Collaborative action research is a process where educators systematically examine their own practices using research techniques to improve student learning. It involves teams of practitioners working together to investigate issues relevant to them. There are typically five phases: (1) identifying problems, (2) planning actions, (3) collecting data, (4) analyzing data, and (5) planning for future actions based on results. Collaborative action research is advocated for because it allows educators without research expertise to improve, and collaboration facilitates discussion of issues and perspectives.

1. LIB 604
Libraries in the
School Curriculum
Spring 2012

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What is it?
What is Collaborative Action Research?
– a process in which participants systematically
examine their own educational practice using the
techniques of research, for the purpose
of increasing learning of students, their teachers, and
other interested parties.
• Caro-Bruce. (2000). Action Researcher: Facilitator’s
Handbook. National Council of Staff Development.

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How does it work?
Teamwork
– According to Sagor (1992), collaborative action
research involves “people who want to do something
to improve their own situation” (p. 7) taking action.
The focus of the research process is “teams of
practitioners who have common interests” (p. 10)
working together to investigate issues relevant to
their interests.
• Collaborative action research and school counselors.
From: Professional School Counseling | Date:
10/1/2005 | Author: Rowell, Lonnie L.

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But what is action research?
What is Action Research?
– Action Research is a process in which participants
examine their own educational practice
systematically and carefully using the techniques of
research.
• Heidi Watts, Antioch Graduate School, same definition as
cited in Action Research, by Eileen Ferrance

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Assumptions behind action
research
– teachers and principals work best on problems
they have identified for themselves;
– teachers and principals become more effective
when encouraged to examine and assess their own
work and then consider ways of working
differently;
– teachers and principals help each other by
working collaboratively;
– working with colleagues helps teachers and
principals in their professional development.
• What is Action Research? Heidi Watts, Antioch Graduate School

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Another definition
Action research
– is the process through which teachers
collaborate in evaluating their
practice jointly; raise awareness of
their personal theory; articulate a shared conception of
values; try out new strategies to render the values
expressed in their practice more consistent with the
educational values they espouse; record their work in a
form which is readily available to and understandable by
other teachers; and thus develop a shared theory of
teaching by researching practice.
• John Elliott

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Video Interview of Elliott

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Why action?
The Meaning of “Action”
– Traditionally, scientific research has been conducted by
professional full-time researchers. They generally choose their
topics based on their personal predilections or the preference of
journal editors, and they publish reports of their work with the
hope that someone will someday make use of it. But even if no one
does, their work is usually complete upon publication of their
report.
– Action research, on the other hand, is conducted by people who
want to do something to improve their own situation. When other
people read about their work, notice it, or make use of it, that is
simply icing on the cake. Action researchers undertake a study
because they want to know whether they can do something in a
better way.
• Sagor, How to Conduct Collaborative Action Research,
Chapter 2. Defining Collaborative Action Research

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A Related Concept
collaborative inquiry
– Inquiry is the investigation of users and their
context in order to understand their problem space,
their goals, and associated design constraints,
usually by observational methods, surveys, and
interviews. Collaborative inquiry involves the users
(or potential users) of an application in the
investigation, relying on them as collaborators for
their domain knowledge and appreciation of user
needs.
• Glossary » collaborative inquiry

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Why collaborative?
There are least two reasons for advocating CAR:
– Firstly, . . . many teachers lack the necessary expertise
to engage in action research.
– Our second reason for advocating CAR is that
collaboration provides an avenue for discussion.
• Abdullah, K. I . and Hashim, A .
Collaborative action research
Australian Association for Research in Education 1996 –
Singapore Joint ERA/AARE Conference

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Why Collaborative Inquiry?
Rationale for collaborative inquiry:
– . . . this argument posits that research knowledge and
evaluation data are valid only when informed by
practitioner perspectives.

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Five Phases of Action Research
Phase I - Problem Identification
Phase II - Plan of Action
Phase III - Data Collection
Phase IV - Analysis of Data
Phase V - Plan for Future Action
– Adapted from the St. Louis Action Research Evaluation Committee

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Guidelines typically used in
teacher action research

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Compare
Ferrance’s
Five Step
Process

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Step one

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Step 1:
Importance of
the problem
statement
“Is a puzzlement”
(Rodgers and Hammerstein: The King and I)
– The problem statement defines the puzzlement which
guides the inquiry of the project. Problem statements
often take the form of a central question that yields
subquestions.
• Seider, S. (2002, Fall). Syllabus, EDEL 591 Designing Action Research
in Elementary/Early Childhood Education (no longer available online)
• See also Guidelines for Developing a Question

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Step 1:
Problem formulation
A key characteristic of action research
– Action research involves puzzling, the identification
of a „problem‟ where there is some doubt about how
to proceed. It requires the ability to constantly ask
questions (problem definition), in addition to the
determination of patterns through the formal tools of
systematic audit.
• Research to Support Schools of Ambition: Annual Report 2007.
School enquiry– „conformative‟ or creative?, p. 32.

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Step 1:
How do I choose a research question to study?
The question should be:
– Focused on your practice
– Focused on client/student impact
– Within your control to influence
– Something you feel passionate about
– Something you‟d like to change
– Aligned with your professional growth
• Action Research Question Formation:
3. Question Characteristics

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Step Two

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Step Three
– See also A Process for Analyzing Your Data and Guidelines for Analyzing Your Data

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Step Four

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The Structure of an Action
Research Report
Introduction
A description of the research process
An analysis of the data
An action plan
– [AKA Action Planning, i.e. the plan you create in
Ferrance‟s Step Five (Reflection) for what comes next as
a result of what you‟ve discovered]
• Sagor, How to Conduct Collaborative Action Research, ch. 6

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Action Planning
– What is Action Planning?
• Action planning is a process which
will help you to focus your ideas
and to decide what steps you need to take to achieve particular
goals that you may have. It is a statement on paper of what you
want to achieve over a given period of time. Preparing an action
plan is a good way to help you to reach your objectives in life.
• An effective action plan should give you a concrete timetable and
set of clearly defined steps to help you to reach your objective,
rather than aimlessly wondering what to do next. It helps you to
focus your ideas and provides you with an answer to the question
„„What do I do to achieve my objective?‟‟
– University of Kent > Careers > Employability Skills > Action
Planning

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The Many Faces of Parent Involvement, p. 86

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Step Five
Reflection