History of Action

Research in Education
COURSE LEADER: DR MUHAMMAD AMIN
SUBMITTED BY HAROON RAHEEM
 The concept of the action
research can be traced
back to the early works of
the Progressive American
Philosopher of Education
JD in 1920s.

The first research practice

that can be labeled as
action research was based
on the philosophical
pragmatism of Dewey.

JD disputed the practice of scientific research methods used in the field of education. His philosophical
ideas especially his criticism of the separation between knowledge and action and his request for linking
theory and practice influenced the deployment of action research.
 Action Research further evolved in 1930s in the US through the works of Kurt Lewin (KL).
His work included social
experiments in factories aimed
at increasing productivity he
felt that industrial output
would increase if workers were
involved in the decision-making
process.
KL developed an approach
called dynamic group work to
facilitate social change and
address conflicts, priceses
and change within
organization.
He changed the role of
researcher form
observer to involved
participants in the group.
KL was interested how people could through self-education
learn to enable themselves to improve their situation. He was
concerned with social problems, His extensive research on the
social issues played a major role development of AR as
methodology
1933

Kurt Lewin met

social Psychiatrist
Eric Trist in London
at the Tavistock
Clinic of Human
Relations .

Trist was impressed

with Lewin’s theories
and his pioneering
action research
approach. Both
believed that decisions As the result Trist adopted Lewin’s work and began to
are best implemented use action research to study industry and group
by those who have behavior. Both KL and Trist confirmed the role of
made them. group relations as a basis for problem solving.
Lewin saw action research as an approach to solve problems in an organizational and
social settings. He proposed that AR involves an ongoing cycle of planning, Acting,
Observing and reflecting on change
Lewin found
that
experimental
methods in
many cases are
inadequate.

Learning from Experience

 Action Research ideas of Collier and Lewin came at the
same time, however independent of one another
Commissioner of
Indian Affairs,
whose action
research was to
improve the race
relations in the
Indian reserves in
America

However, Collier’s idea of action Lewin’s idea had much greater

research did not sufficiently develop influence on the professional and
scientific public
1953

As an educator he believed
that action research in
education will bring about
change because educators
would be involved in both the
research of their everyday
practice and the application
of research results.
 Despite the promising
outcomes of Lewin’s theories
action research was in decline
by the end of 1950s. As the
result of the emergence of
new research models.
Experimental quantitative
research began to dominate.
 Action Research emerged again
from development work in the
low-income countries.

Emphasized the importance of both

action and reflection and the necessity
of the oppressed to participate in the
research process through dialogue
rather then giving information to
outsiders.
In 1962, PF developed an Adult
Literacy program, where 300
sugarcane workers were taught
to read and write in 45 days.
This allowed them to reflect
under social situation and
become empowered. His idea
influenced educational action
research all over the world.
 Educational researcher
recommend action research in
the field of education though
humanities curriculum project.

He believed that teachers-initiated

He encouraged teachers to take an active research is an effective way of
role in the process of research to improve involving teachers in the
their education and classroom practice. institutional decisions and policies.
1970s

Time when the popularity

of interactive ways of
doing research was
growing …
There’s growing interest in the application of action research in heath, social care
and education. Stenhouse’s ideas extended by John Elliot who was the
Coordinator of Center of Action Research.

Elliot continued the tradition established by

Stenhouse by moving beyond the objective
curriculum research to a focus on the concept
of teacher’s research and practice. He also
influenced action researchers in health care
settings.

At the same time @ Uni of

Bath, JW was developing a
diff form of AR by placing
teachers in his own center and
conducted a research -