In my EXPS 420 course, we were required to complete an action research project. For this project, we
first chose a science concept and a grade level and decided on a specific action research plan. We were
also required to find studies that have been done in the past that utilized the same action research as
the one we chose, and explain how our action research study would expand on the ones we found. We
then submitted a description of how we would administer our action research plan and created or
located an assessment to use as both a pre and post assessment in our study. As our final project, we
created two thorough lesson plans which detailed even further the administration of our action research
plan.
This project was important because it introduced a class of aspiring teachers to a great resource that we
can use in our future careers. Action research is responsible for many student’s success because it
allows the teacher the opportunity to pinpoint certain areas that students may be struggling with and
then guides his or her instruction of the material on an individual basis. This method gives students the
direct instruction they need and a more focused and individualized lesson results in more successful
students overall.
Before beginning this project, I was unfamiliar with action research or how it would be used in a
classroom and had never conducted any research on the idea. During the project, I was familiarized with
the utilization of an action research plan and the potential it has in bettering instruction and as a result,
student understanding. I was given the opportunity to create my own plan for action research I would
conduct in my classroom, and through creating this plan, I gained experience in how to develop and
administer a comprehensive action research plan that yields conclusive data. I now feel comfortable
with this resource and look forward to utilizing it in my future classroom.
• Chose grade level and science concept
• Created action research plan
• Identified correlating standards
• Identified studies like the one I chose, and described how my action research study would
expand on existing studies