Syllabus

Course Description

First note that in this course "educational change" is construed broadly to include organizational change, training, and personal development, as well as curricular and school change. This course builds on the question: "If you have good ideas how do you get others to adopt and/or adapt them?" (in other words, how do you build a "constituency" around your idea). This concern can lead you into evaluating how good the ideas actually are (with respect to objectives you formulate) so you can demonstrate this to others. It can also lead you to work with others to develop the idea so it becomes theirs as well and thus something they're invested in. In any case, the first person in your constituency is yourself! To prepare you for such work, class activities introduce tools for group facilitation, participatory planning, reflective practice, and systematic evaluation. We do all this within a framework of "Cycles and epicycles of Action Research."

Course Objectives

• Written assignments and presentations (2/3 of grade)
  A. Action Research written assignments (eight)
  B. Action Research work-in-progress presentations (two)
  Design an Action Research Process related to a change or intervention in a specific classroom, workplace or personal teaching/learning practice, an educational policy, an educational institution, or a social policy. Your design should include how you will evaluate the existing situation, how you would facilitate the reflective and/or collaborative process in which a constituency shapes a change or intervention, and how you would evaluate the outcome with a view to expanding further the constituency for adopting/adapting the change or intervention. (If you actually carry out some of the design, that will deepen the project, but it is not required.)
  A sequence of 10 assignments is required-reflection on class demonstration action research, initial description (based on strategic personal planning), KAQ, evaluation clock, work-in-progress presentation, notes on research and planning, narrative outline, second work-in-progress presentation, complete draft report, and final (1500-2500 words) report.
• Participation and contribution to the class process (1/3 of grade)
  C. Building learning community through prepared participation and attendance at class meetings (=13 items)
  D. Personal/Professional Development (PD) Workbook submitted for perusal before end of week 6 (with worksheet in week 6) & at the end of the semester (=2 items)
  E. Minimum of two in-office or phone conferences on your assignments, PD workbook, and project -- one before mid-semester break; the other before week 10 (=2 items)
  F. Peer commentary on another student's draft report (with copy submitted to PT or included in PD workbook)
  G. Assignment Check-list maintained by student and submitted week 12
  H. Process Review on the development of your work, included with your PD Workbook at end-of-semester perusal.

Prerequisites

For CCT students, this course is best taken after the Processes of Research and Engagement.

Required Textbooks

How to Use Action Research in the Self-Renewing SchoolCalhoun. E. F. (1994). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Practical Action Research for Change. Schmuck, R. (either 1997 or 2006). Arlington Heights, IL: Skylight.

Grading

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