Overview

This course will explore Action Research as an essential form of professional development. Action Research involves an iterative cycle of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting in order to solve real-world teaching and learning challenges. Early childhood educators will systematically study their own teaching practices to improve children’s learning and to deepen their own professional skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and reflective teaching skills.  

Why Should I Take This Course?

As early childhood teachers, we all have those moments when something goes wrong with a lesson or with implementing a classroom activity. When these moments happen, Action Research can help you to investigate, reflect, and make positive and beneficial changes in your teaching approach and practices. Ideal participants for this course are early childhood teachers and leaders who wish to be empowered to systematically investigate teaching and learning challenges in their own early childhood programs and classrooms and implement improvements, emphasizing context-specific solutions.  

Learning Objectives

To establish the base necessary to understand and implement Action Research, participants will explore: 

• The ongoing cycle of action research to address and solve long term problems that occur in the early childhood classroom. 

• The concepts and component steps of action research 

• How to design and implement an action research project 

• How to identify action researchable issues and concerns in their own context 

• The techniques for planning and conducting small-scale action research 

• The results of their own action research projects demonstrating a clear understanding of the first two Objectives above.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course participants will be able to:  

• Design Context-Specific Solutions that allow early childhood educators to tailor strategies to their specific classroom environment and children’s unique needs. 

• Apply Evidence-Based Practices by gathering real-world data through observations, and gathering children’s artifacts, etc. to inform instructional changes, ensuring that these decisions are evidence-based.  

• Boost Collaboration by creating a culture of continuous improvement as teachers learn and grow and then can share their reflections and partner with colleagues on larger scale Action Research projects.  

• Elevate Teacher Leadership using Action Research techniques to empower teachers to move from being passive recipients of external research to being active researchers and leaders of their own practice leading to a deeper understanding of children and the learning process. 

Course Format

This course is delivered over eight weeks through live online classes held on Saturdays beginning on March 7, 2026. Each session will run for two hours and will include lectures and interactive class discussions. While recordings will be made available, active attendance is expected. Participants will complete weekly individual and group assignments and collaborate in small groups on sample action research projects throughout the course.

Course content is provided by the Global Center for Innovation and Learning.

Training Structure

Training includes eight (8) two-hour online modules, one per week

• Module 1: Basic Concepts and Purpose of Action Research in the Early Childhood Setting

• Module 2: Action Research Tools & Processes 

• Module 3: Developing an Action Research Topic 

• Module 4: Implementing Practical Action Research

• Module 5: Collecting & Using Actionable Data

• Module 6-7: Conducting Action Research – Developing a Topic & Process

• Module 8: Sharing Results & Gaining Feedback

Offline Study & Project Implementation

• One hour of offline study per week for Modules 1-5

• Two hours of offline implementation per week for Modules 6-8

Course Materials

• All materials will be provided in electronic format, including ebooks and PowerPoints.

• Class recording will be available within 24 hours of each course session.

• A private Facebook group will be created for registered participants. A link to join the group will be sent with registration confirmation. This group will serve to connect with classmates and trainers for discussion and questions.

References

1. Literacy Europe. A Practical Guide to Action Research for Literacy. Literacy Europe, 2012. https://www.literacyeurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/a-practical-guide-to-action-research-for-literacy-pdf

This free English Action Research guide provides foundational methods and tools for educators to conduct classroom-based inquiry.

2. Ahmed, S. A 101 Action Research Guide for Beginners. Peter Lang Publishing, n.d. Order here (Use code MCA101 for 30% discount until 31 March 2026. Alternatively, contact orders@peterlang.com.)

This book by Saba Ahmed (MPharm, PG Dip, FHEA), Pharmacist & Pharmacy Professional Development Lecturer at DHB Bradford College (UK), offers practical guidance for public health educators and researchers interested in action research.