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Professional Collaborative Inquiry Project Management Handbook September 2016

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Context

This handbook has been developed to provide project management support and guidance to Centre for Inspiring Minds’ (CIM) project leaders and team members. It is offered as a process reference, rather than a formula. For practical reasons, this handbook focuses on CIM-specific and externally developed project management models and processes associated with practitioner-led action research (PLAR). The models and processes are equally relevant to more generalised forms of professional collaborative inquiry, which may form the basis for CIM projects and activities or other structured, self-directed professional growth. This handbook, as much as the Centre for Inspiring Minds itself, is a work in progress. At any point in time both are a reflection of our evolving thinking about how best to cultivate a research-engaged school – a school where the practice and application of practitioner-led action research informs our approaches to improving teaching effectiveness and learner outcomes. No part of this handbook may be reproduced or distributed outside ACS International Schools without the express permission of the Centre for Inspiring Minds. Benedict Hren, Head of Centre Latifa Hassanali, Programme Manager The Centre for Inspiring Minds ACS International Schools West Lodge Portsmouth Road Cobham, Surrey KT11 1BL September 2016 Cover art based on a work by Ekansh Goel, ACS Hillingdon International School, 2014

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Table of contents

Section 1: What are we trying to achieve? 1.1 ACS vision and values t 4 1.2 Core purpose and values t 4 1.3 Professional learning t 5 1.4 The wider learning agenda t 5 1.5 The research-engaged school t 8 1.6 Inter-school action research t 9 Section 2: What skills do I need? 2.1 Team working skills t 10 2.2 Facilitation skills t 13 2.3 Action research skills t 19 2.4 Project management skills t 22 Section 3: How do I develop an inter-school action research proposal? 3.1 Planning for collaborative inquiry t 23 3.2 Formulating an action research question t 25 3.3 Proposing an action research project t 27 3.4 Submitting the project proposal t 28 Section 4: How do I develop an inter-school action research plan? 4.1 Project planning t 30 4.2 Reviewing the literature t 31 4.3 Identifying the stakeholders t 32 4.4 Mapping the logic model t 34 4.5 Planning for monitoring and evaluation t 35 4.6 Budgeting t 35 Section 5: How do I carry out an inter-school action research project? 5.1 Assessing project management practice t 36 5.2 Clarifying project roles and responsibilities t 36 5.3 Building capacity t 36 5.4 Managing partnerships t 38 5.5 Managing meetings t 39 5.6 Managing budgets t 43 5.7 Processing expenses t 44 5.8 Communicating t 44 Section 6: How do I evaluate an inter-school action research project? 6.1 Project evaluation t 47 6.2 Assessment types t 47 6.3 Data types and data processing t 49 Section 7: How do I document and share learning? 7.1 Writing an action research report t 51 7.2 Publishing a web portfolio t 54 7.3 Writing a blog t 55 7.4 Writing an article t 55

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Section 1: What are we trying to achieve? 1.1 ACS vision and values In 2008, ACS International Schools concluded a whole school participatory process and distilled its vision,

‘Through learning, inspire all to make a difference.’ The process also revealed four core values, which are at the heart of each ACS International School.

• We engage in community • We drive positive change • We promote excellence through learning • We enrich the international experience

In August 2016, following an 18-month four-school process, ACS International Schools introduced its shared Philosophy and a set of 15 Expected School-wide Learning Results (ESLRs). The ESLRs are cognitive and non-cognitive competences our students are developing through their rich ACS learning experiences. Ultimately, these aspirational organisational goals are also the higher-order objectives that the Centre for Inspiring Minds seeks to contribute to through its work. 1.2 The Centre for Inspiring Minds (CIM) In the constant pursuit of excellence in education, the ACS International School’s Centre for Inspiring Minds was established in September 2012. Its aims are to

• Enhance education leaders’ capacity to connect CIM-related work and external research to existing systems and initiatives that advance ACS International Schools’ strategic aims – improving learner outcomes and developing highly effective teachers.

• Provide learning opportunities and resources for the ACS community that build our capacity to use and conduct research to advance the school’s strategic aims.

• Build a community of practice across ACS International Schools, and with external partners, that is committed to research-informed innovation in teaching, learning and school development.

• Support emerging and established CIM projects across the ACS International Schools.

• Monitor, evaluate and report its progress and use this learning to inform future direction and activities.

The glyphs in the margins indicate the following:

team exercise – an activity idea for you and your project team

definition – an explanation of a key word or phrase

source – a reference or information source

key idea – an important concept

resource – forms, templates and guidance to support project management; available on the website

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1.3 Professional learning Through its work, CIM supports the development of education professionals by engaging them in professional learning that is:

• Focused on student outcomes; challenging project leaders to frame research questions in terms of what students need education professionals to do in order to more affectively support students’ learning and development

• Embedded in practice; directing project leaders to focus on the issues and challenges that are within their sphere of influence, and to build an evidence-based approach for addressing systemic or operational changes where appropriate

• Informed by the best available research; understanding the role of a literature review in project planning and cultivating the skills needed to interpret and apply research findings

• Collaborative in nature; involving others in reflection and feedback as a fundamental aspect of action research aimed at addressing bias and the social nature of building understanding

• Evidence-based and data driven; focusing on demonstrable improvements in learner outcomes and community development

• On-going and integrated; recognising that a commitment to continuous improvement and perpetual learning is fundamental to addressing the dynamic needs of learners in a changing world

Framing all CIM projects is a project management cycle, designed to provide the best opportunity for project teams to achieve their intended outcomes. Project management is a distinctive process that requires specialised skills more commonly associated with business than education. A significant focus of CIM’s work is to build the skills education professionals need to be effective project managers and team members. Complementing the project management cycle is the action research process. We have created a shorthand for this academically rigorous approach to school-based research that we describe as ‘investigate, innovate and inspire.’ We use action research to provide evidence of the beneficial effects of practice. It is this evidence-based approach to school development that is at the heart of CIM’s purpose. 1.4 The wider learning agenda Learning occurs at different levels within the ACS International Schools system (Figure 1). School-based action-research projects typically focus on one level, while recognizing the interrelatedness among learning levels.

Victoria Department of Education and Training (2005). Professional Learning in Effective Schools: The Seven Principles of Highly Effective Professional Learning. Abbotsford, Victoria: McLaren Press.

CIM supports professional development that is: • focused on

student outcomes

• embedded in practice

• informed by research

• collaborative • evidence-

based and data-driven

• on-going and integrated

• shared

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Figure 1. Three interrelated learning levels

At each learning level – student learning, professional learning and organizational learning – there is a distinct learning agenda.

• Student learning is supported by effective teaching and is measured using a range of learning assessments.

• Professional learning is supported by access to courses, workshops and conferences, and opportunities to participate in action research and professional learning communities. It is measured against the extent to which this learning improves teacher effectiveness, using a professional practice evaluation system; and the extent to which professional learning leads to improved learner outcomes and/or school improvement.

• Organizational learning, like professional learning is supported by access to courses, workshops and conferences, and opportunities to participate in action research and professional learning communities. Organizational learning is assessed using program evaluation methods that compare organizational performance to strategic goals and outcomes; and the extent to which organizational learning leads to improved teacher effectiveness and/or improved learner outcomes.

Each learning level serves as a context for the other two. For example, changing student demographics may call for new approaches to teaching that require professional learning. Similarly, research-informed school development initiatives may require new school policies, which necessitate professional learning that prepares educators to make changes to teaching and learning in order to comply with new school policies. Ultimately, regardless of the learning level focus, the goal of all learning in and educational institution is improved learner outcomes, and a measurable contribution to the ACS International Schools vision.

action research – a formal study using a wide variety of evaluative, investigative and analytical research methods carried out in the course of professional practice to improve practical methods and approaches and outcomes

For more information about action research, see: Action Research in the Classroom: Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDVH0u4tUWo Action Research in the Classroom: Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZHvpgU7pc8

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As well as the learning level, it is important to recognize the type of change that is anticipated or targeted by a collaborative inquiry project (Figure 2). In this diagram, organizational learning may focus on school culture, strategy, learning outcomes or the learning environment. While professional learning focuses on professional practice, it may also be concerned with the learning environment or learning outcomes. As its name implies, student learning focuses on learning in its broadest sense, encompassing both the cognitive and non-cognitive development required to nurture a well-rounded individual.

Figure 2. Change levels targeted by collaborative inquiry CIM project leaders and team members are strongly encouraged to focus on change that is embedded in practice, and subsequently within their sphere of control (Figure 3). Occasionally, CIM may take on projects outside learning-focused and teaching-focused areas. In these cases, project teams must include stakeholders with related decision-making authority.

Figure 3. Spheres of control, influence and concern

action research is grounded in professional practice and focuses on questions that are within the researchers sphere of control – areas in which the practitioner is a decision-maker

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Furthermore, it is important for CIM project teams seeking to inspire other teachers, grades, divisions, campuses or schools to consider the ways that other school stakeholder groups deliver or influence educational outcomes (Figure 4), as well as ways they evaluate their effectiveness.

Figure 4. School stakeholder groups 1.5 The research-engaged school The term ‘research-engaged school’ refers to institutions that conduct and use research to inform teaching and learning and school development. The concept of a ‘research-engaged school’ was proposed in the UK by Handscomb and MacBeath (2003) and the Essex County Council’s Forum for Learning and Research Enquiry (FLARE). They have found that teacher-researchers have high levels of job satisfaction and that research-engaged schools have developed new insights into effective teaching and learning that have enhanced student learning outcomes. The Centre for Inspiring Minds is positioned to promote the practice of research-engaged schools among the ACS campuses by:

• Supporting the development and application of research to improve teaching and learning;

• Engaging all school stakeholders in relevant research; • Promoting the role of research within our professional learning

communities; and

stakeholder – a person, group or organization that has an interest in and/or is affected by an activity or decision.

Handscomb, Graham and MacBeath, John (2003). The research engaged school. Essex County Council, Chelmsford, UK.

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• Putting research at the heart of school development and decision-making.

To gauge our progress, the Centre for Inspiring Minds will evaluate our commitment to establishing and sustaining a research-engaged school by collecting regular feedback form school stakeholders about the extent to which:

• Innovation is welcomed and encouraged; • There is a shared school-wide recognition of the value of research; • Staff members have access to and understand how to use

emerging research; • Staff members work together to conduct and apply research; • Research, used to inform teaching and learning, is contributing to

student learning outcomes; • Research, used to inform decision-making, is contributing to school

development; • Research-engagement is built into school processes and planning • The school pursues partnerships with recognized researchers,

research bodies and research-focused professional networks; • Research engagement is infused in professional development; • Unanticipated outcomes – positive, neutral or negative - are

allowed and valued; and • The school shares what it learns through research with the wider

school community. 1.6 Inter-school action research CIM recognizes that teachers across our schools are engaged in a range of individual and collaborative inquiry and action research activities. CIM is committed to supporting inquiry and action research in all its forms, but has prioritized inter-school action research because:

• Individual inquiry or action research (often associated with individual teacher’s pursuit of an advanced degree or qualification) has the potential to improve learning for the students involved (often a classroom or grade-level);

• Intra-school collaborative inquiry or action research has the potential to improve learning for students across a campus;

• Inter-school collaborative inquiry or action research has the potential to improve student learning across the ACS International Schools; and

• Action research provides evidence for informed decision-making.

Judkins, Stacey, McCrone and Inniss (2014). Creating a research-engaged school – a guide for senior leaders. National Foundation for Educational Research and United Learning, Berks, UK.

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Section 2: What skills do I need? 2.1 Team working skills The Centre for Inspiring Minds is committed to supporting collaborative practitioner-led action research. The reason we advocate the use of project teams is we believe that dynamic groups of motivated individuals, acting on their professional educational interests and passions are well positioned to deliver innovative learning opportunities that exceed student and parent expectations, while generating practical knowledge for and evidence of quality teaching and learning. We recognise that building and supporting effective teams requires committed resources – the most precious in an education setting being time. Time is needed to develop and deliver innovation in education, and also to build new skills and competencies associated with professional collaboration, some of which may be new to education professionals. There are many approaches to professional collaboration, used across organisations in the public, private and charity sectors. In choosing an approach for CIM project teams, we have considered approaches that focus on the research-informed development of interventions to improve student learning, teaching effectiveness and school development. At the core of professional collaboration is a shared understanding of the team’s

• purpose – What are we trying to achieve together? • motivation – Why are team members drawn to this topic? • commitment – What personal or professional resources are team

members willing to contribute?; and • competence – What knowledge or experience do team members

bring and what team roles can they fulfil? At the core of effective professional collaboration is also a shared understanding of

• the types of tasks that are needed for successful project management and action research;

• team members’ knowledge, skills or experience to lead these tasks; and

• the gaps in knowledge, skill or experience that need to be addressed to give project teams the best opportunities for success.

Collaborative practitioner-led action research teams are well positioned to deliver innovative learning opportunities that exceed student and parent expectations, while generating practical knowledge for and evidence of quality teaching and learning.

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There are important reasons for putting in the time and energy required to build effective professional collaborative. An effective team:

• Gets work done more efficiently than a group of talented individuals

• Performs better than individuals working independently • Delivers more creative and joined-up solutions • Is better placed to focus on improvements to teaching and

learning, rather than limiting its perspective to the underlying resources or processes

Although essential for collaborative working, building an effective team can be quite challenging. Dr. David Rock’s SCARF model (2008) addresses five domains of social experience that have strong links to effective collaboration and team working. These include:

• status – the relative perceived rank or position of power of a group member in relation to others in and outside the team. Effective team members are aware of the ways in which they give advice, instructions, or feedback, taking care to engage others on an equal basis. While selection for participation in a CIM project may bestow a certain status within the ACS International Schools community, public recognition in and outside the school can enhance status in a positive way.

• certainty – the establishment of predictable patterns that enable team members to work collaborate with confidence and a sense of capableness. Effective team members agree and follow strategies and work plans that break complex tasks down into smaller steps, and have clearly defined roles and expectations.

• autonomy – the perception of control over one’s environment or situation. Effective team members balance the need for collaboration with the need for autonomy by providing scope for each team member to direct their own learning, and agreeing boundaries within which individuals can exercise their creativity.

• relatedness – the perception of whether a team member is ‘in’ or ‘outside’ the team, whether someone is friend or foe. Effective team members constantly work to build trust by seeking to understand one another as individuals, and recognizing and celebrating the unique attributes and contributions that each person brings to the team.

• fairness – the perception that a shared purpose and shared values, rules and decision-making processes are transparent, shared and respected. Effective team members set and follow ‘ground rules’ for collaboration.

Rock, David (2008). SCARF: a brain-based model for collaborating with and influencing others. Neuro Leadership Journal, Issue One. Neoro Leadership Institute, Sydney, Australia.

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In summary, an effective team leader is someone who: makes team members feel good about themselves, recognizes team members’ contributions, facilitates the development of agreed expectations and project plans, empowers team members to make decisions about how they fulfill their roles in the team and contribute to the project, builds trust among team members, and engages team members in decision-making in ways that are fair and transparent.

What follows in Section 2 is a brief introduction to some of the other key skills that project leaders and team members need to work effectively and achieve their ambitious objectives.

My role in the project team Ü Try this:

• When you have formed your project team, use the Project Management Continuum (explained in section 5.1) to discuss the stages of project management, and the descriptors that have been provided to help you assess your team’s developmental level. Keep in mind that although it will not be necessary to achieve proficiency in all areas, it is important to recognise the team’s developmental level and consider how this may influence your project outcomes. You may decide to review this continuum at different stages of the project.

• Central to understanding the stages of project management is the recognition that each stage has associated knowledge, skills and dispositions that team members need to perform the tasks associated with the stages. A critical stage of team formation is recognising who has the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed, who is interested in developing these, and where you have gaps.

• Make a copy of the Project Management Self-assessment form (explained in Section 5.2) for each team member. Ask team members to self-assess themselves against the project management stages, using the Project Management Continuum to provide a guide for the knowledge, skills and dispositions associated with each stage.

• Ask team members, one at a time, to share their self-assessment with the project team.

• Discuss areas where you have gaps in knowledge, skills or interest in performing the tasks associated with the stages.

• Agree a plan for how you will address these.

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2.2 Facilitation skills Collaborative action research typically engages a range of stakeholders as researchers and participants. Unlike traditional empirical research, which is done ‘on’ subjects, action research is done ‘with’ others. As such, key skills for the project leader and team are those that build consensus while engaging stakeholders in productive dialogue and critical reflection. Before discussing facilitation skills, it is important to explain what is meant by ‘engagement.’ There are different models that describe levels of participation. In the classic model, Arenstein (1969) distinguishes between non-participation, tokenistic participation, and genuine participation. Action research is grounded in genuine participation, where a range of voices are encouraged and where researchers reflect regularly to ensure that decisions are based on evidence and consensus, and not the ideas of any one individual. This is especially important in action research as the researcher is an active participant in the research. Consensus and compromise are often perceived in a negative way. Compromise can be viewed as giving in, while consensus can be seen as weakened ‘group speak.’ Ultimately, you cannot reach consensus without compromise, and consensus is more accurately described as degrees of consensus – no agreement, limited agreement, basic agreement, strong agreement or complete agreement. Consensus-building is a non-adversarial process of exploring evidence, learning and building agreement. Facilitating consensus-building is a specialised skill that requires experience to master. For many education professionals, participation in a CIM project may be one of the first situations where you experience the need to develop and lead processes that ensure productive professional dialogue with others. Often, when educators sit down with others in their divisions or subject areas, there is the perception that because everyone is doing a similar job that everyone approaches that job with similar individual needs and interests. While this is obviously not the case, many collaborations are launched before the participants know one another in ways that enable effective and constructive collaboration. In professional discussions about action research, understanding individual team members’ needs and interests is central to building consensus. Consensus-building is explicitly about finding and developing common ground between collaborators.

participatory processes involve all relevant stakeholders in identifying problems and then proposing, evaluating and prioritizing possible interventions

consensus – a group decision-making process that seeks the consent of all participants; even if the decision is not their preferred resolution

Arnstein, Sherry R. (1969). A Ladder of Citizen Participation. JAIP, Volume 35, Number 4. Pp. 216 – 224.

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The benefits of a well-grounded consensus building process (Harris and Harris, 2005) are:

• pooled knowledge – a wider, deeper pool of knowledge and experience is created

• extended networks – by working together, participants are more aware of the experiences and expertise of others and may draw on this in the future

• common understanding – those involved develop a deeper understanding of each other and the research topic

• pre-coordination – having worked together to articulate the research topic, the collaborators are better prepared to proceed with the action research project

• commitment – because they have taken part in designing the action research project, they will have greater ownership in seeing it through to completion

Team building processes will likely follow developmental stages observed in other group formation (Murphy and Lick, 2005). These include:

• forming – this begins when the team first comes together and members are: eager, anxious, prepared, hesitant, polite, guarded – a mix of characteristics based on a need for more information, to establish norms and understand project leadership

• grumbling – this begins when the team begins to come to grips with the complexity or challenges of the task and the members are: dissatisfied with past decisions, hopeful, frustrated, confused, unsure, impatient – a mix of characteristics that all groups go through on their way to becoming productive

• willingness – this begins when the team becomes more open with one another and begins to function productively and members are: trusting, supportive, respectful, confident, open, focused – a mix of characteristics that signals that groups have shifted focus to learner outcomes and school development

• results – this begins when the focus is firmly on learner outcomes and school development and members are: focused, participating, positive, motivated, cooperative, committed, empowered – a mix of characteristics that affirm that students are at the centre of professional development.

Experienced facilitators are aware of and anticipate these stages and are skilled in their management. Key skills for facilitators include:

• active listening – demonstrating that you are interested in and sensitive to individuals words and the feeling behind them

• clarifying – helping people be clear about their needs and ensuring they are understood by others

facilitator – a person appointed to help a group understand their common objectives and assist them in forming and evaluating a plan to achieve them without taking part in the discussions

Harris, Richard and Harris, Rowena (2005). Consensus Building and Stakeholder Dialogue (unpublished course notes). Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK: RJH Associates.

Murphy, Carlene U. and Lick, Dale W. (2005). Whole-Faculty Study Groups. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

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• questioning – asking the right questions of the right people at the right time in the right way – distinguishing observation from inference, and needs and interests from positions

• observing – noticing what’s going on among the people in the group

• managing the process – keeping control of the process, ensuring that discussions are focused and that agreed objectives are met

• adapting – reacting quickly and flexibly to circumstances and the needs of people in the group.

Facilitators should be prepared to apply a core group of process techniques. Six commonly used process techniques are described on the following pages. Plenary discussion A plenary discussion is a focused whole group discussion. The role of the facilitator is to ensure that the group has clear ‘signposts’ and ‘milestones.’ A signpost tells people where they are heading and reminds them of the direction. At the outset, the purpose of the discussion must be agreed and a time limit should be set. Because large group discussions can be complex and take place over long periods of time, facilitators should also consider creating a visual ‘discussion map.’ This may be as simple as a chronological list of points or ideas or represented as a mind map. Brainstorm Brainstorms are used in situations where there is a low probability of significant conflict. When used effectively, they reduce social inhibitions, stimulate the generation of new ideas and increase overall group creativity. Facilitators should agree the focus of the brainstorm with participants and agree time limits. The principles of effective brainstorms include:

• focus on quantity, • suspend judgement (reserve criticism for later stages of idea

review), and • welcome unusual ideas (divergent thinking and new perspectives).

Recording a brainstorm can be challenging and it is common for two or more people to rapidly record responses. When the initial brainstorm is over, it is important to review the responses and challenge the participants to identify patterns or ideas for further discussion.

brainstorm – a spontaneous group activity for the purpose of rapidly generating a wide range of ideas; also called a ‘thought shower.’

plenary – a meeting of the whole group

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Lateral thinking Edward de Bono (1985) popularised lateral thinking with his publication Six Thinking Hats. Using this technique, participants agree a topic – possibly their research question. The facilitator introduces the six thinking hats and the sequence for their use. The suggested sequence is based on a time-tested approach to helping people think about a question one step at a time. The sequence is as follows:

• white hat (facts) – What is known and what do we need to find out? • red hat (feelings) – What are your intuitions, hunches, instincts or

feelings? • black hat (cautions) – What are the difficulties, weaknesses,

dangers or risks? • yellow hat (benefits) – What are the positives, the logical reasons

why the idea is useful? • green hat (creativity) – What are the ideas, alternatives or possible

solutions? • blue hat (process) – Do we need to pause and think about or better

organise their thinking, or get permission from the group to move onto the next hat?

Responses should be recorded as you proceed through the hats. Often you will know its time to move onto the next hat when the responses start to veer away from the selected hat. A variant of this technique is used to look at problems from the point of view of other stakeholders in the school community. Meta-plan This technique involves the use of movable ‘notes’ to be represented, displayed and organised by the group. It is used to understand complex issues by revealing their components and the relationships among them. To get started, a key question is posed to the group and participants are asked to generate a pre-determined number of responses to the question. The number of responses is a factor of the number of participants and the time allocated for the activity. Each person will share each of their responses with the group – and additional time will be needed to organise the responses and look for patterns. When each person has recorded their responses on notes (paper cards, post-it notes, etc.), the facilitator begins by asking one person to share one response. The response is displayed and other participants are asked

meta-plan – a technique for collecting and organizing ideas arising from a group

De Bono, Edward (1985). Six Thinking Hats. New York, NY: Little Brown and Company.

lateral thinking – an indirect and creative approach to problem solving that does not use traditional vertical (step-by-step) or horizontal (examination of all possible solutions) logic.

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to share similar responses. These are grouped in the visual display (on a large sheet of paper or on the wall). When there are no more similar responses, the facilitator ask for a different response. The process is repeated until all the participants’ responses are displayed in clusters. When this is done, the facilitator asks the participants to recommend any additional clustering or re-arrangement of the clusters. When clusters are agreed, participants are challenged to identify patterns or relationships (cause-effect, hierarchy, taxonomy, etc.) among the clusters. These are noted on the display by the facilitator. Nominal group technique Nominal group technique is used when a problem is well understood, but knowledge about the problem and its possible solutions is dispersed amongst a group of people. Like brainstorming, it will produce a list of possible ideas, but unlike a brainstorm the process will be more structured and the resulting ideas will be prioritized. To use this technique, frame a question, statement or open-ended prompt for discussion. Display it in the front of the room and begin by ensuring that everyone understands it. Silently and individually, each person records their thoughts and ideas (in response to the question, statement or open-ended prompt) on small cards or post-it notes. When individuals finish, they wait quietly for others to complete the task. Note that in large groups, participants may be asked to limit their responses to two or three. In small groups, you may want as many responses as possible. The facilitator collects the cards, shuffles them to ensure individuals’ response are not batched, then reads them out one at a time. Clarification of ideas is sought from participants, but responses are not judged or discussed. The final wording is transcribed onto a flipchart or large surface. If a card with a similar idea is read out, the group decides whether it is the same, or whether the already recorded version needs to be modified. When all the responses have been reviewed and all the different responses have been transcribed onto the flipchart or large surface, each person is given a number of ‘votes.’ As a guideline, if there are less than 20 items on the list, each person should have four votes. If there are 20 to 35, each person should have six votes. If there are more than 35, each person may have eight votes.

nominal group technique – a group process involving problem identification, solution generation and decision making

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Participants are invited to go to the flipchart or large surface and use their votes to indicate their top choices. Self-adhesive dots or tick marks can be used to record votes. When voting is complete, the facilitator counts the number of votes for each item or idea. The items or ideas with the most votes move forward in the process. The facilitator may consult the group to decide how to move forward with the top rated items or ideas. An additional step may be used to explore each high priority item or idea more fully. For each high priority item or idea, ask, ’Why is this item or idea a priority?’ five times. The purpose of this additional step is to better understand the depth of feeling or understanding, and to reveal any unanticipated connections to other issues. Carousel A carousel is used when there are a number of ideas that require further exploration by the group. The top items or ideas from a nominal group technique activity may, for example, be used to get additional feedback about their relative strengths and weaknesses. In a carousel, one statement, question or open-ended prompt is recorded at the top of a sheet of flipchart paper. A carousel will have multiple sheets, each with a different statement, question or prompt. The sheets are displayed around the perimeter of a room. Participants form groups. The number of groups is equal to or less than the number of sheets. Groups are assigned starting points and informed of the amount of time they will have to discuss and respond to the statement, question or prompt on each sheet. When instructed to begin, participants go to the first sheet, discuss the statement, question or prompt and record the points of their discussion on the sheet. When the time has elapsed, the groups move, in a clockwise rotation, to the next sheet. This is repeated until each group has discussed and recorded their points for each sheet. The last group to visit a sheet summarises all the responses and reports these to the group. In-depth analysis of the responses may be referred to a post-activity working group.

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2.3 Action research skills A detailed action research methodology is being developed collaboratively with the faculty of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. When complete in September 2015, it will blend approaches typically used in education with participatory methods used in community development. At present, the Centre for Inspiring Minds promotes a three-stage model for its evidence-based approach to school development (Figure 6). This model is based on the action research process, which is outlined in this section and plotted on a calendar to provide an understanding of a typical CIM action research project cycle. We acknowledge that this process is non-linear, and that action research is a research approach, rather than a single definitive method. Action research is distinctly different from traditional empirical research in several ways.

• Whereas traditional research is conducted by research ‘experts,’ action research is conducted by practitioners, including teachers and other education professionals.

• Whereas traditional research aims to develop new knowledge, action research is concerned with the practical application of knowledge to solve a practical problem. This innovation can sometimes lead to the development of new knowledge, but this outcome is secondary to its main purpose.

• Whereas traditional research focuses on quantitative data, action research utilises both qualitative and quantitative data.

• Whereas quality standards of traditional research rely on the peer review process, action research is judged by the problem-solving outcome.

• And whereas the primary audience of traditional research is other researchers, academics or government, the primary audience for action research is the school community and other practitioners.

Action research can be practiced at several different levels. It can be practiced by a single person. This approach is called first-person action research and it involves a single person setting the research question, designing the method for and collecting and analysing the data. Although it is called first person, it does require critical outside review at each stage of the research process.

Figure 6. cim model

empirical research – a way of gaining knowledge by means of experience, observation or experimentation that generates qualitative and quantitative data that is used to test a hypothesis

action research is an approach typically used in the health, community development and education sectors

McNiff, Jean (2013). Action Research Principles and Practice Third Edition. New York, NY: Routledge. Whitehead, Jack and McNiff, Jean (2005). Action Research for Teachers: A Practical Guide. London: David Fulton Publishers.

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When a group of practitioners collaborate to set a research question, and develop and implement a plan for conducting the research, the approach is called second-person action research. Second person action research can involve a group of practitioners researching the same question, or a series of related questions. Second-person action research teams can range in size from two individuals to an entire school. Depending on the source, the number of key steps in the action research process varies. Our process includes the following steps: defining and researching the research topic, planning the research process, collecting the data, analysing and interpreting the data, and applying the research results. The process of defining and researching the research topic begins with an analysis of student learning needs and an awareness of emerging evidence-based practices that may enhance student learning. The latter of these is investigated through a literature review. The literature review is crucial to understanding the work of others who have had similar research questions or who have investigated similar topics. The review provides an evidence-based approach for designing the research process. The process of planning the research process includes the development of a work plan. The work plan identifies when and how baseline data will be collected, the details of the development and delivery of the intervention, and the plans for collecting quantitative and qualitative formative and summative data. The work plan also states the methods that will be used for data analysis, and explains how the results will be evaluated. The process of collecting the research data involves a range of quantitative and qualitative data sources including tallies, demographic data, test results, student work samples, observation notes, teacher and student reflections, interview transcripts, surveys, questionnaires and many others. When possible, readily available data is used to increase efficiency. Multiple data sources are used to increase data validity. Research ethics must considered throughout any action research project, with permission and informed consent from appropriate participants and school administrators. The process of analysing and interpreting the data is similar to those used in empirical research and involves both quantitative and qualitative data. In most cases, quantitative data should be mathematically processed and qualitative data should be categorised, coded and quantified, and processed where appropriate.

quantitative data – observations or evidence that can be measured using numbers qualitative data – observations or evidence that is descriptive; some qualitative data can be coded and converted into quantitative data

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While the primary focus of action research is improved learner outcomes, some action research results may be of value to other education professionals. In some cases, a written research report may be needed to share findings. Most action research generates new questions and typically extends the original inquiry into additional research cycles. The table that follows presents a CIM project timeline. The timings seek to optimize the time available for project implementation by shifting the inter-school action research project proposal and approval process to the last months of the school year, preceding the start of the school year in which the project will be implemented. By following this timeline, project completion and evaluation better conform to the annual school year cycle, and lead naturally to opportunities to celebrate achievements and share results and lessons learned at the end of the school year. Call for inter-school collaborative action research proposals mid March Planning for collaborative inquiry early Apr Formulating an action research question early Apr Proposing an action research project mid Apr Evaluating the action research project proposal end Apr Head of School review and sign-off early May Forming an inter-school project team mid May Mapping the logic model mid May Planning for monitoring and evaluation mid May Budgeting mid May Draft the project plan and timeline mid Jun Division Head (or line manager) review and sign-off late Jun Communicate information about approved inter-school collaborative action research proposals

late July

Gathering, reviewing and analyzing the literature Jun - Sept Building capacity Jun - Sept Confirming the project plan and timeline Sept Managing partnerships Sept – May Managing meetings Sept - May Managing budgets Sept - May Managing the project plan Sept - May Communicating Sept - May Evaluating progress (formative assessment) mid Jan Communicate mid-year review of inter-school collaborative action research projects

late January

Collecting and analyzing baseline data Sept Collecting and analyzing formative data Oct – May Exception reporting and adapting Sept - May Collecting and analyzing summative data June Reporting outputs and outcomes June Reporting budgets June Evaluating results (summative assessment) June Seeking critical review Jun - Aug Communicating results and lessons learned Jun - Sep Communicate results of inter-school collaborative action research proposals

late July

student learning outcomes – measures of growth over time or achievement associated with individual cognitive and non-cognitive development.

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2.4 Project management skills Effective project management is at the heart of successful collaborative inquiry. When it comes to action research, the project leader is responsible for ensuring that the process is transparent and collaborative, and that the project is guided by research evidence – and not the views or opinions of one or more team members. The project leader is responsible for ensuring that team members are engaged in:

• critical reflection of their participation in the project, and • respectful interactions among team members and other

participants. When it comes to the design and implementation of the research project, the project leader must ensure that ‘power’ and decision-making are shared responsibilities. But when it comes to project management, it is the responsibility of the project leader to ensure:

• that team members have the training and knowledge they need to participate effectively,

• that relationships with external individuals or organizations are nurtured respectfully,

• that meetings are run efficiently, • that budgets are monitored accurately, • that progress, successes and results are communicated clearly, and • that work plans are implemented according to agreed timelines.

CIM staff members will support project managers to help them achieve this complex leadership requirement. Additional information about the project management skills needed to lead collaborative inquiry is presented in Section 5.

project management – the process of actively planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating a course of action to achieve a specific goal, while addressing motivation, team dynamics, partnerships and resource management

an effective action research project leader distinguishes ‘leadership’ from ‘power’ and works to share power while assuming responsibility for overall project coordination

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Section 3: How do I develop an inter-school action research proposal? 3.1 Planning for collaborative action research CIM’s collaborative action research model favours an inter-school project team of two or more people from at least two different ACS International School campuses, typically employed in roles that are relevant to the research project. The project team must be identified at the project proposal stage, and CIM staff members are available to help identify and recruit potential team members from other campuses. Early in the formation of the project team, prospective team members should meet to get to know one another. In action research, where the team members will be managing the research project, as well as participating in the project, clarification of team members’ experience with, interests in and opinions about the topic are essential. Without transparency of these factors, it is difficult to achieve the level of objectivity required. An understanding of individual views is also important to harmonious team working, as unstated positions may provide obstacles to consensus-building. Essential to productive team working is clear agreement about individuals’ roles and responsibilities, and agreement about ways of working. The team leader, who will be responsible for working closely with cim staff members, will have a different role and responsibilities from a team member who manages a specific aspect of project implementation or evaluation. Care should be taken to distribute responsibilities in ways that optimize team members’ experience, skills, interests and available time. An expectations exchange, in which team member state what they expect from their team members, and what their team members can expect from them, is central to defining the unique relationships that underpin successful collaborative inquiry.

Resource: Practitioner-led Action Research Proposal Form – use this form to propose a new action research project, or a new cycle of action research for an existing project; available on the CIM website.

because action research involves researching your own practice, an understanding of team members’ personal beliefs, values and motivations is needed to manage potential bias

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We see the world as we are – not as it is Ü Try this:

• Seat everyone in your team around a table and provide each person with a large sheet of paper and drawing materials.

• Ask them to draw themselves (or write their name) in the centre of the sheet. • Ask them to think about all the people, events, experiences, etc. that have

shaped the way they perceive the research question or topic. Write the words around the sheet and connect them with inward pointing arrow. Ask them to prioritise the influences by using a different colour to indicate significant influences.

• Ask them to think about other experiences they’ve had trying to address or shape the research question or topic. Connect these with outward point arrows. Ask them to use a different colour to indicate the experiences that were most successful.

• Ask each person to share their drawing with the group. The group listens and does not ask questions until the person has finished presenting the drawing.

• Discuss how the individuals’ experiences have shared the research question or topic.

• Discuss how the group will make themselves aware when they are acting on views or positions, rather than research evidence.

Expectations exchange Ü Try this:

• Ask each person to respond individually in writing to the two prompts: o What I expect from team members is. . . o What team members can expect from me is. . .

• Ask each person to share their responses with the team. • Use these to write an agreed ‘ways of working’ statement.

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3.2 Formulating an action research question If you are a teacher, it is important to ask yourself the following when forming an action research question:

• What do my students need me to do to improve teaching and learning?

• What would I like to do to improve teaching and learning in my classroom?

• What concerns do parents have about student development or achievement?

• What concerns do my colleagues have about student development or achievement?

If you are a school administrator, you may ask yourself different questions about your practice:

• What do I need to do to better serve the needs of staff members, or prospective or current parents?

• What do I need to do to improve the quality or efficiency of the business and/or management systems I use?

• What do I need to do improve the cost effectiveness of the operations I contribute to?

All these questions help you define the problem or need that lies at the heart of the research question.

Turn a problem into a creative challenge Ü Try this:

• Gather a small group of work colleagues or critical friends. • Articulate a problem that you would like to address using action research. • Ask, ‘Why is this a problem?’ five times. By asking five times, you will identify a range

of consequences that will inform your research plan. • Next, ask, ‘Why has this occurred?’ five times. Again, by asking five times you ensure

that you have thought about the problem in detail. • Next, ask, ‘How urgent is this problem?’ Identify other related practices,

programmes or initiatives that are in place or planned and whether there is a timing or sequencing factor to consider. If the problem is urgent, this will inform your timeline.

• Finally, ask, “Who else has this problem and what are they doing about it?’ This is an opportunity to benefit from the experiences of the colleagues or critical friends who have participated in this discussion. The responses to this question provide a first set of items for preliminary research.

like other forms of professional development, action research is grounded in student needs – what students need teachers to do to make teaching and learning more effective

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These and other prompts may help you frame a research question grounded in your practice. Remember that when using action research methods, you are researching your own practice, not a learning theory. The purpose is improved teaching and learning, not new theoretical perspectives. Although, you may find your experience challenges mainstream theories about teaching and learning. A good action research question:

• Gets at explanations, reasons, or relationships • Is manageable and achievable • Is embedded in your own practice • Provides an opportunity to stretch and learn • Provides a deeper understanding of the topic and is meaningful to

you Here are some sample research questions:

• How can I make students feel more comfortable working with diverse groupings of classmates?

• How can a new approach to independent writing enhance the quality of my students' writing and their feelings toward writing?

• What classroom strategies are effective in developing student self-evaluation of their learning?

Like all research questions, an action research question must include a dependent and independent variable.

• The dependent variable is what you will measure. For example, writing quality (using a rubric) or enjoyment of writing (using a student survey).

• The independent variable is what changes. For example, before and after (time) or two different approaches to teaching the same content.

Testable question test Ü Try this:

• Draw a picture of the main results graph. If you can draw the graph (with the independent variable on the x-axis and the dependent variable on the y-axis, and with units of measurement), you have developed a testable research question.

variable – a factor that changes over the course of an investigation; a dependent variable represents the input; a dependent variable represents the output; and a control variable is something that does not change

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The Pepperdine Center for Collaborative Action Research (2010) offers the following tips for recognizing weak action research questions. Be wary of:

• Questions with known answers where the goal is to "prove" it to others. For example, suppose a person has been holding family math night for years and sees an effect on parent participation. A weak question for action research would be: Will holding a family math night increase parent participation? This might be a useful evaluative research question where a controlled study could be set up to explore the connection. But evaluative research is different than action research. Action research is an experiment in design, and involves implementing an action to study its consequences.

• Questions that can be answered yes or no. Generally these are questions that will not encourage paying attention to the many nuances of the setting and the social interactions. While some yes or no questions can provide direction, it is often helpful to think about ways to transform the question into a different format. For example: Will the introduction of project-based learning lead to more student engagement? The question might be reworked to, How will the introduction of project-based learning affect student engagement in my classroom? The first one, the researcher can answer the question with yes (an outcome that they might have expected). The second question guides them to look for the possible mechanism of project-based learning (maybe ownership, collaboration, or self-assessment) that have been found to be related to increased engagement.

• Questions that can be answered by reading the literature. What

does community of practice mean? This might be a question that the researcher needs to answer, and can do so by reading more readily than by engaging in action research. A better formulation for action research might be: How will increasing the time for teacher collaboration in grade level teams affect the development of a community of practice at our school?

3.3 Proposing an action research project If you have a burning research question that you believe is relevant to other education professionals in other ACS International Schools, use the Project Proposal Form as a first step to begin its exploration with cim staff members. The proposal is initially drafted by you, but once shared cim staff members will guide you to ensure the proposal is completed to a standard that the four-campus Head of School Committee can evaluate.

Riel, M. (2010). Understanding Action Research, Center For Collaborative Action Research, Pepperdine University (Last revision Sep, 2013). Accessed Online on 2 October 2014 from http://cadres.pepperdine.edu/ccar/define.html.

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The Project Proposal Form requires not only the action research question but initial information about the entire project, e.g. project team member identification, the project design, the project’s purpose, what the outcomes will be, the process to be used to achieve the outcomes, how the outcomes will be evaluated, budget information and an assessment of your experience of action research and project management. This may seem daunting at first, but the form is designed to capture as much information as possible to enable CIM and the Heads of Schools to evaluate the project to be undertaken. A call for proposals will be announced in early April of each year, with the deadline for proposals at the end of the month. Anyone can submit a proposal, including individuals leading or participating in current CIM projects. A proposal must be submitted in advance for each year that a project team would like to work on a CIM project. 3.4 Submitting the project proposal The Inter-school Action Research Proposal form is accompanied by the Inter-school Action Research Proposal Rubric, which sets out the criteria against which the proposal will be evaluated by CIM and the four-campus Heads of Schools Committee. There are nine criteria against which the action research project proposal will be assessed, these are:

• Quality of the action research question • Measurable affect on teacher performance and student learning • Quality of outputs • Logical link between process and outcomes • Importance of new knowledge and skills project team members will

learn • Previous leadership opportunities • Project leader’s commitment to professional inquiry and learning • Project leader’s commitment to the school • Cost

Each criterion is rated from 1 – 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest score it can achieve. It is acceptable for one criteria to score a low score and another to score highly, but proposals scoring fewer than 27 points cannot be recommended for approval by the four-campus Head of School Committee.

Resource: Inter-school Action research Proposal Rubric – use this rubric to self-assess your proposal against the same criteria that will be used by the Heads of School; available on the cim website.

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The proposals and the scoring rubric are sent to each Head of School and are completed prior to the meeting that most closely follows the end of April proposal deadline. CIM staff members prepare a summary of the scored rubrics and present this at the meeting. The Heads of School will select the projects that will go forward, using the averaged rubric scores to prioritize the proposals, and based on CIM staff members capacity to support projects in the coming year.

Get critical review before you submit your proposal Ü Try this:

• Give a small group of ‘critical friends’ a copy of your completed project proposal form and the scoring rubric. Be sure to include people who were not involved in drafting the proposal and who may review it with a ‘fresh’ set of eyes.

• Ask them to complete the rubric and give you feedback about how you could improve the proposal. Ask them to tell you about its strengths and specific opportunities for improvement.

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Section 4: How do I develop an inter-school action research plan? 4.1 Project planning Effective project planning takes into consideration all aspects of planning including stakeholder engagement, logic modelling, identification of assumptions, as well as the actual plan (schedule) itself. The three most cited factors for project failure are: • lack of stakeholder engagement, • lack of communication, and • lack of clear roles and responsibilities. These factors therefore, need to be considered very early on in the creation and planning of any project. The Inter-school Action Research Planning form asks you to repeat the information that has already been submitted and approved on the Inter-school Action Research Proposal form, but goes into more depth and asks some additional questions, regarding the projects contribution to the ACS International School’s core purpose, the projects contribution to the CIM goal, and the milestones for the project detailing what it is, who is responsible and the time duration required to complete it. This detail will be used to create a detailed activity based project plan. The project leader/team are not required to complete this form on their own, CIM staff members will support and assist in the completion of the form. This form does not require the approval of the Heads of School but is agreed by the Project Leader, the Project Leader’s Division Principal or Line Manager, and the Head of CIM. The Project Planning Form documents key information. It is the reference point for all project meetings, evaluation and reporting. Once the Project Plan has been agreed (and reviewed and signed off by the team leader’s Division Principal or line manager), changes to the plan must be agreed by the project team and CIM staff members. Changes will be discussed and agreed during regularly scheduled 1:1 meetings between the project manager and CIM staff members. Division Principals or line managers will be consulted on significant changes – especially

Resource: Inter-school Action Research Planning Form – use this form to expand your HOS-approved proposal in preparation for requesting Division Principal or line manager authorization to proceed; available on the cim website.

CIM project proposals are reviewed by the Heads of School; CIM project plans are reviewed by the project leader’s Division Principal or line manager; CIM project team members are expected to follow campus-level procedures for requesting teaching cover, requesting expense reimbursements, or any other administrative tasks outlined in the approved project plan

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changes to staff time required for project implementation, or proposed expansion of project activities to involve other staff members. 4.2 Reviewing the literature The literature review is not about finding research that supports your ideas – it is about summarizing the ideas of others who have studied topics that are relevant to your research question or topic. To conduct a literature review:

1. You will need to first identify a research question or topic. 2. You will need to identify the source(s) of literature and good search

techniques to find relevant studies or articles. You will not have the resource to do an exhaustive search so you should decide on where you will look and how you will organize your search. A focused set of the most relevant resources is what you are trying to find. You will need to find an accessible on-line library and you will need to learn how to use it. You will want to find how others have attempted solutions to your problem.

3. You will need to evaluate the results of your search. You should be able to distinguish between:

• popular press articles, • practitioner magazines with ideas and "success stories, " • publications where respected leaders in the field describe

their work and its implication with a wide audience • research journals that are peer reviewed and where new

knowledge is reported and debated by the a community of practice.

Don't be worried if you find someone has already asked your research question. This is a valuable resource. It will give you clues as to what you might or might not find, and your action research project will be different because you are in a different setting. Replication is an important part of the research process.

1. The hardest part is to critically analyze the literature you read. You need to abstract a set of concepts and questions, compare items to each other and discuss strengths and weaknesses. This is more than a summary.

2. The result should be a fair and balanced treatment of a subject, not evidence supporting the researchers’ points of view.

You may decide to seek assistance from a qualified researcher to conduct the literature review. A CIM staff member can help you identify this person, and work with you to develop Terms of Reference for

literature review – a descriptive and evaluative report of the literature related to a topic or area of study; it provides a theoretical basis for research.

Resource: Literature Review Guidance – use this guide to learn more about how to conduct a literature review. Resource: Literature Review Notes Pro-Forma – use this pro-forma to record information about each document you read in preparation for writing your literature review. Resource: Commissioning a Literature Review – use this template to draft terms of reference for having an external researcher produce a literature review for your project. Resource: APA Style Guidance for Citations – use this guide to learn more about how to cite your research references. All the resources are available on the cim website.

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commissioning the review. The project team leader will manage the literature review process once the work has been commissioned. 4.3 Identifying the stakeholders As part of the earlier proposal stage, you have already formed an inter-school project team with at least two people from at least two different ACS International Schools. It’s possible that your project team may be larger, involve staff members from each of the ACS International Schools, or even involve representatives from outside schools or organisations. Beyond this core group of people who will meet regularly to plan next steps and monitor progress, there will be other students, staff members, parents and school community members who will affect or be affected by your project. The term typically given to this group is stakeholders. The number of stakeholders will depend on the scope and nature of your project. Stakeholders should be informed of your project and updated as the project progresses. At key stages, you may need information from them. This may involve information obtained through informal meetings, interviews, focus groups, surveys or questionnaires. Stakeholders are key collaborators in action research, not just passive observers or test subjects. Care should be given to clarify their role, expectations for their interaction with the project and communication methods you will use to keep them informed. Use the following three prompts to identify stakeholders: 1. Who shares my concern. . .

• In my department? • In my division? • On my campus? • On the other ACS International Schools campuses? • In the school community? • Outside the school community (universities, professional

associations, businesses, institutions, government agencies, etc.)?

2. The nature of their concern is. . .

• Personal or professional knowledge or development? • Personal or professional practice? • Financial or business interest? • Political interest?

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• Social or cultural interest? 3. Their form of involvement. . .

• Engaged? • Consulted? • Informed? • Other?

Stakeholder mapping Ü Try this:

• Write your research question in the centre of the left hand side of a large sheet of paper.

• Identify the individuals whose permission or participation you will require to conduct your research. Write their names at the bottom of the sheet.

• Identify the people who will benefit from or be affected by your project – whether it is successful or not. Write their names on the top of the sheet.

• Identify the individuals or groups who may or may not be at ACS , and will have experience with your research question (or a closely related topic or field). Write their names in the centre of the right side of the sheet.

• Using the lists created, identify the top three to five stakeholders – the people you would prioritise based on their decision-making authority, role in conducting the research, role in the school community or influence with other stakeholders.

• Assess each high priority stakeholder. Discuss how will you engage them in your work, communicate with them, and recognise them in communications to others.

• Discuss how you will engage, consult or communicate with the stakeholders.

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4.4 Mapping the logic model A logic model is a graphic tool used to illustrate the logical relationships between the elements of a project or programme. The underlying purpose of constructing a logic model is to define the ‘if-then’ causal relationships between the project’s resources, activities, outputs and outcomes. For example, if a project uses the resources allocated, it will conduct specified activities that will deliver certain products and results, which will enhance teaching and learning, and contribute to the school’s core purpose in a specified way. Implicit in the logic model is a ‘theory of change,’ a sequence of activities that the project team believes will deliver the stated results. Essential to a logic models are assumptions about the theory of change and logic sequence. By reviewing these assumptions at key points, the project can adapt to unanticipated changes or inaccurate assumptions. Changes to the project plan are agreed by the project team and CIM staff members, and are documented in the bi-weekly one-to-one meetings with project leaders. Each step of the logic model also has specified indicators and methods of measurement. These form the basis of formative and summative project evaluation. The logic model is built into the Inter-school Action Research Planning Form.

Test the logic Ü Try this:

• Test the logic in your project plan by restating the activities, outcome and goal statements as:

o If (state the activities) are successfully completed, then (state the outcome) will be achieved.

o If (state the outcome) is achieved, it will contribute in a plausible way to (state the goal).

• If these ‘if – then’ statements are not true, or the evidence supporting them will not be robust or compelling, the logic model may need additional work.

logic model – a tool that explains what a project aims to do, how it plans to do it, and a rationale for the methods chosen; it provides a roadmap for project evaluation

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4.5 Planning for monitoring and evaluation Project monitoring and evaluation are required. The focus and timing of these activities will be outlined in the project planning form. As the required outcome for CIM projects are demonstrable improvements to teacher effectiveness and/or student learning, all projects will be challenged to address these in the evaluation plan. While we recognise that the ultimate goal of improved student learning may require the development of innovative resources, the introduction of new pedagogies, or professional development of teachers, the purpose of CIM projects must extend beyond these products to address the evidence of changes to teacher effectiveness and/or student learning. Key to this evidence of improved teacher effectiveness and/or student learning is the collection of baseline data. In the case of student learning, successful projects will demonstrate improved overall student learning (contents and/or skills), better growth over time (faster or deeper acquisition of concepts or skills), or progress with students who have learning issues that make it difficult for them to meet grade-level expectations. Data may be quantitative or qualitative and may come from a range of existing sources, or from assessment tools developed specifically for the research project. Team members should agree the project evaluation plan before developing the activities. The activities should be designed to provide the measurable outcomes, defined in the evaluation plan. 4.6 Budgeting Each project will have an approved budget, outlined in the project planning form. It is the responsibility of team leaders to ensure that spending is within the approved budget. All purchases and expenses must be signed off by a CIM staff member. Project leaders are responsible for following established school and campus procedures for processing purchases and seeking reimbursement for expenses.

monitoring and evaluation – a process that helps improve performance by assessing a project progress and achievements.

evidence –qualitative or quantitative data that provides information about whether or not a proposition is valid.

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Section 5: How do I carry out an inter-school action research project? 5.1 Assessing project management practice There are many different project management models and systems that have been developed to provide the best opportunities for project teams to achieve their stated objectives. Successful project management is as much about ensuring quality research processes, as it is about ensuring that the collaborators have the skills and guidance they need to work together effectively. A Project Management Continuum is offered to help project teams assess their level of practice 5.2 Clarifying project roles and responsibilities Many teams will be comprised of individuals who may have:

• no previous experience of professional collaboration with some or all of the other team members;

• limited experience working in a team responsible for delivering measurable results;

• not considered how they will use their experience and expertise to contribute to the team, or who may have

• preferred roles within a group. If the investigate – innovate – inspire model is expanded to address a traditional project management, and the roles of team members within the cycle, project managers can assess the extent to which the human resources represented in the project team match the human resources required to achieve a project’s desired results. A Project Management Self-assessment (introduced in section 2.1) is offered to help project teams identify preferred project management roles, identify gaps, and identify professional development needs. 5.3 Building capacity CIM works to build a research-engaged school culture by inviting practitioners to come forward with an action research question and a proposal for managing a collaborative action research project. As such action research and project management skills play a significant role in determining project success.

Resource: Project Management Continuum – use this rubric to understand levels of practice associated with project management. Resource: Project Management Preferred Roles Self-assessment – use this assessment table in conjunction with the continuum to self-assess your project team members’ project management preferred roles. Resource: Project Management Knowledge and Skills Self-assessment – use this assessment table in conjunction with the continuum to self-assess your project team members’ knowledge and skills. These resources are available on the CIM website.

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Practitioners who have the skills and experience to engage in action research and project management inevitably find it to be an empowering experience. Action research has this positive effect for many reasons. Obviously, the most important is that action research is always relevant to the participants. Relevance is guaranteed because the focus of each research project is determined by the researchers, who are also the primary consumers of the findings. Perhaps even more important is the fact that action research helps educators be more effective at what they care most about—their teaching and the development of their students. When teachers have convincing evidence that their work has made a real difference in their students' lives, the efforts of teaching seem worthwhile. Project Management is a skill that enables project leaders to plan the cost, time, and resource elements, to implement the plan, and to monitor and control the outcome of a project with much more certainty to achieving their desired results. Good project management prevents small problems from escalating into big problems. Project Managers are challenged to meet the demands in delivering projects on time, within budget and within scope. This responsibility cannot rest with the project manager alone. In order to achieve these objectives, all members of the project management team must become aware of and use sound project management practices. The project team needs the project management knowledge and skills that enable them to support the planning, implementation, and monitoring requirements of the project. You can still lead or be part of a CIM project even if you do possess action research knowledge or project management skills, however, CIM would encourage you to do some training in both these disciplines and will provide in-house, or external training, depending on your needs. CIM recognises that training is not always the solution and provides the project team with a budget to enable project teams to participate in external conferences and workshops, relevant to their action research question. If a project requires it, CIM will help find a ‘critical friend’ for the project who can evaluate the question and the project approach and advise the team on how to achieve their goals successfully. The ‘critical friend’ would also mentor the team when needed.

CIM staff members are available to support all aspects of project management

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5.4 Managing partnerships Networking and forming partnership have benefits in all fields of work. Regular meetings with external partners enable us to exchange views and learn about each others’ experiences, discuss common issues, share knowledge and information, and find ways to be more efficient. Good partnerships can be beneficial and effective both in time and cost. Other advantages include widening your network and learning from others, and working collaboratively to address similar problems. CIM is constantly building its network and ensuring partnerships are developed and maintained by keeping in regular contact, whether in person or virtually (email, Skype, etc.). All communications with existing and new partners, which are more than touching base, are captured on the Meeting Log form. The form is an easy to use form detailing the key aspects of the meeting: • Who was in attendance • The main discussion points • Actions arising from the meeting This information enables the conversations to be tracked and followed through at subsequent meetings. The Agenda/Meeting Notes form is used for structured and formal meetings with external partners where goals need to be moved forward or achieved. Therefore, the form’s content is similar to that of the Meeting Log form with additional detail requested for the meeting agenda items.

partnership – a formally or informally negotiated professional relationship with an individual or group with a common research interest or related practice; partnerships may be activity-specific or may be formed for the general purpose of information sharing in anticipation of possible future collaboration.

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5.5 Managing meetings (minutes template) The nature of CIM projects is that they require two or more participants and therefore meetings become a necessity. Running an effective meeting is more than sending out a notice that your team is to meet at a particular time and place. Effective meetings need structure and order. Effective meetings achieve the meeting’s objectives; take up a minimum amount of time; and they leave the participants feeling that a sensible process has been followed. With this in mind ensure that there is a tight agenda, and a commitment to involving the meeting participants in the planning, preparation, and execution of the meeting, with this in place you are on your way to chairing a great meeting. CIM conducts a variety of regular meetings, these include: • 1:1 Meeting, held every fortnight between cim and the Project Leader. • Project Team Meeting, held on a pre-defined regular basis involving

all project team members and usually chaired by the Project Leader.

Monitoring partnerships Ü Try this:

• In a meeting at the start of a partnership, identify the top eight criteria that will be used to judge the success of the partnership. You can use the nominal group technique described earlier in this handbook, or simply agree eight criteria for a successful partnership (for example – comes prepared to meetings, works to agreed timelines, etc.)

• Draw a star-shaped diagram with four lines that intersect in the center. • Write the name of one of the eight success criteria at the end of each line. • Draw a set of five evenly spaced concentric circles around the place in the

center where the lines intersect. The drawing will now look more like a spider web than a star.

• The place where each ring intersects a criteria-labelled line represents the extent to which each partner feels the criteria is being achieved. The closer to the center, the lower the level of satisfaction. The closer to the outside of the diagram, the higher the level of satisfaction.

• Make copies of the diagram and have the partners complete it individually and discuss it at the end of each meeting, or at agreed points in the project.

Sterne, Rod and Heany, Debbie (2010). The Partnership Toolbox. Godalming, Surrey, UK: WWF-UK.

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• Project Learning During Event Meeting, held once a year, mid-year, with the entire project team, key stakeholders, and facilitated by CIM.

• Project Learning After Event Meeting, held once a year, at the end of the year, with the entire project team, key stakeholders, and facilitated by CIM.

Each meeting is described in greater detail below. 1:1 Meeting A 1:1 Meeting is held once a fortnight between CIM and the Project Leader. The purpose of this meeting is to establish where the project is in its cycle and highlight issues that have arisen and need follow-up by CIM or others outside of the project team. An important component of the 1:1 meeting is the production of an exception report, a type of report that identifies any events that are outside the scope of what is considered a normal range for the project. Reports of this kind are commonplace in a project management investigation and its goal is to identify any factors that are not considered to be within acceptable parameters, making it possible to take actions that help minimise or eliminate exceptions and increase overall efficiency. The meeting discussion and actions are recorded on the 1:1 Meeting Notes form. Actions from the previous meeting are carried forward onto the next meeting as a starting point for the meeting. Project Team Meeting Project Team Meetings are held on a pre-defined regular basis, at least once a quarter, involving all project team members and usually chaired by the Project Leader. It is the responsibility of the meeting chair to prepare a meeting agenda, with input from all the participants so that the meeting addresses items that are important to all members of the team. Once in the meeting keep in mind the following: • If certain people are dominating the conversation, make a point of

asking others for their idea. • At the end of each agenda item, quickly summarise what was said,

and ask people to confirm that that’s a fair summary. Them make notes regarding follow-up.

• Note items that require further discussion.

Resource: 1:1 Meeting Notes – CIM staff members will use this template to record discussion and action points arising from team leader meetings with CIM staff members. Resource: Project Team Meeting Notes – project leaders will use this template to record discussion and action points arising from team meetings. These templates are available on the cim website.

exception report – documentation of project progress, as well as issues arising that require adaptation and a description of the changes to be made and how they may affect project results.

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• Watch body language and make adjustments as necessary. Maybe you need a break, or you need to stop someone from speaking too much.

• Ensure the meeting stays on topic. • List all tasks that are generated at the meeting. Make a note of who is

assigned to do what, and by when. • At the end of the meeting quickly summarise next steps, agree the

next meeting date, and inform everyone that you will be sending out a meeting summary.

• After the meeting is over, take some time to reflect on the meeting with the team, and determine what went well and what could have been done better. Evaluate the meeting’s effectiveness based on how well you met the meeting objectives. This will help you to continue to improve your process of running effective meetings.

The meeting summary, often referred to as the meeting minutes, is a record of what was accomplished and who is responsible for what as the team moves forward. This is a crucial part of effective meetings and should not be overlooked. The minutes will be shared with the Project Team as well as all stakeholders, including CIM. CIM uses the Inter-school Action Research Team Meeting Notes form to record the meeting summary. Actions recorded from the previous meeting are carried forward onto the next meeting as a starting point for this meeting.

Making sure everyone has a voice Ü Try this:

• When an agenda item calls for ideas or input from team members, begin the discussion by providing time for team members to quietly reflect and formulate a response.

• Use a round robin to encourage each person to respond. • State a maximum response time and manage the discussion so that individuals

do not exceed the time. • Set a time limit for plenary discussion if needed.

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Learning During Event Meeting As an on-going evaluation of the CIM project, CIM will conduct a mid-year review of the project with the project leader, the project team, and key stakeholders. In preparation for the Learning During Event Meeting, the project leader must assemble all relevant project documentation, including the project plan, timeline, and evidence of progress towards outputs (project timeline, deliverables, products, and participation data) and outcomes (pre-assessments or other formative quantitative or qualitative data). These material should be well-organized (with an annotated table of contents) and given to participants at least one week prior to the event. Participants should be encouraged to review their personal notes, or other information they may have gathered over the course of the project. CIM will facilitate the meeting with an aim to establish: • the project progression against its project plan • the positive factors to date • the negative factors to date • the lesson learned so far The meeting notes will be recorded on the Learning During Event Meeting Notes form. Learning After Event Meeting At the end of the project, usually the end of the academic year for most CIM projects, CIM will conduct a Learning After Event meeting with the project leader, the project team, and key stakeholders. In preparation for the Learning After Event Meeting, the project leader must assemble all relevant project documentation, including the project plan, relevant formative reports, and evidence of outputs (project timeline, deliverables, products, and participation data) and outcomes (pre- and post-assessments or other quantitative or qualitative data). These material should be well-organized (with an annotated table of contents) and given to participants at least one week prior to the event. Participants should be encouraged to review their personal notes, or other information they may have gathered over the course of the project. CIM will facilitate the meeting with an aim to establish: • Whether the project outcome was achieved? • What has been achieved?

Resource: Learning During Event Meeting Notes – use this form to record the discussion points arising from this participatory formative assessment. Resource: Learning After Event Meeting Notes – use this form to record the discussion points and strategic actionable recommendations arising from this participatory summative assessment. The forms are available on the CIM website.

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• What went well? • What could have gone better? • How satisfied does the team feel with the way the project went? • What advice would the team offer to future project team? The meeting notes will be recorded on the Learning After Event Meeting Notes form. 5.6 Managing budgets Budget management is a key component of project management. If a project is delivered on time and achieves its goals it will not be considered a success if it has gone over-budget. Project Leaders, with support from CIM staff members, need to meticulously mange their project budgets. The following four strategies can be applied to control your budget and prevent cost overruns. Forecasting A project run without frequent budget management and reforecasting will likely be headed for failure, because frequent budget oversight prevents the budget from getting too far out of hand. CIM requires Project Leaders to outline their project budget at the project proposal stage on the Inter-School Action Research Proposal form. It is again revised, following feedback from the project proposal stage, and outlined on the Inter-School Action Planning form, at this stage the budget should be refined taking into consideration all the costs from project start up to project outcome delivery. Following this stage, the project is signed-off and ready to begin. Once underway, the project budget is reviewed at the 1:1 Meeting, held every fortnight between CIM and the Project Leader. This enables any overruns to be corrected as quickly as possible. Staffing resources CIM provides teaching cover for project team leaders and team members, to create the time needed to participate in team meetings and implement agreed project activities. Substitute teacher requests should follow the procedures established for your campus. The substitute teacher pay request should be submitted to the CIM Project Manager, for review and approval.

CIM project budgets are agreed during the project planning process; project leaders are responsible for ensuring that all expenses are pre-approved by CIM staff members

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Project leaders are eligible to receive a research allowance in lieu of teaching cover. This is provided to team leaders who will use time outside the school day complete approved project activities. CIM can also enter into negotiated contracts with external consultants on behalf of individual projects. Just as the budget needs to be constantly revisited to keep it on track, so does the resource usage since the people working on a project contribute to its cost. Project Leaders should take the opportunity to review the number of people working on their project and project’s future resources needs at the 1:1 meetings, held fortnightly with CIM staff members. Doing so will ensure that you are fully utilising the resources you have and that you have the right resources ready for the rest of the project. 5.7 Processing expenses In most cases, CIM staff members will make purchases and arrange advance payment for approved budget items using the Finance Department’s Access system procedures. In some cases, it may be necessary for project leaders or members to make purchases using personal resources and seek reimbursement afterward. Project leaders should refer to guidance provided by the Finance Department regarding reimbursements. When submitting budgeted project-related expenses for reimbursement, project leaders must complete an ‘ACS International Schools Expenses Reimbursement Form.’ The completed form and all receipts should be submitted to the CIM project office. CIM staff members will review the request and submit it to the Head Office Finance Department for processing. All questions regarding CIM-related purchasing, payments or reimbursement should be directed to CIM staff members. 5.8 Communicating Communication is an important component within a project. The success of most projects depends upon a set of crucial communication skills and techniques. Project communications refer to the specific behaviour and techniques used to motivate, lead, delegate, and report back to all stakeholders working on the project. There are three clear communication channels that need to be established once the project has started. Managing and improving these channels can dramatically increase your chances of success.

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1. Communicating downward involves: • Providing direction to the project team • Highlighting tasks pending, issues, timelines, and general team

information • Using face-to-face meetings, project website, email • Referencing archived documents including project plan, meeting

notes, etc. • Delegating tasks and responsibility

2. Communicating upward involves:

• Communicating to ACS Board, Leadership Team, Head of School, Principals, line managers

• Highlighting successes and exceptions • Using face-to-face meetings, project website, email • Referencing archived documents including project plan, meeting

notes, Learning During and Learning After events, etc. • Building shared ownership with organisational leaders

3. Communicating laterally involves:

• Communicating with stakeholders, and external organisations and individuals

• Highlighting successes and questions • Using face-to-face meetings, project website, email • Referencing contracts, agreements, etc. • Using diplomacy and tact

Communications Plan An effective project communications plan will: • Facilitate team development: Proper communication actually provides

the basis for the project team to work together and understand the objectives and tasks to be completed.

• Be used throughout the project life-cycle: From defining the project scope to reaching the project outcome, a proper communications plan aids in informing all project stakeholders what communication channels will be used on the project, who will report to whom, and the frequency, type, and format of project meetings.

• Make it easier to update stakeholders: Frequent communication keep stakeholders in the loop, and aware of the project performance, keeping surprises to a minimum.

Communication Tools Project communication isn’t as easy as it may seem, but it is a foundation that should be used to build your team, demonstrate leadership, and provide timely project direction.

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ACS and CIM have developed and made available to project teams a variety of tools to aid good communication, these are: • Face-to-face meeting space • Online collaboration (software with password-protected project work

space) • Online meeting software (subscriptions to well-known providers) • 1:1 Meeting Notes • Team Meeting Notes • Learning During Event Meeting Notes • Learning After Event Meeting Notes • Project Proposal form • Project Plan form The communication tool used should be fit for purpose, consider what is being communicated and to whom when selecting which tool(s) to use. Balanced Communication The correct balance is needed when it comes to communications. The important factors involve communicating how the project will be managed, including how information will flow into and out of the project. There should be a clear and concise communication plan to address project responsibilities and the types of communication that will take place.

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Section 6: How do I evaluate an inter-school action research project? 6.1 Project and programme evaluation The Centre for Inspiring Minds is committed to understanding the quality of the programme it is supporting in order to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and learning. CIM is also committed to working with project leaders to achieve similar results at the project level. At the CIM project level, we are committed to the evaluation of:

• The extent to which a project contributes to improving student learning outcomes; and

• The extent to which a project contributes to improving professional effectiveness.

At the CIM programme level, we are committed to the evaluation of:

• The extent to which CIM contributes to improving professional effectiveness – both of CIM project participants and their colleagues;

• The extent to which CIM projects contribute to improving student learning outcomes;

• The extent to which CIM projects contribute to the school’s core purpose and values;

• The extent to which CIM – its projects and participants – influence the broader education agenda (including professional associations, education policy, etc.); and

• The extent to which the CIM programme offers value for money (return on investment and social return on investment).

6.2 Assessment types Whether considering evaluation at the project or programme level, the following types of assessment will be used. Baseline: assessment A baseline assessment provides information on the situation the programme or project aims to change. It provides a critical reference point for assessing short- and long-term changes, as it establishes a basis for comparing the situation before and after an intervention, and for making inferences as to the effectiveness of the intervention. Baseline assessments should be conducted before the actual programme or project starts to establish a benchmark for examining what change is triggered by the intervention. A baseline assessment is a crucial element

following backward design principles, a project evaluation plan should be developed before you design the activities intended to bring about the changes you will measure

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in any monitoring and evaluation framework. Baseline information should be carried out in such a way that the same type of data can be collected after the intervention, in order to compare the results and assess the extent of change. Formative assessment A formative assessment is typically conducted during the development of a programme or project. It is a progress measure intended to provide information about how a programme or project can be improved while it is being implemented. It typically involves qualitative data and focuses on content and performance. Formative assessments are conducted at pre-determined intervals for use by programme or project leaders or managers Summative assessment A summative assessment is typically conducted at the conclusion of a programme or project, or at a stage in the implementation cycle where major changes are planned or possible. Summative assessments may include qualitative data, but typically require qualitative numeric data as well. Longitudinal assessment Longitudinal assessment involves repeated observations of the same variables over a period of time. Rather than focusing on different cohorts of students each year, longitudinal assessment puts the attention more squarely on the same student cohort’s experiences over several years. Growth models enable the identification of individual student growth patterns that can take into account how earlier circumstances (e.g., previous skill levels, classrooms environments and teachers) affect students’ current learning outcomes. Assessments of growth in student achievement over time provide a way of recognizing that schools serve students who start at different places and progress at different rates. While longitudinal studies have less power to detect causal relationships than action research or empirical research methods, they can establish ‘plausible logical links’ between teaching and learning and their contributions to the Expected School-wide Learning Results or the school’s core purpose. Alumni surveys and focus groups may be used to collect long-term longitudinal data. Participatory assessment A participatory assessment is an opportunity for the stakeholders in a programme or project to stop, reflect on the past, and make decisions about the future. Through the evaluation process, participants share the

longitudinal studies are required to assess the impact of educational interventions, as impact is a measure of the extent to which the intervention contributes to graduates’ or post-graduates’ learner outcomes; causal relationships are difficult to establish in a complex field like education and researchers typically focus on the ‘plausible logical links’ between specific interventions and graduates’ or post-graduates’ learner outcomes

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control and responsibility for deciding what is to be evaluated, selecting the methods and the data source, carrying out the evaluation, and analyzing information and presenting evaluation results and recommendations. Internal assessment Internal assessments are carried out and reported by programme or project team members. The types and timings of internal assessments are identified in the project plan, prior to developing and implementing the planned actions. Internal assessments may focus on qualitative or quantitative data and may take a wide range of forms. External assessment External assessments are commissioned by programme or project leaders, but carried out by external bodies or consultants. External assessments typically measure the extent to which programme or project activities contribute to a broader organizational purpose, outcomes, aims, etc. Logic models or frameworks may be developed to illustrate these linkages and often provide the structure for external evaluations. Triangulation Triangulation refers to the use of more than one approach to the data collection, resulting in multiple data points to inform the evaluation of the same aspect of practice. The purpose of triangulation is to enhance confidence in the findings. 6.3 Data types and data processing Across the range of assessment types, there are three main types of data that can be collected. Descriptive data Descriptive data is typically used to quantify and describe outputs – deliverables, levels of participation, or student achievement data for example. Descriptive data may be qualitative or quantitative. Statistics are often applied to quantitative descriptive data. These include measures of central tendency (mode, median or mean) and measures of spread (range, quartile, deviation or variance). Descriptive data is not suitable for making conclusions about project outcomes. Descriptive data simply states what has been produced or what has occurred.

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Evaluative data Evaluative data is typically used to describe outcomes – the changes in professional effectiveness or student learning. Evaluative data may be qualitative or quantitative. Statistics are also used to analyse quantitative evaluative data. These include changes in descriptive data over time (statistical significance) or other data processing methods aimed at understanding the extent to which parameters observed in a limited sample may be generalized to a wider group (inferential statistics), among others. Interpretive data Interpretive data is typically used to describe research-informed recommendations arising from action research. Interpretive data is typically qualitative, but is informed by review of both qualitative and quantitative descriptive and evaluative data.

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Section 7: How do I document and share learning? 7.1 Writing an action research report This template for writing an action research report is adapted from the Taylor & Francis Group (2010). While CIM does not require the production of a formal action research report, we do recommend this as a professional way to prepare you work to share with others. The elements of an action research report are as follows and presented on the following pages:

• Abstract • Introduction • Literature Review • Clarifying My Action Research Project • The Road Map of My Action Research Project • The Story of My Action Research Project • Further Reflection • Conclusion • References • Appendices

Abstract The abstract consists of a single, concise paragraph describing the purpose, procedure and results of your study. Use no more than 200 words. Don’t write the abstract until you are nearly finished writing the report, and then draft and redraft until it is a clear. Introduction The goal of this section is to combine information about the setting of the action research project and the story behind the project into a smooth narrative that gets the reader engaged in your work’s context. The research question is also introduced here. It is important to communicate to the reader a clear picture of the overall context of your action research project. It is also important to communicate to the reader a clear picture of yourself (and your team) as the action researcher(s) and how your own biases and experiences, and assumptions not only influenced the study but also provided the spark for your research question. State your research question and make it clear how you arrived at the question.

project teams should plan early in the project implementation period for how they will communicate lessons learned

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Literature Review The goal of this section is to introduce the reader to the major issues and/or themes learned from and examination of relevant published information, including the types of publications described in Section 4.5. It is best to organize this section in one of two ways: either group the literature you are reviewing by themes or review the literature to provide an overview of the history leading up to the framework for your action research project. This section will contain the majority of your citations. Clarifying My Action Research Project This is a brief, concise section focusing on the essential elements of your action research project. Assume a more professional style and tone to answer precisely:

• who is involved in the project; • what the research question is and what was implemented or

analyzed; • where the project took place (description of setting); • when the data collection occurred (dates of implementation and/or

data collection, length of study); • how data collection was completed (brief statements – the next

section details this information); • why you conducted the study; • limitations of the study.

This section may seem redundant given that you have already revealed your research question earlier. The intent here is to use a professional tone that defines the study before the reader begins the story of your research. The Roadmap of My Action Research Project The goal of this section is to inform your reader about the following:

• the interventions, analysis, or strategies you implemented; • the data collection strategies and sources you used; • the contents of the data sets you collected; • the methods you used to analyze, interpret, and deconstruct the

data; • changes you made in your research design.

The Roadmap section is a technical piece of the paper describing the research process. The idea here is that someone else could do the same research by following your detailed descriptions of methodology.

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The Story of My Action Research Project The goal of this section is to illustrate what you have learned as related to your research question. Use your data to tell the story of your research and support your conclusions and emerging theories. This section is the heart and soul of your action research report. This is where you tell your story. The section is rich in voice, style, and data. Interweave important data into your narrative. Include tables, charts, and quotes from interviews and your observations and reflections. Use your data to illustrate your ideas, and to provide the reader the freedom to draw his/her own conclusions as well. Explain how you interpreted your data. Support your interpretations with examples. Use multiple data sources to support major assertions or ideas. Include multiple voices and perspectives, including those of critical colleagues, students, and literature cited. Deconstruct your work, providing counterexamples and alternative interpretations. Further Reflection In this section, you bring themes together and begin the process of concluding your paper. Consider the following questions as writing prompts for this final reflection of your action research journey:

• What are some of the most important lessons you will take into your professional practice?

• What will you do differently next time? • What additional questions did this research project pose for you? • What was your action research journey like? • How has this journey transformed your image of teaching,

students, schools, learning? • How have your paradigms been altered, confirmed, and/or

challenged? • What have you learned about action research? • How do you see yourself using this process in the future?

Conclusion Conclusions are tough. An effective way to write the concluding paragraph is to use a quote, either from a student, other participants, or from your own researcher’s notebook. Another possibility is to end with a short story, a vignette, from your data that illustrates the central focus of the study. Sometimes, a combination works well. References Consult carefully with APA guidelines to ensure that references are done correctly. References are yet another element of trustworthiness.

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Appendices Items in the appendices allow the reader to go deeper or gain a clearer view of what is being said in the main text. Appendices are important but they are not a “dumping ground.” Possible inclusions in the appendices include:

• a log of data sets or specific items from a data set; • assessments; • surveys, questionnaires, and interview questions; • letters home (including how you gained permissions); • lesson plans; • artifacts.

Note that anything placed in the appendices must be referenced in the text of the paper. 7.2 Publishing a web portfolio Just as the production of a written report is not a requirement of a CIM project, nor is the presentation of your work in a web portfolio. However, like the research report, a web portfolio may provide an important opportunity for you to share your research interests with others. The Pepperdine Center for Collaborative Action Research (2010) offers the following guidance for developing a web portfolio. A good action research portfolio, like an action research report, documents practices at each step of the inquiry. The accumulation of content provides critical mass for reflection and for recognizing change of practice. There is no perfect template for an action research portfolio. One key idea, however, is to be sure to document the research process and gather artifacts accordingly. That documentation process should utilize both descriptive and reflective writing. In general, your portfolio might include, but is not limited to the following:

• An overview of your problem at a general level and why you (and others) see this as an important challenge and some hints about what you did to solve it- this opening page should be engaging with photos, graphics and possibly a video or audio intro from you

• A detailed description of the field of action (the action context) • A review of literature as part of a planning process (the research

context) • The action research question(s) • The action research process described briefly • Formative descriptions of milestones that document

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o data collected o details of the analysis process o cycle reflections

• Your final reflection considering what was learned about yourself, your actions, your context and the process.

• Collection of any artifacts, images, and videos, or research blogs that you with to include

• Professional bio7.3 Writing a blog Just as the production of a written report is not a CIM requirement, nor is blogging. A blog is a kind of online journal that can be used to provide regular text or photographic updates (called an entry or post) about what’s happening with your project. Blogs are a great way to make the wider school community aware of what you are doing. An important aspect of blogging is that you have the option of inviting your readers to comment about what you’ve posted. This is a great way to get feedback or seek outside input. 7.3 Writing an article Several of our CIM project leaders have written articles for publication outside ACS International Schools. These articles have been both project-based narratives and opinion pieces. As many of the topics addressed by CIM project are also being addressed by other schools, there is potentially great interest in our CIM project work. If you are considering writing an article, the CIM staff can help you identify a potential publisher and assist you with contacting the person in charge to find out more about guidelines and timelines for submissions.

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The Centre for Inspiring Minds ACS International Schools West Lodge Portsmouth Road Cobham, Surrey KT11 1BL https://cim.acs-schools.com