The Process of Data Evaluation and Eliciting Its Implications, Essay Example

Once the research results have been collected, the process of data evaluation and eliciting its implications is the most responsible step for the action researcher. The reason for the importance of assessing data correctly is that teachers are sometimes biased, since they collect data from their classrooms, and do not possess the objectivity of a detached observer. However, as Megan Cooper stipulated in the webcast about aligning the classroom processes and techniques with state standards, there is a need to build proper alignment between the ways in which similar subjects are taught to students of similar age in similar classrooms. Standardization is often perceived in a detached form, as a way to comply during the end-of-the-year testing; however, as Ms. Cooper stated, there is a need to be sure that the way one teacher perceives teaching reading in the fourth grade should be consistent with what other teachers think it should look like.

The way of ensuring compliance with standards is to make practices evidence- and research-based, and to prove that they are consistent with standard-related literature before implementing them in practice. A teacher should show how his or her practice relates to the standards and research findings on a particular study aspect to justify the use of each particular practice in the classroom. In my research, I designed the intervention practice according to the model of Creative Problem Solving, with each stage delineated in research literature. Compliance with this model enabled me to evaluate the received research results objectively in accordance with each step of the research – see Attachment (an excerpt from my action research paper).

(Attachment from action research: Developing the Procedure and Activities)

The basic scheme for the first cycle of the action research was composed of activities and tasks that involved both individual and collective work. Since problem-based learning was likely to provoke active participation of students due to bringing out learning objectives against the background of real-world experiences, as it was described by Hmelo-Silver (2004, p. 236), it appeared logical to design tasks to fit this mode of educational activities.

The principles around which the tasks of the first cycle were constructed are consistent with the technique of the Creative Problem Solving, which means that they involved a sequence of “organized steps, each of which requires both convergent and divergent thinking” (Meador, 1997, p. 73). Meador explained that in this framework, “problem solvers think creatively as they diverge and generate numerous possibilities and then think critically and convergently by deciding which possibilities to continue pursuing” (1997, p. 73). This approach is consistent with the objectives set in the present study.

The list of stages of the creative problem solving process identified by Meador starts with fact-finding (1997, p. 73). The students in the sample, as it is indicated in the background information, were capable of pinpointing relevant factual information. It appeared rational to start developing a more advanced competence based on the skill that the students already possessed, creating a link between the two components of the sought literacy and making the transition stage easier for them.

The second stage is problem finding. As Meador put it, “although the problem appears obvious in many situations, people waste a great deal of time solving issues that are mere consequences of the real problem” (1997, p. 74). This is how the collected factual information is analyzed in terms of its importance and relevance. The next step is idea finding. At this level, the students suggest their solutions to the problem, possibly using brainstorming and other idea-generating techniques. In the end, they filter the ideas they have had, dismissing the irrelevant ones and synthesizing the solutions that appear near-optimum (Meador, 1997, p. 74). This stage is also consistent with the learning objectives of the action research in question.

The final stage indicated by Meador is solution finding. The short-listed solutions generated during the previous stage should be assessed and prioritized in order to reach a decision that is selected for implementation. Students should present a list of criteria according to which the final evaluation of the possible solutions is carried out (Meador, 1997, p. 75). This is also helpful in the task of organizing students’ sharing their ideas.

At the same time, a collection of activities involving both collective and individual work was described by Belliveau (2012) in order to address several issues: making young learners acquainted and adjusted to the style and complexity of Shakespeare’s ideas, develop their vocabulary, stimulate active participation and provoke discussion and sharing opinions. Belliveau’s approach and task modes were regarded as possible to use with due modifications to fit the age of the learners and meet the specific critical thinking learning objectives. Belliveau’s activities often served as data collection instruments, which enhanced the process of the implementation of the action research greatly. Belliveau’s practices included word wall, journaling, character masks, reflection leaves, and newspaper (2012). All of the practices appeared useful in the first cycle of the action research.

The word wall is the one practice that is the least connected with the development of critical thinking skills, as it involves mostly vocabulary work. However, the final decision was to keep this practice in the list of the applied activities for several reasons. Firstly, there inevitably had to be new words that the students did not know. Apart from the most obvious task of extending their vocabulary, the word wall performed the function of an additional method of improving their understanding of the ideas expressed in the book. It is common knowledge that the choice of vocabulary is a stylistic device authors use to characterize their personages or describe some events. Therefore, the word wall was included into the initial cycle plan in order to enhance vocabulary work and see it its application would facilitate critical reading and the development of critical thinking skills in any way.

The activities that directly addressed critical thinking skills were supposed to be based on the ability to work with factual information, first. This agreed with Meador’s (1997) idea of the fact-finding stage. At this point, the students are offered several individual and collective exercises that activate their attention and help them pinpoint the most important concepts, ideas, relations and events.

During the next stage, the students should analyze the factual information they have obtained during the first phase. Here, a variety of activities is possible that involve evaluating, explaining, or interpreting the collected facts. Character masks, another practice suggested by Belliveau (2012), appeared to be quite useful at this level, but with certain modifications. The students were offered tasks allowing them to put themselves in situations similar to the ones described in the book or analyze actions and motives of a chosen character in order to make the activity as problem solving as possible.

There is an explicit connection between reading and writing in the process of teaching young learners critical thinking and meaning construction (Cooper & Kiger, 2009, p. 340). As Cooper and Kiger described it, “students need to use their writing as a springboard to reading, just as they use their reading as a springboard to writing” (2009, p. 340). This assumption suggested that there had to be a variety of written tasks apart from panel discussions and debates that could take place during the “character masks” stage. These written reports could take the form of journaling and reflective leaves (Belliveau, 2012). These tasks also address several issues at the same time:

• they give the students an opportunity to work independently on a task and apply the skills they have mastered (or have started to master);
• they ensure feedback from students that shows if they are satisfied with what they do, if they feel they have achieved something, if they feel comfortable with the tasks offered for them, what they expect from further sessions, etc.
• they serve as data collection instruments, enabling the researcher to refer to them in the process of conducting the research.

Newspapers are a collective type of assignment fulfilling the same functions that the previous two kinds of written reports. However, there are additional advantages – an opportunity for the students to use their creativity and reference to the media context surrounding the students outside the academic framework. All the tasks had to be consistent with the principles of problem solving. A variety of data collection instruments not restricted to one or two of them, would ensure reliability of the obtained results. The implementation process is described in more detail in the corresponding results section.

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