Basics in Action Research

1. Action Research
By Eyob Milkias
Debre Berhan University
College: Education
Department: Curriculum and Teachers’ Professional
Development Studies
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2. Objectives of
this training
• Define the term action
research;
• Describe the characteristics
of action research;
• Conduct action research by
using the steps of action
research and
• Solve their specific and
practical classroom teaching-
learning problems.
Aftertheendofthis
trainingthe
candidateswillbe
ableto:-
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3. Contents
• The Meaning of Action Research;
• Its Characteristics;
• Its Steps: Practical Examples &
• Action Research in Ethiopia: Its Practices
and Challenges.
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4. Activities for Discussion
• What is action research?
• What is the purpose of action research?
• What makes action research different from
basic research?
• Have you applied action research in your
actual classroom? If so, what type(s) of
problems have you solved in your
classroom? If not, why? (use your past
experience as a teacher)
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5. The Meaning of Action Research
• It is an applied type of educational research which
addresses and solves a specific and practical
classroom issues.
• AR is a practical way of checking and looking at
one’s practice (action).
• It is also referred as a classroom research or self-
reflective research or teacher research.
Because, it is most of the time done and used by
teachers.
• Teachers conduct this research to understand and
familiarize themselves about:-
 How their particular classroom settings operates or works;
 Their teaching and learners’ learning &
 Problems and progresses in their classroom environments. 5

6. When and why do teachers use or conduct action
research?
 Teachers use or apply action research when they experience a
specific problems to be solved in their classroom.
 For example, there are a lot of difficulties which face teachers and
learners while teaching and learning. Most of these difficulties are
related with:
 Classroom management;
 Teaching/learning materials;
 Assessment techniques;
 Students’ classroom behavior, interest and participation
 Students’ academic performance.
 Teachers use action research when they want to reflect, assess and
improve their classroom practices.
 In the classroom where there is no action research, teachers
can’t be empowered and solve their classroom problems. 6

7. Characteristics of Action Research
• Action research focuses on practical problem
 Teachers don’t conduct action research to advance their
knowledge for knowledge’s sake.
 Tries to address actual problems in educational
environments which require immediate solutions.
 Focuses on a single practical issues which occur in a
single classroom in a single school.
• It is conducted by teacher-educators to study their
own practices rather than studying other teacher’s
practices
 Since action research is a self-reflective research,
teachers are interested in examining, reflecting on and
improving their own classroom practices.
 Teachers study & solve their own specific classroom
problems. 7

8. Characteristics of AR…
• Action research requires collaboration.
 Teachers who conduct action research cooperate with others.
 These co-participants may be from within the school settings or
out of the school environments.
 For example: experts and researchers from university and
research institutions.
• Action research follows a cyclic processes.
 Teachers who conduct action research engage in and follow a
cyclic procedures/steps.
These cyclic steps are:
reflecting and identifying the problem,
collecting data & interpreting data,
planning action strategies,
implementing action strategies,
evaluating the final effects and
reviewing the whole processes starting from the first steps.
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9. The cyclic processes of action research
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Reflect/
identify a
problem
Collect &
interpret
data
Design
action plan
Take action
or
implement
Evaluate
Review

10. Features of Action Research
• Action research needs sharing of its findings.
Teachers who conduct action research can report
and share their action research findings with
another teachers who face the same problems in
the classroom (that is, in the local school
settings).
They can also share their action research findings
and experiences with school supervisors,
principals and parents.
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11. Steps in Conducting Action Research
• First step: Identify a problem or specific action
research topic to be investigated.
 This problem should be an issue that you as teacher face or your
learners encounter.
For example: the following are some of the action research topic
identified by Student-teachers who completed summer program:
 How can I improve the academic achievement of grade 11th students: the case of
Degollo preparatory and secondary school
How to reduce the misbehavior of grade 11th D in Technical Drawing subject: the
case of Kon General Higher Education Preparatory and Secondary School in
Wadila Woreda
 Describe resources needed for conducting your action research
and which helps you to solve the problem.
For example:
 Important data and related literature,
 Colleagues who have conducted action research in the same areas
and can share their past experiences
 Finances and other important resources
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12. Second step: Statement of the Problem
Background of the study
 Describing facts related with the problem or
situation
 Explain why the problem is happening and
how it can be solved.
Objectives of action research
Specific action research questions
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13. Steps…
• Third step: Design of Action Research
 Study area or a place where action research is conducted (school
name and its overall information if necessary)
 Participants of action research
 Sources of data
 Data collection tools
 Sampling techniques
 Sample size
 Data analysis techniques
• Fourth step: Collect and Interpret the Data
• Fifth step: Formulate Action Strategies (solutions).
Here,
Answer the following key questions
 What actions/activities to be carried out?
 Why actions/activities to be carried out?
 How actions/activities to be carried out?
 When actions/activities to be carried out?
 Where actions/activities to be carried out?
 Who actions/activities to be carried out? 13

14. Steps…
• Sixth step: Implement Action Strategies (solutions)
• Seventh step: Evaluate and Review
Here,
Check the effectiveness of the actions implemented by collecting and
analyzing data.
If the actions implemented are not successful in terms of solving
problems, make revision and suggest and implement another
strategies.
• Eighth step: Reflection or Recommendation
Here,
– Discuss the consequences of overall action strategies implemented
– Examine additional problems occurred during implementation stage
and plan for the future
– Share what you have learned from your action research with other
teachers who are facing similar problems in their classroom.
Recommend improvements and changes for other teachers.
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15. The End of Action Research
References
Appendices
Sample of data collection tools
Others documents if necessary
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16. Action Research in Ethiopia: Its Practices & Challenges.
• Its Practices
 Action research has been taught as a course at pre-service undergraduate
program level and as part of research coursework in MA/MSc programs in
Ethiopia
 It has been taught either in a separate manner or including the
concepts/theories of action research into others related courses.
For example:
 Action research is one element of the course “Teachers as a Reflective
Practitioner” in Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching (PGDT) Program
 It is also integrated into Higher Diploma Program (HDP) as a training
issue among others for higher institutions teachers
 Its aim is helping teachers to improve their own teaching and the learning of
learners.
 Conducting action research to address and solve teaching-learning related
problems is considered as characteristics of role model teachers in Ethiopian
School Improvement Program (SIP)
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17. Its Challenges
• Ethiopian teachers are expected to conduct action research to
solve their classroom problems and to improve their teaching and
their students’ academic performance.
• Although teachers were provided with trainings on action
research, they were not adequately and regularly engaged in
conducting practical action research as result of the following
factors.
– The existence of overload in teaching-learning related works,
– Lack of motivation from the side of teachers,
– Lack of enough practical action research experience and skills
– Shortage of time,
– Lack of encouragement from the top management,
– Teachers were rushing for content coverage and etc.
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18. References
Creswell, J.W., (2012). Educational Research: Planning,
Conducting and Evaluating Quantitative and
Qualitative Research (4th Ed). U.S.A: Pearson
Education, Inc.
Milkias, E. (2018). Action Research’s Instructional
Impacts: Article Review. (in press). Debre Berhan
University, Ethiopia.
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