This document outlines action research, including its definition, advantages, 4 steps, and threats to validity. Action research is conducted by educators to solve local problems. Its advantages include being done by anyone in any school to investigate problems and improve practice. The 4 steps are: 1) identifying the research question, 2) gathering information through methods like observations and interviews, 3) analyzing and interpreting the data, and 4) developing an action plan based on findings. Threats to validity include data collector bias and limited generalizability.

1. Tomas Bueno
Tran Tran
Action Research

2. Outline:
•Definition
•Advantages
•4 steps of Action Research
•Threats to validity

3. Definition:
Conducted by a teacher, administrator, or other
education professionals
--> to solve a problem at the local level.

4. Advantages:
•Can be done by anyone, in any type of school to investigate
about any kind of problem.
•Can help improve educational practice.
•Can help educators identify problems systematically.
•Can build up a small community of research-oriented
individuals at the local level.

5. 4 steps in Action Research:
1. Identifying the research question
2. Gathering the necessary information
3. Analyzing and interpreting the information
4. Developing an action plan

6. 1. Identifying the research question
• The people who conduct AR need to carefully examine
the situation and identify the problem.
• A successful AR should be manageable and narrow in
scope.

7. 2. Gathering the necessary information:
- Possible methodologies to consider:
• Observations
• Interviews and questionnaires
• Analysis of documents
- Avoid collecting only anecdotal data.
- Should obtain evidence from audio recording, video, written replies to
questionnaire.

8. 3. Analyzing and interpreting the information:
- The examined data should be in relation to resolve the
research question or problem.
- Participants need to work together to reflect the
perceptions of all the stakeholders involved in the study
and create descriptions of what the data reveal.
- Participants should give their input continuously as the
study progresses.

9. 4. Developing an action plan:
- Creating a plan to implement changes based on
the findings.
- Indicating clear directions for further work on
the original problem or concern.

10. 1. Identifying
the research
question
2. Gathering
the
necessary
information
3. Analyzing
and
interpreting
the
information
4.
Developing
an action
plan

11. Threats to validity:
Internal validity: Data collector bias
External validity: The generalizability