Action Research

After reading Geoffrey Mill's work on Action Research, I began thinking about the universality of such projects. Mills suggests that Action Research should focus on a local issue at hand and attempt to solve the issue by observing, collecting data, and enacting change asan action plan... yet I've been thinking that Action Research really could be a universal solution to many educational problems. For instance, I've been working on my project at my local school site, but realize from many comments I have received that the study of gender in elementary education really extends universally throughout the United States. Boys and girls do have a tendency, from what I have observed throughout my travels and friendships with teachers in other states, to separate on the basis of gender while on the playground. Teacher friends of mine have discussed their desire to integrate the two genders while delivering educational curriculum, but also have noted their inabilities to integrate members of both genders while on the playground. The issue then becomes: who has the most imput as to whochildren tend to play with, and why? How can we as teachers most influence choices students make as to with whom they play andassociate?

Updated Research Questions

I have decided to reword my three main research questions to allow for better analysis. Instead of being more closely along the lines of yes/no inquiries, I have decided to go with "a degree to which..." to measure the degree to which people comply with the topic in my questions.

The new questions are as follows:

Research Question 1:
To what degree do teachers seek a gender integrated environment within the classroom?

Research Question 2:
To what degree does gender separation occur once students are left to their own devices?

Research Question 3:
By what methods are teachers able to foster lasting gender integration routines for students to follow both inside and outside of class; when directed and not-directed?