Week 1 Discussion

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Communications

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Apr 3, 2024

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Using headings to organize your post, respond to the following: 1. From your early understanding of applied research, would you agree or disagree that it is difficult to be a highly effective teacher or principal without having a working knowledge of the research world and how it works? (Support your answer with the readings from this Unit, as well as knowledge from your own experiences.) 2. Jumping right into your research proposal, what topic would you like to explore and why is this of interest to you or important for you to research? 3. List your two to three “applied research” questions that will guide your research proposal. (Remember that applied research questions must be bias-free, cannot make assumptions on the outcome, focuses on solving a current educational problem involving students, and includes the intervention [strategy] that you plan to implement and study.) Applied Research and Highly Effective Teaching Applied research, or teacher research as described by Painter (n.d.), is action-based research that “enables educators to follow their interests and their needs as they investigate what they and their students do” (para. 2). More specifically, applied research allows educators and/or administrators to drill down further into the “why” certain issues arise with greater frequency than others and the “how” of moving forward to facilitate solutions (Hine, 2013). Given this definition, it is my belief that applied research is a required component of being a highly effective classroom educator or principal. Beyond the positive benefits of teacher research and working peer groups in localized classrooms, having the proper supports in place can elevate teacher research findings towards also having significant impact on adjustments made by entire school districts. Diane DeMott Painter teaches for the Fairfax County Public School system in Northern Virginia, which offers a highly sought after education curriculum for their students. I was fortunate enough to also teach in the Fairfax County Public Schools and have my three oldest
children attend elementary school there prior to our move to South Georgia. I can attest to the all-around benefits felt throughout the county, among teachers, students, and even support staff which resulted from the collaborative nature of sharing teacher research findings. Applied Research Topic Proposal Many years ago, when I first started teaching, a woman named Rita Pierson caught my attention with her TED Talk from 2013 at a TED education event. Around minute 1:33, Ms. Pierson quotes herself as saying, “kids don’t learn from people they don’t like” once in conversation with a co-worker (2013). That comment has stuck with me throughout my teaching career and holds true to this day especially as I tackle the sometimes-unsettling atmosphere of a middle school life science classroom. The topic of student-teacher relationships is one that has only recently, within the last 5- 10 years, become more of a talking point amongst educators and administrators. I believe this topic is crucial to applied research in education because the student-teacher relationship plays a significant role in shaping educational experiences and outcomes. The Education Trust (2021) states that “strong relationships with teachers and school staff can dramatically enhance students’ levels of motivation” (para. 2). Rimm-Kaufman, PhD and Sandilos, PhD (2015) also support the importance of positive student-teacher relationships in the classroom and say that while these relationships alone will not lead to academic achievement, “students who have close, positive and supportive relationships with their teachers will attain higher levels of achievement than those students with more conflict in their relationships” (para. 1). Potential Applied Research Questions
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