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www.derby.ac.uk/ehs Education and Training Foundation Project University of Derby Siobhan Neary Pete Scales Jo Hutchinson
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Education and Training Foundation ProjectUniversity of Derby
Siobhan Neary
Pete Scales
Jo Hutchinson
www.derby.ac.uk/ehs
Programme
Introductions and overview of project Professionalism Research practitioner
Benefits to self and organisation Action research Focus for day 2
What’s your problem?
Choosing an area to research
Consider an issue affecting your work/workplace What could the objective of your study? What research question are you trying to answer? What type of research approach is best suited to your questions? What research methods will be appropriate to collect data? Who will you select to be part of your study? What constraints of ethical issues could your study raise?
(Scales, Pickering, Senior, Headley, Garner and Boulton, 2011).
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Action researchWhat is research?What does research look like?What is action research?
Jo Hutchinson
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What is research?
1. The act of searching (closely or carefully) for or after a specified thing or person.
2. A search or investigation directed to the discovery of some fact by careful consideration or study of a subject; a course of critical or scientific inquiry.
3. Investigation or pursuit of a subject.
Oxford English Dictionary
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Frascati Definition of Research
"Research and experimental development (R&D) comprise creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications."
"R&D is a term covering three activities: basic research, applied research, and experimental development. Basic research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to
acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundation of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view.
Applied research is also original investigation undertaken to acquire new knowledge. It is, however, directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective.
Experimental development is systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge gained from research and/or practical experience, that is directed to producing new materials, products or devices, to installing new processes, systems and services, or to improving substantially those already produced or installed.“
(Second chapter of the OECD 1993 Frascati Manual)
Researchers and scholars
Ernest Boyer The scholarship of discovery The scholarship of integration The scholarship of application The scholarship of teaching
See Boyer, E (1990) Scholarship reconsidered: priorities of the professoriat, Princeton Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Question?
Do you see yourself as a researcher or a scholar?
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Action Research
Action research is a term which refers to a practical way of looking at your own work to check that it is as you would like it to be. Because action research is done by you, the practitioner, it is often referred to as practitioner based research; and because it involves you thinking about and reflecting on your work, it can also be called a form of self-reflective practice.
Action research is open ended. It does not begin with a fixed hypothesis. It begins with an idea that you develop. The research process is the developmental process of following through the idea, seeing how it goes, and continually checking whether it is in line with what you wish to happen. Seen in this way, action research is a form of self evaluation.
Jean McNiff, http://www.jeanmcniff.com/ar-booklet.asp
So it is a form of applied research, and because it relates to your professional role in teaching it is also a form of scholarship of teaching.
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What are research methods
Quantitative QualitativeMixed
Research methods that explore things which are measurable (using numbers)
Research methods that explore things which are not measurable (using numbers)
e.g. surveys, laboratory analysis
e.g. interviews, focus groups, diaries, images
What does quantitative research involve?
Surveys (paper surveys of those using survey software such as Google Docs or Survey Monkey or Lime Survey)
Laboratory experiments Formal methods such as econometrics Numerical methods such as mathematical modelling Network analysis (e.g. of internet data)
What does qualitative research involve?
Interviews Focus groups Observations Field work Textual analysis Journals or self-reflection Image analysis
Action Research
What issue am I interested in researching? Why do I want to research this issue? What kind of evidence can I gather to show why I am interested in
this issue? What can I do? What will I do? What kind of evidence can I gather to show that I am having an
influence? How can I explain that influence? How can I ensure that any judgements I might make are reasonably
fair and accurate? How will I change my practice in the light of my evaluation?
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What issue am I interested in researching?
What problem did you identify earlier? Is this something that you can reasonably be expected to have an
influence on? Is it tightly focussed?
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What kind of evidence can I gather to show why I am interested in this issue?
How can you demonstrate to someone else that this is a problem? This requires some data gathering.
Example research problem
‘Youth clubs’ is not a research issue
‘What activities and other factors do young people enjoy engaging in at youth clubs?’ is better
‘Examining the reasons why new recruits to Nottingham’s youth clubs say that they started attending.” This is even more specific
We might even want to focus this on a particular group (NEETS? Young women? A particular ethnicity?)
Activity: write your action research issue
Write a research problem/question relating to your area of interest.
Write how you can demonstrate that this is an issue
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Why do you want to research this?
To improve your practice? To improve learning among your students? To make the world a better place? To improve equality of access?
It is a reflection of your values.
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Research Values and Research Ethics
Jo Hutchinson
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Research Values – that underpin ethical research
Using frameworks in ethical thinking: a scenario
You are researching a new teaching method in a secondary school that involves peer facilitated learning. The research is funded by a Research Council. You have interviewed teachers – they like it. You have interviewed students – they find it distracting and don’t like it. The teachers have provided access to the students and know which individuals participated. The students will soon do important in-school assessments. You are expected to provide recommendations to the senior leadership team.
Use the following three frameworks to help you think through what you should do: Virtue (morally sound researchers will engage in morally sound research) Consequentialism (the end can justify the means) Deontological (apply a set of rules to guide research)
Basic principles: Setting up
Obtain informed consent in advance Avoid coercion and be aware of power relations e.g.
doctor-patient/teacher pupil Respect the right of individuals to make their own decisions about
participation Incentives should not be unreasonable e.g. more than nominal
amounts of money, improving degree classification. Don’t promise more than you can deliver e.g. anonymity and
confidentiality.
Basic principles: During the research
Process-based consent: Consent for participation in each part of the research should be sought on an ongoing basis.
People should have the right to change their mind and opt out or not take part in elements of the research without giving a reason.
No harm either physical or psychological to participants to researcher
Think about the reading age and complexity of written material.
Basic principles: personal safety
First and foremost the researcher should make sure that they look after themselves.
Physically – Don’t put yourself into dangerous situations without precautions.
Psychologically – Think about the psychological effects on yourself of what you are going to find out.
Professionally – Your research should not require you to put your professional life at risk.
Basic principles: after
Researchers and participants should have an opportunity to debrief. Don’t promise anonymity or confidentiality if you can’t give it. Participants should be able to check and agree data and withdraw
consent. Be aware of your commitments when you are writing up
And when you are publishing your work
Back to action research….
What issue am I interested in researching? Why do I want to research this issue? What kind of evidence can I gather to show why I am interested in
this issue? What can I do? What will I do? What kind of evidence can I gather to show that I am having an
influence? How can I explain that influence? How can I ensure that any judgements I might make are reasonably
fair and accurate? How will I change my practice in the light of my evaluation?
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What can I do? What will I do?
You should understand the dimensions of the problem a bit better after going through the previous phase. So now its about thinking what you can do about it… Use Action Learning Set to help you imagine solutions.
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The next stages in action research
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What kind of evidence can I gather to show that I am having an influence?
How can I explain that influence? How can I ensure that any judgements I might make are reasonably
fair and accurate? How will I change my practice in the light of my evaluation?
Action research evolves and develops so we’ll return to this next time.
Activities for next sessionThe blog
• Make at least one entry (more are welcomed)
• Outline an area you wish to focus your research on
• What are the ethical issues you need to consider
Prepare an outline for your research which addresses the following: Topic of proposed study Aims and objectives Rationale for the study (What has prompted this topic area) Appropriate literature Outline of methods Resources you might need Ethical considerations- consent, deception, withdrawal, confidentiality, data
protection
( I will draft a proforma to guide you and upload it to the blog)
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Contact details
Pete Scales [email protected] 01332 591595
Siobhan Neary [email protected] 01332 591580
Jo Hutchinson [email protected] 01332 591367
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