Action Research for Course Improvement in University - Comparing a General Education Course and a Professional Education Course -

摘要

This study aims to improve a general education course by means of action research. Previous studies suggest that researchers intervene in teachers’ activities and modify them in action research. According to McNiff & Whitehead (2011), action research needs “action-reflection cycle.” We implemented action research to improve a general educationcourse lectured by a professor. The theme of the course is “Anti-Peace Study,” while in the professional seminar course, the professor introduces neuropsychiatry. In this actionresearch, two researchers observe all his lectures of “Anti-Peace Study” and some of his seminars in the professional course. Although the practitioner tried to conduct the lecture through dialogue, students’ attitudes and reactions seemed different between two of the courses. The researchers suggested using online BBS in the LMS to facilitate learners’discussion in the general education course, compared with his successful seminar course,and the practitioner tried to introduce it. However, the efforts did not necessarily reachsuccess. Introducing LMS was not easy for a beginner. In conclusion, we suggest courseimprovement needs longer periods than one lecture.