ACTION RESEARCH

METHODS and REPORT WRITING

JENNIFER E. LOPEZ
Education Program Supervisor
DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON

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Outline
Methods of Action Research/ Methods of Data Collection/Data
Gathering Tools

Analyzing Data

Writing the Report

Making Informed Decisions to Improve K to 12 Practices

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 Reflection Time
How do you improve classroom
or school practice?
Looking back on experience to improve practice
Learning in the midst of practice
Making decisions about what to do

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HOW IS ACTION RESEARCH DEFINED?

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Action Research is a fancy way
of saying Lets study whats
happening at our school and
decide on how to make it a
better place.
Emily Calhoun (1994)

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 Definition of Action Research
A flexible spiral process which allows
action (change, improvement) and
research (understanding, knowledge) to
be achieved at the same time: involving
the individuals affected by the change,
thus allowing the understanding to be
widely shared and the change to be
pursued with commitment.

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Purpose of action research?
To bring about the development of the practice of the educators
by analyzing existing practice and identifying elements for
change
To gather evidence on which to make informed rather than
intuitive judgments and decisions
To enhance educators development through the fostering of
their capability as knowledge makers, rather than simply as
knowledge users
To help educators feel in control of their own professional
situation.

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The need for Action Research
To develop a deeper understanding of classroom practice as basis
for change
To study the weakness of ones own teaching in order to improve
it;
To better understand the aspect of ones teaching that is of
interest or concern
An alternative to teachers who have been encouraged to look at
others, rather than at themselves and their students, for ways to
help students improve their quality of learning

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 Characteristics of Action Research
Cyclic -- similar steps tend to recur, in a similar sequence;
Its cyclic nature helps responsiveness.
Participative -- the clients and informants are involved as
partners, or at least active participants, in the research
process;
Qualitative -- it deals more often with language than
with numbers; They can develop enough understanding
to become co-researchers in many situations.
Reflective -- critical reflection upon the process and
outcomes are important parts of each cycle. The critical
reflection is then put to good use in designing the later
steps.

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Action Research Cycle:
Observe, Reflect, Plan and Act
Observation phase - the issue or problem is monitored and
described. Useful data is recorded and kept.
Reflection phase - observations are interpreted and shared so that
the issue or problem can be better understood.
Planning phase - actions are proposed to address the issue or
problem.
Action phase - the plan is implemented and the cycle starts again as
outcomes are observed, recorded, and shared.

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Simple Action Research Model (Kemmis)
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CYCLIC

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 What Action Research Is Not
It is not the usual thing teachers do when they think
about their teaching. Action Research is systematic and
involves collecting evidence on which to base rigorous
reflection.
It is not just problem-solving. It is motivated by a quest
to improve and understand the world by changing it and
learning how to improve it from the effects of the
changes made.
It is not research on other people.
Action Research does not treat people as objects.
It is not the scientific method applied to teaching. Action
Research is not about hypothesis-testing or about using
data to come to conclusions. It is concerned with
changing situations, not just interpreting them.
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 Steps in Conducting an Action Research Study

1. Identify a problem to study.

2. Locate resources to help address the problem.
3. Identify information you will need.
4. Implement the data collection.
5. Analyze the data.
6. Develop a plan for action.
7. Implement the plan and reflect.

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Conducting Action Research

What are the possible

sources of your data?

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 Sample Checklist
Student Feedback
Name: ___________________________
How much has your English improved in each of these areas?
Tick the appropriate box.
A lot of improvement Some improvement Little improvement
Listening
Speaking
Reading
Writing
Grammar
Vocabulary
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Sample Informed Consent Form

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 Questions to consider:
1. What data are collected?
2. How are the data collected?
3. Who is responsible for collecting and recording the
data?
4. Where are the collected data stored?
5. How do you insure that the data are collected?

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 Qualitative Data Analysis Goals
The discovery of regularities, patterns and
themes.
The comprehension of the meaning of text or
action.

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 Data Collection and Analysis

Research Tools Purpose

Interviews To fully understand someones
impressions, attitudes or
experiences or learn more about
their answers to questionnaires
(generally qualitative)
Observation To gather accurate information by
recording behavioral patterns
(structured or unstructured;
disguised or undisguised; natural or
contrived; personal or mechanical;
participant or non-participant)

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 Data Collection and Analysis

Research Tools Purpose

Focus Groups To explore a topic in depth through
group discussion; useful in
evaluation and marketing

Case Studies To fully understand or depict

experiences through examination
and cross comparison of cases;
looks at what is there and how it
got there

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 Data Collection and Analysis

Research Tools Purpose

Questionnaires To quickly get lots of information
from people in a non-
Surveys threatening way (can be
Checklists quantitative, qualitative or both)

Documentation review/analysis To study written communication

in a field; could include official
records, personal documents or
written communications

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 Writing the Research Report
You may adapt the four-part plan:
1. Introduction/Overview. Write about your purpose
(why you proposed the study) and your research
questions.
2. The context of the study in terms of: related
literature, methodology, setting of the research, and
yourself as a researcher. Explain how you analyzed
the data and how you arrived at the conclusion the
process of analysis.
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3. The central analysis. You may follow a thematic
design. Possible arrangements include:
Chapters that step sequentially through stages
(either chronologically and logically).
A chapter for each dimension you have identified in
the problem.
Units (chapters or sections) that are each a case
study, through which each of the themes or
patterns of your analysis are systematically
explored.

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4. The conclusion. Make sure you discuss
answers to your research questions.
Write your conclusions and their
importance, as well as their implications
for the previous literature or policy
assumptions.
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Easy reading is damn hard writing.
- Maya Angelou
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 Workshop

Write a draft of the introduction and

context of your proposed action
research.

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Acknowledgement:
Thanks to Dr. Wilma S. Reyes and Dr. Gina O. Gonong for the permission to use some
of their slides.

JENNIFER E. LOPEZ