Teacher's name: Kaitlyn Walcheske, Eileen Byrne, Braeden Zwack

Date: March 9, 2016

Length of Class: 30 min
Topic/ Theme: Research in Education
Resources/ Equipment: Smart Board, PGP, ATA website, TQS, Inspire education, Textbook:
Becoming a Teacher, Education Psychology, Poster
__________________________________________________________________________

Introduction: 2 minutes
Anticipatory Set: Caveman comic
Bridging: In making our professional growth development plans (GDP) we are essentially
conducting our own research project as we are taking into consideration how we can improve
ourselves in order to deliver the most effective teaching strategies thus generate the highest
standard of learning among our students.
Objectives:
Students will gain an understanding and appreciation of educational research, what it entails
and who it affects.
Students will explore research taking place in the field of education during past present and
future times.
Students will conduct tests to determine whether research findings are valid and credible.
Students will create a research template in consideration of their own goals, aspirations and
questions about education.
__________________________________________________________________________

Body: Will be delivered via: Prezi Presentation

10 minutes
Instructional Input:
1. What is Educational Research?
The goal of educational research is to improve teaching and student learning to provide a
successful future for our students and teacher. We should understand the teachers role in
educational research in both areas where teachers are contributors to research as well as
where teachers are the researcher. This research is collaborative, always on going and is
changing on a daily basis.
2. Why is research in Education important to us as teacher?
For teachers to constantly grow and learn
-Teachers are lifelong learners.
-The world is constantly changing we must continue to learn and change just to keep up.
To promote better student learning
-Every student learns differently, teachers must find a way to reach their students.
Talking to other educators, reading case studies and using the vast information on the

internet we can try different methods that we might never have thought of without
research.
To ensure we are upholding our responsibilities and duties as a teacher by following and
adhering to government standards
Implementing the most effective strategies in our classroom
-Something that works well for students in your classroom might not work so well in
another teacher's classroom. Trial and error can help you decide what works best for
your students to learn and understand.

3. What are some of the common research methods used, how is educational
research conducted and by who?
Class discussion: When you think of research what comes to mind?
Define Research:
Experiments are done in two ways:
1. Quantitatively (Experimental- measured values)
2. Qualitatively (characteristics, interpretations, underlying themes)
Common Means of Educational research:
-Researcher Based
-Action Research and Teacher as a Researcher
- Share ATA website link
-Beware: Poster, Citations, APA
Poster: 5 Steps to Be a Wise consumer of Educational Technology:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Be cautious of what is reported in the media

Avoid Drawing conclusions about individual needs based on group research
Recognize how easy it is to over generalize about a small or clinical sample
Be aware that a single study is usually NOT the defining word
Always consider the source of information and evaluate its credibility.

4. How can the teacher translate and apply educational research into their
classrooms?
For example:
-Project based learning
-Student Flexibility programs
Thousands of Albertans participated in Inspiring Education, a province-wide
consultation that brought Albertans together to talk about the future of teaching and
learning. Albertans recognized that our education system needs to adapt to meet the
challenges and embrace the opportunities of a constantly evolving world. Through the
Inspiring Education dialogues, Albertans identified a vision for the future of education
where all students are inspired to achieve success and fulfillment as engaged thinkers
and ethical citizens with an entrepreneurial spirit. - Alberta Education website

5. How can we benefit from educational research?

-Staying active in your field, contributing, engaging and sharing opinions, always working
towards the goal of benefiting student learning by staying a lifelong learner yourself.
Learning Activity: 3 minutes
Guided Practice / Independent Practice
What will the students do?
1. Educational Research Scavenger Hunt!
-Students have been asked to bring devices that can access the internet.
-Go to Google scholar and find articles
__________________________________________________________________________

Conclusion: As teachers we are a product of educational research that has been done
previously by both teachers themselves professional researchers such as Bloom, Dewy and
Marzano. As we strive to grow and improve ourselves as teachers both individually in the
classroom by trying new strategies, professional growth plans or within the level of government
mandates (TQS- KSA, Inspiring Education, Professional practise competencies for teachers)
educational Research works towards the ultimate goal of improving teaching and student
learning.
Evaluation: 7 minutes
Team Game of Jeopardy
Reminders/ Homework: 5 minutes
Remind students that as they further into their teaching careers to work with these ideas as a
way stay active in their growth and development process. Educational Research is a valuable
tool and as a teaching, researching community we can learn from one another for the benefit of
our students and future generation. Encourage students to take advantage of practicums,
volunteer experiences, and observations as they are all means for them to gather data that will
contribute to conclusions for personal research and overall ideas about better teaching and
learning.

Closure/ Questions and comments: 3 minutes

Ask if there are any questions. Thank them and leave them with a quote If you are not prepared
to be wrong you will never come up with anything original. Sir Ken Robinson