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Making Action Research

Questions
Energizer
Making Research Questions
Objectives

In this learning session, the participants will be able to:

1. explains the importance of having a good research questions;


and
2. formulate good research questions following the guidelines.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Presentation Flow

KEY UNDERSTANDING/
CONTENT

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION-BUREAU OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT


KEY UNDERSTANDING/CONTENT

Presentation Flow
1. Importance research questions in a
research.
2. Guidelines on Making Action Research
Questions

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
ACTIVITY
Presentation Flow
In your group, using the
metacards and the sheet of
cartolina, list down what are the
characteristics of a good
research questions.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
What are Research Questions?
Presentation Flow
It is what you specifically want to
answer or test in conducting a study.
In other words, the question that
states what will you look for.
It is what you want to answer or
test in order to solve the identified or
understand it better.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
What are the Importance of RQ?
The research questions you formulate
give focus to the research, as well as
guide the appropriateness of the
decisions make.
If the research questions are not clearly
formulated, or have no direction, you
will find yourself with too much data and
yet not knowing what to do with them.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
What are the Importance of RQ?
The research question express clearly
the specific direction or focus of your
research problem or inquiry.
It is the guiding element to make
decisions on deepening literature
review, choosing a valid research
method, and analyzing findings.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Types of Research Questions
Problem Questions
These are general and explanatory and
have a crucial influence on the form and
content of topic questions.
Topic Questions
These are specific and descriptive.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Developing and Refining your RQ
There are techniques that can be used to help
you shape your thinking and focus of your
questions:
Focusing Circles. This is a technique wherein you
can narrow your focus by drawing a small circle at the
center (inside) a larger one. The issue, topic, or
problem is written in the small circle and the larger
(circle) is divided into four segments. In each of these
segments an aspect of the topic is written. One of
these four segments then becomes the center of the
next circle and so on.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Developing and Refining your RQ

Mind Maps. Most teachers have, at some time, used


mind maps or spider webs. Probably the most
comprehensive guide to the use of mind mapping.
Here the issue is written at the center of a piece of
paper and related factors branch out of the center.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Developing and Refining your RQ
Generate a set of personally meaningful research
questions to guide the inquiry.
Be specific with the independent and dependent
variables
Example:
 Effects of Project-Based Learning on students
engagement in class.
Effects of feedback strategy on students spelling
scores.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Developing and Refining your RQ
 Bad action research questions:
• What will improve critical thinking skills?
(too broad, no specific intervention)
•Is the KPUP assessment effective in schools?
(no idea on what data will be collected)
•To what extent is the K to 12 program effective?
(there are several indicators of the K to 12 to be
considered, not outcome specified)
• Is there a significant difference between principals’
leadership styles and teachers attitude on teaching?
(confused researcher: illogical to compare two different
variables)
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Question Checklist (Schwalbach, 2003)

Question Type:
1. Does the question have the right scope?
Sample question:
What improves motivation in my class?
Focused question:

What kind of speaking activities will motivate my


students.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Question Checklist (Schwalbach, 2003)

Question Type:
2. Is the question closed or open-ended question?
Sample question:
Can group work be extended in my classroom?
Focused question:

How can group work be extended in my


classroom?

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Question Checklist (Schwalbach, 2003)

Question Type:
3. Is the question biased?
Sample question:
How will using electronic dictionaries lead to a
higher test scores in my students’ writing?
Focused questions:
How will using electronic dictionaries influence my
students’ writing?

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Question Checklist (Schwalbach, 2003)

Question Type:
4. Does the question allow for a logical connection
between the action and the outcome?
Sample question:
How will observation of my students carrying out
listening tasks increase my understanding of how best
to develop their listening skills.
Comment:
Observation alone is unlikely to result in
comprehensive findings about how students develop
their listening skills.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Question Checklist (Schwalbach, 2003)

Question Type:
5. Does the question lend itself to data collection?

Sample question:
What is the task-based language learning (TBLL)?

Focused question:
What kinds of reading tasks work the most
effectively in my classroom?

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Question Checklist (Schwalbach, 2003)

Question Type:
6. Does the question relate to current research?
Sample question:
How can I develop students’ reading skills by
using a phonics-only approach?
Comment:
Although teaching phonics is a part of developing
reading skills, current research indicates that reading
development requires attention to variety of other
complementary skills and strategies.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Question Checklist (Schwalbach, 2003)

Question Type:
7. Is the question ethical?
Sample question:
How can I stop beginner low-achieving Kamayo
learners from using their first language (L1) in the class?
Comment:
This question assumes first that the beginner
Kamayo learners are not able to achieve well and L1 is
the negative aspect of early learning-an assumption
that is not supported by current research.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Question Checklist (Schwalbach, 2003)

Question Type:
8. Is the question stated clearly and concisely?
Sample question:
What kinds of listening tasks based on
contemporary theories of communicative language
teaching used in the Grade Seven of Au Bord de la Mer
Secondary High School can best be applied to increase
the listening skills of EFL students of that class?
Focused question:
What kinds of listening tasks will assist my EFL
seventh grade students to develop their listening skills?
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
What constitutes a good RQ?
meaningful, compelling and important
manageable and within your within the
sphere of your influence.
should be important for the learners
Improving a teaching/learning situation, to
implementing actions that can make a
difference in the lives of the students

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
What constitutes a good RQ?
The what, who, when, where, how, and why
of the research study. The first four
interrogatives relate to description of the
elements of the problem, the fifth to the
process of it, and the last one to causation.
What is intended to do (describe, explore,
compare, explain, or even evaluate).

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Examples of Script for RQ?
Focus of the Research Question:
Description of the elements of the identified
problem
 Script: What/How ______(the unknown element)
______ (central phenomenon) ____(participants)____
(research site/period of time)?
Examples:
 What are the digital writing tools more used by the
Grade 10 students to prepare for essay writing?
 How is domestic violence perceived by Prosperidad
rural communities?

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Examples of Script for RQ?
Focus of the Research Question:
Exploration of the elements of the problem
 Script: What ______(unknown element) ______
(central phenomenon) ____(participants)____
(research site/period of time)?
Examples:
 What differentiated strategies are used to teach
illiterate parents of the elementary public schools in
Bunawan municipality?
 What are the opinions of Rosario community leaders
about the current illegal mining in the municipality?

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Examples of Script for RQ?
Focus of the Research Question:
Compare elements of the problem
 Script: What is/ are the differences between/among
______ (central phenomenon) ____(participants)____
(research site/period of time)?
Examples:
 What are the differences in social network usage
between female and male students of Prosperidad
National High School?
 What is the difference in perception toward insurance
among the parents of Trento National High School?

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Examples of Script for RQ?
Focus of the Research Question:
Explanation of the problem
 Script: What/Why _____ (unknown element) ____
(central phenomenon) ______(participants) ______
(research site/period of time)?
Examples:
 What is the relationship between the teaching strategy
and the scores of the Grade 10 students’ achievement
test in English of Sta. Irene National High School?
 Why do Grade 11 Senior High School students tend to
drop-out of school of Sibagat National High School?

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Activity
• State the problem question of
the study you have chosen.
• Formulate a problem and
research question/s applying the
scripts presented that are
applicable to your action
research topic you have chosen.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Criteria to Evaluate RQ (Green, 2008)
 Specific (what needs to be answered is clearly and concisely
stated)
 Key Elements are Present (what, who, where, when, and/or
why)
 Answerable (possible to know what would take to answer it)
 Interesting for you and others
 Feasible (in terms of time, costs, skills, required information,
across to it, etc.)
 Meaningful to you, others, and the field of study
 Timely (Is it a hot question these days? Is it possible to
generate new directions to research)
 Evaluate (maintain ethical standards in relation to participants,
data and researcher)
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
“If you do not ask
the right questions, you
do not get the right
answers.”
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

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