Aidinopoulou, V., & Sampson, D. G. (2017). An action research study from implementing the flipped classroom model in primary school history teaching and learning. Educational Technology & Society, 20(1), 237–247.
The setting of the study was a primary school in Greece (a history course). The participants were 49 eleven-year-old children, who were divided into two groups: 26 in the experimental, and 23 in the control one. The hypothesis of the study was that the utilization of the flipped classroom model in primary school would allow distributing the classroom time more conveniently and effectively. As a result, according to scholars, it would be possible to increase student outcomes and promote their learning experiences. The methodology of the study was action design, the use of which aimed at investigating the potential of the flipped classroom model to enhance learners’ academic results and to lead to the more rational use of classroom time. The first action research cycle consisted of such phases as (a) planning, (b) acting and observing, and (c) reflecting and re-planning. The second cycle incorporated the phases of (a) action and observation and (b) reflection.
The authors found that the flipped classroom model made it possible to use classroom time more efficiently due to allowing for the release of time from lecturing to more interesting student-focused academic activities. In the experimental group, there was more time available for enforcing activities associated with historical thinking skills. At the same time, findings indicated that the memorization of historical content was at the same level in the two groups. The article emphasizes the advantages of the flipped classroom model for promoting students’ learning goals. The authors did not compare different study levels of schoolchildren or the achievements of boys versus girls. However, they provided valuable insights into the implementation of the model, including the benefits and challenges of the process.
Al-Naibi, I., Al-Jabri, M., & Al-Kalbani, I. (2018). Promoting students’ paragraph writing using EDMODO: An action research. TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 17(1), 130–143.
An English as a foreign language class at Arab Open University was analyzed with the aim of evaluating the effect of Edmodo, a social networking website, on learners’ writing performance. Twenty-five students participated in the study, the primary purpose of which was to analyze whether and to what extent Edmodo could promote students’ writing in a foreign language. The study’s hypothesis was that the use of a social network as a method of teaching writing could enhance students’ skills by providing a more engaging learning environment. The action research design utilized in the study incorporated the identification of a problem by the teacher, the creation of an action plan, the collection of data in the classroom, the analysis of data, and the teacher’s reflection on the whole process. The 25 participants were pre-intermediate students in the foundation program at Arab Open University. Out of them, 60% were females, and 40% were males. The learners studied part-time, and their ages varied between 26 and 35 years.
The authors found that Edmodo had a rather positive effect on students’ writing skills development. Whereas initially, learners did not know how to brainstorm writing ideas, their ability to write topic sentences was poor, and their paragraph structure was not effective enough. Meanwhile, the use of Edmodo increased the students’ writing skills and enhanced their awareness. The article is a valuable source for the teachers of English as a second language since it offers an analysis of how additional means of teaching can promote students’ second language writing skills. Al-Naibi et al. (2018) not only present the assets of using the social network as an educational tool but also note the potential barriers to such implementation.
Calvert, M., & Sheen, Y. (2015). Task-based language learning and teaching: An action-research study. Language Teaching Research, 19(2), 226–244. Web.
The study’s focus was on the analysis of action research as a method of evaluating language learning tasks by teachers. The authors hypothesized that action research enabled a better understanding of task-based instruction with the help of the mentioned approach. Calvert and Sheen (2015) suggested that language teachers could find solutions to crucial task-based issues that might occur in the process of teaching and learning. The method employed in the study was the action research design, which incorporated the teacher’s development, enforcement, reflection, and modification of language learning assignments with the aim of meeting the needs of students to a greater extent. The students were participants of an adult refugee English learning program, aged from 25 to 56 years. The demographic distribution was the following: seven Nepali Bhutanese learners, three Ethiopian, two Iranian, and one Eritrean. There existed considerable differences among the students’ educational background and language proficiency, as well as the duration of living in the USA.
The authors found that in a challenging educational setting, the utilization of task-based learning and teaching demanded much preparation on the part of a teacher. Specifically, the effective introduction of tasks would require the effective management of students’ literacy issues and ecological realities. Furthermore, it was found that the successful arrangement of task-based learning would entail the consideration of students’ various backgrounds and cultural experiences along with low linguistic horizons. The article will be of use for the teachers who endeavor to utilize task-based learning in their classrooms but do not know what challenges they might face or how to deal with them. The scholars suggest educators engage in critical examination and reflection in order to gain the best results of task-based learning.
Kostaris, C., Sergis, S., Sampson, D. G., Giannakos, M. N., & Pelliccione, L. (2017). Investigating the potential of the flipped classroom model in K-12 ICT teaching and learning: An action research study. Educational Technology & Society, 20(1), 261–273.
The focus of the study was the analysis of the flipped classroom model’s potential to promote teaching and learning of information and communication technologies (ICT). The authors hypothesized that there existed a potential of the flipped classroom model to promote students’ learning in various dimensions, including cognitive learning, distributing educational activities, motivating students during learning tasks, and engaging learners in various activities. The population of the study was composed of junior high school students. The methodology of the study was a quasi-experimental design as a part of the action research method. Two classes of students aged fourteen years participated in the study, which lasted eight weeks (one full semester). The participants were divided into two groups, the experimental and the control one, each consisting of 23 students. The experimental group’s ICT course involved the utilization of the flipped classroom model, whereas the control group attended a traditional course. In each of the two groups, there were 12 girls and 11 boys. Consent was obtained both from students’ parents and the school’s administration.
The scholars found that the use of the flipped classroom model allowed for a holistic conceptualization of learners’ experiences by integrating existing approaches. Kostaris et al. (2017) concluded that the use of the flipped classroom model promoted learners’ cognitive outcomes. Furthermore, the authors found that low-performing students could benefit from the model most of all, indicating the greatest improvement at the end of the program. The article is related to other works in the selected area of study, demonstrating consistent findings in the higher education context. However, scholars also pointed to the importance of utilizing the flipped classroom model in the whole sequence of the K-12 education process.
Nold, H. (2017). Using critical thinking teaching methods to increase student success: An action research project. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 29(1), 17–32.
The study focused on the investigation of how critical thinking teaching methods could promote student success. The authors noted that problem-solving and critical skills were crucial components of both the educational and professional success of learners. The hypothesis of the study was that students’ critical thinking skills could be significantly promoted by means of utilizing multiple teaching approaches, questioning stimulating deep thinking, sources’ reliability, and predicting outcomes. The population studied in Nold’s (2017) research was composed of bachelor-level college students. The methods utilized by the author were action research and the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Students attending three courses (strategic planning and management, business ethics, and operations management and decision-making) were participants of the intervention. All of the students were enrolled in the Bachelor of Applied Science program. The average age of participants was 33, varying between 19 and 60. Many of them were veterans who had completed their military service, and 65% of students were female. The total number of students involved in the study that lasted for 15 months was 316.
Nold (2017) found that the use of critical thinking methods allowed enhancing learners’ skills in various aspects, including both the educational and professional dimensions. Findings also indicated that an eight-week program was sufficient for a positive impact on students’ constructs and outcomes associated with success. The researcher noted that educators aimed at improving their students’ outcomes should incorporate multiple assignments, including research methods, and then provide substantial feedback on achievements and drawbacks. The study is linked to similar works in the selected area of research, namely, students engaged in multiple subject areas. The research enriches knowledge in the sphere of critical thinking development.