College English Teaching Study Conducted by Discovery Learning Theory and Action Research——Take College English Ⅱ for Instance

The unceasing revolution of the global economy and culture boosts the revolutionary step of the educational circle.Combining the creed of The Guide of College English Teaching in 2016 with the results of investigation and survey in colleges, a research group in the Institute of Foreign Languages of Hankou University comes up with a revolutionary trial scheme on College English teaching conducted by discovery learning theory, as well as a research method of action research, which is in hope of mending the problems and shortcomings of current College English teaching.

A Brief Introduction to Action Research

This paper makes a brief introduction to action research, and it is hoped to be helpful for the English teachers.

Using action research to evaluate a nursing orientation program in a multicultural acute healthcare setting

Objectives:Competence motivates newly employed nurses to provide high-quality care,which leads to appropriate patient care and satisfaction.A nursing orientation program can have a positive impact on new nurses who are joining healthcare organizations.The research examined the orientation program for new nurses in a multicultural setting to redesign the program.Methods:The study was carried out in a multicultural tertiary setting.Action research was used as a research strategy with qualitative content analysis and quantitative evaluation.Seventy nurses were part of the orientation program.The competence of the nurses was assessed using the Nurse Competence Scale.Focus-group discussions were also conducted to find the views of the beneficiaries about the program.Results:The study revealed that the overall competence was high,and there was an overall gain in the competence score(5.48%)among the nurses.Among their competence in different dimensions,new nurses had a maximum gain in competence for the dimension of ensuring quality.However,they showed low competence gain in teaching coaching.The results show that the difference in the overall pre-and post-test scores was statistically significant(P<0.05)in all dimensions except teaching coaching and managing situations,and the program was effective.However,a few challenges were identified in the program.Conclusions:New nurses were found to be competent,and the orientation program had a significant impact on the competence of the nurses.The findings emphasized the need for modification of some content and strategy for future programs.The strategies developed from the findings were presented.This helps hospitals to consider examining specific aspects of the orientation program and redesigning it so it can enrich the experiences of new nurses.

An Integrated Model of Teaching Theory and Action Research in POA-based Textbook Writing

Teaching theories provide important guidance for language teaching materials development,but there is little research on how textbook writers apply teaching theories in the actual writing process.This study analyzes the process of compiling iEnglish,a series of textbooks based on the Production-Oriented Approach(POA)and proposes an Integrated Model of Teaching Theory and Action Research for textbook writing.By elaborating the roles of teaching theory and action research at different stages of textbook writing and the interaction between theory and practice during the process,the study concludes that the Integrated Model can promote both textbook improvement and theory refinement.

Teaching Religious Education in Schools and Adolescents＇ Social and Emotional Development. An Action Research on the Role of Religious Education and School Community in Adolescents＇ Lives

The presentation of the findings of this article is based on an action research focused on the supportive role of the school in adolescents＇ lives, whereby Religious Education＇s contribution to the social and emotional development of adolescents （11-15） is combined with the evaluation of the potential offered by a constructivist approach to the learning process. The research commenced in 2012 and is now in its third ＂year. The project is based on an intervention at a high school in an impoverished suburb of Athens and researches educational practices through interpretative-ethnographic methods. The researcher has attempted to answer the question of whether the design of the learning environments is effective not only in the learning process, but also on inter-communication and ＂connectedness＂ between the members of the learning community. The findings so far indicate a correlation between adolescents＇ emotional and social wellbeing and the school＇s approach to knowledge and learning methods, specifically in Religious Education classes. It is fair to say, however, that there exist ethnic, social and family components that are negatively related to a sense of＂connectedness＂ within the school although at the same time Religious Education as a subject is, however, found to be positively related to learning community atmosphere.

Changes in Nurses'Ethical Practices in Organ Transplant Nursing Using Action Research

The purpose of this study is to investigate how participation in action research will change nursing activities in dealing with ethical issues experienced in daily nursing settings of organ transplantation. The action research here is comprised of four types of sessions: clarification of wishes (1st session), meetings to talk about matters experienced, study meetings, and reflections (final session). In the first and final sessions, group interviews about ethical practices were conducted. Recorded data from the interviews and 4th meeting to talk about experiences were analyzed using WordMiner1.5. Participants had the individual need, “wish to improve understanding of ethics in their own skills to promote ethical practices and ethical interests”. Then, they became aware of “ethical practice in placing importance on the relationship with patients/their families and ethics attitudes as nurses”. This awareness was connected to “sharing ideas and information with medical staff, awareness of and action suitable for ethics issues, and increased interest in ethics issues”. Like this, the awareness of ethical practices has expanded from individuals to the relationship with patients/their families and sharing ideas with medical staff, and this has developed into self-development. The findings suggest the importance of an organizational culture that addresses ethics to improve practical ethics skills. The findings also suggest that it would be necessary for an organization to take long-term actions to addresses ethical issues in wards or hospitals.

Implementation of Action Research to Challenge Poverty of Local Communities in Forest Protection Area

Forest land including forest protection areas in Indonesia have been degraded due to poverty of local communities who live in the surrounding areas. They tend to destroy the forest and are less attentive to forest conservation causing conflict between local community and government. Forest protection areas are very fragile and at risk from natural disaster, mainly in small islands. Natural resources management in small islands needs to be done properly. Therefore, a research has been done for local communities in the Gunung Sirimau forest protection area, Ambon, with objectives to increase income in local communities and knowledge of forest conservation. This study used the action research method. The results of this study showed that income of local communities in three demplots increased by IDR 3,966,000 （in cycle 1）, IDR 20,107,000 （in cycle 2） and IDR 25,897,000 （in cycle 3）. Unfortunately, their knowledge regarding forest conservation and tree maintenance, both in theory and practice is still low. A lot of effort is needed to increase their knowledge in the next action research. The effort to increase income of local communities and its knowledge of forest conservation should be done step by step. If their knowledge is sufficient, promotion of the environmental service of forest protection areas through carbon trade implementation can be carried out.

Participatory Action Research for Catalyzing Adaptive Management： Analysis of a ＂Fits and Starts＂ Process

This paper argues that contextual constraints can significantly interfere with the conduct of research and development, and accordingly should be analyzed more honestly. It describes a five country research project, Landscape Mosaics, in which participatory action research （PAR） was intended as one of two central approaches in the original research design （the other approach being more conventional research）. The five sites, in Cameroon, Indonesia, Laos, Madagascar, and Tanzania, are described, with an emphasis on their implementation of PAR. The fact that personnel and partners on three of the five sites failed to implement PAR is analyzed, to determine the constraints to such action. These findings are then compared with our experience with two other similar projects in which PAR was more widely implemented. We conclude by identifying the most important constraints to be overcome in implementing a PAR process, something we consider important in efforts to deal with change processes in developing countries.

Action Research in Language Education

Action research is a kind of research in language education, but it has its own characteristics. And its implementation will help a lot in both teachers＇ professional development and classroom teaching. This article has made a tentative study of the practical use of Action Research and some problems teachers confront in using it. This article is also concerned with some solutions to the problems teachers may face, e.g., being lack of knowledge about action research and expertise, being lack of time of action research, having too large class, being short of support including money, constraints from students and authority＇s response. The implentation of action research needs teachers, experts, and school athority＇s effort to improve language teching and language education.

Initiating Chinese student teachers into action research

This paper discusses the effectiveness of action research by student teachers during their practicum. Following the review of literature and the presentation of the advantages of action research by student teachers, the paper suggests a three-phased action research process in student teachers＇ practicum. In China, initiating student teachers into an action research approach in teacher preparation programmes, which offers a way to narrow the theory-practice gap, a big problem to student teachers, can effectively integrate professional knowledge and classroom teaching practice and prepare them for the complex role they will face in today＇s world.

Making full use of action research in EFLT

Since 1970s, action research is well claimed in education. This article tries to give a brief introduction of some major relevant information about action research, and then it explores the significance of adopting action research in EFLT. Moreover, it proposes a possible way, namely collaborative action research in EFLT.

Action Research on Application of Cooperative Learning in Business English-Viewing, Listening ＆ Speaking

Business English-Viewing, Listening ＆ Speaking is a practical course for business English majors. Cooperative learning is the teaching mode mainly based on the group work. The author applied the cooperative learning in the teaching for 10 weeks. The action research attempts to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of cooperative learning through teaching practice, questionnaire, interview, and classroom observation. The results show that cooperative learning can improve the learning behavior, and facilitate the students＇ communicating skills

An Action Research on Constructing a Multiple Learning Evaluation System on the Context of College English Teaching Reform

Learning evaluation reform, an important part of the College English Teaching Reform, is not only a basis for teachers to reflect on their teaching method, to improve their teaching management, and to ensure the teaching quality, but also an effective means for students to enhance their learning efficiency and to gain sound learning effect as well. This research was intended to apply action research to the construction of multiple learning evaluation system with the aim of proving the effectiveness of the system on raising students＇ learning autonomy to find problems in the teaching, to testify the problems through questionnaire, then to design a feasible teaching strategy and carry out an experimental teaching, and finally to reflect on the whole teaching process from the perspective of how well the learner＇s learning autonomy was enhanced. The research result is valid, positively testifying the presupposition that the Multiple Evaluation System is a comprehensive one, which makes it possible to evaluate the students＇ progress in the whole learning process.

Hanoi Public TransportmTransformation by Management Using Action Research and Behavior Setting Theory

After the economic reforms in Vietnam, the number of motorbikes surged while public transport lost its passengers. No funds for investment available TRAMOC （Transport Management and Operation Centre）, the Transport Management and Operation Center started the experiment of transforming Hanoi Public Transport by management based on action research, introducing some interventions, which had shown to be effective in Europe. Phase I of the experimental approach was carried out with the smallest company that operated Line 32. The number of daily passengers surged from 1,700 to 8,000. In Phase II, the experiment was extended to the whole net. In 2001, there were 35,000 passengers per day, in 2010, there were 1 million; this is an increase of 3,000%. The result surpassed by far the expectations. The key for understanding the surprising results is the mode choice. 53% of the users are riders by choice; they have access to a car or motorbike. Simulation of the decisions as rational choice based on time needed for trips was proved to be quite accurate. Behavior was analyzed in the frame of behavior setting theory, which brings together urban structure and the design of the transport system. Success with introducing public transport needs a self-reliant leadership, which works with people in their real life situation. An urban transport system is part of the organized behavior of the people, who make use of the technical opportunities offered.

An Action Research of Using Problem-Centered Double-Cycles Instructional Model to Implement ModeI-Elicitng Activity

The purpose of the study was to use the Problem-Centered Double-Cycles Instructional Model （PCDC-IM） （1995, Chang） to help the teacher （Lin） implement model-eliciting activity （MEA） in her mathematics classes. In this study, there were 31 students divided in 10 groups and engaged in the MEA ＂Who saved the oriental cherry trees＂. Data collections included the learning sheets, journals and debriefing forms of students, teaching and reflection journals, observation reports, and field notes of teachers, reflection journals and interview reports of researchers, video tapes and records of the classes and meetings. There were four parts of the teaching cycle in PCDC-IM, namely task, guidance, environment and analysis. We summarized developing and implementing the MEA in ＂Task＂ aspect, 5 principles and 5 kinds of teachers＇ roles in ＂Guidance＂ aspect, 2 elements and 5 features in ＂Environment＂ aspect and data in ＂Analysis＂ aspect. The findings showed that PCDC-IM was helpful for mathematics teachers who want to change their instruction from lecture into modeling teaching.

Integrating WeChat-based Autonomous Learning Community into Improving Speaking--An Action Research Study in EFL

The purpose of this paper is to share the findings of an action research aiming at helping college students to improve their speaking by applying a WeChat-based autonomous learning community.WeChat is the most wide-spread social media platform in China.In this 10-week action research,a total of 16 participants in a Chinese university were involved.After identifying the incentive of participating in this WeChat Group speaking activity,most of which were related with pronunciation and a lack of speaking fluency practice,an action plan was developed and implemented.In this WeChat group,the participants received weekly learning material about pronunciation and speaking assignments accordingly,then they had one week to learn the pronunciation independently and prepare the oral assignments.Following this,participants submitted their voice recording in the WeChat group and were given feedback by an instructor in this group.Observations,questionnaires,and surveys were used to collect data.The results show a positive feedback from the learners on a WeChat-based autonomous learning community.The study observes(1)college EFL learners have a strong motivation;intrinsic motivation especially has a positive relationship with participants’performance;(2)students have a positive attitude towards WeChat-based autonomous learning community;(3)timely feedback from instructors is highly valued by language learners.

An Action Research Focusing on the Improvement of Students' Writing Competence

Based on the theory of Consciousness- Raising( CR),this paper proposes a teaching reform in her class,aiming to improve students' writing competence.Activities have been carried out in their English study and different tasks have been performed at different stages to train the students to be more effective in writing.This paper has expounded the feasibility of this action research and carefully presented the teaching procedures,hoping to help teachers to become more reflective and innovative in their teaching.

An Action Research Report on Teacher-Student Interaction in EFL Class

This essay is an action research report, focusing on the analysis of a common problem in EFL teaching---passive class. By analyzing the data collected in an EFL class, the author testifies the hypotheses, reflects on some possible reasons for the passive class and proposes suggestions to improve the teacher-student interaction.

Renovation of Teacher's Role in Action Research

under the present educational reform backgrounds,college English teachers are expected to re-examine their role,shift their mind-sets from the traditional passive position of acceptors of educational theory to creator of their own local teaching theories.

Action Research——the Way to Enhancing Teacher Professional Development

This paper introduces the notion of action research in its international academic context. Action research is potentially beneficial to both pre-service teachers and in-service teachers in their professional development and it should play an important role in the curriculum renewal of English teaching methodology in China.