Action Research

Action Research

1. 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. Those involved in action research generally want to solve some kind of day-to-day immediate problem.

   • Basic assumptions
     • Teachers and other education professionals have the authority to make decisions.
     • Teachers and other education professionals want to improve their practice.
     • Teachers and other education professionals are committed to continual professional development.
     • Teachers and other education professionals will and can engage in systematic research.

2. Types

   • Practical action research
     • It is intended to address a specific problem within a classroom, school or other "community".Its primary purpose is to improve practice in the short term as well as to inform larger issues.
   • Participatory action research
     • It has two additional purposes: to empower individuals and groups to improve their lives and to bring about social change at some level, school, community, and society. It deliberately involves a sizable group of people representing diverse experiences and viewpoints, all of whom are focused on the same problem.

3. Levels of participation

   • Provide information
   • Become informed of purpose of the study
   • Receive findings
   • Assist in data collection and/or analysis
   • Review findings
   • Participate in interpretation
   • Participate in designing project
   • Participate in problem specification
   • Initiate study

4. Steps

   • Identifying the research question
   • Gathering the necessary information
   • Analyzing and interpreting the information
   • Developing an action plan

5. Similarities and differences between action research and formal quantitative and qualitative research

   • Sampling in action research
   • Internal validity in action research
   • Action research and external validity

6. Advantages

   • It can be done by almost any professional.
   • Action research can improve educational practice. It helps teachers, counselors, and administrators become more competent professionals.
   • Such research can serve as a rich source of ideas about how to modify and perhaps enrich one's own strategies and techniques.
   • Action research can help teachers identify problems and issues systematically.
   • Action research can build up a small community of research-oriented individuals within the school itself.