The document discusses whether to use video in action research. It outlines action research as a form of social inquiry conducted by researchers within the environment they are studying. It also summarizes the key approaches and process of action research. While video can provide rich data and allow repeated review, it may also influence participant behavior or fail to capture all activities. Overall, the document concludes that with participant consent, video can serve as a powerful self-reflection tool for action research.

1. To Use Video in Action Research or Not?
That is the Question!
Source: Source:
www.proginosko.com www.tvcogeco.com
Akpene Afenyadu
EDRD 6000 Qualitative Analysis

2. Introduction
The presentation slides will discuss action research as a
type of research design, the key approaches to action
research, and the process of action research. The
discussion will also touch on documenting action research
on video as well as the opportunities and limitations. The
concluding slide poses questions to encourage audience
participation.

3. What is Action Research?
The term “Action Research” is credited to Kurt Lewin
(Kemmis & McTaggart, 2005). Action Research (AR) is a
form of social enquiry described as an interpretative
practice enacted through a series of commitments and
collaboration by the researcher and participants (Smith,
2007). It is an insider form of research as opposed to
outsider research. AR is conducted by individuals
originating from and located within the environment they
are studying and thus increases local control.
Some of the key approaches to AR have been identified as
participatory research, classroom action research, action
learning, action science, soft systems approaches, and
industrial action research (Kemmis & McTaggart, 2005).
These approaches emerged at different points in time after
AR was first introduced by Kurt Lewin in 1933.
The focus of AR is to effect change and improvement in
prevailing conditions.

4. The process of AR can be generic or elaborate.
The generic process of AR , in order of priority, is to identify an
issue, plan, act, observe, and reflect: another cycle, if
necessary, starts again at the planning phase.
The elaborate process (Kurt Lewin‟s spiral of steps) involves, in
order of priority, identifying initial idea, fact finding, planning,
first action, evaluation, reflection, amend plan if necessary and
restart spiral steps with second action. (Illustration of Lewin‟s
spiral of steps on next slide)
The reflection cycle of AR is a crucial step as it is used by the
researcher and participants for recollection and to critique
themselves (Dick, 1997). Observations made upon reflection
and critique serve as a guide for later stages of the process.
Introspection could be valuable. Research (Lebak & Tinsley,
2010) shows a positive correlation between reflective capacity
and improvement in practice.
The visual documentation of research provides an opportunity
for discovery and to collect rich data (Harper, 2005).

5. Lewin’s spiral process of action research :
Second action
step … First action
step
Evaluate
Fact Identifying
Reflection Planning
finding initial idea Amend plan
(if
necessary))
Adapted from Mark K. Smith (1996, 2001, 2007)
Note: Phases circled above, in my opinion,
should be captured on video.

6. Example of Action Research captured
on video
Below is a link to Action Research „in action‟ on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdRCtveWDUU

7. Why video?
There is visual power in a picture. By capturing both auditory
and visual information, video can stimulate several senses
simultaneously. This allows viewers to discern the richness
of the story from different set of voices captured in a single
moment.
Video recording can be a product and a process: A product to
be viewed and a process undertaken by participants in front
of and/or behind the camera(s).
Video documentation can provide details beyond written data
as it captures images and the inherent sense of place (DuFon,
2002). Furthermore, video is portable. Thus, recorded video
documentation could travel beyond the environment under
study and by extension, serve as a learning tool for others.

8. Example 2
A study (Lebak & Tinsley, 2010) on classroom action
research shows a positive effect of video documentation on
action research. The study involves 3 teachers who
conducted action research in collaboration with their
students with an aim to improve teaching quality. The
authors conclude that by watching the recorded video of
their respective teaching practices, the teachers were
transformed and consequently, modified their teaching
styles.
The link to the abstract of the article is provided below:
 http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/klu/jste/2010/
00000021/00000008/00009216?crawler=true

9. Opportunities
 Recorded video can be played back to participants in
order to get them to recall and describe their
thoughts, feelings and reactions at different points in
time during a given event. This in turn provides
information about events that could not be observed or
captured by video.
 Recording can be watched repeatedly and thus provides
an opportunity to notice anything missed in previous
viewings.
 Video could be watched while production is in progress.
This offers an opportunity for reflection throughout the
respective spiral stages.

10. Limitations
 Possibility of the “Hawthorne effect” (Haidet, Tate, &
Divirgilio-Thomas, 2009). The Hawthorne effect
describes situations when people behave differently
because they know they are being watched or their
actions are being recorded.
 Video can only capture actions in view of the lens.
Activities not captured during taping could translate to
loss of potentially valuable data.
 Could be invasive as anonymity and/or confidentiality
may not be possible.

11. Conclusion
The use of video in action research serves as a powerful
means of self-reflection. The visual power in a picture can
reveal unconscious behavior and by extension participants
are able to view themselves from an external perspective.
Limitations could be mitigated by desensitizing participants
prior to the start of the study by exposing them to the
process of video recording. As well, multiple video cameras
situated at different angles could capture a wider range of
shots. Moreover, individuals who may be uncomfortable
with a probable public display of their image(s) could be
excused from participating.
So, going back to the question of whether or not to use
video in action research: With participants‟ consent, why
not? Go ahead!

12. Questions for comments
 What could be the criteria for selecting the camera
person in an insider form of research?
 How can all stakeholders participate in video recording
as a process?

13. References:
Dick, B. (1997). Choosing action research. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from
http://www.uq.net.au/action_research/arp/choice.html
DuFon, M. A. (2002). Video recording in ethnographic SLA research: Some issues of validity in
data collection. Language Learning & Technology, 6(1), 40-59.
Haidet, K. K., Tate, J., Divirgilio-Thomas, D., Kolanowski, A., & Happ, M. B. (2009). Methods to
improve reliability of video recorded behavioral data [Research in Nursing & Health]. Research
in Nursing & Health, 32(4), 465-474.
Harper, D. (2005). What‟s new visually? N.K. Denzin & Y.S. Lincoln (Eds). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.
Kemmis, S.& McTaggart, R. (2005). Participatory Action Research: Communicative Action and
the public sphere. N.K. Denzin & Y.S. Lincoln (Eds). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Lebak, K., & Tinsley, R. (2010). Can inquiry and reflection be contagious? Science teachers,
students, and action research. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 21(8), 953-970.
Question mark [Image]. (n.d.) Retrieved March 10, 2013 from: www.proginosko.com
Smith, M. K. (1996, 2001, 2007). Action research. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from
http://www.infed.org/research/b-actres.htm#cite Video camera [Image]. (2011, August 3).
Retrieved from http://lipmag.com/arts/film-arts/movie-extra-webfest-2-0-
competition/attachment/video-camera/
Video camera [Image]. (2011, August 3). Retrieved from http://lipmag.com/arts/film-
arts/movie-extra-webfest-2-0-competition/attachment/video-camera/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
License.