1:00 - 2:00 -- one-on-one workshop time to ask Greg specific questions about your research 2:00 - 4:00 -- presentation Getting started in action or classroom-based research can be a bewildering endeavor; however, the benefits include a better understanding of students and teaching practices, a rationale for making changes in classrooms, and even a renewed interest in teaching. Furthermore, teacher-researchers are able to contribute their findings to the community of language instructors, enhance their professional skill-set and employability, develop a fuller understanding of the research process, and better understand published research. The goal of this workshop is to provide novice teacher-researchers with a template for a simple and versatile quantitative research design that can be easily implemented in most language classroom settings. Participants will complete a set of worksheets that outline a clear research plan from research question to data analysis and leave the workshop with an easy-to-follow research plan tailored to their personal interests. The presenter will explain each stage of the research plan as described in the worksheets and provide an example study to serve as a model for future reference. Emphasis is placed on the importance of research design and the need for a solid understanding of each step in the research process. The presenter has experience teaching statistics and research methodology courses at the university level and enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for quantitative research with apprehensive but eager learners.

Greg Sholdt teaches English for the School of Languages and Communication at Kobe University. He has a background in Educational Psychology with an emphasis on quantitative methods for educational research. His interests center on extensive reading, English for academic purposes, and action research as a means for professional development. He is member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the JALT Journal and has experience teaching Introductory Statistics at the University of Hawaii and an online course on quantitative research methods for language teachers in Japan.