project that examines the role of structured cooperative seatwork in mathematics classes in her school. She is sharing her findings with other teachers and paraprofessionals. Aggie is now likely engaged in which phase of the action research?

A) Identifying an area of focus
B) Data collection
C) Data analysis and interpretation
D) Action planning

Question 38

Naima is a speech and language specialist. She works with several students in a large elementary school. She uses mixed age groupings to work with children with specific needs. For example, she places all the students who are disfluent in one group. This year the age discrepancies in her groups seem particularly large and this has made her consider this as an area of focus for an action research study.
Given the dialectic action research spiral, the next step for Naima is

A) data collection.
B) developing an action plan
C) analyzing data.
D) interpreting data. .

Question 39

According to your text, which of the following is NOT a characteristic of practical action research?

A) Teacher researchers have decision-making authority.
B) Teacher researchers will use a systematic approach for reflecting on practice.
C) Teacher researchers will anonymously collect data.
D) Teacher researchers will reflect on their practices.

Question 40

Which of the following is the most likely research team to conduct an action research study on the role of simulated driving experiences in a school district's driver education curriculum?

A) The superintendent, a school administrator, and the driver's education teachers.
B) A parent committee and the driver's education teachers.
C) A committee of teachers, parents, and insurance agents.
D) The teachers who teach the course.

Question 41

Lia is a middle school teacher concerned with social rejection of second language learners at her school. She questions whether the practice of pulling children out of the regular classroom for enhanced English instruction is contributing to this rejection and decides to do an action research project to address the issue.
Lia's issue is appropriate for an action research study because

A) the study will provide insight into the national curriculum for second language learners.
B) the study involves something that is within Lia's area of focus.
C) community members will advocate for the study.
D) isolated instruction in English is common practice in schools.

Question 42

The first step in the action research process is to

A) collect data.
B) indentify an area of focus.
C) develop an action plan.
D) analyze and interpret data.

Question 43

In an action research study conducted in an early childhood education setting, Kemen is engaged in the action research process to address emerging number sense in his classroom. He stated to his colleague, "I believe that manipulatives are a successful mechanism to teach numeracy to young children. I believe it is motivating for them to use toys as their numeracy skills emerge." Kemen is best illustrating which aspect of the dialectic action research spiral?

A) Developing an action plan
B) Collecting data
C) Analyzing and interpreting data
D) Indentifying an area of focus

Question 44

Lia is a middle school teacher concerned with social rejection of second language learners at her school. She questions whether the practice of pulling children out of the regular classroom for enhanced English instruction is contributing to this rejection and decides to do an action research project to address the issue.
Lia's research study is best described as an) ____________ action research study.

A) emancipatory
B) reflective
C) practical
D) critical

Question 45

Lia is a middle school teacher concerned with social rejection of second language learners at her school. She questions whether the practice of pulling children out of the regular classroom for enhanced English instruction is contributing to this rejection and decides to do an action research project to address the issue.
According to typical practice and your text, the types of data sources Lia will collect for her action research study will most likely include

A) national standardized Reading test scores administered by the district.
B) observations of student interactions during school hours.
C) surveys of parents' preferences for the nature of English language instruction.
D) interviews of administrators' opinions about second language learning.