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    Action Research - Appraising Proposals

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    Liana Zen
    Action research is a systematic process that aims to solve practical problems through research conducted by educators in their own contexts. It involves a preliminary phase to understand the current situation, an action phase to implement interventions, and an evaluation phase to assess their effectiveness. A good action research proposal is simple, concise, systematic, and clearly describes the context, research questions, participants, and data collection and analysis methods. The validity of action research can be assessed based on how well it follows appropriate research processes, achieves intended outcomes, involves stakeholders, inspires action, and undergoes peer review.

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    Action Research - Appraising Proposals

    Uploaded by

    Liana Zen
    98 views36 pages
    Action research is a systematic process that aims to solve practical problems through research conducted by educators in their own contexts. It involves a preliminary phase to understand the current situation, an action phase to implement interventions, and an evaluation phase to assess their effectiveness. A good action research proposal is simple, concise, systematic, and clearly describes the context, research questions, participants, and data collection and analysis methods. The validity of action research can be assessed based on how well it follows appropriate research processes, achieves intended outcomes, involves stakeholders, inspires action, and undergoes peer review.

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    Action research is a systematic process that aims to solve practical problems through research conducted by educators in their own contexts. It involves a preliminary phase to understand the current situation, an action phase to implement interventions, and an evaluation phase to assess their effectiveness. A good action research proposal is simple, concise, systematic, and clearly describes the context, research questions, participants, and data collection and analysis methods. The validity of action research can be assessed based on how well it follows appropriate research processes, achieves intended outcomes, involves stakeholders, inspires action, and undergoes peer review.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    98 views36 pages

    Action Research - Appraising Proposals

    Uploaded by

    Liana Zen
    Action research is a systematic process that aims to solve practical problems through research conducted by educators in their own contexts. It involves a preliminary phase to understand the current situation, an action phase to implement interventions, and an evaluation phase to assess their effectiveness. A good action research proposal is simple, concise, systematic, and clearly describes the context, research questions, participants, and data collection and analysis methods. The validity of action research can be assessed based on how well it follows appropriate research processes, achieves intended outcomes, involves stakeholders, inspires action, and undergoes peer review.

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    Action Research

    Appraising Proposals

    Policy Research and Development – Planning Service


    PRD-PS
    Overview

    • What is action research?

    • How is action research conducted?

    • What makes a good action research


    proposal?

    • How do we assess validity in action research?


    Action Research

    • A process of systematic inquiry to find


    effective solutions to practical and localized
    problems

    • “Not research on people, but research by,


    with, of, and for people”

    “No research without action;


    no action without research”
    - Kurt Lewin
    How does action
    research compare
    with other types of
    education research?

    Adapted from Hendricks (2009)


    The Research Question
    Theoretical/Applied
    Action Research
    Research
    Sample questions: Sample questions:
    • What is the extent of • Does/can … increase
    ….? …?
    • What are adolescents’ • Does/can … reduce…?
    concepts of …? • Does/can … speed up
    • What are teachers’ …?
    beliefs in …?
    • Is there a relationship
    between …?
    The Researcher
    Theoretical/Applied
    Action Research
    Research
    • Educational • Teachers
    psychologists and other • School Heads
    social scientists
    • Guidance Counselors
    • Higher education
    institution faculty • Other Educators
    • Graduate students
    • Professional researchers
    • Development
    managers/officer
    The Role of the Researcher
    Theoretical/Applied
    Action Research
    Research
    • The researcher is an • The action researcher
    external data studies others and self
    gatherer/an observer right in his/her
    who studies other immediate context
    subjects objectively

    • The researcher studies


    others by immersing in
    the research setting
    (participant observer)
    The Researcher Participants
    Theoretical/Applied
    Action Research
    Research
    • “Others” as research • “Others” as research
    subjects/participants subjects/participants

    • The action researcher is


    also a participant, an
    object of the inquiry
    The Research Data Collected
    Theoretical/Applied
    Action Research
    Research
    • Numbers, statistics • Information/data that
    can capture and
    • Descriptions
    indicate
    • Observation notes change/improvement

    • Interview notes
    • Documents
    • Artifacts
    The Purposes of Undertaking Research

    Theoretical/Applied
    Action Research
    Research
    • Academic aims • Strategic aims
    • Understanding • Improving professional
    educational practice
    phenomena
    • Solving problems,
    • Making generalizations addressing issues in the
    • Building theory school

    • Contributing to
    research literature
    The Intended Research Audiences

    Theoretical/Applied
    Action Research
    Research
    • Community of • Self
    researchers • Fellow teachers
    • Social scientists • Administrators
    • Higher education • Intended audience not
    institution faculty clearly defined
    • Graduate students
    • Policy makers
    • Development
    managers
    Key Steps in Action Research

    1 Preliminary Phase

    2 Action Phase

    3 Evaluation Phase
    1 Preliminary Phase

    • Ask: “What is the situation at present?”


    • Gather information about the current
    state of things
    • Name issues and problems
    • Uncover the nature and context of these
    issues and problems
    2 Action Phase

    • Ask: “What changes can I try out?”


    • Come up with interventions and
    strategies likely to address issues or solve
    problems
    • Put the interventions/strategies into
    action
    • Monitor and collect evidences of
    change/improvement
    3 Evaluation Phase

    • Ask: “Did the interventions/strategies


    work?”
    • Describe what happened
    • Try to explain why, or why not
    • Generate recommendations
    Typical Topics

    • Literacy development
    • Absenteeism and drop-out rates
    • Bully prevention
    • Parental involvement
    • ICT
    • Special education
    • Culture-based education
    Action research may address…

    • Changes in classroom practice


    • Effects of a teaching strategy
    • Teaching a new process to students
    • New understanding of students
    • Professional development
    • Professional relationships with
    colleagues and students

    Adapted from Pine (2009)


    Engaging in research can…

    • Improve teachers’ ability to be


    analytical and reflective about their
    practices and skills
    • Empower teachers as agents of
    change
    • Promote a sense of curiosity and
    inquiry in classrooms and schools – a
    culture of research
    Adapted from Pine (2009)
    What makes a
    “good” action
    research?
    Do we look at…

    Adherence to template?

    Length of the proposal?

    Extensiveness of literature review?

    Complexity of research design?

    Use of statistical analysis?


    An ideal research proposal

    • Simple but elegant

    • Concise and straightforward

    • Systematic and well-thought-out

    • Describes the “What, why, who, when,


    how” of undertaking the research
    Context

    • What is the prevailing situation or


    context?

    • What is the specific issue or problem


    that needs intervention?

    • Is there a clear course of action


    proposed?
    Research Questions

    • Are research questions formulated


    clearly?

    • Are the variables of interest stated?

    • Do the research questions encapsulate


    the action research undertaking?
    Research Participants

    • Who are the research participants?

    • Are there relevant descriptions for the


    participants (e.g. target number, age,
    grade level)?

    • What sampling scheme will you use?


    Data Gathering

    • What is the nature of the data to be


    collected?

    • What data gathering method will be


    used?
    – Pretest/posttest
    – Survey
    – Interview
    – Observation
    – Document review/analysis
    Data Analysis

    • How will the data be encoded and


    analyzed?

    • Are the methods for data analysis


    appropriate?
    - Comparing the same group, measured at
    different times
    - Comparing two groups, measured at the
    same time
    - Examining if one variable predicts another
    Action Research
    Relevant

    Practical

    Systematic
    Five Criteria for Assessing
    Validity in Action Research
    (Andersen, Herr, & Nihlen, 1994)

    Policy Research and Development – Planning Service


    PRD-PS
    1 Process Validity

    • Did the action research utilize the


    appropriate research processes?

    • Has the action research been conducted


    in a dependable and competent
    manner?
    2 Outcome Validity

    • Has there been a successful resolution of


    the action research problem?

    • Has something been learned from the


    action research that can be applied to
    the next research cycle?
    3 Democratic Validity

    • To what extent have stakeholders in the


    research area collaborated in the action
    research process?

    • Have the participants in the action


    research (and their perspectives) been
    widely and accurately represented?
    4 Catalytic Validity

    • To what extent has the action research


    become a catalyst for action?

    • To what extent has the action research


    transformed and changed the
    researcher’s views and practices?
    5 Dialogic Validity

    • Have the action research findings been


    shared or disseminated with peers and
    other practitioners?
    • Has there been a critical conversation
    with others?
    • Has the action research undergone a
    peer review process to establish to its
    “soundness” as a research?
    Points to Ponder

    Love for teaching


    Encourage Love for learning

    Ownership
    Empower
    Agents of change

    Learning opportunity
    Evaluate
    Culture of research
    References
    Anderson, G.L., Herr, K., & Nihlen, A.S. (1994). Studying your own school: An
    educator’s guide to qualitative practitioner research. Thousand Oaks, CA:
    Corwin Press, Inc.

    Hendricks, C. (2009). Improving schools through action research: A


    comprehensive guide for educators. (2nd ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ:
    Pearson.

    Hine, G., & Lavery, S. (2014). The importance of action research in teacher
    education programs: Three testimonies. In Transformative, innovative, and
    engaging. Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Teaching Learning Forum, 30-31
    January 2014. The University of Western Australia.
    http://ctl.curtin.edu.au/professional_development/conferences/tlf/tlf2014/re
    fereed/hine.pdf

    Pine, G. J. (2009). Teacher action research: Collaborative, Participatory, and


    Democratic Inquiry. In Teacher Action Research.
    Thank you!

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