Action research - Concept, Definition, Steps, Preparation of action research

1. Suresh Babu G
Suresh babu G
Assistant Professor
CTE CPAS Paippad, Kottayam
Action Research

2. Suresh Babu G
Action research
Action research refers to a wide variety
of evaluative, investigative, and
analytical research methods
designed to diagnose problems or
weaknesses—whether
organizational, academic, or
instructional—and help educators
develop practical solutions to address
them quickly and efficiently.

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Definition of Action research
• J.W.Best, “Action research is focused on the
immediate application, not on the development
of theory. It has placed its emphasis on a real
problem here and now in a local setting”.
• Good, “Action research is a research used by
teachers, supervisors and administrators to
improve the quality of their decision and action”.

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Significance of Action research
 It directs the change on the orderly
disciplined base.
 In action research the consumer is the
researcher.
 The solution of the problem can be
achieved quickly.
 The problem are those which are of
immediate concern to the researcher.
 The solution of the problem are put in
practice and evaluated.
 The solution is searched by employing
scientific techniques.
 The objection to change is minimized.

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Objectives of Action Research
 To improve the conditions of various infra-
structural facilities of an educational institution.
 To develop scientific attitude among teachers
where by they are motivated to study problems
scientifically.
 To develop democratic attitude among teachers
and students while understanding and solving
problem.
 To bring excellence in the working style of the
institution.

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 To develop the ability and insight among
administrators to improve and modify
institutional conditions with a scientific outlook.
 To root out the conservative and static
environment prevailing in most educational
institutions.
 To make educational system effective.
 To raise the level of performance and the level of
aspiration of the students.

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Salient Features of Action
Research
It is concerned with school problems and is carried
on by school personnel to improve school practice.
Compared with other kinds of educational
research.
It is organized investigative activity, aimed towards
the study leading to constructive change required
for qualitative improvement.
It is a research designed to find the solution for a
felt problem.
It is a type of applied research or decision oriented
research.
It is undertaken for immediate practical problems.

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Need of Action Research
In action research the researchers are teachers,
curriculum workers, principals, supervisors and
others whose main task is to help, provide good
learning experiences for pupils.
In it, a person tries to enable him to realize his
purpose more effectively.
It is procedure which tries to keep problem solving
in close contact with reality at every stage.
In educational system it conduits for the progress
of the technique of teaching.
Its strengthens and emphasizes the work of
teacher.

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It has a great utility of creating new interest and
new confidence in the ability of the individual
teacher.
It provides practical utility.
It brings changes in teachers behaviour, attitude
and teaching performance.
It helps teacher to face day-to-day problems in
the classroom.

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Characteristics of Action Research
1 It is participant-driven and reflective;
2 A practical focus
3 It is collaborative
4 It leads to change and the improvement
of practice
5 It is context-specific
6 A dynamic process
7 A plan of action
8 Sharing research Characteristics of Action
Research

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Steps in Action Research
1. Identify the problem.
2. Analyze the problem to be
define and delimit it.
3. Diagnose the factors causing the
problem.
4. Formulating the action
hypothesis.
5. Design the test of the
hypothesis.
6. Evaluate the results.

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1. Identify the Problem
There are several criteria to consider before
investing the time and effort in “researching” a
problem. The question should - be a higher
order question- not a yes / no - be stated in
common language - be concise - be meaningful
- not already have an answer

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2. Analyze the Problem to be
Define and Delimit it.
• Analyze the problem in its various aspects.
• The analysis will lead to the exact definition of
the problem to be stated in limited words in
terms of limited area of distribution.

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3. Diagnose the Factors Causing
the Problem
• Search for the causes of the difficulty or the
reason for the existence if the problem.
• The causes should be verifiable, specific and
authentic.

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4. Formulating the
Action Hypothesis
• Action hypothesis refers to a certain tentative
assumption or assumptions that point to the
possible solution of the problem or difficulty.
• It gives clarity and definiteness to the work of
action research.
• It also gives an idea of the procedure to be
adopted for reaching the goal.

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5. Design the Test of the
Hypothesis
The research design for an action hypothesis
involves the following aspects :-
 Description of activities and procedures for
getting evidence or for collecting data.
 An outline of sources tools or means to execute
the design.
 Time required to finalize the action
and complete procedures.

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6. Evaluate the Results.
Evaluate the Results to Determine how far the goal
of the action hypothesis has been realized:
• If it is revealed that the results are positive, the
hypothesis is accepted, otherwise one may require
to formulate a new hypothesis and repeat the
steps.
• The various techniques involved in the evaluation
of the action hypothesis are observation, using
opinionnaires and questionnaires, interview, and
check lists and rating scales.

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Preparation of Action Research
There are five structural elements for an action
research report. Although these element will be
described in a particular order, they need not be
that way in our report.
1. The context :
• The context within which the action research
took place.
• Depending on the project that we do, the locus of
the context can be our classroom, our school, or
our school district. It can be the parents or
students.

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2. Statement and Origin of our Research
Focus :
 The statement of our research focus should
answer one or more of the following questions.
(i) What did investigate?
(ii) What have we accomplished or attempted to
accomplish in this study?
(iii) What have been our goals?
 This element of the report should also address
the way in which our starting point developed.
 It also include research literature

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3. Methods :-
• This element of the report focuses on the way in
which we investigated our practice situation.
4. The Findings:-
• Each report should contain some description of
what it was that we learned.
• Make sure to include any events, circumstances
or data that contradict what we had hoped to
do or find out.

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5. Implications :-
It should be stated of how participation in this
research has affected the ways in which we look
at your teaching, our students, or our school.

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Advantages of Action Research
 Classroom practices can best be changed by
teachers.
 It promote teachers growth as a empowered
professional.
 Teachers engaging in research as a viable activity
for solving problems of teaching and learning
generated in own classroom.
 Teachers became more aware of their own
practices, of gaps between beliefs and practice,
and of what their pupils are thinking, feeling and
learning.
 It create new social settings.

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Limitation of Action Research
 It has limited contribution to make to the
development of education as a science.
 Maximum benefits seldom realized because of
failure of generalization.
 Relatively poor quality as it is done by less
research oriented teachers.
 Result cannot be generalized.
 It is an addition to teachers work-load.

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