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!