RESEARCH IN EDUCATION

1. Action Research in Education
Andrea Delgado

2. Overview
The Importance of Action Research In Education
The Action Research Cycle
Getting Started
Project Design
Example of ECE Action Research project
Example of a Published AR project

3. The Importance of Action Research in Education
In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of
us would have to settle for something else.
Lee Iacocca, Businessman

4. Important for Education
•The process of studying a school situation to understand and
improve the quality of the educative process
•Provides practitioners with new knowledge and understanding about
how to improve educational practices or resolve significant problems
in classrooms and schools
•Benefits
facilitating the professional development of educators
increasing teacher empowerment
bridging the gap between research and practice

5. The Action Research Process
It’s not what you do in life that counts, it’s how you do it
John Wooden, UCLA Basketball Coach

6. The Action Research Cycle (1)
Figure 1: Action Research Helix (adapted from Stringer,
2004, p. 4).

7. The Action Research Cycle (2)
Designing the
Study
Collecting Data
Analysing Data
Communicating
Outcomes
Taking Action
Figure 2: Action Research Cycle (adapted from Stringer,
2004, p. 5).
Problem Solved = no further action
required
Still a Problem = Another Iteration

8. Getting Started
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531 BC)

9. Selecting a problem
In your own teaching role, think of something that could be considered
a:
o Problem
o Issue
o Concern
o Opportunity
Up until now, this ‘phenomenon’ has been resistant to a solutions-
based approach, and you would like to find a workable way forward.

10. Defining the problem ~ Mark
Mark is a competent primary school teacher who enjoys a
class of 24 Year 5 students. He maintains sound classroom
management practices and enjoys a good rapport with his
students. However, he feels discouraged from using the
teaching strategy of cooperative learning with his class due
to his fear of losing ‘control’ of his classroom. He is
concerned about this issue and would like to find a way to
make this instructional strategy work for himself and his
students.
Let’s outline this problem at further depth so that Mark

11. Project design
I never design a building before I’ve seen the site and met the people who will be
using it
Frank Lloyd Wright, Architect

12. Proposal Template
Please annotate your handout ‘packet’ and ask questions as we examine
each component

13. Ethical Clearance
•Low Risk Review Checklist
•Low Risk Application
Project Information
Sheet
Consent Forms
Assent Forms
Interview Schedule
•Principal Approval
•System Approval

14. Example of an ECE AR Project
Title: Finding ways to reduce anti-social physical reactions within a junior
kindergarten class
Aim: To identify when, how and why anti-social physical reactions are used in
the classroom.
Method: 1)Qualitative interviewing (focus groups with parents, teachers; 1 on 1
with students) 2) Questionnaire with parents, colleagues
3) Structured observations recorded
Participants: Parents, students, colleagues (ECE teachers)
Project Outcomes: 1) A reduction in anti-social physical reactions
2) Displaying of an increased use of spoken language to
solve disputes
3) Use of more developed understanding of body language is

15. Example of a Published AR
report
http://researchonline.nd.edu.au/edu_article/
97/

16. References
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Routledge.
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Merrill.
Atweh, B., Weeks, P., & Kemmis, S. (1998). Action research in practice: Partnerships for social justice in education. New York: Routledge.
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Associates.
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Hopkins, D. (2002). A teacher's guide to classroom research. Buckingham; Philadelphia: Open University Press.
Johnson, A.P. (2012). A short guide to action research (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Education.
Kember, D., & Kelly, M. (1993). Improving teaching through action research. Campbelltown, NSW: HERDSA.
Kemmis, S., & McTaggart, R. (1988). The action research planner. Geelong: Deakin University Press.
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McNiff, J., Lomax, P., & Whitehead, J. (1996). You and your action research project. London; New York: Routledge.
Mills, G.E. (2011). Action research: A guide for the teacher researcher (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
Neuman, W.L. (1997). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches (3rd ed.). Sydney: Allyn & Bacon.
Parsons, R.D., & Brown, K.S. (2002). Teacher as reflective practitioner and action researcher. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.