Assignment 11

Read Article 10 "Action Research in Action" on pages 157-167 in the Schmuck textbook (Practical Action Research, 2nd ed.). Write a 2-3 page summary (double spaced using 12 pt. font) of this article from the Schmuck text. Please begin by providing the title and author of the article. Then, provide your thoughts on the contents and implications of the article. Complete your review with a brief conclusion of the findings of the research. Submit this summarization as your assignment for this week. l0 Action Research in Action Curricular Articulation and Integrated Instruction Douglas E. Arnold Action research can be a potent tool for school improvement and a catalyst for change. Galax High School developed a project on integrated instruc-tion to increase curricular articulation and connections among disciplines in the school, and to decrease the isolation often experienced by teachers. Using the action research works of Calhoun (1994) and McKernan (1991), I decided to put action research into action at Galax (Va.) High School. During the 1995-96 school year, three teachers and I developed and conducted an action research project on integrated instruction. As we did not have many examples of articulation among curricular depart-ments, we felt a need existed to increase curricular articulation and con-nections among disciplines in the school. We also wanted to chip away at the isolation often experienced in teaching and learning. All too often, teaching and learning in a specific area is thought of as an isolated event with no connections to other areas. Because of this, teachers and students fail to see connections between and among disci-plines. Integrated instruction is an "approach to learning that stresses con-nections and relationships rather than delineations within and across academic" and vocational disciplines (Burns, 1995, p. 3). y uouglas E ction Research in Action: Curricular Articulation and Integrated Instructitione,d,, SOURCE: "A ith permission. Arnold (1998) NASSP BULLETIN 82 (596): 74-78. Published by SAGE. s 157