3. Objective
At the end of this training trainees will be able
to:
Understand the concept of action research
Identify key characteristics of Action Research
Appreciate action research on its contribution to their
professional development.
Develop the skill of doing action research
Conduct action research in their department, school,
college or university /work place.
4. Cont…
Main contents of the training
The concepts of action research
The importance of action research
The characteristics of action research
Basic process of action research
Action Research planning, presentation and
report
5. Definition of action research
1. Have you ever conducted or participated in any
Action Research Project?
2. What makes action research different from other
conventional researches?
6. The concepts of research and Educational research
Research defined as systematic, critical and self-critical enquiry
which aims to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and
wisdom‘(Bassey, 1999)
It is systematic and objective analysis and recording of
controlled observations that may lead to the development of
generalizations, principles, or theories, resulting in predicting
and possibly ultimate control of events (Best and Kahn 2003)
• Educational research is critical enquiry aimed at informing
educational judgments and decisions in order to improve
educational action' (Best and Kahn 2003 p. 39)
• It refers to the formal and systematic application of scientific
inquiry to the study of educational problems.
7. i) The Concepts of AR
Action research is conceived differently;
By different people,
Under different contexts and
At different times.
Educators define the term action research
differently;
based on the purpose it serves
based on the process it involves
Based on the nature of participants
8. Action research involves the systematic integration of
theory, application, and evaluation (Whitley, 1996)
It starts when someone perceives that a problem exists in an
applied setting eg. Drop out, low performance etc.
Action research is “learning by doing” - a group of people
identify a problem, do something to resolve it, see how
successful their efforts were, and if not satisfied, try again
(O'Brien, 2001). ***
To Mc Niff (2001) action research is a term given to the
process of people researching their own learning with a
view to generating their own theories of practice.
9. Action research is systematic inquiry done by teachers (or other
individuals in an educational setting) to gather information about,
and subsequently improve, the ways their particular educational
setting operates, how they teach, and how well their students learn
(Mills, 2000).
Action Research is a process in which participants examine their
own educational practice systematically and carefully, using the
techniques of research (Watts, 1985, p.118).
10. Educational action research is an enquiry which is carried
out in order to understand, to evaluate and then to change, in
order to improve some educational practice' (Bassey, 1998).
“Essentially an on-the-spot procedure designed to deal with a
concrete problem located in an immediate situation” (Cohen
and Manion, 1994:192).
•Action research is a flexible spiral process which
allows action (change, improvement) and research
(understanding, knowledge) to be achieved at the same
time' (Dick, 2002).
11. In teaching learning context, it is known by many other
names such as:
School-based research,
Teacher research,
Teacher professional development,
Teacher self-evaluation,
Classroom research,
Practitioner’s self-reflective enquiry, etc.
12. The reasons for naming action research differently could be due
to:
1. the settings and processes of action research are dynamic;
2. the philosophy, perspectives, and experiences of the
researchers;
3. the contexts in which action research is sought may vary;
4. the theory motivating the research; and
5. objective factors such as the conditions under which the
research is being conducted and the question(s) being
investigated.
13. cont’d
Currently, action research is viewed as:
any systematic inquiry conducted by teachers, school
administrators, or others with vested interest in the
teaching and learning process or environment, and for the
purpose of gathering information about;
how their particular schools operate,
how they teach, and
how their students learn.
14. …cont’d
A research conducted by practitioners in applied fields for
the purpose of solving a specific problem (eg teaching,
counseling, assessing, classroom management, etc.)
In general, in a current practice, AR is conceived as a
practical way of looking at one’s own individual, professional,
and environmental concerns with a purpose of understanding
these and causing betterment and /or cope up with the demand
of the day related to one’s professional life.
15. The Characteristics of Action Research
Practitioner based.
Cyclical and a systematic - a cyclical process that takes
shape as knowledge emerges
action not theory- improves practice, solve a problem,
introduce change
Participatory- in action research, researchers
collaborate with practitioners and other stakeholders. It
is composed of educators talking and working with
other educators in empowering relationships.
16. Context-specific.
Addresses practical problems. It involves
the identification of practical problems in a
specific context and an attempt to seek and
implement solutions within that context.
Empowering - all participants can
contribute to and benefit from the process.
It is practical and relevant to classroom
teachers, since it allows them direct access
to research findings.
It is developing critical reflection about
one’s teaching;
17. Cont
What do you think are the Similarities and
Differences between Action Research
and
Formal/conventional Research ?
18. Cont---
Action Research Formal Research
Systematic inquiry Systematic inquiry
Goal is to solve problems of local
concern and is context specific
Goal is to develop and test theories and
to produce knowledge that can be
generalized to wide population
To obtain knowledge that can be
applied directly to the local class room
situation and to give the participating
teachers in service training.
To obtain knowledge that can be
generalized and to develop and
test educational theory.
Intent is to identify and correct
problems of local concern.
Intent is to investigate
larger issues
19. Cont---
Action Research Formal Research
Carried out by teacher or
other local education
professional.
Carried out by researcher who is
not usually involved in local
situation.
Less rigorous. Data analysis
focus on practical, not
statistical significance.
using less controlled
procedure to understand
the effects of some
educational intervention.
More rigorous. Data analysis is
Rigorous statistical analysis to
show cause-effect r/ship.
Major attention is given to
reducing error and bias.
Mostly Purposive samples
selected.
Random samples (if possible)
preferred or representative
sample.
20. Cont
Action Research Formal Research
Selective opinions of
researcher often considered
as data.
Selective opinions of
researcher never considered
as data.
Generalization is very
limited. (Findings are used
immediately in the
classroom situations by
participating teachers to
improve their own
practices).
Generalization often
appropriate.
(The generalizations have
broad applicability)
21. Comparison Action Research Formal Research
Who? Conducted by teachers and
leaders on children in their care
Conducted by university professors,
scholars, and graduate students on
experimental and control groups
Where? In schools and classrooms In environments where variables can be
controlled
How? Using qualitative methods to
describe what is happening and
understand the effects of some
educational intervention
Using quantitative methods to show, to
some predetermined degree of statistical
significance, a cause-effect relationship
between variables
Why? To take action and effect
positive educational change in
the specific school environment
that was studied
To report and publish conclusions that can
be generalized to larger populations
22. Types of Action Research
Individual Teacher Research – usually
focuses on a single issue in the classroom.
Collaborative Action Research – may
include as few as two teachers or a group of
several teachers and others interested in
addressing in a classroom or department
issue.
23. Cont---
School-wide Research – focuses on
issue common to all (e.g dropout)
District-wide Research – far more
complex and utilizes more resources, but
the rewards can be great.
Issues can be organizational,
community-based, performance-based or
processes for decision making.
24. ii) The Importance of Action research
There are four broad fundamentally important ways in which AR
can be used successfully in educational settings:
To connect theory to practice,
To improve educational practice,
To empower teachers as a means for promoting professional
growth.
It gives educators new opportunities to reflect on and assess their
teaching;
Allows educators to explore and test new ideas, methods, and
materials;
Encourages sharing feedback with fellow team members;
Helps educators to make informed decisions.
25. Con’d………..
Connecting theory to practice
AR is a means of bridging the gap between
theory/research and practice (classroom situations) by
creating a two-way flow of information.
In this sense, teaching decisions are shaped by theory and
research, and in turn give shape and new directions to
educational theory and research.
Improvement of classroom practices
AR offers a process by which the existing practices can be
transformed to better ones.
26. Teacher empowerment
Empowerment can be advanced through action research,
which enables teachers to appropriate decision at whatsoever
level.
It allows teachers to bring into their classrooms their own
unique expertise, talents, and creativity so that they can
implement instructional programs to best meet the needs of
their students.
Empowerment entails professional autonomy, accountability
and commitment of the teachers to do the right things right
27. Con/d
Professional growth
AR is a means of improving teachers’ problem-solving skills
and their attitudes toward professional development and
institutional change, as well as increasing their confidence and
professional self-esteem.
An AR involves processes of identifying a problem/a question
(the first step in the process) to guide the research,
Your research topic should reflect an issue of importance to
you as a teacher.
28. Benefits of Action Research for stakeholders
Students
Student learning is being studied,
Instructional practices are being designed to
accelerate learning and build upon student
knowledge,
Close monitoring is occurring to ensure
appropriate progress is being made,
Adjustments in instruction are made when
needed
29. Benefits of Action Research
Teachers
Improves professional practice through reflection and
study
Develops a sense of ownership
Bridges learned knowledge into actual practice
Builds confidence as decision-makers and beliefs
about curriculum and instruction
Encourages collaboration at many different levels
30. Schools/Institutions/ Universities
Improves student achievement because
students’ learning needs are being
addressed,
Encourages learning communities,
Fosters professional dialogue, learning,
and researching,
31. …cont’d
Activity
Complete the following open-ended
starting points/questions to assist
you identify and develop an area of
interest for your action research
Project.
32. …cont’d
1) I would like to improve __________________
2) I am bewildered by _____________________
3) We are unhappy about __________________
4) I am really curious about ________________
5) I want to learn more about ______________
6) I would like to bring change in ____________
33. Some common areas for action research project
in the educational arena
1) Aspects of instructional planning
2) Contents to teach
3) Instructional/teaching methods
4) Learning assessments
5) You and your learning
6) Classroom environment
7) Institutional/school-wide issues,
34. …cont’d
Activity(20’)
1. Select one area from the categories you
have identified; & then write your action
research topic.
2. Write three basic questions for your
research.
3. Write the processes/steps of doing the
action research.
35. Examples of AR topics
1. My students are not happy with my
approaches & methods of teaching. How
can I change the situation?
2. I would like to improve my students’
achievements.
3. How can we minimize students’ truancy in
our school?
4. How can I increase students’ participation in
my class?
36. BASIC PROCESS OF CONDUCTING AR
The basic process of conducting
action research consists of 4 to 9 steps
or components.
The 9 steps contrive/fix to 4, namely:
1) Planning,
2) Acting,
3) Developing, and
4) Reflecting.
37. Deciding on the focus for your action research
Is the topic in an area where we can really make an
influence and bring about change?
Is the topic manageable in the time allowed?
Do we have access to the data that we will need to
conduct this research?
Have we chosen a topic that fits within our day to day
activities and is small enough to be achievable but still
meaningful?
38. Cont---
Step 1. Identify an issue/a problem/an area of focus, and
limit it.
Step 2. Learn more about your issue (formal and informal
information gathering)
Step 3. Literature Review (formal aspect)
Step 4. Plan and develop a strategy for your study
Step 5. Gather data
Step 6. Analyze and interpret the data
Step 7. Develop a plan of action
Step 8. Take appropriate action and share/communicate
your results
Step 9. Reflect on the overall process and the results
39. …cont’d
Basic Steps Sub-steps
1. Planning
1. Identify an issue/a problem/an area
of focus, and limit it
2. Learn more about your issue (formal
and informal information gathering)
3. Literature Review (formal
aspect)
4. Plan and develop a strategy for your
study
40. …cont’d
Basic Steps Sub-steps
2. Acting/Doing
5. Gathering data
6. Analyzing and
interpreting the data
3. Developing 7. Developing a
plan of action
41. …cont’d
Basic Steps Sub-steps
4. Reflecting
8. Take appropriate action and
share/communicate your
results
9. Reflect on the overall process
and the results
42. Step1:Identifying an issue and
limiting it for investigation
The AR topic should lend itself for
investigation of issues of concern by
formulating questions.
The research questions should come from
and directly related to the issue or problem
that you have chosen to explore.
43. Step 2. Learning more about your
issue/topic
This is a step of gathering information
through talking with other teachers,
administrators, students, etc.
44. Step 3. Reviewing Literature
Related literature refers to any existing
source of information that can shed light
on your topic selected for investigation.
• These sources of information may
include books, research journals, web
sites, manuals, modules, school
documents, policies and guidelines,
etc.
45. Step 4. Developing a Research Plan and a
Strategy
• Developing a research plan is a way of
charting the actual research undertaking.
• It is a means of deciding how you want to
approach your study and consequently a
decisive stage for success.
• Research planning includes conversion of your
topic to research questions and the selection of
an appropriate design for collecting and
analyzing your data.
46. Step 5. Collecting data
Data can come from almost anywhere, such as:
a) tallies (e.g., lists of books )
b) demographic information;
c) surveys, and test results;
d) observations, interviews, and documents;
e) recording one’s observations;
f) tape recording and transcribing them word-for-
word;
g) documents;
h) portfolios or students’ writing;
47. Step 6. Analyzing the data
• Data analysis involves examination of the data
in order to answer your questions.
• AR may combines both the quantitative and
qualitative methods.
• However, as action research is more of
qualitative; it employs inductive process, by
reducing the information that has been
collected by organizing it into important
themes or categories or types and patterns.
48. …cont’d
In short, qualitative data are analyzed
in:
a) inductive process,
b) creating themes, and
c) using codes; where as the
quantitative data are analyzed in
deductive process and using
descriptive or inferential statistics.
49. Step 7. Developing an Action Plan
The stage of developing an action plan consists
of:-
1. Captivating the results of your data analysis, your
interpretations of those results and the final
conclusions drawn from the interpretations;
2) Formulating a plan of action for the future;
3) charting strategies for the future implementation
of the treatments or interventions;
50. Step 8.Taking Action and Sharing/ Communicating your Results
After taking action as per your results/ findings. Next
share/communicate your results and actions through
different means.
The research findings can be accessible to others, for
example, through
oral presentations,
production of formally written reports,
putting brief accounts of your research results in
newsletters, leaflets, brochures, or
publishing in journals or in the form of monograph
or putting on Web site.
51. Step 9. Reflecting on the overall
Process and the Results
In action research project, reflection occurs ,
before,
during and
after the research process.
But, the more formal reflection comes at the final
stage to reiterate the processes passed and the
results obtained.
52. A Spiral Cycles of Action and Research
Kemmis’ Action Research
Model
Kemmis and McTaggart (1988)
spiral model comprising four steps
Phase 2
Phase 1
53. Structural elements for an AR
report
1. Cover Page
2. Second page
3. Table of Contents
4. Abstract/executive summary
5. Acknowledgements
54. Cont---
1. Cover Page: contains title, researcher’s name, and
the name of the institute to which the research
report is to be submitted.
2. Second page: includes title, researcher’s name, the
supervisor’s/mentor’s’ name, the name of the institute
to which the research report is to be submitted, and
date.
55. Cont---
3. Table of Contents: This outlines the main headings
with their corresponding page numbers.
4. Abstract/executive summary: Summarize the major
points and findings.
5. Acknowledgements: This presents the name(s) of in
individual(s) who has/have contributed for a successful
completion of your research project.
56. Cont---
1. Introduction - identify the challenge.
Write a few sentences on how you decided upon
the area of research.
Include how you became aware of the challenge.
Why it was a challenge and what needed
changing.
What relevance the research has for you.
57. Cont…
2. Literature Review - In starting and selecting your
topic for the action research project you need to
explore secondary sources that will help define and
shape your research.
This may consist of:
Relevant reports and documents already existing in
your University
Reports from University, REB, MoE, NGOs etc
58. Cont…
Research articles from published Ethiopian and
international journals
Relevant books
Internet sources
3. Research methods – data collection, analysis and
findings
4. Proposed action
5. Implementation of action/intervention
59. Cont…
6. Evaluation of the action/intervention
What changed as a result of the action
taken?
How has your practice changed as a result
and how have the students benefited from the
interventions made?
7. Next step (Action research cycle) - Identify
further changes, if necessary and identify the
challenge in order to repeat the cycle again.
60. Cont…
8. References(APA)
9.Appendices Include relevant material e.g.
questionnaires, interview notes, worksheets
etc. You should also include your completed
Action research proposal, your action plans
and group forms.
61. Action Research Proposal
To prepare an action research proposal the following questions
are important.
1) what is my concern?(Back ground information)
2) why I am concerned?
3) what do I think I can do about it?
4) what kind of evidence can I collect to help me make some
judgments about what is happening?
5) How do I plan to collect such evidences?
6) How shall I check that my judgment about what has
happened is reasonably fair and accurate?
