Cycles of inquiry in Action research

1. Analysis Action
Research Data
Chapter 7

2. Educational practices provided the data, the subject
matter, which forms the problems of inquiry.. . .
A constant flow of less formal reports on special
school affairs and results is in needed. . . It seems to
me that the contributions that might come from
classroom teachers is a comparatively neglected
field: or to change the metaphor,
an almost unworthy mine.
John Dewey (1929)
The Sources of a Science of Education
"
"

3. Cyclesof
Inquiry

4. "Now that I have the data
collectedwhat do I do next?"
• The analytic function of research is crucial
in terms of making sound inferences and
judgements which lead to improved
practice and understanding.

5. • Action research has been described in
terms of cyclical human activities or
cycles.

6. Key Questions related to:
- amountof timein eachcycle
- datacollectionmethods
- durationofcycles
- activitiesof monitoring
- analyticactivity
- Howlong does a cycle take?

7. • Analysis is not a separate stage in
research work- it begins with the practical
deliberation that accompanies the pre-
field work stage and continues as one
collects information and writes up the
research report.

8. • Rather than doing analysis immediately
after field work and date collection, there
is a Analysis and Issues in Action
Research.

9. CYCLE 1. . . . ..
WEEK EVENT MONITORING TIME ANALYSIS
1 Define problem Keep diary;
video record
2 lessons
per week
Staff meeting 30
mins; agenda
writing
2-4 Needs
assessment;
hypotheses;
develop plan of
action
Record lesson;
keep diary;
Short action
Staff meeting;
write reports;
memos
5-8 Implement Plan Record lessons;
keep diary
2 lessons
per week
Staff meeting;
analyse video;
discuss diary;
analyse data
Cyclesof Inquiry, monitoring and analysis

10. 8-9 Evaluate plan of
action
Interviews;
Video Record;
diary
2 lessons
per week
Quadrangulate
team; discuss;
reflect;
code key issues
10-
11
Decide on plan Record
lessons; diary
Reflective group
deliberation
12 Implemented
revised action
plan
Record lessons Discuss action
reports
13 Executes steps as per above in weeks 1-11
14 Write a case study based on case data, case records etc.-
maximum of 5,000 words – for team meeting next term.
CYCLE 2.. . . .

11. Note :
• Holdteam meetingsat theend ofeach week
or at least bi-monthly.
• Keepa minuteof decisionsmadeand write
in the “casestudy” constant comparative
analysisgoing on during actionresearch.

12. 4 Stages of Analysis
•Processing data
•Mapping the data
• Interpreting the evidence
• Presentation of the results

13. • It should be fuller in mind that fuller
treatments for the analysis and
interpretation of research data
available, and analysis will differ
depending on whether the study is
quantitative or qualitative.

14. • There has been a major increase in the
literature concerning qualitative data
analysis in particular, yet only a few
studies focus directly on educational or
curriculum problems (Boghan and
Biklen, 1984)

15. • The emphasis in this treatment is on the
teacher- researcher, who ordinarily will
not have extensive training in the use of
quantitative - type statisticalstudies.

16. • It is crucial to be able to see what
information and data one has and how
one might proceed to interpret and
understand these from the teacher-
practitioner vantage point.

17. • One important point should be
underlined at the outset--- one should
not wait until one has hundreds or even
thousands of pages of field notes etc.
before beginning analysis.

18. End of presentation...
Thank you!