Action Research

Action Research

Chapter Twenty-Three

What is Action Research?

Action Research is conducted by one or more

individuals or groups for the purpose of solving a
problem or obtaining information in order to
inform local practice.
Such studies are seriously limited in
generalizability.
Action research does not require complete
mastery of the major types of research earlier
discussed.

Basic Assumptions Underlying Action Research

(Table 23.1)
Assumption

Example

Teachers and other education

professionals have the authority to
make decisions.

A team of teachers, after discussions with the school

administration, decide to meet weekly to revise the
mathematics curriculum to make it more relevant to lowachieving students.

Teachers and other education

professionals want to improve their
practice.

A group of teachers decide to observe each other on a weekly

basis and then discuss ways to improve their teaching.

Teachers and other education

professionals are committed to
continual professional development.
Teachers and other education
professionals will and can engage in
systematic research.

The entire staffadministration, teachers, counselors, and

clerical staffof an elementary school go on a retreat to plan
ways to improve the attendance and discipline policies for the
school.
Following up on the example just listed above, the staff decides
to collect data by reviewing the attendance records of chronic
absentees over the past year, to interview a random sample of
attendees and absentees to determine why they differ, to hold
a series of after-school roundtable sessions between
discipline-prone students and faculty to identify problems and
discuss ways to resolve issues of contention, and to establish
a mentoring system in which selected students can serve as
counselors to students needing help with their assigned work.

Assumptions Underlying
Action Research

A number of assumptions underlie action

research:

Participants have the authority to make

decisions
Those involved are seriously committed to
improving their performance
Educators and others involved in schools want
to engage in research systematically
Those performing the research will make the
necessary changes and recommendations

Types of Action Research

There are two main types of action

research:
1)

Practical Action Research

2)

Addresses a specific problem

Primary purpose is to improve practice and inform
larger issues

Participatory Action Research

Empower individuals and groups to improve their

lives and bring about a social change
Stakeholders are involved and are active in all
processes (collaborative participation)

Stakeholders (Fig. 23.1)

The Role of the Expert

in Action Research (Fig. 23.2)

Levels of Participation

Provide information
Become informed of
purpose of the study
Receive findings
Assist in data
collection
Review findings

Participate in
interpretation
Participate in designing
the project
Participate in problem
specification
Initiate study

There are nine levels, as shown in Figure 23.3.

Participation in Action Research (Fig. 23.4)

Levels of Participation in Action Research

(Fig. 23.3)

Steps in Action Research

There are four steps or stages in Action

Research:
1)
2)
3)
4)

Identifying the research question

Gathering the necessary information
Analyzing and interpreting the information
Developing a plan of action

Advantages of Action Research

It can be performed by anyone, in any type of

school or institution
It can help to improve educational practice
It can help education and other professionals to
improve their craft
It can help them learn to identify problems
systematically
It can build up a small community of researchoriented individuals at the local level

Similarities and Differences of Types of Research are shown in Table 23.2

Similarities and Differences Between Action Research &

Formal Quantitative and Qualitative Research
(Table 23.2)

Action Research

Formal Research

Systematic inquiry.

Systematic inquiry.

Goal is to solve problems of local concern.

Goal is to develop and test theories and to

produce knowledge generalizable to wide
population.

Little formal training required to conduct such

studies.

Considerable training required to conduct

such studies.

Intent is to identify and correct problems.

Intent is to investigate larger issues, of local

concern.

Carried out by teacher or other local education

professional.

Carried out by researcher who is not usually

involved in local situation.

Uses primarily teacher-developed instruments.

Uses primarily professionally-developed

instruments.

Less rigorous.
Usually value-based.
Purposive samples selected.
Selective opinions of researcher often
considered as data.
Generalizability is very limited.

More rigorous.
Frequently value-neutral.
Random samples (if possible) preferred.
Selective opinions of researcher never
considered as data.
Generalizability often appropriate.