Week 6 – Final Project

Action Research Formal Presentation of Findings

 This Final Project is designed to report what you have learned and to apply the information obtained from your action research in its entirety including the proposal, observations, data collection, analysis, sharing, and feedback acquired through collaboration with your peers. As a scholarly practitioner, you have had the opportunity to continue your exploration of action research principles and implement your intervention/innovation in the setting of your choice. 

To clarify, the planned action research intervention or innovation will occur in the approved setting while you are enrolled in EDU675. You will again submit the Informed Consent form during Week One of EDU675, verifying approval to conduct their AR intervention/innovation. The available settings for your research are limited depending on your personal situation: Employed in a classroom setting: Employed in a non-classroom setting: Not employed:

As you have learned, the rationale of this type of research is to discover evidence that examines perceived problems in a given setting. Recall, the purpose of action research is to improve practice or to implement change for the purpose of professional development. Mills (2014) states “. . . educational change that enhances the lives of children is a main goal of action research. But action research can also enhance the lives of professionals” (p.13). Furthermore, action research is the process of telling the story of your research journey. This final project is your opportunity to tell the story of your research experience in the Masters of Arts in Education (MAED) Program. 

Writing the Final Project
Construct your final project to meet the content and written communication expectations below.

Content Expectations Introduction (1 point): Create a one-to-two paragraph introduction that      provides a succinct overview of the scope and organization of the      assignment. Context (2 points):      In one-to-two paragraphs, explain what the reader must know about the      organization/school setting to enrich their understanding of the      intervention/innovation. (e.g., details about the organization/school,      staff, number and type of learners/employees, programs, ages, locale, and      any other pertinent details regarding the specific content of the      project). Literature Review (3 points): In two-to-three pages, summarize the literature      related to the problem using 4-5 scholarly resources including a brief      historical overview and that expands the introduction and presents the      current research published about the problem.  Area of Focus Statement (1 point): In one-to-two sentences, discuss the issues that were      addressed, how they emerged, and the goal of your research. Research Questions (1 point): State one-to-three questions addressed by the research      in list format. Intervention/Innovation Description (3 points): In one      page, describe the intervention applied for your action research study      including comments on the type of adjustments you may have had to make to      the intervention. Data Collection Strategies (2 points): In one-to-two pages, describe the data obtained      through the observations using charts, diagrams, or other visual      depictions of your data to supplement the description.  Outcome Analysis (2 points): In one-to-two pages, explain the conclusions of the      data analysis addressing the specific strategies that were successful,      which strategies did not work as well as was anticipated, and how the      strategies support the research questions.  Learning Themes (2 points): In one-to-two pages, reflect on the research themes,      including the unintended/unexpected outcomes, what worked well, what      worked less well, and any process you would conduct differently. Action Plan (3 points): In one-to-two pages, explain the anticipated steps      that are necessary to continue with this change initiative and the      leadership strategies needed to implement them action plan. Conclusion (2 points): In two-to-three paragraphs, summarize the major      outcome and analysis of the project including the gaps that were uncovered      providing insight into the relationship between the topic of the      literature review and your overall findings.

Written Communication Expectations Page Requirement (.5 points): 18-to-20 pages, not including title and references      pages. APA Formatting (.5 points): Use APA formatting consistently throughout the      assignment. Syntax and Mechanics (.5 points): Display meticulous comprehension and organization of      syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar.  Source Requirement (.5 points): References five scholarly sources in addition to the      course textbook, providing compelling evidence to support ideas. All      sources on the references page need to be used and cited correctly within      the body of the assignment.

Next Steps: Review and Submit the Assignment        
Review your assignment with the Grading Rubric to be sure you have achieved the distinguished levels of performance for each criterion. Next, submit the assignment to the course room for evaluation no later than Day 7. 

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.