I find myself in the planning stages of an action research project to try to improve pass rates for some low pass rate higher education courses. I love planning projects, in general, so I thought this was going to be the fun part of this project for me.
Oh boy! I was so mistaken.
The reason why what I normally enjoy became an arduous task is that courses in higher ed, especially those with low pass rates, are in constant flux. The courses I initially wanted to work with have already been updated once while I was working on my literature review. And now they are currently in the process of being reworked from 7-week courses to 15-wk courses.
On the one hand, this is a great problem. These changes are a sign these courses are actively being reworked to try to improve the pass rates. But the problem is that it's going to make planning and, more importantly, data collection much more complicated for my research.
Determining a baseline, in theory, is a simple thing. Take the course data before the change. But at this point, the baseline data is, itself, not a baseline.
The really troubling part is scheduling, however. If the current updates are successful, the courses won't need intervention by the time I'm ready to intervene. If they aren't successful, the course may likely be measuring other changes that could interfere with the data I need to collect. It could be impossible to determine if change is due to my implementations or others.
So, as I sit here trying to devise a plan for this project, I find myself wondering how to navigate the unpredictability of these courses. It seems that starting an action research project in a higher education setting is akin to embarking on a voyage into the dark. The excitement of exploring innovative teaching methods and assessing their impact is palpable, but the road ahead is not just far from smooth, it's invisible.
Navigating through the unpredictable twists and turns of frequently changing courses demands a flexible approach. If you work in academia, you likely resonate with the struggle of aligning research timelines with the ever-shifting landscape of higher education.
Courses may be cancelled last minute, due to under-enrollment. Vendors or resources may be discontinued or altered. The key lesson is that agility and the ability to pivot in response to the unknown is not a luxury. It's a requirement.
I can already see the hurdles I'll face in executing an action research project in a constantly evolving educational context will test me. As an instructional designer, the notion of unpredictability in higher ed environments is not foreign to me. Each course presents new challenges. And as tech tools evolve, there's always something new to learn.
But it is precisely through embracing this unpredictability that we uncover possibilities for innovation and growth. The ever-changing landscape of higher education courses presents us with a unique canvas on which to paint our research endeavors, infusing them with adaptability and an enduring spirit of exploration.
While scheduling a higher ed action research project for courses that frequently undergo change may seem daunting, it is precisely within these challenges that the seeds of progress and transformation are sown.
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