Summary of "Finding Action Research Topics"

Main Ideas / Lessons

Action research starts with choosing a relevant classroom problem. The speaker emphasizes that many teachers struggle to pick a topic even if they feel excited about doing action research.
A common prompt for topic selection: Identify “one thing about your classroom [that] keeps you up at night.”
Finding a topic can feel daunting, but you can simplify it using three practical techniques.
Teacher action research must focus on classroom improvement. The issue should matter to both the teacher and students and should realistically allow for change.

Decide how long you will keep the journal (e.g., a few days, a few weeks, or up to a month).
Commit to a daily routine:
- Write 5 minutes every day.
- Choose a consistent time (e.g., before lunch or before bed).
Review your entries periodically after a few days.
Look for patterns:
- Reoccurring issues are prime candidates for action research topics.

Search academic journals, magazines, or books for instructional ideas.
When you find a technique, ask whether it fits your students:
- Often the technique is designed to address a problem students struggle with.
Test the technique:
- Make testing that technique the basis of your action research.
Where to look:
- Visit a local library or university and browse.

Video-record your classroom lessons.
Expect discomfort (acknowledging it feels uncomfortable at first), but:
- Reviewing the footage can be highly revealing.
Use the video to identify pressing issues.
Turn those issues into the action research topic.

Whichever method you use, teacher action research should be about improving your classroom.
The final selection depends on you: the topic should be important to you and your students and should allow for improvement.
The video also includes a brief question highlighting the time commitment (e.g., “a 5 minutes is not long enough”), implying that short consistent effort is still meaningful.

Keith Graham — founder of TeacherActionResearch.com (primary speaker).
No other specific sources (e.g., named authors, studies, journals) are mentioned beyond general references to:
- academic journals
- magazines
- books
- local libraries
- universities