Many Teachers already overburdened with curriculum requirements, accountability requirements, and all the day-to-day pressures of keeping a classroom running. Why they should take one more thing?
Research is a word with many meanings that can evoke laboratories, chemical formulas and science. It generally represents a clear and recognized methodology and implies objectivity. In schools, the word research usually means to gather a collection of information, to compile what is already known about a certain topic.
Gail Ritchie, states that research is not an add-on; it is a way of being. If teachers observe her classroom and think her teaching or learning better then the teacher herself is taking a research. The goal of research is to put “Best Practices” about teaching/ learning into actual practice in your classroom. And the person who does that is you, the classroom teacher.
Carlina Rinaldi defines research as an attitude and an approach in everyday living in school and in life…as a way of thinking of ourselves and thinking with others, a way of relating with others, with the world around us and with life.
Thus, conducting research for classroom situation is crucial among teacher. The teachers think of better way to elevate students’ performance and teachers’ effectiveness in sharing knowledge with students.
Classroom Action Research (CAR) is more specific than basic research, and it is more concerned on the teaching process itself than on the topics taught. In a nutshell, a CAR is a form of practitioner research on the current situation of a class. That means that the practitioner- the teacher- the one who conducts active research on his or her class truly needs.
The CAR method has different versions, from basic observations to fully scientific studies. A good CAR, however, involves several systematic steps.
First, of course, is the identification of a specific research question based on a premise. The question may seek a current description of a class. The question should be a top concern of the teacher.
Next step is to research on previous studies on the same question. In the scientific research, this is called review of related literature. Third step is to lay out research strategy, or the action that is purposefully done for the research. This could be as simple as conducting quizzes that are created to help answer research question.
Next are the implementation of the strategy and the collection of the research. After that the teacher now has data to analyze. The quiz results, for example, can show patterns and even clear answers to the original research questions. They may indicate how many students provided correct answers and so on.
Now that the teacher has solid evidence on what works or what doesn’t he or she can take action based on it. This action could be continued use of teaching technique that has been proven effective, or replacement of a teaching that did not show success.
Research empowers teachers to make a positive difference in terms of classroom practice. It enables us to provide relevant information about teaching and learning in actual classrooms. Most importantly, the research improves the live of students by always seeking to discover better, more effective ways of implementing teaching/ learning.
It is truly helpful to teachers to find out what students need. But more importantly, it is a tool for them to identify what it comes to their teaching skills. This identification is the first step towards better teaching, and consequently, a better education.
By: Edwin G. Agustin | Teacher III | Bagumbayan Elementary School | Pilar, Bataan
