Action Research to improve teaching practice

Title

Action Research to improve teaching practice

Author(s)

Ms Elizabeth Furst, Ms Sally Crane

Presentation Goals

• Understand challenges international students face when writing a research essay
• Understand how action research can inform and improve teaching practice
• Understand the role AR can play in teacher professional development

Subtheme

Student Blends

Presentation Type

Spotlight on Practice

Keywords

action research, international students, writing skills, scaffolding, academic writing

Room

Social Sciences 209

Time

11.30-12.10

Abstract

This year, under the guidance of English Australia, English Language Centre (ELC) teachers conducted an Action Research (AR) Project designed to identify what was preventing students in UTASAccess Level 7 from finding, filtering and evaluating research material, and to develop teaching materials to address this.  Level 7 of the UTASAccess course at the ELC precedes entry for international students into bachelor, masters or PhD courses, and is an alternative to completing an IELTS test. A key requirement of this course is the completion of a research essay, and it was because of the observed difficulties students had in fulfilling this requirement, that improving the skills necessary to write a research essay became the focus of the AR project.

The project was conducted over four 5-week cycles, and teaching interventions were continuously built on and adapted throughout this period. Adaptions were made based on student feedback, semi-structured interviews, in-class observations and analysis of student questionnaires, a short critical thinking test and a critical thinking self-evaluation.

To assist students find, filter and evaluate research material existent scaffolding was increased and some of the contingent scaffolding was replaced with designed-in scaffolding.  To help students find material using the library databases, a video and practical computer-based activity were developed in collaboration with University of Tasmania library staff. To help students evaluate material, inquiry-based activities were used as instructional tools to support students in the application of critical thinking skills in an academic writing context.

Analysis of data and essay results showed students fell into three distinct groups in relation to Vtyotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).  As a result of the AR project, an understanding of why students fell into their respective groups, and an awareness of the type of teaching material needed in the future was attained.