Action Research Toolkit for Teachers
دليل البحث الإجرائي للمعلمين
Action research is a small, planned investigation that a teacher carries out in their own classroom to improve one thing. You choose a real problem, try a change, collect simple evidence, and decide what to keep. It does not need a laboratory, a large sample or statistics software: it needs a clear question and honest evidence.
البحث الإجرائي دراسة صغيرة مخططة ينفذها المعلم داخل صفه لتحسين جانب واحد: تختار مشكلة حقيقية، وتجرّب تغييرًا، وتجمع أدلة بسيطة، ثم تقرر ما تحتفظ به. لا يحتاج إلى مختبر أو عينة كبيرة، بل إلى سؤال واضح وأدلة صادقة.
The cycle in six steps · الدورة في ست خطوات
- Notice · لاحِظ
Describe one concern in your classroom in one sentence, with evidence. "In the last two tests, half of my Grade 11 class lost marks on vocabulary from earlier units." - Ask a focused question · صُغ سؤالًا محددًا
Use the pattern: "What happens to [outcome] when I [change] with [group] over [time]?" Keep it small enough to finish in 6–8 weeks. - Plan the change and the evidence · خطّط للتغيير والأدلة
Decide exactly what you will do differently, how often, and which two or three kinds of evidence you will collect before and after. - Act and collect · نفّذ واجمع الأدلة
Teach as planned. Keep a short research journal: date, what you did, what you noticed. Record problems honestly. - Analyse · حلّل
Compare before and after. Look for patterns in student work, not only averages. Ask: what else could explain the change? - Reflect and share · تأمّل وشارك
Decide: keep, adapt or stop. Share a one-page summary with your department or professional learning community.
A worked example · مثال تطبيقي
An illustrative example, written for this toolkit. It is not a published study.
| Concern | Grade 11 students forget vocabulary from earlier units before the end-of-term exam. |
|---|---|
| Question | What happens to students' retention of earlier vocabulary when I start every lesson with a five-question review quiz, over six weeks? |
| Change | Five-minute starter quiz: two items from last lesson, two from last week, one from last month. No marks recorded; students self-check. |
| Evidence | 1. A 20-item vocabulary test from Units 1–3 in week 1 and again in week 6. 2. A three-question student survey on confidence (before and after). 3. The teacher's research journal. |
| Possible finding | Average score rises from 9/20 to 13/20; the lowest-scoring students gain most; some students say the quizzes are "boring" by week 5, so the format is varied. |
| Decision | Keep the starters, vary the format every two weeks, share with the English department. |
مثال: قلق المعلم من نسيان طلاب الصف الحادي عشر لمفردات الوحدات السابقة، فجرّب اختبارًا قصيرًا من خمسة أسئلة في بداية كل حصة لمدة ستة أسابيع، وقارن نتائج اختبار قبلي وبعدي.
Simple evidence tools · أدوات بسيطة لجمع الأدلة
| Tool | Good for | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-test and post-test | Knowledge and skills | Use the same or an equivalent test, under the same conditions. |
| Short student survey | Attitudes, confidence | 3–5 questions, anonymous, the same before and after. |
| Samples of student work | Writing, problem solving | Mark with one rubric; compare a few samples in depth. |
| Observation checklist | Participation, behaviour | Ask a colleague to observe with your checklist. |
| Exit tickets | Understanding after a lesson | One question, collected in the last two minutes. |
| Research journal | Your own reflection | Write 3–4 lines after each relevant lesson. |
Use at least two different kinds of evidence. When two sources point the same way, your conclusion is more trustworthy.
Ethics and consent · الأخلاقيات والموافقة
- Ask your school first. Tell your principal or academic deputy what you plan to do, and follow your school's and the Ministry's procedures for research.
- Normal teaching vs. research. Improving your own lessons is part of teaching. If you plan to publish, present outside school, or collect anything beyond normal classwork (recordings, interviews, photos), get written permission from the school and informed consent from parents.
- Protect identities. Use codes (S1, S2) instead of names. Never include names, photos, ID numbers or contact details in reports or presentations.
- Do no harm. No group should lose learning because of the study. If the change seems to disadvantage students, stop or adapt it.
- Store data safely. Keep data on school-approved storage and delete it when the project ends.
- AI tools. You may use AI to help plan, draft surveys or summarise your own notes, but never paste identifiable student data into public AI tools. You remain responsible for every conclusion.
استأذن إدارة المدرسة أولًا، واحصل على موافقة أولياء الأمور إذا تجاوز جمع البيانات العمل الصفي المعتاد أو نويت النشر. استخدم رموزًا بدل الأسماء، ولا تُدخل بيانات طلاب يمكن التعرف عليهم في أدوات الذكاء الاصطناعي العامة.