• Activity 1: Refining the Questions for Research (1 hr) Participants turn to their research questions and make further refinements.
  
• Activity 2: Prep Work (1 hr) Participants and facilitator meet one-on-one and individuals spend time preparing to design their research projects.
  
• Activity 3: Brainstorming Ways to Collect Data (30 min per researcher divided in groups of six - approximately 3 hrs total) Small group discussions help participants explore the range of data collection strategies they might use to answer their research questions.
  
• Activity 4: Drafting the Complete Research Plan (1 ½ hrs) Whole group and individual work.
   

Activity 1: Refining the Questions for Research
 

Group Process:

Remind participants that, in preparation for this meeting, they reworked and revised their research questions and problem statements, and emailed them to the group. In this activity participants evaluate each other’s questions for research – revisit their questions one more time before moving forward to plan how they will carry out their research.

Divide participants into small groups of three-four each. In groups, participants will critique each other’s questions measuring them against the Criteria for a Good Research Question.

Tell the groups to focus fifteen minutes on each person’s research. The activity is to discuss possible ways to revise and refine the questions. Participants can also use the time to brainstorm additional research questions, as appropriate.

Before the small groups begin to work, review the Criteria for a Good Research Question handout.

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Activity 2: Prep Time
 

Group Process:

This activity is structured loosely to provide a “free” time/space for participants and facilitators to hold conferences, write in their research journals, read and review various research materials, etc.  Let participants decide how to spend this time. This is a time for everyone to collect their thoughts and materials and reflect on their research situations. This is a time for facilitators to address the participants’ outstanding issues and individual concerns about carrying out a research project.

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Activity 3: Brainstorming Ways to Collect Data
 

Group Process:

This activity focuses on the data collection methods that participants might use to pursue their investigations.  Explain that participants will work in small groups to consider the range of data and strategies that will generate the information and evidence needed for their research.

Explain that participants will also examine the feasibility of certain methods. In other words, how doable are certain methods of data collection given the realities of people’s work-lives and daily routines? For example, a person who has a full time job and a family may want to conduct some phone interviews rather than organizing and facilitating a series of focus groups.

Begin by modeling this activity for participants. For the demonstration, use your own research question or select one from the sample research questions included on this website. Post the research question on the wall.

1. Ask participants to brainstorm all the different kinds of information or evidence needed to answer this question. Write all their ideas on flip chart paper.

2. Next, brainstorm all the data collection strategies that might provide the information and evidence. Write these ideas on flip chart paper.

3. Now address the feasibility factors involved in the carrying out the proposed methods of data collection:

• What resources and support would these data collection strategies require?
• Would these resources and support be available? 
• How realistic is the proposed plan for research?

4. Discuss the data collection strategies in light of your participants’ time frame for completing their projects. Tell participants to always consider the availability of support/resources as well as the project’s time frame when they plan their research. 

5. Finally, discuss the amount of data participants should collect. Tell the group to strive for a balance between having too little and having too much. The aim is to collect a manageable amount of data that richly portrays the research situation and provides ample food for thought (i.e., enough data to seriously reflect on, analyze and write about.)  

Give participants the handout Ways to Collect Data, which they can use in the small group work to help brainstorm data collection methods. Explain to participants that, later in the meeting, they will receive more detailed information and guidelines about collecting data, which participants can draw from when they are further along in the research work.

Respond to participants’ questions only to clarify the instructions for the small group work. (30 minutes)

Divide participants into groups of six-eight each. Post the directions for this activity. Ideally each group would identify a facilitator to guide the following process:

1. Participants present their research questions and problems.

2. Group members brainstorm the different kinds of information or evidence their colleagues might need to answer the question.

3. The group brainstorms all the data collection strategies that would give that information.

4. The group considers the availability of resources and support and the time frame of the project.

Remind everyone to keep any notes that this activity generates about his/her project.

(30 minutes for each researcher)

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Activity 4: Drafting the Complete Plan for Research
 

Group Process:

Begin this activity by debriefing the previous activity, Brainstorming Ways to Collect Data. Use following questions:

• How do participants feel about the ideas generated in the small groups?
• How do participants feel now about sitting down to write a plan for carrying out their research?

Respond to participants’ questions and comments as necessary before introducing the parts of a research plan.

Post this list on the wall. A complete research plan will include the following components:

1.the problem statement

2.the research question

3.the intervention or innovation (if applicable)

4.the data collection strategies the researcher proposes
               to use

5.a detailed time line for carrying out the activities

Review the project timeline with participants, so that everyone is clear about what is expected, and by when. Explain that participants should have all their raw data together by the next meeting (approximately ninety days). Explain that the focus of Meeting Three is data analysis. Participants will begin that process then. (View sample timeline.)

Respond to participants’ questions before they go to work on their research plans. Tell participants where you will be stationed and that you are available to meet with individuals about their designs, research, etc.  Finally -- gently remind participants, once again, that their goal is to create a useful and workable research project that they will enjoy carrying out and successfully complete.

Participants will begin drafting their research plans now, but many or most will finish them after they return home. Suggest that participants use the next week to ten days to reflect on and evaluate their initial drafts; to check on the availability of certain resources; to seek the input of their colleagues and students. Then they should refine their plans and submit them by email to everyone in the group. Assign a due date for submitting the research plans. 

Explain that participants can expect the facilitators’ support in this. Facilitators will respond to each person’s research plan by e-mail or phone, or both. A telephone conversation can be most helpful when, for example, a facilitator is concerned about the feasibility or completeness of a person’s research plan. Participants and facilitators might want to discuss/brainstorm alternative approaches or data collection strategies in a phone conversation. 

Before the meeting adjourns, touch base with each person to see where they are in the process, how comfortable they are and what immediate help they might need. Distribute the remaining handouts and support materials:

Evaluate Meeting Two. Ask participants to respond in writing to these questions:

• In general, what worked at this retreat?
• What are your suggestions for planning the next practitioner research retreat?

View Meeting Two evaluations from the 1999-2000 Virginia Adult Education Research Network.

Conclusion of Meeting Two: Collecting Research Data

Meeting Three: Analyzing Research Data

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