Episode 3 – Designing the Research: From Master’s Study to Classroom Impact

In this episode of Education Unlocked — Learn. Apply. Thrive., Marc Pietersen explores how his action research project was designed and why action research was chosen as both an academic requirement and a professional tool for enhancing learning within a real school environment.

Marc explains how a Master’s-level research task evolved into a wider classroom intervention that impacted not only reading fluency and comprehension, but also student confidence, engagement, and independence. He discusses how the project moved beyond assessment requirements to contribute to professional learning within the school — and how this podcast now serves as a platform to share that learning with the wider teaching community.

Drawing on Burns’ principles of action research and Rasinski and Kulich’s work on reading fluency, this episode demonstrates how theory, pedagogy, and reflective practice can come together to create meaningful and scalable classroom change.

Key references discussed in this episode:

Burns, A. (2010). Doing Action Research in English Language Teaching. http://ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/51133/1/2.pdf

Benchmark Education. (2023, August 24). S2: Ep002 The science and the art of reading fluency [Audio podcast episode]. Teachers Talk Shop. https://www.benchmarkeducation.com/teachers-talk-shop-podcast/s2-ep002-the-science-and-the-art-of-reading-fluency

Learn. Apply. Thrive.

About the Podcast

Education Unlocked supports teachers in building confidence, clarity, and classroom impact through research-informed, practical strategies. Hosted by Marc Pietersen, this podcast bridges the gap between theory and practice — helping teachers thrive, one lesson at a time.

If this episode helped you reflect or refine your practice, consider following the podcast or sharing it with a colleague.

Learn. Apply. Thrive.