ABSTRACT

Action research is defined as using research activities to develop concrete societal practices.

Action research understands the change of practice as being already a central aim of the

research process itself, and it also seeks to contribute to the professional development of all

participants in the particular field of study. Even though (or maybe even because) action

research has a long history in the literature, there is a wide variety of interpretations of it.

These range all the way from research supportive, via interactive, to emancipatory

approaches. There is also a broad range of objectives covering both improving professional

environments and generating results of general interest. This paper explores the spectrum of

justifications given for action research with a specific focus on science education. Two

completely different examples of action research selected from Israel and Germany help

illustrate the diversity of the topic. The Israeli case focuses primarily on the professional

development of a group of teachers; the German example hones in on the development of

suitable curricula and lesson plans for wide dissemination. Comparison of these two projects

is embedded in a theoretical framework which categorizes the different action research

modes and contemplates teachers‟ professional development. The aim of this paper is to

reflect upon the common potential inherent in differing forms of action research on science

education, including the aspect of professional development among teachers.

Introduction

Discipline problem is always a key issue to address for effective teaching and

learning. This is my second year as a teacher in the school. The first year turned out to

be a disaster for me since I could not manage the classes well so as to enable effective

teaching and learning. A variety of discipline problems arose and drained me of much

of my teaching time and energy. This year, I decided to take a more proactive
approach i.e. making changes to improve something before problems happen, rather

than reacting to problems and then changing things.

What Is Action Research?

A succinct definition of action research appears in the workshop materials we use at the

Institute for the Study of Inquiry in Education. That definition states that action research

is a disciplined process of inquiry conducted by and for those taking the action. The primary

reason for engaging in action research is to assist the “actor” in improving and/or refining his

or her actions.

Practitioners who engage in action research inevitably find it to be an empowering

experience. Action research has this positive effect for many reasons. Obviously, the most

important is that action research is always relevant to the participants. Relevance is

guaranteed because the focus of each research project is determined by the researchers, who

are also the primary consumers of the findings.

Perhaps even more important is the fact that action research helps educators be more

effective at what they care most about—their teaching and the development of their

students. Seeing students grow is probably the greatest joy educators can experience. When

teachers have convincing evidence that their work has made a real difference in their

students' lives, the countless hours and endless efforts of teaching seem worthwhile.

The Action Research Process

Educational action research can be engaged in by a single teacher, by a group of

colleagues who share an interest in a common problem, or by the entire faculty of a school.

Whatever the scenario, action research always involves the same seven-step process. These

seven steps, which become an endless cycle for the inquiring teacher, are the following:
1. Selecting a focus

2. Clarifying theories

3. Identifying research questions

4. Collecting data

5. Analyzing data

6. Reporting results

7. Taking informed action

What Are the Types of Action Research Design?

Action research design is an educational research involving collecting information regarding

current educational programs and outcomes, analyzing the information, developing a plan to

improve it, collecting changes after a new plan is implemented, and developing conclusions

regarding the improvements. The main purpose of action research is to improve educational

programs within schools. The four main types of action research design are individual

research, collaborative research, school-wide research and district-wide research.

Individual Research

Individual action research is research conducted by one teacher or staff member. This type of

research is conducted to analyze a specific task. A teacher may wonder if implementing group

activities within an English class will help improve learning. The teacher alone performs

research by implementing a group activity for a certain length of time. After the action is

performed, the teacher analyzes the results, implements changes, or discards the program if

not found to be helpful.

Collaborative Research

Collaborative research involves a group of people researching a specified topic. With

collaborative research, more than one person is involved in the implementation of the new

program. Typically, a group of students, larger than just one class, are tested, and the results

are analyzed. Many times collaborative research involves both teachers and the principal of

the school. This type of research offers the collaboration of many people working jointly on

one subject. The joint collaboration often offers more benefits than an individual action

research approach.

School-Wide Research

Action research programs are generally created from a problem found within an entire school.

When a program is researched for an entire school, it is called school-wide action research.

For this type of action research, a school may have concerns about a school-wide problem.

This can be lack of parental involvement or research to increase students' performance in a

certain subject. The entire staff works together through this research to study the problem,

implement changes, and correct the problem or increase performance.

District-Wide Research

District-wide research is used for an entire school district. This type of action research is

usually more community-based than the other types. This type may also be used to address

organizational problems within the entire district. For district-wide research, staff from each

school in the district, collaborates in correcting the problem or finding ways to improve the

situation.
Objectives of Action Research

School Context

Nrusingha Guru Town High School, Sambalpur is a Government Educational Institution

imparting education to Co-education level. This institution was established in Year 1938 in the

District of Sambalpur. It extends teaching facilities in Humanities, Social Science etc. The main

objective of this institution is to disseminate knowledge to the students in different fields.

Simultaneously it aims for the all-round development of the Boys & Girls Physical, Mental and

Moral. Games and sports are also an integral part of this institution which inspires the

students to be physically fit. It was noticed by staff, that there was a problem that still required

improvement and it was Handling Discipline among Students.

I decided to research the problem and conclude teaching strategies that may assist in

developing this area.

Nrusingha Guru Town High School Details

Established in Year 1938

Management Department of Education

Type: Boys

Medium of Instruction Odia

Residential No, Not Applicable

Teachers Male - 4 , Female - 7

Classes Lowest - 6 , Highest - 10

Classrooms 18

Playground No

Library: N/A , No. of books: 4710

ICT LAB: Yes, 16 computers with broadband facilities

Meals in School Provided and prepared in school

Address :

Ward No 12, B.m Pattanaik Ps, Sambalpur Mpl

Sambalpur, Odisha (IN) - 768001

The Objectives of our Action Research are;

1. To increase the student‟s achievement levels in comprehension and oral language

2. To extend and improve, the grade prep to 3, teacher assessment of oral language and

reading comprehension so that assistance programs can be devised for the „at risk‟ children

3. To research links between oral language and comprehension and any other factors that

may affect these areas of learning

4. To develop teaching strategies that may assist in increasing the student‟s comprehension

5. Trial some new teaching strategies over a three year period

Advantages of Action Research

There are several advantages for teachers to conduct action research. First, it helps educators

use data, rather than preferences or hunches, to guide improvement efforts. This makes the

process of action research more scientific in nature, proposing ideas and theories that can be

back up by data. This gives teachers something more concrete to work with instead of just

relying on the principles that teachers have used in the past. Times change and the way we

teach kids have to change along with the times. There have been a lot of changes to the way

things are taught in school as a result of the work of action research.

Another advantage of implementing action research lies in the fact it addresses both the

quality of students education and the professional growth of teachers. Logically, this would

be the ideal strategy in order for students to learn most effectively and for teachers to teach
most effectively. By actually reflecting on what a teacher is doing in the classroom, it

becomes easier to see what problems are there, and there is usually some indication of how

to go about solving the problem.

This leads to the third advantage of action research: it leads directly to actions that change

the environment. Once a teacher begins reflecting on the classroom situation, a thoughtful

educator will usually not waste much time in implementing actions based on the action

research he or she conducted. A fourth advantage of the use of action research is it plays an

important role in the improvement of specific pedagogical practices. As mentioned earlier,

there have been a lot of changes to the way subjects are taught in schools because of action

research. One example that illustrates how action research has changed a curriculum would

be in the physical education program. The classic stereotype of physical education is a

course where you did militaristic things like climbing a rope, push-ups, sit-ups, laps, and

played games in sports like basketball, soccer, hockey, and so on. However, physical

education in high school is, at least in theory, quite different from what it was years ago. It

now involves movement concepts, health and fitness, dance, etc. It has changed through the

work of action research, where educators realized that students were not getting enough just

by playing sports. They realized there was a need to implement social, effective, and

cognitive domains into the physical education curriculum.

Finally, action research has the advantage of developing a culture of inquiry in the school and

reflective educational practice on the part of the classroom teacher. Through action research,

several new techniques have developed which help increase the level of inquiry in the

classroom. One of these new techniques is concept mapping, where students take a major

concept and, in a web or chart format, break down the major concept into smaller concepts

and link all these concepts together with the use of connecting words. While concept
mapping lends itself especially well to the sciences, it has equal merit in other subjects as

well. Another technique (which incidentally has its origins in the sciences) that has raised the

level of inquiry in the classroom is the learning cycle. This technique involves introducing a

concept by first giving students information on a concept and giving time for them to explore

it on their own or in groups. Then, the educator comes back and asks about what the

students have gathered about the concepts and fills in any details the students may have

missed. The final stage involves further exploration of the concept. Both these approaches

have a higher level of inquiry that teacher-centred teaching techniques such as

lecturing. They are also more meaningful because students are actively engaged in the

learning process instead of just a passive observer. Hence, action research can be thought of

as responsible for many of the innovations in pedagogy we now have at our disposal as a

present and future teachers.

Action research is a very beneficial tool, but it takes a lot of time to conduct to be done

well. Action research is an ongoing process of reflection and action to produce the most

effective learning environment possible. It is also to note that not all problems can be solved

overnight, so results are not as immediate as one might expect. But the fact remains that

action research is an essential process for education to evolve to meet the needs of the

students of today and tomorrow.

 Three Purposes of Action Research

As stated earlier, action research can be engaged in by an individual teacher, a collaborative

group of colleagues sharing a common concern, or an entire school faculty. These three

different approaches to organizing for research serve three compatible, yet distinct, purposes:

 Building the reflective practitioner

 Making progress on schoolwide priorities

 Building professional cultures

Why Action Research Now?

If ever there were a time and a strategy that were right for each other, the time is now and the

strategy is action research! This is true for a host of reasons, with none more important than

the need to accomplish the following:

 Professionalize teaching.

 Enhance the motivation and efficacy of a weary faculty.

 Meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student body.

 Achieve success with “standards-based” reforms.

Conduction of an Action Research in classroom conditions.

Title: Disciplinary Problems among students

Teaching background

This year, I had taught the following subjects in N.G.T.H Sambalpur:

Bio-Science (Class 9th) in First year Teaching Internship.
th th
Phy-Science (Class 8 & 7 ) in Second year Teaching Internship.

Student background

The most challenging class for me last year was 8A and so I decided to take some actions to

manage the class before some problems really happened. There are 60 students in this class.

Generally speaking, they had very low motivation for learning. According to past statistics

and experience, only very few of them would get promoted to F.4 and most of the students

were aware of it. Therefore, they didn‟t have strong motive to study.

Besides, there is a great discrepancy in learning abilities of students. Some of

them were actually quite smart but they just chose to waste their talent. Most of the

students could not follow the normal syllabus and teaching schedule. Some students

had quite serious discipline problems and committed serious misconduct before. They

were very reluctant to follow school rules.

Planning of Actions

Before formulating plans, I decided to gather more information from students. I

divided the students into three groups with reference to the class they were in 8th A

Then I talked to their previous class teachers to have a better general understanding of

students and more detailed information of some misbehaved students. I found that

quite a few students with serious discipline problems came from 7th class.
Prioritized Targets

There was a wide range of discipline problems in the class, especially when

they were having lessons in Room 5. Therefore, I listed out the

common misbehaviour after consulting other science teachers especially those who

had taught 7 in the previous years. I have prioritized the following discipline

problems as the key issues for my actions:-

1). Leaving the classroom without permission of teachers.

2). Improper use or even damage to the classroom properties facilities.

3). The idleness of students in the class.

I have the belief that the safety of students is of the utmost importance to

teachers and I have to make sure where each and every student is and all students can

learn in a safe environment. Therefore, the underlying principle of my actions is:

Safety always comes first.

Effective learning comes from good discipline.

Actions

1). “Trust” system: students usually asked for permission to go to toilet during lessons.

Some of them asked out of genuine needs but some of them just wanted to “escape”

from the “boring” (from their point of view) lessons or even committed some

misconduct such as smoking in the toilet. Sometimes, it was very difficult to tell

which was the case. You may just turn down all their requests to avoid potential

misconduct. But this may lead to conflicts sometimes. Fortunately and yet

unfortunately, most of the subjects of 8th were taught by discipline teachers and thus

students were unwilling to ask for permission to go to toilet in those lessons. So, the

demand for permission to toilet increased in my lesson, especially during the double
lesson.

Taking the advice from other more experienced teachers, I set a quota (usually

one student for one lesson) for this in my lesson. Whenever there were several

students making the request at the same time, I let them sort it out by themselves. In

most of the cases, students would leave the chance to the one with genuine need and I

usually just marked down the name or class number.

Sometimes, the student may disturb other classes on his/her way to toilet. Should

I receive the complaint, I will punish the student. Besides, I would tell the class that

the student had undermined my trust on him/her. Next time, I would write down the

name /class number and the time of leaving classroom. The student would be put to

observation list and his/her request would be considered AFTER the request of other

students. If he/she was allowed to the toilet, I would watch him/her through all his/her

way to toilet to make sure no disturbance would be caused to other classes again.

2). Seating arrangement in the classroom: the students were arranged to sit

according to their class number and six students sat together as a group. At the

beginning, it was not welcome by students and nearly all of them requested for free

seating in the classroom. I had to seek help from discipline teachers to settle it down.

I stated it clearly to students that classroom safety always came first, even came

before teaching, whenever they were using the classroom. If their performance was

satisfactory, they may win my trust and hence the chance to rearrange the seating.

Should they fail to obey the classroom safety rules or even cause damage to

classroom facilities, serious consequences may arise including suspension of use of

the classroom.
3). Task engagement of students: I prepared handouts for students instead of using

textbooks to cater for their learning needs. At the beginning, I prepared quite detailed

handouts with summarized learning points for them. Nevertheless, it was not very

welcome by students and some of them even discard or misuse the handouts (such as

folding paper plane). Therefore, I decided to change the format of the handouts in

such a way that only headings were provided. Students had to copy most of the

contents as I wrote them down on the board. Later on, I gave every student an

exercise book to copy things I wrote on the board.

Students were very reluctant to write anything at the beginning. I had to state it

clearly that the copying of handouts was one of the proofs that they had at least learnt

something and it was also the “passport for no-detention” for them.

Results of the actions

The results were to some extent encouraging. There were some positive

outcomes:-

1). According to the reports of the Classroom Safety Committee, the overall damage

to the classroom facilities had been greatly reduced this year. This was the result of

the collaborative efforts of all science teachers. As for 8A, there were also less

irregularities as compared to students last year.

2). The disruption to other classes during the lessons decreased and I had made less

calls for discipline teachers this year.

Nevertheless, the teaching schedule was affected to some extent since time had

been used in preventive measures for discipline problems. The effectiveness of

copying of handouts also dropped quickly as students got bored easily. Then they

would engage themselves in some misbehaviour during lessons.

Follow ups

1). Modification of Syllabus

If students found the topics boring and not relevant to them, it would be more

likely for students to engage in some misconduct. Being appointed as the

this year, I decided to “add some flavour” to the syllabus. I tried to use the

movie “Super Size Me” when teaching topics related to food and health.

The reaction of students was quite positive.

As discussed with Mrs K.M Dash, the class teacher, I would try to find some solutions

regarding the problems. The teaching of some more “boring” topics such as metal, plastics

and composite materials may be changed from chalk-and-talk to project learning.

. Some experiment with greater potential danger or with unsatisfactory

observable results due to limitation of resources would be cut while more efforts

would be put in some more popular experiment such as making of decorative

accessories with plastics.

2). Classroom Safety Rules

It is essential to state the importance of classroom safety to students well at the

beginning of the term. Students should also be well informed of the consequences of

breaking safety rules. As discussed with Mrs K.M Dash, the Science teachers would work

together to implement the classroom safety rules more effectively. We may have

classroom safety competition for all the classes. The winning class could be awarded

accordingly. The class with poor classroom safety performance may face the

punishment conducted jointly by all science teachers. This is to show that safety is of

the utmost concern of us.

Conclusion

There is no single best method of handling discipline problems of students. The

personality and belief of teachers would have a significant bearing in this regard. I am

still on the way to search for and develop the approach of handling discipline

problems most suitable for me. Fortunately, I have many experienced and supportive

colleagues who have helped me a lot in the two years of my teaching life. They also

gave me some valuable advice when I was formulating actions to handle behavioural

problems of students. These actions would just be the first few steps in the process of

improving my skills of teaching and handling discipline problems. After all, being a

teacher, I am also a learner in the life-long process of learning and teaching.