Action Research

Research Methods CAGS

NITE 2005

Action Research

WHAT IS ACTION RESEARCH? – A form of qualitative research – Self-reflective enquiry undertaken by

the participants.– The central focus in AR is on

improving practice or process. – Seeks to narrow the gap between

theory and practice.

Action Research

Action Research Cycle

B. Implement Planned Action

A. Develop a Plan to Meetan Identified Need

C. Evaluate the Success of the Action Taken Through Data Collection & Analysis

D. Revise & Renew the Plan for

Continuous Improvement

Action ResearchStep 1.Identifying a focus of interest or a

problem– It is likely that you will have to go through

a period of reflection about your own practices or maybe even observe a colleague at work.

– Change and improvement only comes about when people take risks.

– Empowerment and independence.

Action ResearchStep 2Collecting data and making representations

• Data can take any form • In business, e.g., memos, minutes of meetings,

project plans, budgets, documentation relating to product campaigns, specifications of roles and relationships, mission statements.

• In a hospital, ward, general practice, e.g., care plans, client files, memos, registers, rosters, notice board leaflets etc

• Obtain as great a variety as the situation will allow. • ‘Immerse' yourself in the situation, if you are not

already. (Once the guiding curiosities and interests are made sufficiently explicit. It becomes easier to know what data to collect and how).

Action ResearchStep 2 (cont.)Collecting data and making representations

You may decide:– To answer a specific question

• What kinds of things do project teams talk about when they work together?

– To improve practice • ‘Does management style 'x' improve

employee/employer relationships better than management style 'y' ?

Action ResearchStep 2 (cont.)Collecting data and making representations

IT IS IMPORTANT TO SUBJECT YOUR OWN INTERESTS AND VALUES TO CONTINUAL

CRITIQUE •No one can do research with an 'open mind', or clear of prejudice.•The data base must be a fair or unbiased representation of the case itself.

Action ResearchStep 2 (cont.)Collecting data and making representationsThe data base which you evolve will be constructed through:

1. Observation– Representing a situation in a way which is valid and a

true to those involved.

2. Interviewing – Record of the other's voice.

3. Documents and Artifacts – By exploring wording, examples used, general format

and presentation, anticipated audience from the writer's point of view, important issues maybe established.

Action ResearchStep 3 Analyzing data and generating hypotheses

• Takes place while you are going through the first two steps.

– Become aware of themes which begin to be emerging.

• A systematic ordering of data – Label the individual documents and transcripts – number pages. – Index the various documents, transcripts. – Continually ask the question, what is this data of.

Action ResearchStep 4Planning action steps

– If the planning of action is rooted with those from whom the data collected, there will be a good chance that the action will actually take place.

– While formulating and planning the process, building theory is also going on.

Building Theory – Theory is a basis for action, it must be

developed carefully and constantly reviewed.– Choice is the key.

Action ResearchStep 4Planning action steps (cont.)

• Action Plans • Seeking to change the details of existing ways of

doing things; or, to solve certain problems in the execution of a plan without changing the overall plan.

• Seeking to replace the existing way of doing things with a different way of doing things.

• Identify• A statement of the aims of the proposed action• A statement of the reasons for this action• A statement of the new forms of group organization• A statement of the means of monitoring changes• An understanding of change management.

Action Research

Step 5Implementing action steps

– Everything rests on a simple decision. "To do or not to do?"

– Change rests upon somebody actually deciding to do something

– Change involves risk. If you wait for no risk you will have a long wait.

Action Research

Step 6 & 7

Collecting data to monitor change, analyzing and evaluating

– Describe the situation following the first action steps and then begin to explain the situation.

– Action researcher is now setting out on another stage of the action research spiral.

Action Research

Bibliography

– John F. Schostak (2003) Understanding, Designing and Conducting Qualitative Research in Education. Framing the Project, Open University Press ISBN 0 335 20509 7