- Action research is a cyclical process that involves planning an intervention, implementing it, observing its effects, reflecting on the results, and then revising the original plan based on what was learned. - It was founded by Kurt Lewin in the 1940s and aims to study and improve social or educational practices through the collaborative involvement of practitioners. - The process typically involves identifying an issue, collecting data, planning an intervention, taking action, evaluating outcomes, and amending the plan as needed through continuous cycles.

1. Teacher as a
Research

2. Plan Action
Involve others in the
implementation of the
research
See what
happens
Reflect on
the
findings
Amend
original
plan
The Action Research Cycle

3. Kurt Lewin (the founder?) 1890
– 1947
• “…a comparative
research on the
conditions and effects
of various forms of
social action and
research leading to
social action…”
• that uses “…a spiral of
steps, each of which is
composed of a circle of
planning, action, and
fact-finding about the
result of the action…”
Lewin (1946)
http://www.erzwiss.uni-hamburg.de/personal/hoffmann/texte/lewin/lewin.htm

4. • Small scale involvement in the world, using
research methods to study the effects of
actions and making changes based on the
results
• In most cases it is practitioner research, that
is, it is done by people investigating their
own professional practices, and the methods
used are often qualitative in character
Action Research Defined

5. Action research can be conceptualised
within two broad perspectives
(Walker, 2001)
1. It may be concerned with
professional development
2. Or used as an emancipatory method
concerned with social justice
What is Action Research?

6. The
Action
Research
Cycle
Plan Act
ObserveReflect

7. Plan Act
ObserveReflect
ObserveReflect
ActRevised
Plan
1st Cycle
2nd Cycle
It progresses in a
continuously
cyclic fashion

8. Stages of Action
Research
1. Identifying a problem/general idea/initial idea
2. Fact finding
3. Planning
4. Taking initial action
5. Evaluating the outcomes of the action
6. Amending the plan
7. Taking second action

9. Benefits for staff &
institutions in the LL Sector
• It focuses on small scale projects
undertaken by individuals who are involved
with the situation being investigated
(Griffiths and Davies, 1995)
• The collaborative nature of the method
would enable a research culture to grow
quickly within ‘virgin’ institutions
• The method links with critical reflection
which is well understood within the sector

10. Advantages
• Hoyle & John (1995) suggested
professionality could be extended by
involvement with small scale research
projects and action research is well suited
for this type of investigation
• Noffke (1994) claimed that action research
would support the professionalisation
process of teachers

11. Problems
• It does not allow for the inference of causal
relationships (McNiff & Whitehead, 2006)
• Because it is carried out by individuals with a
vested interest in the research its validity has been
questioned.
• It is seen by some researchers as anecdotal,
subjective and biased (Greenwood & Levin, 1999)
• Within the positivist tradition it has been dismissed
as unscientific

12. To summarise…
Key Features:
1. Insider professional research
2. Powerful & liberating potential
3. Transformational
4. Morally committed
5. Collaborative

13. To summarise…
Key Purposes:
1. Aims to improve workplace practices
through improving learning
2. Aims to promote the ongoing
democratic evaluation of learning and
practices
3. Aims to create good social orders by
influencing the education of social
formations

14. In class activities

15. Benefits of Action
Research:
What are they?
Discuss…
a)For you, the professional
b)For your team
c)For your employing organisation
d)For the sector as a whole

16. So, what’s the down-
side?
Discuss and then share…

17. In pairs, consider the Action
Research proposal
questions…

18. What’s your
idea?
Text your
revised
question to:
Start you message with b6rn and your name
send to:
07537 402 400

19. • Begin to develop
your action plan
• Discuss with your
partner
• Record your
responses on