Definition What is Action Research?Action research “is done by
systematically collecting data on your everyday practice and analyzing it in order to come to some decisions about what your future practice should be”(Wallace, 2002) 1
Action research allows freedom of choice of methods to use (kemmis & McTaggart2005) 2
1. The Proceedings of the Seventh OCU Conference on Applied English Teaching2. KEMMIS, S. & McTAGGART (2005) Participatory Action Research: Communicative Action and the
Public Sphere. In DENZIN, Norman K. and LINCOLN, Yvona S., (eds.) The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research. 3rd ed. London: SAGE Publications
Definition What is Action Research?Action research aims to solve
current practical problems while expanding scientific knowledge. (Baburoglu and Ravn 1992) 3
3. MIS Quarterly Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 329-335/September 2004 329 SPECIAL ISSUE ON ACTION RESEARCH IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS: MAKING IS RESEARCH RELEVANT TO PRACTICE— FOREWORD By: Richard Baskerville, Michael D. Myers
Definition What is Action Research?A Two Staged Process
◦First, the diagnostic stage involves a collaborative analysis of the social situation by the researcher and the subjects of the research. Theories are formulated concerning the
nature of the research domain.
◦Second, the therapeutic stage involves collaborative change. In this stage, changes are introduced and the effects are studied (Blum 1955). 4
4. MIS Quarterly Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 329-335/September 2004 329 SPECIAL ISSUE ON ACTION RESEARCH IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS: MAKING IS RESEARCH RELEVANT TO PRACTICE— FOREWORD By: Richard Baskerville, Michael D. Myers
What is Not Action Research?
Action research is not what usually comes to mind when we hear the word “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 improve.
What 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.
It involves people working to improve their skills, techniques, and strategies.
Action research is not about learning why we do certain things, but rather how we can do things better. 5
5. ACTION RESEARCH Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory At Brown University by Eileen Ferrance
Background – Action Research
Action research originated in the social sciences out of the massive social changes of World War II.
Kurt Lewin (1947) developed the method at the Research Center for Group Dynamics (University of Michigan) in order to study social psychology within the framework of field theory.
Independently the Tavistock Clinic (later the Tavistock Institute) developed a similar method as a sort of psychosocial equivalent of operational research (see Trist 1976; Warmington 1980) 6
6. MIS Quarterly Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 329-335/September 2004 329 SPECIAL ISSUE ON ACTION RESEARCH IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS: MAKING IS RESEARCH RELEVANT TO PRACTICE— FOREWORD By: Richard Baskerville, Michael D. Myers
Five Philosophical Assumptions
Ontological AssumptionsEpistemological AssumptionsAxiological AssumptionsMethodological AssumptionsRhetorical Assumptions
FOUR WORLD VIEWS
Post positivism Constructivism
•Determination•Reductionism•Empirical observation and observation
•Understanding•Multiple participant meanings•Social and historical construction•Theory Generation
Advocacy/ participatory Pragmatism
•Political•Empowerment issue-oriented•Collaborative•Change oriented
•Consequences of action•Problem Centered•Pluralistic•Real world practice oriented
World Views – Action Research
Philosophical worldviews•Post positive•Social Construction•Advocacy/participatory•Pragmatic
Selected strategies of inquiry•Qualitative strategies (e.g. ethnography)•Quantitative strategies (e.g. experiments)•Mixed methods strategies(e.g. sequential
Research design•Qualitative•Quantitative•Mixed Research methods•Questions•Data collection•Data analysis•Interpretation•Write-up•Validation
The Framework of Design: The interconnection of World Views, Strategies of Inquiry and Research Methods
Action Research is Scientific
Philosophical foundations
Positivism postmodernism/hermaneutic
Critical realism and action research
Ontology Objectivist Subjectivist Objectivist
Epistemology Objectivist Subjectivist Subjectivist
Theory Generalizable Particular Particular
Reflexivity Methodological
Hyper Epistemetic
Role of researcher
Distanced from data
Close to data Close to data
(Susman and Evered, 1978; Riordan, 1995; Eden and Huxham, 1996; Greenwood and Levin, 1998, Gummesson, 2000; Reason and Torbert, 2001).
Participatory Nature of Action ResearchPhilosophical Assumptions
Participatory World view
ontology Political reality (findings are negotiated with participants)
Epistemology Collaboration( researchers activity involves participants as collaborators)
Axiology Biased and negotiated(Researchers negotiate with participants about interpretations)
Methodology Participatory (Researchers involve participants in all stages of the research and engage in cyclical reviews of results)
Rhetoric Advocacy and change (researcher will use language that will bring about change and advocate for participants)
Types of Action Research
Action Research
Critical Practical
• Based on a body of critical theory
• The goal is liberating individuals through knowledge gathering
• Also known as ‘Theory – Based’ or ‘Emancipatory’
• Emphasizes more on ‘how – to’ approach & has a less philosophical bent• Underline assumption is that, to some degree, individuals are autonomous & can determine the nature of investigation• The goal is ‘Problem Solving’ / Reform• Used often
Analyze andInterpret Data
Develop an Action Plan
Collect Data
Identify anArea of Focus
Action Research - Methodology
Limitations
Time constraint EnergyGeneralization Create resistance to change
/Negative feeling if changes are not implemented
Validity
An Example of Action Research
Promoting Discussion in lower secondary science classroom
Anwar, N. P. (2007). Promoting Discussion in Lower Secondary Science Classroom. Journal of Research and Reflections in Education. 1(2), pp 175 – 200
19
Research Question
How can I improve my practice as a science teacher to develop discussion in lower secondary science classroom?
20
Reconnaissance
Teaching and learning was predominantly teacher centered
Students were recipient of knowledge
Rote memorization
21
Intervention Phase 1: Initiate DiscussionRecitation Discussion (bridging
phase, ‘listening –no talking phase’ (Arends, 2004)
Quasi Discussion (Chiapetta et al, 1999)
Where the students were
22
Phase 2: Sustained Discussion
Inquiry or Problem based discussion
Engage students to high order thinking
Daily life materials and activities Predict – Observe – Explain (POE)Problem SolvingDiscrepant Event
23
Phase 2: Sharing Based discussionMany controversial issues related
to daily life experiences were discussed
24
What I learnt ?
Ensure everyone participation in the Discussion
Guide and scaffold students’ thoughts
Improvement in questioning skill
25
What Students Achieved
Conceptual understandingInvolvement & engagement Communication skill and thinking
processes
26
References The Proceedings of the Seventh OCU Conference on Applied English Teaching KEMMIS, S. & McTAGGART (2005) Participatory Action Research: Communicative Action and
the Public Sphere. In DENZIN, Norman K. and LINCOLN, Yvona S., (eds.) The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research. 3rd ed. London: SAGE Publications
MIS Quarterly Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 329-335/September 2004 SPECIAL ISSUE ON ACTION RESEARCH IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS: MAKING IS RESEARCH RELEVANT TO PRACTICE— FOREWORD By: Richard Baskerville, Michael D. Myers
ACTION RESEARCH Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory At Brown University by Eileen Ferrance
(Susman and Evered, 1978; Riordan, 1995; Eden and Huxham, 1996; Greenwood and Levin, 1998, Gummesson, 2000; Reason and Torbert, 2001).
Gay, L. R. (2008). Educational Research – Competencies for Analysis and Application (9th ed.): Action Research. pg. 485 – 504
Kagan, C. Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology: Action Research. Prepublication Draft
Ferrance, E. (2000). Action Research (pg. 3–5). Providence: LAB Cohen, L. (2007). Research Methods in Education: Action Reearch (pg. 297 – 312). New
York: Routledge Bosher, M. (2002). How can I as an educator and Professional Development Manager
working with teachers, support and enhance the learning and achievement of pupils in a whole school improvement process?. Ph.D. University of Bath.
Kang, N. (2007). Elementary Teachers’ Teaching for Conceptual Understanding: Learning From Action Research. J Sci Teacher Educ, 18(4), pp.469-495.
Anwar, N. P. (2007). Promoting Discussion in Lower Secondary Science Classroom. Journal of Research and Reflections in Education. 1(2), pp 175 – 200