Action Research Design Outline
1. What is the topic of your action research?
My topic for my action research is based around implementing a blended learning model into my 9th grade Algebra 1 course.
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This is a course I have been teaching for five years now, so I am quite familiar with how the course runs. The course is typically made up of a very diverse group of students in many different aspects, most notably behaviorally, academically, socioeconomically, and culturally. The achieving gap conversation typically is focused on this group, so we are constantly looking for new ways to enhance these students learning.
The blended learning model allows for us to take advantage of the LMS, Schoology, that we have in place to house the course materials, while most importantly allowing students to take ownership of their learning and work through the curriculum at their own speed.
​2. What is the purpose of your study?
The purpose of my study is to see how the blended learning model influences my Algebra 1 students.
As mentioned prior, this course is typically IEP/504 heavy with MANY students requiring significant accommodations. For this reason, differentiation is one of the main components of every lesson plan, even in a direct instruction formatted course.
In such a rigid course such as Algebra 1, particularly in my district, I do not have much wiggle room to sway around from the content I cover, particularly pacing with all assessments being standardized, however, breaking units into asynchronous/synchronous modules is realistic if done appropriately.
3. What is your research question?
In what ways does the use of the blended learning model influence lower achieving students in my Algebra 1 classroom?
Although 9th grade Algebra 1 students placed in my course are historically lower achieving, I am more so looking to see how the model impacts the learning of students with less than a 3.0 GPA, the group that most would consider are harder to “crack.” The current course design for our Algebra 1 course, the one that has been used for years, is dated, one-size-fits-all, and frankly, ineffective for many.
4. What is your research design (Qualitative, Quantitative, or Mixed Methods)? Why did you choose this design?
My research design will be quantitative.
Since I have taught the course for quite a few years, I have a significant amount of data that I have access to. This will allow me to group students as I see fit for comparisons as well as control lurking variables whenever possible.
At times it will be more effective to compare the same students learning in a blended learning vs. direction instruction learning setting, and at other times it will be useful to compare different students (with historically similar GPAs) to one another when completing the same units, so course content and difficulty is controlled.
While qualitative data has value in any study, the statistical evidence provides much more concrete evidence of the strengths and potential shortcomings this new model may possess.
5. What data will you collect?
Since our curriculum for this course requires quizzes and unit tests (which are pre-created), these will be the most useful for collecting data. Comparing assessments grades of historically similarly achieving students on assessments should allow the impact of the new learning model to be isolated. I will be able to provide these summative assessments as evidence.
As mentioned prior, I still have access to many years of Algebra 1 student data. We also use a program called LinkIt that allows us to track student data from when they entered the school district. This is particularly important for longitudinal studies of individuals students.
6. What types of measurement instruments will you use?
Most data collected will be from summative assessments, district created quizzes and tests, which are given on paper. With that said, some data from formative assessments will also be collected. Most formative assessments will be given via Schoology (in a variety of formats), however, some additional technology based formative assessment tools used will be Desmos, Quizizz, and Quizlet Live.
With the main focus on student achievement (with other components considered, of course), unit tests will most likely be the best measure sticks as they assess mastery, however, some of the more informal measures can speak more to the effectiveness along the way within the learning processes.
7. What is the focus of your lit review?
My literature review focuses on the impact blended learning has on motivation, achievement, comprehension, and collaboration inside the classroom. Since it is challenging to find a significant amount of research based solely in the 9th grade setting, my research will zoom out to blended learning in mathematics classroom, thus not restricting myself to single content area or grade level. I feel that this broader look into the blended learning model and subjecting myself to the diversity this way of teaching brings all with it will only strengthen my understanding of the topic.