Colleagues: this is a modified version of a 20-minute slide presentation via Adobe Connect based on a research topic of interest to Neera and Rita – EDDE 802 Assignment 1 (February, 2016) in the Doctor of Education in Distance Education (EdD) program at Athabasca University.

1. ACTION RESEARCH (AR)
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Prepared by: Neera Arora and Rita Zuba Prokopetz
Modified from original by: Rita Zuba Prokopetz
Created for: EDDE 802 – Dr. George Siemens
Presented on: February 23, 2016
Images and photos: courtesy of ClipArt

2. ACTION RESEARCH (AR)
Definition, purpose and characteristics
Background history
Principles
Why Action Research
Paradigms
Ethical considerations
Conclusion
2
Action Research
reflection
action
diagnosis
Conceptual understanding of AR based on: Cohen, L., Manion, L. & Morrison, K. (2011). Research Methods in Education (7th ed.).
London: Routledge. Powerpoint presentation of Chapter 18 – Slide 3 pp. 344-361

3. DEFINITION
1910 – John Dewey – Five phases of reflective thought
1988 – Kemmis and McTaggart - AR is a form of collective self-reflective enquiry
1992 - Kemmis and McTaggart – AR is a political process; it involves making changes that will affect others
2001 – Dr. David Townsend (University of Lethbridge – “…a valuable professional development strategy for
both teachers to use in developing their individual professional growth plans, and for the schools/districts as a
strategy for school improvement activities.
2011 – Cohen, L., Manion, L. & Morrison, K. – “ a small-scale intervention in the functioning of the real world
to address practitioners’ own issues, and a close examination of the effects of such an intervention” (2011,
slide 3)
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Dewey
Image: courtesy of ClipArt

4. PURPOSE / CHARACTERISTICS
oPlans, implements, reviews,
evaluates
oEmpowers participants
oPromotes equality
oLinks practice and research
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o Is context-specific, collaborative
o Leads to solution of ‘real’ problems
/meets ‘real’ needs
o Empowers participants
o Promotes praxis and equality

5. BACKGROUND HISTORY: 1700-1900s
John Dewey - U.S. (1859-1952): identified five phases of reflective thought
Jacob L. Moreno - U.S. (1889-1974): transformation of the investigator from ‘participant observer’ to a ‘social
investigator’ (Kemmis, 1993, p.2)
Kurt Lewin - Germany (1890-1947): credited for coining the term Action Research
Paulo Freire - Brazil (1921-1997): concept of praxis PAR action/reflection
Orlando Fals-Borda - Colombia (1925-2008): founder of Participatory Action Research
Alberta Initiative for School Improvement (AISI) – Canada (2000): collaborated in the revitalization of AR
AISI – Canada (2010 – 2012): Collaborative Inquiry is consistent with the organic nature of AR
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Freire
Image: courtesy of ClipArt

6. PRINCIPLES
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• Learn from consequences
• Work on one’s own practice
• Develop through self-reflective spiral
• Be inquisitive
• Keep open-minded
• Keep accurate records
• Record progress
• Record reflections on ‘what’ we are
learning and ‘how’ we are learning
• Involve people / Start small
• Start with small cycles of
planning, acting, observing
• Start with small groups
• Show evidence gathered
• Show how critical reflection
helped create a developed,
tested and critically examined
rationale for what is being done
Cohen, L., Manion, L. & Morrison, K. (2011). Research methods in education (7th ed.). London: Routledge. pp.346-348

7. WHY ACTION RESEARCH?
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Action research can be a corrective measure to the deficiencies of positivist
science:
• AR is future oriented
• AR is collaborative
• AR implies system development
• AR generates theory grounded in action
• AR is agnostic
• AR is situational
Susman and Evered (1978)

8. PARADIGMS
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• Postmodernist tradition – knowledge claims must be set within the
conditions of the current world and in multiples perspectives of class,
race, gender and other group affiliations.
• Critical theory
• Pragmatism
• Hermeneutics
• Phenomenology
• Participatory
Cohen et al. (2011)

9. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
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• Maintain confidentiality and transparency
• Get permission to view files and authorization to observe
• Accept wishes to not participate and suggestions from group
• Allow group to influence the work
• Ensure full consultation with stakeholders and application of guiding principles
• Ensure collective decision-making on research direction and outcomes
• Maintain equal access to information for all participants
• Create a process that maximizes
opportunities for all to participate
O’Brien, R. (1998)
Winter, R. (1996)

10. CONCLUSION
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Who?
o Teachers, tutors, counselors or
administrators working in
adult education
o Researchers
o Policy makers
Why?
o Seeking better ways to address
educational problems
o Expanding studies in a field
o Identifying trends in research
and practice
Quigley and Kuhne (1997)
“AR provides a systematic discovery process that has helped adult education practitioners understand,
analyze, interpret, and resolve day-to-day problems in the educational workplace” (p.1)

11. REFERENCES
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Cohen, L., Manion, L. & Morrison, K. (2011). Research methods in education (7th ed.). London: Routledge.
Dewey, J. (1910). How We Think. D.C. Heath & Co. Publishers.
Freire, P. (2010). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York, NY: Continuum - The Tower Building.
Hodgkinson, H. L.. (1957). Action Research--A Critique. The Journal of Educational Sociology, 31(4), 137–153.
http://doi.org/10.2307/2264741
Kemmis, S. (1993). Action research and social movement: A challenge for policy research. Education Policy Analysis Archives, (1)1, 1-8.
Lewin, K. (1946) Action research and minority problems. J Soc. Issues 2(4): 34-46
O’Brien, R. (2001). An overview of the methodological approach of
Action research. Faculty of Information Studies – University of Toronto. Retrieved from http://web.net/robrien/papers/arfinal.html#_edn1
Quigley, A.A. & Kuhne, G.W. (1997). Creating Practical Knowledge Through Action Research: Posing Problems,
Solving Problems, and Improving Daily Practice. Jossey-Bass Publishers: San Francisco (AU Library).
Smith, L. (1990) Ethics, field studies, and the paradigm crisis, in E. Guba (Ed.).The Paradigm Dialog. Newbury Park: Sage
Townsend, A., Rauch, F., Shuster, A., Stern, T., & Pribila, M. (Eds.) (2014). Promoting Change Through Action Research. Sense Publishers.
Winter, R. (1996). Some principles and procedures for the conduct of action research. In New Directions in Action Research, ed. Ortrun
Zuber-Skerritt . London: Falmer Press, 16-17.
Zeni, J. (1998): "A guide to ethical issues and action research." Educational Action Research, (6)1 9-19. Retrieved from
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09650799800200053