Action research provides a framework to engage teachers in deeper inquiry about the effectiveness of their practice and impact on their students.

Wrap Up

Summary

Engaging in action research professional development allows educators to improve their effectiveness and confidence in their teaching practice. Participants in the Maryland Humanities Action Research Project identified recommendations and best practices for using the Inquiry Kits for Social Studies with diverse students based on their own experiences and reflections. Many of their recommendations will be found as you learn more about using the Inquiry Kits. Take note of issues that you observe or new issues that arise. These observations can lead you to a new action research cycle. Think about specific changes and how they would work with other students or content.

  • Issues with the lesson? Try using a different Inquiry Kit or resource.
  • Concerns about implementation? Try organizing student groups using different strategies.
  • Creating an assessment? Choose from formative or summative assessments, or formal or informal methods.
  • Consider: Where might these changes work with other students and/or other content?



“It’s important for teachers to engage in action research because it takes them beyond just the gut feeling about whether what they're doing is making a difference, and really gives them evidence to support their pedagogical decision making. It’s also really empowering for teachers…that they feel like they're professionally valued, that they have an opportunity to share what they learn with a larger audience, and that their expertise really matters.”

- Dr. Meghan Manfra


Inside the Inquiry Kits


The Inquiry Kits for Social Studies collection uses primary sources from the Library of Congress to help students explore history, government, and civics topics. By offering historical context along with stories that pique students’ curiosities and interests, Inquiry Kits for Social Studies are a great way to give students practice with the skills they need to take the lead in their own research.

Indigenous Maryland Inquiry Kits Designed for elementary and secondary students, these inquiry kits allow students to explore topics in Indigenous Maryland culture and history from Indigenous craftwork and the fur trade, to different interactions with settlers and tribal recognition.

Lower Elementary Inquiry Kits Designed for grades 1-2, these inquiry kits support young learners as they build their own understanding of the world around them by making personal connections to historical topics.

Upper Elementary Inquiry Kits Designed for grades 3-5, these inquiry kits emphasize using primary sources to help students understand different perspectives on events in the past, from the Aztec Empire to the Navajo Code Talkers.

U.S. History Inquiry Kits Designed for grades 6-12, these inquiry kits cover U.S. History themes from early American colonies to the role of modern America. There are 11 units with five to seven topics per unit.

World History Inquiry Kits Designed for grades 6-12, these inquiry kits support student inquiry into the earliest human civilizations through the economic, political, and environmental impact of globalization.

U.S. Government Inquiry Kits Designed for grades 6-12, these inquiry kits allow students to explore the workings of the U..S government, including the branches of government and economic, domestic, and foreign policy goals.