Enhancing STEM equity programs with action research

Barber, Catherine R.; Palasota, John A; Steiger, Michelle A.; Bagnall, Ruth Ann; Reina, Juan Carlos; Wagle, Jyoti; Bai, Yi-Yan

doi:10.1177/1476750320910491

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…In their study on enhancing STEM equity programs with action research Barber et al (2020) provide guidelines that include recommendations to explore processes rather than outcomes and to use an action research framework at the project onset. Findings showed the most informative data was collected through interviews and informal interactions with participants, which was then utilised to identify and justify changes to the curriculum.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The action research method has been shown to promote independent, autonomous learning in educational settings (Gibbs et al, 2017) and has provided successful outcomes for STEM students (Schiller et al 2018;Burrows and Borowczak, 2019;Barber et al, 2020). In this study the curriculum is developed through repeated action research spirals that contain the teaching activities and feed forward the findings from the delivery to refine the next version in an evolutionary cycle.…”

Section: Action Research As Methods and Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Radical Approach to Curriculum Design

Hobbs

Holley

2022

International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning

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A contemporary challenge for education in STEM is the need to produce work-ready graduates for a fast-changing and technology-driven workplace. This study focuses on first-year undergraduate computing students who failed to engage with a traditional, didactic approach to teaching soft skills. A radical curriculum redesign implemented a new methodological integration of action research, mobile technology, and constructivist pedagogy. Students created interactive artefacts with an augmented reality app, on mobile devices, to promote and enhance teamwork and communication skills. Following an action research methodology, students develop soft skills as an emergent aspect of a blended approach to their professionally-inspired project work. This more authentic approach, using their own mobile devices, captured the imagination of students and directed attention to the significance of broader skills relevant to industry. Over the four-year study period, submissions rose from 66% to 93%, with student satisfaction significantly enhanced.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Action Research As Methods and Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

A Radical Approach to Curriculum Design

Hobbs

Holley

2022

International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning

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Challenges Emerged During an Action Research Approach Applied in a Schoolgarden Project: Reflections and Revisions

Christodoulou,

Korfiatis

2023

Contributions From Biology Education Research

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This paper reports on the challenges that emerged during an Action Research (AR) school kitchen-garden project. The AR team included the teacher/researcher (T/R), the critical friend, the facilitators (i.e. the T/R’s academic advisor and the school’s principal) and three more colleague teachers. Data was derived from T/R observations and students’ reflecting notes. The results exhibited four categories of challenges that emerged during the AR cycles concerning teaching and research strategies, research coordination and students’ participation. It transpired that a research group which was committed to dialogue, shared knowledge and action managed to create a participatory and effective project. Strategies such as organizing regular meetings between the research team members, developing a friendly relationship between teachers and participating students, having a personal approach toward students who participate in the applied project (e.g., private conversations), identifying students’ personal worries or social difficulties and applying activities promoting students’ creativity, mobility and autonomy could be helpful to other environmental educational projects, as well.

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