A social studies teacher named Mr. X was facing problems with unmotivated and underperforming students. He decided to conduct action research to address this issue. He kept a journal for two weeks to observe student behavior. He then interviewed students to understand their perspectives. Based on his findings and a review of literature, he concluded that using project-based group work may help engage students more. He implemented this strategy and collected evidence on its impact on student performance. By continuing his journaling and making adjustments based on findings, he aimed to improve his teaching practice through this action research process.

1. Action research
Presented by:
Jyotsna
Mansi
Nidhi K.
Shruti

2. • Problem of a social studies teacher (Mr. X) – unmotivated students, poor
grades.
• He decides to find ways to better engage his learners and improve their
learning
• He decided to keep a journal for two weeks to observe student behavior.
• Prepares an interview schedule, conducts interviews with students.
• Reviews his findings in light of the literature.
• Concludes that using a project based group-work might make a difference.
• Implements the strategy.
• Gathers evidence to review students performance.
• Continues his journal writing to observe changes in student behavior.
• Based on the findings continues to make decisions about his practice.
Example 1:
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3. • An M.Ed full time scholar decides to do his/her dissertation to find out
Middle School student’s perception about social studies.
• He/she reviews the related literature.
• Prepares an interview schedule.
• Selects the sample group.
• Conducts the interviews.
• Analyses the data in light of the literature.
• Concludes, enumerating the perceptions of the students
•Example 2:
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4. Purpose / Goal:
Interprets events and enables individuals or group of people to
formulate acceptable solutions to local problems.
Approach
• Initial design of Action Research is not inviolable.
• Develops a study based on experience and valuing
practitioners perspective.
Role of the Practitioners
Research is conducted by insiders- the Practitioner.
What makes Action Research different?
3

5. 4
What makes Action Research different
from common sense?

6. Defining Action Research
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7. Kemmis and Mc Taggart (1992:10) argue that “To do
Action research is to plan, act, observe and reflect
more carefully, more systematically and more
rigorously than one usually does in everyday life.
Corey argues that it “is a process in which practitioners
study problems scientifically so that they can evaluate,
improve and steer decision making and practice.”
Hopkins (1985:32) suggests that the “combination of
action and research renders action as a form of
discipline inquiry in which a personal attempt is made to
understand, improve and reform practice.
 Dave Ebutt (1985:156) regards Action research as a
“systematic study that combines action and reflection
with the intention of improving practice.”
Defining Action Research
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8. There are Three main characteristics of Action Research.
The research is situated in a local context and focuses on
a local issue.
The research is conducted by and for the practitioner.
The research results in a action or a change implemented
by the practitioner in the context.
Characteristics of Action Research
7

9. Type of Action Research Goal or Purpose of Research
Collaborative Action research To share expertise and foster
dialogue among stakeholders.
Critical Action research To evaluate social issues and use
the results for social change.
Classroom Action research To improve class room practices
in the school.
Participatory Action research To explore practices within social
structures.
Types of Action Research
8
Example of Participatory Action research from CIE library:
Open education resources in pre-service teaching – a participatory
action research. (2012). Acc no-370.7 SHA/DI 87318

10. Professionalizing the work of educators and promoting
professional development.
Empowering teachers and giving educator a voice on the
field.
Developing knowledge directly related to practice and
focusing on improving practices.
Promoting reflection and use of information for better
decision making.
Fostering an openness to new ideas and encouraging
creativity.
Provide rich sources of data that can be used for
school improvement.
Reducing gap between theory and practice.
Benefits of Action Research in Education
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11. The Action Research Process
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12. 11

13. 12
• Identify an area of focus. Review related
literature.Reflect
• Understand the area and develop the plan
accordingly.Plan
• Implement the plan. Collect data.Act
• Analyze the data. Look out for further problems.Observe
• If problems persist or new ones come up; Identify
the problems. Review related literature.Reflect
• Understand the area and develop the plan
accordingly.Plan
• Implement the plan. Collect data.Act
• Analyze the data. Look out for further problems.Observe
• If problems persist or new ones come up - Repeat
the cycle.Reflect

14. Action Research Problems
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15. Reflection
• Thinking about your own setting… what is working well and
what might need improvement.
• Reflective Journals, diaries help in deep reflection about
Why? When? Where? How? Of a situation.
Strategies for Identifying the Problem
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Explanation
• Trying to determine a specific
problem for investigation. One that
is most relevant to the issue.
• Determining the relationship
between the variable through
Pictorial representations and Pie-
charts

16. Literature Review
It helps in assessing what, if anything, other researchers have
found out about the topic and what theoretical perspectives
relate to the topic, as well as providing promising practices.
Brainstorming
“If all else fails, simply brainstorm” Johnson (2008)
List your ideas and ask for ideas from others on the same
topics to brainstorm.
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17. Action Research Problems arise out of desires:
To Improve student learning
• Revolve around the learner’s needs and enhancing the learning.
• Such as: improving the physical classroom environment.
• Example: How can I best organize my class to promote reading
material?
To Improve curriculum
• Development of content knowledge.
• Such as: how to integrate subjects or construct curriculum.
• Example: How can EXCEL be used to teach math's concepts.
Categories of The Action Research Problems
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18. To Adapt Instructional or Assessment strategies
• The researcher wants to experiment with new teaching
strategies or techniques
• Such as: Which instruction strategy to use or is better to use.
• Example: Will student’s problem solving abilities improve with
my new method?
For One’s own professional Development
• Focuses on practitioner’s own professional development
• Such as: How to teach same topic in a different manner.
• Example: How is my instruction practice informed by
curriculum ideology?
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19. From issues in the Larger school or community context.
• School wide programme development, implementation or
evaluation, way to engage families and community members in
the school.
• Such as: Resolving tensions between groups in the school or
community that impact the functioning of the school.
• Example: how to make/ implement an active PTA.
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20. Data Handling in Action Research
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21. Triangulation
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•Avoids reliance on a single data source.
•Enhances corroboration of the findings.
•Strengthens the conclusion.
•Discrepancies lead to further learning.

22. Mills (2003) describes the strategies as the three E’s
Experiencing Examining Enquiring
Experiencing: Through researcher's experiences
Enquiring: By asking questions in three phases.
• Grand tour questions
I. Typical questions
II. Specific questions
III. Guided tour questions
IV. Task related questions
• Extension questions
• Prompt questions
Examining: Through examination of artifacts and already
available material.
Data collection strategies
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23. 22

24. Coding :
• Open Coding: breaking down and categorizing data into
manageable segments.
• Axial Coding: making connections between and across
categories.
• Selective Coding: systematically reviewing data for a selective
category.
Stages of Analysis: two stages namely;
• Description: data review to answer questions related to action.
• Sense making: one tries to put the pieces together to find
what stands out.
Data Analysis
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25. Interpretation is used to help make the experiences
being studied understandable.
Using visuals: concept mapping for problem analysis.
Data Interpretation
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Students
disengage
from
academic
work
Poor student-
teacher
relationship
Lack of
student
intrinsic
interest in the
subject
Use of
ineffective
pedagogical
strategies
Lack of
previous
success in
school
Lack of
content
connection to
the ‘real
world’
Reflection: an ongoing
process during which a
researcher tries to answer
various questions about amount
to learning, next steps, what
more, was I right in my
approach etc.
Concept map showing potential factors leading to
student disengagement from social studies.
Source: Introduction to research in education (8th
ed.). pp. 533

26. Acting on the knowledge gained after analysis and
interpretation is the most important step of the
research.
A plan needs to be developed. It can be formal or
informal depending on the nature of the research.
Goal is to take actions based on the findings of the
study.
Purpose is to formulate practical solutions to the
focused problems of research.
Action researches often use a matrix or guide to
complete the action plan.
Action Plan
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27. Action Specific
tasks
Who is
responsible
Who to
consult or
inform
When Where Resources
needed
Explicitly
teach the
five levels of
communicati
on to the
students.
Develop a
handout for
students
Model the
different
levels
Students
have
practice
sessions
Teacher
Teacher
Students
Institution
policies
Students
Supervisor
August end
First week
of
September
Second
week of
September
Office
During
class
time
In lab
Paper
None
Access to
website
Lab fee
Graduate
assistant to
help monitor
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Key findings: students in the online class exhibited lower
levels of communication patterns.

28. Components of the report
• The audience is the key concern.
• ‘Who are you reporting to? and why?’ determine format, length and
detailing of report.
• Reporting can be done in various ways: written; oral presentation;
interactive sessions; video and electronic media.
• Outline of report may include: purpose statement, summary of
related literature, research questions, data collection strategies
used, data analysis and interpretation, action plan and results
obtained.
Publishing and judging reports
• Publishing is usually not the goal in Action research.
• Mills (2003) defines the criteria for judging the effectiveness of
an educational Action research effort.
Reporting Action Research
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29. 28

30. Ethical Treatment in Action Research
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31. Need of Informed Consent
The points to remember while seeking consent are:
• The research will not mean that a group (control
group) of learners will be given an indifferent
treatment or might lack due to it.
• The teacher might use child’s work or ideas in
reporting on the research.
• There will be no negative consequences if
permission is denied.
Ethics
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32. Paradigm framework
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33. Positivist Paradigm 
Post Positivist Paradigm 
Interpretive Paradigm 
Critical theory Paradigm 
Placing it in a Paradigm…
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34. • Standard Scientific method is Preserved
• The researcher assumes the solution is best
found by studying the problems in the real
world.
• It seeks a correct answer to a practical
problem.
Post Positivist Action Research
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35. When Action research is based on the Interpretive
Paradigm it has the following characteristics:
• The setting is naturalistic.
• The process is participatory and collaborative.
• Theory and practice interact.
Interpretive Action Research
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36. • This research is “ collective, self reflective
enquiry undertaken by participants in social
situations in order to improve the rationality
and justice of their own…” Kemmis and Mc
Taggart (1988)
• The goal is to empower those who are
oppressed
• It emphasizes both the development of a
critical consciousness and action to achieve
social justice.
Critical Action Research
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37. For more information log on to:
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38. • Ary Donald, Jacobs L. C. and Sorensen Chris (2010). Introduction to research
in Education (8th edition). Wordsworth engage learning: Belmont.
• Burgess Robert G. (1985). Issues in Educational Research: Qualitative
Methods. The Falmer Press: Philadelphia.
• Cohen Louis, Manion Lawrence and Morrison Keith (2007). Research Methods
in Education. Routledge: New York.
• Corey Stephen M. (1953). Action Research to improve school practices. Bureau
of Publications: New York.
• Denzin Norman K. and Lincoln Yvonna S. (2000). Handbook of Qualitative
Research. Sage publications: California.
• Lapan S.D. and Quartaroli M. (2009). Research Essentials: An Introduction to
Design and Practices. Jossey Bass: San Francisco
•References :
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39. • Link:
The presentation can be down loaded from
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40. Thank you all for your patience
We are now open for questions
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