Chapter 18

Action Research Designs

Power Point Slides by Ronald J. Shope in collaboration with John W. Creswell

Key Topics

• Purposes and uses of Action Research

• Types of action research designs
• Key characteristics of action research
• Steps in conducting an action research study
• Evaluating an action research study

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

What is action research?

• 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).

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

When do you use action research?

• When you have an educational problem to

solve
• When educators want to reflect on their own
practices
• When you want to address school-wide
problems
• When teachers want to improve their
practices
• When educators want to participate in a
research project

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

How did action research
develop?
Teacher and school inquiries
2000s (e.g. teacher-initiated
research studies)
1990s School-based Professional inquiry by
site councils teachers (e.g. self-study)
(e.g. School
1980s
Committees)

1970s In-service days (e.g. teacher

staff development activities)

Movement Toward Action Research

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

 Types of action research
designs

Action Research

Practical Participatory

•Studying local practices •Studying social issues

Involving individual or team- that constrain individual lives
based inquiry •Emphasizing equal
•Focusing on teacher development and collaboration
student learning •Focusing on “life-enhancing
•Implementing a plan of action changes”
•Leading to the teacher-as-researcher •Resulting in the emancipated
researcher

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Practical action research: Mills
(2000) Dialectic Research Spiral

Identify an
Area of Focus

Develop an
Collect Data
Action Plan

Analyze and
Interpret Data
Educational Research 2e: Creswell
Participatory action research

• Deliberate exploration of relationship between

the individual and others
• Participatory: people conduct studies on
themselves
• Practical and collaborative
• Emancipatory (Challenges procedures)
• Helps individuals free themselves from
constraints found in media, language, work
procedures, and power relationships
• Reflexive or dialectical – focused on bringing
about change in practices

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Stringer’s (1999) Action
Research Interacting Spiral
• Think
• Look
• Act

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Key characteristics of action
research
• A practical focus
• The educator-researcher’s own
practices
• Collaboration
• Dynamic process
• A plan of action
• Sharing research

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Practical focus

• A problem that will have immediate

benefits for
– Single teachers
– Schools
– Communities

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Study of the educator-
researcher’s own practices
• Self-reflective research by the
educator-researchers turns the lens on
their own educational classroom,
school, or practices.

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Collaboration

Students
Community
Teachers Stakeholders

Collaborative
Team

Parents
Staff

Administrators

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

A dynamic process

• Dynamic process of spiraling back and

forth among reflection, data collection,
and action
• Does not follow a linear pattern
• Does not follow a causal sequence from
problem to action

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

A plan of action

• The action researcher develops a plan

of action
• Formal or informal; involve a few
individuals or an entire community
• May be presenting data to stakeholders,
establishing a pilot program, or
exploring new practices

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Sharing research

• Groups of stakeholders
• Local schools, educational personnel
• Local or state individuals
• Not specifically interested in publication
but in sharing with individuals or groups
who can promote change

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

The problem is only one
phase in which to enter

Evaluating
Identifying Collecting Taking
Existing
“Problem” Data Action
Data

Point of Point of Point of Point of

Entry Entry Entry Entry

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

What are the steps in
conducting action research?

• Determine if action research is the best

design to use.
• Identify the problem to study
• Locate resources to help address the
problem
• Identify the information you will need

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Taxonomy of action research
data collection techniques

Action Research
Data Collection Techniques
(The Three E’s)
Examining
Experiencing Enquiring Using and making
(Through observation When the researcher records
and field notes) asks Archival documents
Participant observation Informal Interview Journals
(Active participant) Structured formal Maps
Interview Audio and
Privileged, active Questionnaires Videotapes
observer Attitude Scales Artifacts
Passive observer Standardized Tests Fieldnotes
Educational Research 2e: Creswell
What are the steps in
conducting action research?
• Implement the data collection
• Analyze the data
• Develop a plan for action
• Implement the plan and reflect

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

How do you evaluate action
research?

• Does the project clearly address a problem or

issue in practice that needs to be solved?
• Did the action researcher collect sufficient
data to address the problem?
• Did the action researcher collaborate with
others during the study? Was there respect
for all collaborators?

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

How do you evaluate action
research?
• Did the plan of action advanced by the
researcher build logically from the data?
• Is there evidence that the plan of action
contributed to the researcher’s reflection as a
professional?
• Has the research enhanced the lives of the
participants by empowering them, changing
them, or providing them with new
understanding?

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

How do you evaluate action
research?

• Did the action research actually lead to

change or did a solution to a problem make
the difference?
• Was the action research reported to
audiences who might use the information?

Educational Research 2e: Creswell