Collect Classroom Data to Improve
Teaching Practices
and Student Performance
Summary:
This page suggests that teachers can use the scientific method to design research of their own and use the resulting data to make productive changes.
| Curriculum |
|
Instruction Resources Designing Lessons Instructional Strategies Designing Accommodations Selecting Accommodations Legal Basis for Accommodations and Modifications Search Accommodations database Search Instructional Materials database ESE Instruction Manager 2 Accommodations Training Life-Prep Curriculum |
| Assessment |
|
Home Site Map About us Products Training Links Glossary |
|
|
© 2000 State of Florida, Department of State Updated 2004 Contact information |
Teachers continuously gather feedback from their students about how well they are learning. This allows them to adjust lessons to make them more effective. With a little planning, teachers can turn this process into purposeful data collection. Classroom research is a powerful professional development tool and a way to increase students performance. It also generates valuable documentation.
All scientific research begins with observation and identifying a question or problem to pursue. For example:
- What should students know or be able to do?
- What teaching behaviors need to change?
- What tools are most useful?
- Is this scheduling appropriate?
After a problem for study is identified comes planning and designing the research activities.
- Target specific areas for change.
- Set a goal for improvement.
- Measure and record a baseline or current performance level.
- Decide how to measure changes.
- Set a schedule for the project.
Depending on the specific study, other activities may be necessary. The research can cover something as specific as a teaching behavior or as complex as standardized testing. Once the plan is in place, it's time to record the data. Data analysis leads to a conclusion about the original problem, but the real products of teacher-run classroom research are student progress and results to share with administrators and other teachers. Classroom data collection gives educators a process for continuous reflection and improvement.
Use the resources listed below for examples, background information, and a link to the University of Central Florida's online course: Action Research Online.
Keller, C.L. & Duffy, M.L. (2005). “I said that?” How to improve instructional behavior in just 5 minutes per day through data-based self-evaluation. Teaching Exceptional Children, 37(4).
Protheroe, N. (2001) Improving teaching and learning with data-based decisions: Asking the right questions
and acting on the answers. [Electronic version] ERS Spectrum. Arlington, VA: Educational Research Service.
www.ers.org/spectrum/sum01a.htm
What Is Action Research? Project CENTRAL website:
http://reach.ucf.edu/~CENTRAL/ActionResearch/index.html