Overview

This course will explore Action Research as an essential form of professional development where early childhood educators systematically study their own teaching practices to improve children’s learning and to grow their own professional skills. Action Research involves an iterative cycle of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting to solve real-world classroom problems.

Course Benefits

• Context-Specific Solutions: Unlike broader education approaches, action research allows early childhood educators to tailor strategies to their specific classroom environment and children’s unique needs.

• Professional Growth: Action Research fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and reflective teaching skills, empowering educators to take ownership of their professional development.

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

• Collaboration: Action Research promotes 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.

• Empowerment: Using Action Research techniques empowers teachers to move from being passive recipients of external research to being active researchers and leaders of their own practice, which can lead to a deeper understanding of children and the learning process.

In teaching, we all have those moments when something goes wrong with a lesson or implementing a classroom activity. When these moments happen, Action Research can help you to investigate, reflect, and make a positive and beneficial changes in your teaching approaches.

Course Format

This course is delivered over eight weeks through live online classes held on Saturdays. 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 Objectives & Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will:

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

• Understand the concepts and component steps of action research

• Understand how to design and implement an action research project

• Identify action researchable issues and concerns in their own context

• Plan and conduct small-scale action research

• Present the results of action research projects to their colleagues and other stakeholders

Training Structure

Training includes 10 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. (2012). A practical guide to action research for literacy. Literacy Europe. 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. (n.d.). A 101 Action Research Guide for Beginners. Peter Lang Publishing. 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.