[AAACE-NLA] Action Research as Professional Development
David Collings
david at collings.com
Thu Sep 28 17:04:05 EDT 2006
Our friend and colleague, Jackie Taylor, has announced a special
discussion, which will begin Monday on the NIFL Professional Development
discussion list. From the list of panelists and resources, this promises to
be a discussion that you won't want to miss.
If you are not currently a subscriber to the NIFL Professional Development
list (formerly NIFL-AALPD), look for subscription directions at the end of
this message.
David
David Collings
AAACE-NLA Moderator
david at collings.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Colleagues:
I am very pleased to announce an exciting discussion lined up for the Adult
Literacy Professional Development List, beginning this Monday, October 2nd,
on “Action Research as Professional Development.” University researchers
from the University of the District of Columbia and at least five of the 17
teacher researchers will be joining us to share their rich experiences with
the practice of action research as a vehicle for teacher change. Please
share the announcement below widely. More to come! Jackie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Discussion Topic: Action Research as Professional Development
Discussion Dates: October 2 – 9, 2006
To Participate: Subscribe by visiting:
<http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Professionaldevelopment>
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Professionaldevelopment
To Prepare: View this short streaming video for background about action
research in the District of Columbia
<http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/professionaldevelopment/webcast_actio
n.html>
http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/professionaldevelopment/webcast_action
.html (or try: <http://tinyurl.com/krah5> http://tinyurl.com/krah5 )
General Overview: Join our guests from the University of the District of
Columbia and teacher researchers (listed below) on the Adult Literacy
Professional Development Discussion List to discuss a broad range of topics
related to action research in adult literacy professional development (PD),
including:
* Defining action research
* Problems/questions from instruction that could become action
research
* Teachers’ experiences with action research
* Action Research in Adult Basic Education in the District of
Columbia, nationally, and internationally
* Using practitioner inquiry as professional development
* Ancillary support systems for action research
* Tools that give teachers different modes for examining their
practice and to build a PD community
* Role of action research in “evidence-based practice”
* Action research as a transformative professional development
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GUESTS:
Teacher Researchers:
Patricia DeFerrari works for Academy of Hope which runs several adult
education programs including ABE/GED classes. Her research was on the use
of authentic materials to improve attendance in ABE reading class.
Adrienne Jones works for Catholic Charities GED program. Her research was
on how daily interactive, self-paced computer learning and discussion time
with peers and the instructor effect written posttest scores in science,
reading and social studies.
Kris Garvin works for Notre Dame Adult Education Center. Her research was
on using authentic material to improve social studies scores in GED. Her
research also focused on building, highlighting, and reinforcing personal
connections learners have to community, history, and current events.
Cheryl Jackson works as an independent consultant teaching workplace
education classes for the District Department of Transportation employees.
Her research topic focused on how computer technology could be used to
improve reading comprehension and word recognition skills for low-level
readers participating in a workplace education program.
Chenniah Randolph works for Metropolitan Delta GED program. Her research
was on the instructional gap between CASAS assessment instrument and GED
instructional materials.
University of the District of Columbia Researchers:
Maigenet Shifferraw, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Coordinator of the
Graduate Certificate Program in Adult Education, Department of Education,
University of the District of Columbia
Dr. Shifferraw is the Principal Investigator for the Action Research project
in Adult Basic Education at the University of the District of Columbia. The
actual researchers are the adult education teachers who are teaching in
community based organization, but we (the team) is also responsible for
evaluating the benefits of guided action research to enhancing the
professional development of adult education teachers.
Janet Burton, DSW, Professor and Director, Social Work Program, University
of the District of Columbia
As a member of the Action research team, Dr. Janet Burton provides
consultation on research particularly related to social factors and adult
education. She is conducting a study that examines how social factors
impact participation in adult basic education.
George W. Spicely, Adjunct Professor, Department of Education, University of
the District of Columbia; and Education Consultant
Professor George Spicely coordinates the work of the Action Research Project
Team and provides support to the participating teacher-researchers.
Specifically, he coordinates planning, implementation and follow-up of
project activities, and leads research related discussion on administrative
and research issues using Blackboard software.
Supplemental Materials:
a. Streaming Video: Action Research in Adult Basic Education in the
District of Columbia
<http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/professionaldevelopment/webcast_actio
n.html>
http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/professionaldevelopment/webcast_action
.html (or try: <http://tinyurl.com/krah5> http://tinyurl.com/krah5 )
(b) About the D.C. Action Research Project:
<http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/professionaldevelopment/action.html>
http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/professionaldevelopment/action.html
(c) "What is Research?" Focus on Basics, Volume 1, Issue A:
February 1997,
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy:
<http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=166>
http://www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=166
Includes articles: "Research with Words: Qualitative Inquiry"
<http://www.ncsall.net/?id=468> http://www.ncsall.net/?id=468
"Knowing, Learning, Doing: Participatory Action Research
<http://www.ncsall.net/?id=479> http://www.ncsall.net/?id=479
(d) "Learning from Practice"
<http://www.pde.state.pa.us/able/cwp/view.asp?a=215&Q=110064>
http://www.pde.state.pa.us/able/cwp/view.asp?a=215&Q=110064
A Project of the Pennsylvania ABLE Lifelong Learning
Shares information on Project's three Learning from Practice Models
o Pennsylvania Action Research Network (PAARN)
o Pennsylvania Adult Literacy Practitioner Inquiry Network
o Agency Research Projects
(e) New! The Action Research Topic Area of the ALE Wiki:
<http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Action_Research>
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Action_Research
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To Subscribe, Visit:
<http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Professionaldevelopment>
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Professionaldevelopment
Jackie Taylor
Adult Literacy Professional Development List Moderator
jataylor at utk.edu <mailto:jataylor at utk.edu >
National Institute for Literacy - <http://www.nifl.gov/>
http://www.nifl.gov/
Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers -
<http://www.aalpd.org/> http://www.aalpd.org/
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.literacytent.org/pipermail/aaace-nla/attachments/20060928/64e78643/attachment-0001.html
More information about the AAACE-NLA
mailing list