How to do action research
Succinct definition of action research appears in the workshop materials we use at the institute for the study of inquiry in education. That definition states that action research is a disciplined process of inquiry conducted by and for those taking the action. The primary reason for engaging in action research is to assist the “actor” in improving and/or refining his or her tioners who engage in action research inevitably find it to be an empowering experience. Relevance is guaranteed because the focus of each research project is determined by the researchers, who are also the primary consumers of the s even more important is the fact that action research helps educators be more effective at what they care most about—their teaching and the development of their students. When teachers have convincing evidence that their work has made a real difference in their students' lives, the countless hours and endless efforts of teaching seem action research ional action research can be engaged in by a single teacher, by a group of colleagues who share an interest in a common problem, or by the entire faculty of a school. These seven steps, which become an endless cycle for the inquiring teacher, are the following:Identifying research informed 1—selecting a action research process begins with serious reflection directed toward identifying a topic or topics worthy of a busy teacher's time. Selecting a focus begins with the teacher researcher or the team of action researchers asking: what element(s) of our practice or what aspect of student learning do we wish to investigate? 2—clarifying second step involves identifying the values, beliefs, and theoretical perspectives the researchers hold relating to their focus. For example, if teachers are concerned about increasing responsible classroom behavior, it will be helpful for them to begin by clarifying which approach—using punishments and rewards, allowing students to experience the natural consequences of their behaviors, or some other strategy—they feel will work best in helping students acquire responsible classroom behavior 3—identifying research a focus area has been selected and the researcher's perspectives and beliefs about that focus have been clarified, the next step is to generate a set of personally meaningful research questions to guide the 4—collecting sional educators always want their instructional decisions to be based on the best possible data. Action researchers can accomplish this by making sure that the data used to justify their actions are valid (meaning the information represents what the researchers say it does) and reliable (meaning the researchers are confident about the accuracy of their data). Lastly, before data are used to make teaching decisions, teachers must be confident that the lessons drawn from the data align with any unique characteristics of their classroom or ensure reasonable validity and reliability, action researchers should avoid relying on any single source of data. Most teacher researchers use a process called triangulation to enhance the validity and reliability of their findings. Observing a phenomenon through multiple “windows” can help a single researcher compare and contrast what is being seen through a variety of planning instruction, teachers want the techniques they choose to be appropriate for the unique qualities of their students. All teachers have had the experience of implementing a “research-proven” strategy only to have it fail with their students.
How to make an action research
The ability of the action research process to satisfy an educator's need for “fit” may be its most powerful attribute. Because the data being collected come from the very students and teachers who are engaged with the treatment, the relevance of the findings is the harried and overworked teacher, “data collection” can appear to be the most intimidating aspect of the entire seven-step action research process. The key to managing triangulated data collection is, first, to be effective and efficient in collecting the material that is already swirling around the classroom, and, second, to identify other sources of data that might be effectively surfaced with tests, classroom discussions, or 5—analyzing gh data analysis often brings to mind the use of complex statistical calculations, this is rarely the case for the action researcher. A number of relatively user-friendly procedures can help a practitioner identify the trends and patterns in action research data. During this portion of the seven-step process, teacher researchers will methodically sort, sift, rank, and examine their data to answer two generic questions:What is the story told by these data? Answering these two questions, the teacher researcher can acquire a better understanding of the phenomenon under investigation and as a result can end up producing grounded theory regarding what might be done to improve the 6—reporting is often said that teaching is a lonely endeavor. The loneliness of teaching is unfortunate not only because of its inefficiency, but also because when dealing with complex problems the wisdom of several minds is inevitably better than sad history of teacher isolation may explain why the very act of reporting on their action research has proven so powerful for both the researchers and their colleagues. The reporting of action research most often occurs in informal settings that are far less intimidating than the venues where scholarly research has traditionally been shared. Faculty meetings, brown bag lunch seminars, and teacher conferences are among the most common venues for sharing action research with peers. However, each year more and more teacher researchers are writing up their work for publication or to help fulfill requirements in graduate programs. Regardless of which venue or technique educators select for reporting on research, the simple knowledge that they are making a contribution to a collective knowledge base regarding teaching and learning frequently proves to be among the most rewarding aspects of this 7—taking informed informed action, or “action planning,” the last step in the action research process, is very familiar to most teachers. When teachers write lesson plans or develop academic programs, they are engaged in the action planning process. What makes action planning particularly satisfying for the teacher researcher is that with each piece of data uncovered (about teaching or student learning) the educator will feel greater confidence in the wisdom of the next steps. Although all teaching can be classified as trial and error, action researchers find that the research process liberates them from continuously repeating their past mistakes.
More important, with each refinement of practice, action researchers gain valid and reliable data on their developing purposes for action stated earlier, action research can be engaged in by an individual teacher, a collaborative group of colleagues sharing a common concern, or an entire school faculty. These three different approaches to organizing for research serve three compatible, yet distinct, purposes:Building the reflective progress on schoolwide ng professional ng the reflective individual teachers make a personal commitment to systematically collect data on their work, they are embarking on a process that will foster continuous growth and development. In this way, the individual teachers conducting action research are making continuous progress in developing their strengths as reflective progress on schoolwide singly, schools are focusing on strengthening themselves and their programs through the development of common focuses and a strong sense of esprit de corps. As a result, when a faculty chooses to focus on one issue and all the teachers elect to enthusiastically participate in action research on that issue, significant progress on the schoolwide priorities cannot help but ng professional an entire faculty will share a commitment to student development, yet the group finds itself unable to adopt a single common focus for action research. However, like the doctors at the medical center, the teachers in a “quality” school may well differ on which specific aspects of the shared vision they are most motivated to pursue at any point in s whose faculties cannot agree on a single research focus can still use action research as a tool to help transform themselves into a learning organization. It is common practice in a quality medical center for physicians to engage in independent, even idiosyncratic, research agendas. However, it is also common for medical researchers to share the findings obtained from their research with colleagues (even those engaged in other specialties). In these schools, multiple action research inquiries occur simultaneously, and no one is held captive to another's priority, yet everyone knows that all the work ultimately will be shared and will consequently contribute to organizational action research now? Ever there were a time and a strategy that were right for each other, the time is now and the strategy is action research! With the exploding knowledge base on teaching and learning and the heightened demands on teachers to help all children achieve mastery of meaningful objectives, the inadequacy of the blue-collar model for teaching is becoming much the teachers in a school begin conducting action research, their workplace begins to take on more of the flavor of the workplaces of other professionals. Nevertheless, great personal satisfaction comes from playing a role in creating successful solutions to continually changing puzzles. For this reason, it is imperative that these 21st century pioneers, our classroom teachers, conduct the research on “standards attainment” the time is right for action research. S guide to action which supports the regular public program "areol" (ch and evaluation on line) offered twice a year mid-february and mid-july. For details email bdick@ which action research is briefly described, and aneous achievement of action (that is, change) ch (that is, understanding) is ch in more ipative, research a family of research methodologies which pursue action ch outcomes at the same time.
It therefore has ents which resemble consultancy or change agency, and resemble field mental research, for good reason, has developed ples to guide its conduct. It also has teristic differences from most other research tends tend to recur, in a s and informants are involved as partners, or at participants, in the more often with language than with numbers;. There is no need to develop a metric (which to be abandoned later if it doesn't fit the use of language the whole process more accessible to can develop enough understanding to become co-researchers crucial step in consists of critical reflection. Short, multiple cycles allow greater rigour change is intended , effective action research depends upon the agreement ment of those affected by it. I recognise, too, that in some ch the research component mostly takes the form tanding on the part of those involved. In distinction, there are some forms of ch where research is the main emphasis and the action a fringe benefit. It is to include, as examples, the critical action ch of carr and kemmis (1986), the soft systems checkland (1981), and perhaps even the evaluation of guba n (1989), to name just a responsiveness research allows it to be used to develop hypotheses data, "on the run" as it were. It can therefore also as a research tool for investigative or pilot research, lly for diagnosis ipative, state or assume that action research is cyclic, or at in structure. To put this differently, -or-less similar steps tend to recur, in more-or-less , at different phases of an action research study. Same time (so the action researcher hopes) progress is s appropriate action and research outcomes. Earlier -- plan, act, observe, reflect; then, in of this, plan for the next that action research is participative, though writers how participative it is. On the other hand i don't see research must be limited to ipation may vary. Ction between researcher and others other occasions cher may choose for whatever reason to maintain a . If these include features of particular interest ance, the choice is between qualitative research or addition, developing.
As i mentioned before, it is also be flexible and responsive to the situation if you are short, it is my action research more often than not exhibits es. And good research of any variety) is research where, among es, appropriate choices are made. Perhaps al reflection might be abandoned for er action , i suspect it is mostly or always emergent sive. This e you have probably altered the odds under the and research outcomes requires responsiveness -- to ion, and the people, and the growing understanding on of those involved. It makes sense the later stages of an action research activity in such that you capitalise on the understanding developed in is the cyclic action research which allows responsiveness. It is ult to know just where a field intervention will e research questions at the beginning of a project d researcher and ise questions s can be expected to yield imprecise lly. But if those imprecise answers can help to ons and methods, then each cycle can be a step in ion of better action and other words, times when the initial use of fuzzy methods to answer ons is the only appropriate choice. Ation is less constraining of the at different issue, more to do with action ch. For instance, for some researchers it is l to use participative methods (in general, this is on in the action research i do). On some occasions al interpretation of information is richer if involvement far, i have taken that action research can take many forms. There conditions, however, that i believe are more a starting assumption i assume that good action research cal: responsive to the evidence. If each step is planning and followed by review, learning by researcher quality of also be increased by the use of multiple sources of all or most cycles. Differences between data sources,Used critically, can then lead the researchers and ipants towards a deeper and more tanding. Literature can be such an alternative endations for good action research in this way:With planning before action and critical analysis ve the interpretations arising from of research processes whose flexibility allows learning siveness.
Vague beginnings can move towards tanding and practical improvement through the is of the information, the interpretation of it, and action researchers,I think, critique what they do and how they do it, the better from the experience. It is the balance al reflection and flexibility which allows adequate be achieved even in confused field that action research is true to label: it pursues research outcomes. Think that the ication for action research methods is that they can sive to the situation in a way that many other s can not be, at least in the short term. Last revised version is available at :///www/arr/er's guide to action which supports the regular public program "areol" (ch and evaluation on line) offered twice a year mid-february and mid-july. These learning environments may be brick and mortar classrooms, online learning environments, or a hybrid mix of the research is either research initiated to solve an immediate problem or a reflective process of progressive problem solving that integrates research, action, and analysis. The integration of action includes the development and implementation of a plan or strategy to address the focus of the research. The research includes building a knowledge base to understand the effectiveness of the action or plan being considered. Put simple, action research can be viewed as a form of disciplined inquiry utilized by teachers, instructors, and supervisors to better understand student learning and teacher are many guides and permutations available for conducting action research in the classroom. The purpose of this post is to get you up and running with four basic steps needed to conduct action research in your own first step in conducting action research is to identify and define the focus of your investigation. Finally, you’ll need to identify a plan to effectively study and answer the questions you’ve note that action research typically will include an examination of the school, programs, students, and instructional practices. You’ll want to consider what aspects of these areas will you need to study in your research. You develop your focus and identify a specific frame to guide your thinking, you should also adjust your research questions. And revising the focus and guiding questions for your action research will help you understand what elements you are interested in examining. You will also need to identify questions you can effectively gather information about and conduct your research.
Second step involved in conducting action research includes collecting data to use in answering your research questions. Collected data may also consist of student portfolios, observations, and other sources of data you collect may also consist of research conducted to identify best practices, or research tested techniques. After i have identified the focus, keywords, and relevant search terms, i can continue my examination at the library or using online ’ll want to make sure that your data will address the focus of your action research. Finally, you’ll want to use the data to answer your research questions and/or prove your are multiple strategies and techniques that can be used as you analyze your data. Inductive on the other hand has you moving from the theory and using your hypothesis and the data to confirm your also note that it is possible and appropriate to move from one frame to another, or include bits and pieces across the research process. You’ll just want to understand where you’re obtaining your results, and what lenses you’re using as you analyze and interpret your fourth step includes you making a decision about your research and identifying next possible actions. Let us suppose you have researched the question above about teacher morale and have uncovered the root cause of the problem. You’ve surveyed the students, teachers, and supervisors and you know exactly how to “fix” the now have to take action and this includes several possibilities. Third, you may choose to modify or make small tweaks to the school, program, or relationships between all partners to address the culture of the decision on how you take action will be determined by a multitude of factors…some of which may be out of your control. Please note that action research typically follows a cycle as you move through each of the steps. As you work through the sequence, you’ll learn a bit more about the problem or research question. You’ll use this information as a way to improve your focus, research, or action in subsequent steps through the cycle. You’ll continue to observe, act, and reflect as you continue to plan and operate in the uing the action research ation gained from previous research may open new avenues of research. In this cycle, you are continually involved in assessing instruction and seeking ways of improving your practice, classroom, or even more guidance, please review some of the resources i used to compile this post:A practical guide to action research for literacy research: a guide for associate research in research in qualitative needed, i am available to help guide you in this process.
You should also subscribe to my newsletter to continue your thinking about these skills and published on steps to writing good research online resources and google scholar to conduct research in the steps to become a digitally agile one – online research & media skills in today’s classroom #. Comments → four steps to conducting action research in the a reply cancel hare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Related slideshares at repaz, teacher at hed on aug 23, tation about the action you sure you want message goes you sure you want message goes scientist private scientist private you sure you want message goes er at hawassa helpful and guidance. God you sure you want message goes tracy rar, senior high sumulong memorial junior college - preschool & elementary you sure you want message goes t at alagappa ed university of is action research? Action research is a processin which participants examine theirown educational practicesystematically and carefully, usingthe techniques of research. Research is based on thefollowing assumptions: teachers and principals work best on problems they have identified for themselves; teachers and principals become more effective when encouraged to examine and assess their own work and then consider ways of working differently;. There are many types ofresearch that may beundertaken, action research specificallyrefers to a disciplined inquiry done by ateacher with the intent that theresearch will inform and change his orher practices in the future. Implicit to the term action research isthe idea that teachers will begin a cycleof posing questions, gatheringdata, reflection and deciding a courseof is not action research? Action research is not a library project where we learn more about a topic that interests us. It is not problem-solving in the sense of trying to find out what is wrong, but rather a quest for knowledge about how to is not action research? Action research is not about doing research on or about people, or finding all available information on a topic looking for the correct answers. Action research is not about learning why we do certain things, but rather how we can do things better. It is about how we can change our instruction to impact rities and differences between action research and formal quantitative and qualitative research formal researchsystematic inquiry. Research formal researchintent is to identify intent is toand correct investigate largerproblems of local d out by carried out byteacher or other researcher who islocal education not usuallyprofessional.
Often of action research individual teacher research – usually focuses on a single issue in the classroom. Collaborative action research – may include as few as two teachers or a group of several teachers and others interested in addressing in a classroom or department issue. School-wide research – focuses on issue common to of action research district-wide research – far more complex and utilizes more resources, but the rewards can be great. Issues can be organizational, community- based, performance-based or processes for decision y of action research 1940: the idea of using research in a “natural” setting to change the way that the researcher interacts with that setting was traced back to kurt lewin. Kurt lewin – credited for coining the term “action research” to describe work that did not separate the investigation from the action needed to solve the y of action research stephen corey - the first to use action research in the field of education. 1950: action research was attacked as unscientific, little more than a common sense and the work of amateurs (mcfarland & stansell, p. 1970: saw again the emergence of action in action research within all the definitions of actionresearch, there are four basic themes:empowerment of participants,collaboration through participation,acquisition of knowledge, and socialchange. In conducting actionresearch, we structure routines forcontinuous confrontation with data onthe health of a school in action research these routines are loosely guided bymovement through five phases ofinquiry: 1. Careful planning at this first stagewill limit false starts and fy a problem area there are several criteria to considerbefore investing the time and effort in“researching” a problem. The questionshould: be a higher-order question- not a yes/no be stated in common language, avoiding jargon be concise be meaningful not already have an data the collection of data is animportant step in deciding what actionneeds to be taken. Depending upon the question,teachers may wish to use classroomdata, individual data or subgroup of the data are quantifiable andcan be analyzed without the use ofstatistics or technical on evidence using the information from thedata collection and review of currentliterature, design a plan of action thatwill allow you to make a change and tostudy that change. Steps as a result of the action researchproject, identify additional questionsraised by the data and plan foradditional improvements, revisions andnext questions1. In 2003, i heard from my colleague, taorui about the action research approaches shewas developing under the guidance of moiralaidlaw at the guyuan teacher’s college,So i asked moira to help me develop newpedagogies. Under moira’s guidance i beganmy formal action inquiry within the context ofmy class 40 english major students aged 15-18,of which 98% had failed the entranceexamination for senior middle school.
So my next research question will beabout developing differentiated teachingmethodologies that enable all to learnaccording to their individual learning op make an action researchindividually. Based elearning course - linkedin ts from a college career course - linkedin g skills with linkedin course - linkedin is action research?
