What is Action Research?

Slide 1: What is Action Research?

Slide 2: Dr. Greg Waddell Director of Institutional Improvement Mid-South Christian College

Slide 3: According to the experts . . . it is . . .

Slide 4: “a cycle

Slide 5: “a cycle of posing questions,

Slide 6: “a cycle of posing questions, gathering data,

Slide 7: “a cycle of posing questions, gathering data, reflection,

Slide 8: “a cycle of posing questions, gathering data, reflection, & deciding on a course of action.” Eileen Ferrance, \"Action Research,\" Providence, RI: The Education Alliance, 2000, available from www.alliance.brown.edu/pubs/themes_ed/act_research.pdf

Slide 9: Kurt Lewin described it as a process of ... Planning Kurt Lewin, \"Action Research & Minority Problems,\" Journal of Social Issues 2, no. 4 (1946): 34-46.

Slide 10: Kurt Lewin described it as a process of ... Planning Action, Kurt Lewin, \"Action Research & Minority Problems,\" Journal of Social Issues 2, no. 4 (1946): 34-46.

Slide 11: Kurt Lewin described it as a process of ... Planning Action, and Searching Kurt Lewin, \"Action Research & Minority Problems,\" Journal of Social Issues 2, no. 4 (1946): 34-46.

Slide 12: Learning Point Associates (http://www.learningpt.org/) define it as . . .

Slide 13: “Inquiry or research in the context of focused efforts to improve the quality of an organization and its performance.”

Slide 14: It is a cyclical process …

Slide 15: You start out with a problem. Problem P

Slide 16: You design a potential solution. Problem Design D P

Slide 17: You take action on your solution. Problem Design D A Action P

Slide 18: You reflect on the results. Problem Design D A Action P Reflection R

Slide 19: You capture the learning. Problem Design D A Action P Reflection R Capture C

Slide 20: Then, you repeat the process. D A Problem P Design D A Action P Reflection R Capture R C C

Slide 21: Again and again … P D A P D A Problem P Design D A Action P Reflection R Capture R C R C C

Slide 22: First, you need a good problem

Slide 23: A Good Problem is ... important

Slide 24: A Good Problem is ... complex

Slide 25: A Good Problem is ... multi-functional

Slide 26: A Good Problem ... asks difficult questions

Slide 27: A Good Problem ... demands action

Slide 28: A Good Problem ... resists structure

Slide 29: A Good Problem . . . leads to

Slide 30: A Good Problem . . . leads to surprises

Slide 31: Action Research requires that we REFRAME the problem

Slide 32: by looking at it in different contexts

Slide 33: from different perspectives

Slide 34: as a part of a larger system

Slide 35: by making comparisons

Slide 36: by applying the problem to different groups

Slide 37: As You Implement the Plan . . . Control the progress

Slide 38: As You Implement the Plan . . . Control the progress Collect the data (evidence)

Slide 39: As You Implement the Plan . . . Control the progress Collect the data (evidence) Present periodic reports

Slide 40: Another essential element of Action Research is . . .

Slide 41: “A cycle of action and reflection is the heart of action learning.” Tom Bourner, Alan Cooper and Linda France, \"Action Learning Across a University Community,\" Innovations in Education & Training International 37, no. 1 (2000): 2-9. available from Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed December 20, 2006).

Slide 42: Reflection is . . . A process of entering into “dialogue based on the data collected and [being] guided by a systemic framework to discover the root causes of the organization's problems.” Michael Beer, Russell A. Eisenstat and Burt Spector, \"Why Change Programs Don't Produce Change,\" Harvard Business Review, November-December, 1990, 158-66; available from EBSCOhost.

Slide 43: What did we intend to do? These questions are used by the U.S. Army for their After-Action Reviews. Garvin, 2000, p. 107.

Slide 44: What actually happened?

Slide 45: Why did this happen?

Slide 46: What are we going to do the next time?

Slide 47: Lastly, we need to capture the learning

Slide 48: Information must be captured and then made institutional--

Slide 49: Information must be captured and then made institutional--

Slide 50: Information must be captured and then made institutional-- a process that involves recording and storing the learning in a way that is accessible to others.

Slide 51: In a nutshell . . . Action Research seeks to accomplish two goals:

Slide 52: In a nutshell . . . Action Research seeks to accomplish two goals: 1. Stimulate Learning and

Slide 53: In a nutshell . . . Action Research seeks to accomplish two goals: 1. Stimulate Learning and 2. Make a Difference.

Slide 54: For more information contact me at . . . greg@envoycm.org

Slide 55: • Grate Dane and Chihuahua by unknown photographer (unknown to me) http://www.bloggyaward.com/pets/great-dane/ • Texture water: _MG_1662bi.jpg by somadjinn http://www.morguefile.com/archive/?display=170527 & • Beautiful Spider Web http://www.eglobe1.com/index.php/2006/11/12/spid er-web-after-rain/ • Window photos are my own • All other photos from Microsoft Clip art Office Online Credits