8/13/2019 Action Research 3

1/4

VNU Jornal of Science, Foreign Langages 24 (2008) 203206

203

Action research: An oerie

Vo Dai Qang*, Trinh Thi Die Hang

, , ,

, , ,

Receied 26 Agst 2008

Action research is a research tpe of great practical ale and high freqenc of sagein langage teaching. An insightfl look into the natre and seqence of inestigation in thisapproach is essential for teachers and research orkers. On the basis of collected data from

different sorces, ith a high leel of conciseness and lcidit, this article proides coherentlepressed ideas comprehensible to readers on the folloing isses:What is Action research?The prposes of action researchThe importance of action researchThe effects of action researchDifferences beteen action research and formal researchSteps for classroom action research

is deliberate, soltion

oriented inestigation that is collectiel orpersonall oned and condcted. It ischaracteried b spiraling ccles of problemidentification, sstematic data collection,reflection, analsis, datadrien action taken,and, finall, problem redefinition. The linkingof the terms "action" and "research" highlightsthe essential featres of this method: tring otideas in practice as a means of increasingknoledge abot and/or improingcrriclm, teaching, and learning.

The concept of action research can betraced back to the earl orks of John Deein the 1920s and Krt Lein in the 1940s. It is

______

* Corresponding athor.Tel.: 8447547042Email: odaiqang@ahoo.com

Stephen Core and others at Teachers Collegeof Colmbia Uniersit ho introdced theterm action research to the edcational

commnit in 1949. Core [1] defined actionresearch as the process throgh hichpractitioners std their on practice to soletheir personal practical problems.

Ver often action research is acollaboratie actiit here practitionersork together to help one another designand carr ot inestigations in theirclassrooms. According to John Elliott, teacheraction research is "concerned ith theeerda practical problems eperienced bteachers, rather than the 'theoreticalproblems' defined b pre researchers ithina discipline of knoledge" (Elliott, cited inNion, 1987). Research is designed,condcted, and implemented b the teachersthemseles to improe teaching in their on

8/13/2019 Action Research 3

2/4

, / , 24 (2008) 203206204

classrooms, sometimes becoming a staffdeelopment project in hich teachersestablish epertise in crriclm

deelopment and reflectie teaching.The preailing focs of teacher research isto epand the teacher's role as inqirer abotteaching and learning throgh sstematicclassroom research. This approach isnatralistic, sing participant obserationtechniqes of ethnographic research. It isgenerall collaboratie, and incldescharacteristics of case std methodolog.The research team proides spportand a form for sharing qestions,concerns, and reslts. Teachers adiseeach other and comment on theprogress of indiidal efforts.Participating in collaboratie actionresearch helps eliminate the isolationthat has long characteried teaching, asit gies asn impets to professionaldialoge and ths, creates a moreprofessional cltre in schools.

is researchdesigned to help a teacher find ot hat ishappening in his or her classroom, and to sethat information to make ise decisions forthe ftre. Methods can be qalitatie orqantitatie, descriptie or eperimental.

Action research has been emploed forarios prposes: for schoolbasedcrriclm deelopment, as a professionaldeelopment strateg, in preserice andgradate corses in edcation, and insstems planning and polic deelopment.Some scholars adocate an action researchapproach for school restrctring. Action

research can be sed as an ealatie tool,hich can assist in selfealation hetherthe "self" be an indiidal or an instittion.

School restrctring moement has sitebased, shared decisionmaking at its core.With the nel acqired atonom, come pne responsibilities. Teachers, local schools,and school districts are accontable to allstakeholders for the policies, programs, andpractices the implement. It is not enogh forteachers merel to make decisions; the illbe called pon to make informed decisions,decisions hich are data drien. Therefore, itis necessar for teachers to be mch moredeliberate in docmenting and ealatingtheir efforts. Action research is one means tothat end. It is er likel the emergence ofsitebased decisionmaking has precipitatedthe resrgence of action research; the toseem to be complementar. Action researchassists practitioners and other stakeholders in

identifing the needs, assessing thedeelopment processes, and ealating theotcomes of the changes the define, design,and implement. The selfealation aspect ofaction research is congrent ith thephilosophies contained in the Total QalitEdcation and Otcomes Based Edcationmoements crrentl being adanced inman edcational instittions.

There is a groing amont of eidence ofthe positie personal and professional effectsthat engaging in action research has on thepractitioner. proides teachersith the opportnit to gain knoledge andskill in research methods and applications

8/13/2019 Action Research 3

3/4

, / , 24 (2008) 203206 205

and also to become more conscios of theoptions and possibilities for change. Teachersparticipating in action research become more

critical and reflectie abot their onpractice. Teachers doing action researchattend more carefll to their methods, theirperceptions and nderstandings, and theirhole approach to the teaching process.

It is teachers ho, in the end, ill changethe orld of the school b nderstanding it.As teachers engage in action research theare increasing their nderstanding of theschooling process. What the are learningill hae great impact on hat happens in

classrooms, schools, and districts in theftre. The ftre directions of staffdeelopment programs, teacher preparationcrricla, as ell as school improementinitiaties, ill be impacted b the thingsteachers learn throgh the critical inqir

and rigoros eamination of their onpractice and their school programs thataction research reqires.

Teachers' action research qestionsemerge from areas the considerproblematic, from discrepancies beteenhat is intended and hat actall occrs.The niqe featre of teachers' qestions isthat the emanate solel neither from theornor from practice, bt from critical reflectionon the intersection of the to. Teacherresearch ill force the reealation ofcrrent theories and ill significantlinflence hat is knon abot teaching,

learning, and schooling.It is often said that teachers often leae a

mark on their stdents, bt the seldomleae a mark on their profession. Throgh theprocess and prodcts of action researchteachers ill do both.

Differences beteen action research and formal research

Training needed b researcher Etensie On on or ith consltation

Goals of research Knoledge that is generaliable Knoledge to appl to the local sitation

Method of identifing theproblem to be stdied

Reie of preios research Problems or goals crrentl faced

Procedre for literatre reie Etensie, sing primar sorces More crsor, sing secondar sorces

Sampling approach Random or representatie sampling Stdents or clients ith hom the ork

Research design Rigoros control, long time frameLooser procedres, change dring std;qick time frame; control throghtrianglation

Measrement procedres Ealatatie and pretesting measres Conenient measres or standardied tests

Data analsis Statistical tests; qalitatie techniqesFocs on practical, not statisticalsignificance; present ra data

Application of reslts Emphasis on theoretical significance Emphasis on practical significance

8/13/2019 Action Research 3

4/4

, / , 24 (2008) 203206206

Decide on a qestion consideredmeaningfl and important to o.

Read literatre on or topic Plan or oerall research strateg and

data collection strategies Collect data (refine methods as needed) Make sense of the data (qalitatie and

/or qantitatie) Reach conclsions abot or qestion.

What is the practical significance of orfindings?

Take action based on or conclsions Share or findings ith others

These steps are not alas completed inthis seqence and o ma loop backthrogh some steps seeral times.

[1] S. Core, , Ne York: Teachers College, ColmbiaUniersit, Ne York, 1953.

Nghin c tm gii php: Mt cch nhn tng qan

V i Qang, Trnh Th Di Hng

, ,

, , , Nghin c tm gii php (action research) l mt loi hnh nghin c ph dng, c ngha

thc tin cao trong d ting (langage teaching). Vic hi th o bn cht q trnh thchin cc nghin c theo ng hng n l ht sc cn thit trong ging d nghin c.Trn khi li t nhi ngn khc nha, i cch trnh b d hi, c ng mch lc, biit n cng cp mt ci nhn tng qan cc n sa:

Th no l Nghin c tm gii phpMc ch ca nghin c tm gii phpTm qan trng ca nghin c tm gii phpHi q ca nghin c tm gii phpNhng khc bit gia nghin c tm gii php nghin c theo q thc (formal research)Cc bc tin hnh mt nghin c tm gii php