Project Description

Integrating Learning Trajectories Through Action Research

This project merges the learning sciences, teacher education, and action research and proceeded through three phases:
1) Planning and design
2) Implementation, assessment and refinement
3) Second round of implementation, assessment, and refinement

I phase 1 we conducted domain analysis to identify learning indicators for teaching history and proficiency levels for each indicator. Based on this work, we mapped learning trajectories: 1)An overall learning goal, 2)One or more conjectured pathways from children’s intuitive knowledge to the overall goal (often referred to as a progression),a 3) set of instructional activities hypothesized to help students move along the pathways.

In phases 2 and 3 the members of our teacher leadership team conducted action research while they implemented the learning trajectories in their classrooms. Based on their findings the learning trajectories were refined. The university-based researchers conducted a wrap-around qualitative case study.