Action research involves using the scientific method to study problems encountered in a classroom, school, district, or state. In an action research project, the student might conduct a brief review of the literature pertaining to the problem that has been identified and conduct a case study investigation with an individual student, a single classroom, or a school (see Borg, W. R. [1981], Applying Educational Research, Ch. 12; and Kazdin [1982], Single-Case Research Designs, pp. 87-109).

2. Educational Development/Product Development

A useful project for the M.Ed. is to develop educational materials to improve instruction or help solve an educational problem. The usual procedure is to critically evaluate materials already available (if any), decide what can be done to develop more effective materials, develop materials, try them out in the classroom, and evaluate their effectiveness. The project report would be a written description of why the materials were adopted, why the adaptation was needed, and a summary of the evaluation.

For example, suppose an individual teaches algebra and has identified three concepts that students have difficulty understanding. Special visual materials could be developed to help teach these concepts and then tried out in the algebra class to determine if more students demonstrate an understanding of the concepts when the materials are used.

Although most development projects focus on building effective instructional materials, development can be used to help improve virtually any aspect of education in which current procedures appear to be ineffective. The emphasis may be not only on effectiveness, but on such concerns as reducing the demands of teaching, improving student attitudes, generating parental support, and so on.

The educational process/product should proceed through a typical "Research and Development" model and include the following steps as a minimum:

(1) Research and information collecting: Includes review of the literature, classroom observations, and preparation of a report of the state of the art;

(2) Planning: Includes defining skills, stating objectives, determining course sequence, and small-scale feasibility testing;

(3) Develop preliminary form of product/process: Includes preparation of instructional materials, handbooks, and evaluation devices;

(4) Preliminary field testing: The project/process is implemented and interview, observational, and questionnaire data are collected and analyzed;

(5) Main product/process revision: Revisions of products/processes as suggested by preliminary field test results. (See Borg, W. R. [1981], Applying Educational Research: A Practical Guide for Teachers, New York: Longman, pp. 222-223.)

3. In-service Educational Projects

Sometimes M.Ed. candidates see a problem in their school or school district that calls for in-service education. Preparation of an in-service package requires review of pertinent literature, preparation of materials, and the implementation and review of materials. For example, one physical education teacher noted that elementary school teachers were unaware of the nutritional needs of diabetic students. He studied the literature on diabetic children and prepared an audio-visual presentation for use in school faculty meetings. The project report would include the literature review, course syllabus, course objectives, course content, assignment, consumer evaluations, and a summary of the field tryout.

4. Development of Teaching Skills

An M.Ed. project may be aimed at improving skills or skill areas in which the candidate feels him- or herself to be lacking, such as teaming or collaborative consultation. The project might involve reading the literature on teaming or collaborative consultation, observing teachers who have mastered such skills, and arranging for supervised practice of the skills. The final project might be a brief paper that includes the literature review, objectives for the project, observation instruments, evaluation strategies, a summary of the candidate's observations of master teachers, and a summary of observations conducted on the candidate's supervised practice.

5. Developing Content Expertise

A teacher may feel inadequate in regard to a topic he or she must teach which is not treated adequately in an available university course. The project would involve study in the area with the development of an instructional unit based upon what a student learned. The planning, preparation, and presentation of a music recital would be such an example.

A proposal for a project on developing content expertise should include (a) objectives both for the expertise to be gained and also for the products or processes representing the attainment of expertise, (b) methods or activities necessary to the accomplishment of objectives, and (c) evaluation of methods and criteria.