1. Action Research
Summary from Elliot, J. (1995) What is Good Action Research?
Some Criteria
in Action Researcher, no. 2. Hyde Publications

2. –Elliot, J (1995) p.1
“The term is now being used to legitimate any
form of methodological deviance from the
traditional paradigm. it is the buzz word which is
appealed to when any researcher wants to
promote the practical relevance of their work to
teachers and administrators.”

3. AR aims to realise
educational values
A test for Good Action Research:
Does it improve the educational quality of
transactions between teachers and learners?

4. AR integrates teaching and
research
AR is not a different process to that of teaching.
It fuses teaching and research into a single
activity. Those who claim to have no time for
research because of the demands of teaching
have therefore misunderstood the concept…

5. AR develops the
curriculum
Through AR curricula are deconstructed and
reconstructed in both content and form.
The outcome of good AR is not simply
improvement in the quality of teaching for those
engaged in it, but also for others!

6. AR involves gathering data about
teaching from different points of view
This is called triangulation.
In a fully developed AR process teachers will be
comparing and contrasting the accounts of
observers and students with their own.

7. AR defines, rather than applies
quality indicators
Good AR acknowledges the fact that what
constitutes quality in teaching cannot be defined
independently of the circumstances in the
classroom in which it was carried out.

8. Implications of this paper for the
PBI module
When forging your AR topic and question, consider
again your educational values - you are trying,
through the process, to REALISE them.
As a HOD, AR provides a great opportunity to
undertake relevant research before revamping a
scheme of work (curriculum).