METHODS OF RESEARCH

7:00-10:00

ACTION RESEARCH
From PDI Article (Oct. 15, 2019): “Are Researchers ‘crazy’ to engage in their work?”
“If a nation’s progress were an engine, RESEARCH is the spark plug which starts it and
revs it up. It can give back more than a dozen-fold of the investment, in terms of
enhanced productivity, better outcomes and more cost-effective interventions.”
- Rafael Castillo, M.D.

STRESS-FREE ACTION RESEARCH

Why Stress Free?
O Localized setting (usually in the classroom-, school-, district-level);
O Non-randomized sample (intact class or school);
O Focus on ONE problem at a time;
O Developmental in nature.

RESEARCH is an organized, systematic, empirical and scientific investigation of a

phenomenon/ event with the purpose of:
a. Classifying
b. Understanding
c. Explaining
d. Predicting, and
e. Controlling to divert/ stop it (if possible.)

In contrast,
ACTION RESEARCH (AR) is a type of research conducted for the purpose of
UNDERSTANDING and finding a SOLUTION to an identified problem in a local setting,
like classroom, school, or district.

Examples of Difficulties Encountered in the Classroom

1. Pupils have difficulty in asking questions about an observed event.
2. Pupils have difficulty formulating a hypothesis.

Transforming Difficulty No. 1 to a Problem for Action Research

1. What instructional approaches could be applied to teach pupils how to ask viable
questions about an observed event?
2. Which instructional approach is best in teaching pupils to ask viable questions about
an observed event?

Transforming Difficulty No. 2 to a Problem in Action Research

1. What instructional approaches could be applied to teach pupils how to formulate
research hypothesis?
 2. Which instructional approach is best in teaching pupils formulate research
hypothesis?

Advantages of AR

O NOT expensive to conduct.

O Focused on ONE problem (at a time) in the classroom or school.
O NO complicated measuring instruments, and analysis.
O IMPROVES practice (teaching/ administrative).

Disadvantages of AR
O Results may not be precise.
O Findings & generalization are limited to the setting and subjects of the AR.
O IF not well-planned, it may interfere with the regular classroom instruction.

ACTION RESEARCH

O is a natural way of solving prevailing & persistent problems and/ or instructional

difficulties in the classroom or in the school situation.
O When (NOT if) done, on a continuous basis, AR can find solution to prevailing
problems in the classroom/ school.

The Lewin’s Model

O Starts with PLAN, the action of planning.

O ACT or IMPLEMENT based on the plan.
O OBSERVE or MEASURE the result of the implementation.
O REFLECT or analyze the results.

How conduct an AR
1. Conduct a NEEDS ASSESSMENT. Identify and list the prevailing & persistent
problems.
2. PRIORITIZE. Select the most priority problem.
3. FOCUS on this priority problem with the objective of finding a solution.
 AR Template (Outline)
DepEd Memo. No.144, s. 2017 ANNEX 3
A. TITLE
The title is derived from the identified problem being focused on.
All researches (for that matter), STARTS with a problem & ends with another
problem.

Example:
The identified Priority Problem:
What instructional approach could facilitate pupils’ understanding of the process of
photosynthesis and photosensitivity in plants and improve test performance of pupils on
these topics?
Title derived from the problem
INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH FOR FACILITATING PUPILS’ UNDERSTANDING OF
PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND PHOTOSENSITIVITY IN PLANTS

B. ABSTRACT
O The summary of the whole AR, its findings and conclusions. This is written
after the AR process has ended. (One paragraph)
O If required in the AR Proposal, it will be the description of the situation
surrounding the problem, why is it a problem, solution to be applied, &
the expected results of the AR.

C. INTRODUCTION
O Significance of the AR/ Rationale (with scope and delimitation)
O Research problem. The problem is written in interrogative
(question) form.

D. METHODOLOGY
O Participants (target subjects) or Sources of Data
O Data-Gathering Procedure and instruments (quiz or test)
O Data analysis. Frequency count, percentage, mean, median, SD,
skewness, kurtosis.
O Qualitative narratives like description of the improved test
performance, better behavior, etc.

E. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

O Observations or measurements BEFORE and AFTER the
intervention was introduced.
O These are presented in tables.
O Comparison of the “BEFORE data” and “AFTER data” is made.
O Simple statistics may be used.
F. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
O Summary of the findings, stated as GENERALIZATIONS.
O Implications/ Reflection. Statement regarding the CHANGE/ GAIN
observed and its meaning.
O It answers the question: “Can the intervention that influenced the
results, be applied to other similar situations?”
O Recommendations forwarded.
O
G. REFERENCES
O Published books, journals, unpublished master’s theses or doctor’s
dissertations, DepEd Memos, Circulars, and materials from the
Internet.
O Include ONLY references from which the quotes, ideas, concepts,
and theories mentioned in the text, are taken.

Gantt Chart (time line)

Activities Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Budget People

Identify the
Problem
Write the
proposal
Request for
Permission to
conduct AR
Conduct/
Implement
Write up
Findings, Analysis
& Interpretation
Conclusion,
Recommendation,
Evaluation
Submission of
Finished AR

Prepared by:
SHARLYN B. BALGOA