Action Research

Presentation By:
Muhammad Yasir
Muhammad Sufyan
Naheed
Hussain
Maryam

Definition What is Action

Research?
Action

research is done by
systematically collecting data on
your everyday practice and
analyzing it in order to come to
some decisions about what your
future practice should be(Wallace,
2002) 1
Action research allows freedom of
choice of methods to use (kemmis
& McTaggart2005) 2

1. The Proceedings of the Seventh OCU Conference on Applied English Teaching

2. KEMMIS, S. & McTAGGART (2005) Participatory Action Research: Communicative Action and the
Public Sphere. In DENZIN, Norman K. and LINCOLN, Yvona S., (eds.) The SAGE Handbook of
Qualitative Research. 3rd ed. London: SAGE Publications

Definition What is Action

Research?
Action

research aims to solve

current practical problems while
expanding scientific knowledge.
(Baburoglu and Ravn 1992) 3

3. MIS Quarterly Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 329-335/September 2004 329

SPECIAL ISSUE ON ACTION RESEARCH IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS: MAKING IS RESEARCH RELEVANT
TO PRACTICE FOREWORD
By: Richard Baskerville, Michael D. Myers

Definition What is Action

Research?
A

Two Staged Process

First, the diagnostic stage involves a

collaborative analysis of the social
situation by the researcher and the
subjects of the research.
Theories are formulated concerning the
nature of the research domain.

Second, the therapeutic stage

involves collaborative change. In this
stage, changes are introduced and
4. MIS Quarterly Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 329-335/September 2004 329
the
effects
studied
(Blum
1955).
4
SPECIAL ISSUE
ON ACTION
RESEARCHare
IN INFORMATION
SYSTEMS:
MAKING IS RESEARCH
RELEVANT
TO PRACTICE FOREWORD
By: Richard Baskerville, Michael D. Myers

What is Not Action Research?

Action

research is not what usually

comes to mind when we hear the
word research.
Action research is not a library
project where we learn more about
a topic that interests us.
It is not problem-solving in the
sense of trying to find out what is
wrong, but rather a quest for
knowledge about how to improve.

What is Not Action Research?

Action

research is not about doing

research on or about people, or
finding all available information on a
topic looking for the correct answers.
It involves people working to improve
their skills, techniques, and strategies.
Action research is not about learning
why we do certain things, but rather
how we can do things better. 5
5. ACTION RESEARCH Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory At Brown University by Eileen
Ferrance

Background Action Research

Action

research originated in the social

sciences out of the massive social changes of
World War II.
Kurt Lewin (1947) developed the method at the
Research Center for Group Dynamics
(University of Michigan) in order to study social
psychology within the framework of field
theory.
Independently the Tavistock Clinic (later the
Tavistock Institute) developed a similar method
as a sort of psychosocial equivalent of
operational research (see Trist 1976;
6. MIS Quarterly Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 329-335/September 2004 329
1980)
6
SPECIALWarmington
ISSUE ON ACTION RESEARCH
IN INFORMATION
SYSTEMS: MAKING IS RESEARCH RELEVANT
TO PRACTICE FOREWORD
By: Richard Baskerville, Michael D. Myers

Five Philosophical Assumptions

Ontological

Assumptions
Epistemological Assumptions
Axiological Assumptions
Methodological Assumptions
Rhetorical Assumptions

World Views Action Research

FOUR WORLD VIEWS
Post positivism

Constructivism

Determination
Reductionism
Empirical observation and
observation

Understanding
Multiple participant meanings
Social and historical
construction
Theory Generation

Advocacy/ participatory

Pragmatism

Political
Empowerment issue-oriented
Collaborative
Change oriented

Consequences of action
Problem Centered
Pluralistic
Real world practice oriented

The Framework of Design: The interconnection of

World Views, Strategies of Inquiry and Research
Methods

Philosophical
worldviews
Post positive
Social Construction
Advocacy/participa
tory
Pragmatic

Research
design
Qualitative
Quantitativ
e
Mixed
Research methods
Questions
Data collection
Data analysis
Interpretation
Write-up
Validation

Selected
strategies of
inquiry
Qualitative
strategies (e.g.
ethnography)
Quantitative
strategies (e.g.
experiments)
Mixed methods
strategies(e.g.
sequential

Action Research is Scientific

Philosophica Positivism
l
foundations

postmoderni Critical
sm/hermane realism and
utic
action
research

Ontology

Objectivist

Subjectivist

Objectivist

Epistemology

Objectivist

Subjectivist

Subjectivist

Theory

Generalizable

Particular

Particular

Reflexivity

Methodologic
al

Hyper

Epistemetic

Role of
researcher

Distanced
from data

Close to data

Close to data

(Susman and Evered, 1978; Riordan, 1995;

Eden and Huxham, 1996; Greenwood and
Levin, 1998, Gummesson, 2000; Reason
and Torbert, 2001).

Participatory Nature of Action

Research
Philosophical
Assumptions

Participatory World view

ontology

Political reality (findings are negotiated

with participants)

Epistemology

Collaboration( researchers activity

involves participants as collaborators)

Axiology

Biased and negotiated(Researchers

negotiate with participants about
interpretations)

Methodology

Participatory (Researchers involve

participants in all stages of the research
and engage in cyclical reviews of results)

Rhetoric

Advocacy and change (researcher will

use language that will bring about
change and advocate for participants)

Action Research & its

Participatory Nature

Types of Action Research

Action Research

Critical
Based on a body of critical
theory
The goal is liberating
individuals through knowledge
gathering
Also known as Theory
Based or Emancipatory

Practical
Emphasizes more on how to
approach & has a less philosophical
bent
Underline assumption is that, to
some degree, individuals are
autonomous & can determine the
nature of investigation
The goal is Problem Solving /
Reform
Used often

Action Research - Methodology

Look
Thin
k
Act
Loo
k
Thin
k
Act

Action Research - Methodology

Identify an
Area of Focus

Develop an
Action Plan

Collect Data

Analyze and
Interpret Data

Limitations
Time

constraint
Energy
Generalization
Create resistance to change
/Negative feeling if changes are
not implemented
Validity

An Example of Action Research

Promoting Discussion in lower
secondary science classroom
Anwar, N. P. (2007). Promoting Discussion in Lower Secondary
Science Classroom. Journal of Research and Reflections in
Education. 1(2), pp 175 200

19

Research Question
How

can I improve my practice

as a science teacher to develop
discussion in lower secondary
science classroom?

20

Reconnaissance
Teaching

and learning was

predominantly teacher centered
Students were recipient of
knowledge
Rote memorization

21

Intervention Phase 1: Initiate

Discussion
Recitation

Discussion (bridging
phase, listening no talking
phase (Arends, 2004)
Quasi Discussion (Chiapetta et al,
1999)
Where the students were

22

Phase 2: Sustained Discussion

Inquiry

or Problem based
discussion
Engage students to high order
thinking
Daily life materials and activities
Predict Observe Explain (POE)
Problem Solving
Discrepant Event
23

Phase 2: Sharing Based

discussion
Many

controversial issues related

to daily life experiences were
discussed

24

What I learnt ?
Ensure

everyone participation in
the Discussion
Guide and scaffold students
thoughts
Improvement in questioning skill

25

What Students Achieved

Conceptual

understanding
Involvement & engagement
Communication skill and thinking
processes

26

References
The

Proceedings of the Seventh OCU Conference on Applied English Teaching

S. & McTAGGART (2005) Participatory Action Research: Communicative Action and
the Public Sphere. In DENZIN, Norman K. and LINCOLN, Yvona S., (eds.) The SAGE Handbook
of Qualitative Research. 3rd ed. London: SAGE Publications
MIS Quarterly Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 329-335/September 2004 SPECIAL ISSUE ON ACTION RESEARCH IN
INFORMATION SYSTEMS: MAKING IS RESEARCH RELEVANT TO PRACTICE FOREWORD By:
Richard Baskerville, Michael D. Myers
ACTION RESEARCH Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory At Brown University by
Eileen Ferrance
(Susman and Evered, 1978; Riordan, 1995; Eden and Huxham, 1996; Greenwood and Levin,
1998, Gummesson, 2000; Reason and Torbert, 2001).
Gay, L. R. (2008). Educational Research Competencies for Analysis and Application (9th ed.):
Action Research. pg. 485 504
Kagan, C. Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology: Action Research. Prepublication Draft
Ferrance, E. (2000). Action Research (pg. 35). Providence: LAB
Cohen, L. (2007). Research Methods in Education: Action Reearch (pg. 297 312). New York:
Routledge
Bosher, M. (2002).How can I as an educator and Professional Development Manager working
with teachers, support and enhance the learning and achievement of pupils in a whole school
improvement process?. Ph.D. University of Bath.
Kang, N. (2007). Elementary Teachers Teaching for Conceptual Understanding: Learning From
Action Research.J Sci Teacher Educ, 18(4), pp.469-495.
Anwar, N. P. (2007). Promoting Discussion in Lower Secondary Science Classroom. Journal of Research and
Reflections in Education. 1(2), pp 175 200
KEMMIS,

Thank you!

QA