1

EDUC 6327 Refelction PMGeimer

Reflection
As I stated in EDUC 6326, I am never thrilled about the idea of writing,
particularly when I have to share my writing with others. Writing has always been
a cumbersome task for me, and I spend a suitable amount of time using the same
processes that I teach many of my students. Although this course is a continuation
of EDUC 6326 and I feel the focus of the class was entirely different. Although the
writing process is embedded in this half of the course, I feel the focus changed to
gaining a more comprehensible understanding of what is read when reviewing
scholarly articles, understanding the processes of research, constructing a research
plan, and what it entails to deliver the information provided in a scholarly article.
To read the article is informative, but being able to understand, dissect, and
knowing how to replicate a study is insightful.
At the onset of the class, I felt confident in my ability to review and article
and to summarize the details of the study, provide a basic overview of the
outcomes, but the course has broadened my understanding of the different methods
used to obtain the data for analysis, and to deliver the outcome to an intended
audience. There is an abundance of preparations that need to occur in order to
acquire valid results and produce creditable and valid data for analysis. In my
opinion, understanding the process also assist in narrowing down which articles

2
EDUC 6327 Refelction PMGeimer

contain pertinent information when researching a topic of interest. I had not taken
into account, prior to the course, the type of experiment the data related to; quasiexperimental, non-experimental, quantitative, and qualitative.
As an educator, I had always assumed that I had actively monitored my
students progress and taken adequate notation, but throughout the course, I
realized that there is a significant difference between reviewing a summary of data
and producing the data we use to guide our instruction. The majority of the data I
use to guide instruction is pre-programmed and easily obtained, but it doesnt
always answer the questions that I have about my students. The course has
enhanced my ability to review data and to create test independently, and as the
course progressed, I found myself analyzing elements and implementations more
thoroughly. My notations and documentation has become more defined, I tend to
record more individualistic versus holistic. The perspective has been particularly
useful in maintaining individual portfolios, particularly for students that have been
referred or require academic testing.
As a student of the course, I feel I have a better understanding of the process
of action research and what my role is as a participant. I feel that I can adequately
form a research question to investigate, and can construct surveys or
documentation that will provide a true representation of the population, and using a

3
EDUC 6327 Refelction PMGeimer

variety of techniques, I can compare the outcomes and determine an appropriate

course of action.