Lecture1
Action research is one of those terms that we hear quite often in today’s educational
circles. But just what does it mean? If you ask three people to define action research, you may
find yourself with three different responses. Typically, action research is undertaken in a school
setting. It is a reflective process that allows for inquiry and discussion as components of the
“research.” Often, action research is a collaborative activity among colleagues searching for
solutions to everyday, real problems experienced in schools, or looking for ways to improve
instruction and increase student achievement. Rather than dealing with the theoretical, action
research allows practitioners to address those concerns that are closest to them, ones over which
they can exhibit some influence and make change. Practitioners are responsible for making more
and more decisions in the operations of schools, and they are being held publicly accountable for
student achievement results. The process of action research assists educators in assessing needs,
documenting the steps of inquiry, analyzing data, and making informed decisions that can lead to
desired outcomes. This booklet discusses several types of action research, its history, and a
process that may be used to engage educators in action research. Two stories from the field,
written by teachers about their own reflections on the process, are given as illustrations of 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. It is based on the following
assumptions:
• 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
Although there are many types of research that may be undertaken, action research
specifically refers to a disciplined inquiry done by a teacher with the intent that the research will
inform and change his or her practices in the future. This research is carried out within the
context of the teacher’s environment—that is, with the students and at the school in which the
teacher works—on questions that deal with educational matters at hand. While people who call
for greater professionalization say that teachers should be constantly researching and educating
themselves about their area of expertise, this is different from the study of more educational
questions that arise from the practice of teaching. Implicit in the term action research is the idea
that teachers will begin a cycle of posing questions, gathering data, reflection, and deciding on a
course of action. When these decisions begin to change the school environment, a different set of
circumstances appears with different problems posed, which require a new look. Indeed, many
action research projects are started with a particular problem to solve, whose solution leads into
other areas of study. While a teacher may work alone on these studies, it is also common for a
number of teachers to collaborate on a problem, as well as enlist support and guidance from
administrators, university scholars, and others. At times, whole schools may decide to tackle a
school-wide study to address a common issue, or join with others to look at district-wide issues.
What is Not Action Research?
Action research is not what usually comes to mind when we hear the word “research.”
Action research is not a library project where we learn more about a topic that interests us. It is
not problem-solving in the sense of trying to find out what is wrong, but rather a quest for
knowledge about how to improve. Action research is not about doing research on or about
people, or finding all available information on a topic looking for the correct answers. It involves
people working to improve their skills, techniques, and strategies. Action research is not about
learning why we do certain things, but rather how we can do things better. It is about how we can
change our instruction to impact students.
Types of Action Research
Part of the confusion we find when we hear the term “action research” is that there are
different types of action research depending upon the participants involved. A plan of research
can involve a single teacher investigating an issue in his or her classroom, a group of teachers
working on a common problem, or a team of teachers and others focusing on a school- or
district-wide issue.
Individual teacher research usually focuses on a single issue in the classroom. The
teacher may be seeking solutions to problems of classroom management, instructional strategies,
use of materials, or student learning. Teachers may have support of their supervisor or principal,
an instructor for a course they are taking, or parents. The problem is one that the teacher believes
is evident in his or her classroom and one that can be addressed on an individual basis. The
research may then be such that the teacher collects data or may involve looking at student
participation. One of the drawbacks of individual research is that it may not be shared with
others unless the teacher chooses to present findings at a faculty meeting, make a formal
presentation at a conference, or submit written material to a listserv, journal, or newsletter. It is
possible for several teachers to be working concurrently on the same problem with no knowledge
of the work of others.
Collaborative action research may include as few as two teachers or a group of several
teachers and others interested in addressing a classroom or department issue. This issue may
involve one classroom or a common problem shared by many classrooms. These teachers may be
supported by individuals outside of the school, such as a university or community partner. The
LAB at Brown has just such a relationship with several teams.
School-wide research focuses on issues common to all. For example, a school may have
a concern about the lack of parental involvement in activities, and is looking for a way to reach
more parents to involve them in meaningful ways. Or, the school may be looking to address its
organizational and decision-making structures. Teams of staff from the school work together to
narrow the question, gather and analyze the data, and decide on a plan of action. An example of
action research for a school could be to examine their state test scores to identify areas that need
improvement, and then determine a plan of action to improve student performance. Team work
and individual contributions to the whole are very important, and it may be that problem points
arise as the team strives to develop a process and make commitments to each other. When these
obstacles are overcome, there will be a sense of ownership and accomplishment in the results
that come from this school-wide effort.
District-wide research is far more complex and utilizes more resources, but the rewards
can be great. Issues can be organizational, community-based, performance-based, or processes
for decision-making. A district may choose to address a problem common to several schools or
one of organizational management. Downsides are the documentation requirements
(communication) to keep everyone in the loop, and the ability to keep the process in motion.
Collecting data from all participants needs a commitment from staff to do their fair share and to
meet agreed-upon deadlines for assignments. On the positive side, real school reform and change
can take hold based on a common understanding through inquiry. The involvement of multiple
constituent groups can lend energy to the process and create an environment of genuine
stakeholders
Figure 1. Types of action research
Individual Collaborative School wide District wide
teacher research action research action research action research
Focus Single classroom Single classroom School issue, District issue
issue or several problem, or area Organizational
classrooms with of collective structures
common issue interest
Possible support Coach/mentor Substitute School District
needed Access to teachers Release commitment commitment
technology time Close link Leadership Facilitator
Assistance with with Communication Recorder
data organization administrators External partners Communication
and analysi External partners
Potential impact Curriculum Curriculum Potential to Allocation of
Instruction Instruction impact school resources
Assessment Assessment restructuring and Professional
Policy change Policy development
Parent activities
involvement Organizational
Evaluation of structures Policy
programs
Side effects Practice Improved Improved Improved
informed by data collegiality collegiality, collegiality,
Information not Formation of collaboration, collaboration,
always shared partnerships and and
communication communication
Team building Team building
Disagreements Disagreements
on process on process
Shared vision
Lecture2
A Brief History of Action Research
The idea of using research in a “natural” setting to change the way that the researcher
interacts with that setting can be traced back to Kurt Lewin, a social psychologist and educator
whose work on action research was developed throughout the 1940s in the United States. “Lewin
is credited with coining the term ‘action research’ to describe work that did not separate the
investigation from the action needed to solve the problem” (McFarland & Stansell, 1993, p. 14).
Topics chosen for his study related directly to the context of the issue. His process was cyclical,
involving a “non-linear pattern of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting on the changes in
the social situations” (Noffke & Stevenson, 1995, p. 2). Stephen Corey at Teachers College at
Columbia University was among the first to use action research in the field of education. He
believed that the scientific method in education would bring about change because educators
would be involved in both the research and the application of information. Corey summed up
much of the thought behind this fledgling branch of inquiry.
“We are convinced that the disposition to study…the consequences of our own teaching
is more likely to change and improve our practices than is reading about what someone else has
discovered of his teaching”. (Corey, 1953, p. 70)
Corey believed that the value of action research is in the change that occurs in everyday
practice rather than the generalization to a broader audience. He saw the need for teachers and
researchers to work together. However, in the mid 1950s, action research was attacked as
unscientific, little more than common sense, and the work of amateurs (McFarland & Stansell,
1993, p. 15). Interest in action research waned over the next few years as experiments with
research designs and quantitative data collection became the norm.
By the 1970s we saw again the emergence of action research. Education practitioners
questioned the applicability of scientific research designs and methodologies as a means to solve
education issues. The results of many of these federally funded projects were seen as theoretical,
not grounded in practice.
The practice of action research is again visible and seen to hold great value. Over time,
the definition has taken on many meanings. It is now often seen as a tool for professional
development, bringing a greater focus on the teacher than before (Noffke & Stevenson, 1995). It
is increasingly becoming a tool for school reform, as its very individual focus allows for a new
engagement in educational change.
Action research emphasizes the involvement of teachers in problems in their own
classrooms and has as its primary goal the in-service training and development of the teacher
rather than the acquisition of general knowledge in the field of education. (Borg, 1965, p. 313)
Steps in Action Research
Within all the definitions of action research, there are four basic themes: empowerment
of participants, collaboration through participation, acquisition of knowledge, and social change.
In conducting action research, we structure routines for continuous confrontation with data on
the health of a school community. These routines are loosely guided by movement through five
phases of inquiry:
Figure 2. Action Research Cycle
1. Identification of problem area
2. Collection and organization of data
3. Interpretation of data
4. Action based on data
5. Reflection
■ IDENTIFY A PROBLEM AREA
Teachers often have several questions they wish to investigate; however, it is important
to limit the question to one that is meaningful and doable in the confines of their daily work.
Careful planning at this first stage will limit false starts and frustrations. There are several
criteria to consider before investing the time and effort in “researching” a problem. The question
should
• be a higher-order question—not a yes/no
• be stated in common language, avoiding jargon
• be concise
• be meaningful
• not already have an answer
An important guideline in choosing a question is to ask if it is something over which the
teacher has influence. Is it something of interest and worth the time and effort that will be spent?
Sometimes there is a discrete problem that is readily identifiable. Or, the problem to be studied
may come from a feeling of discomfort or tension in the classroom. For example, a teacher may
be using the latest fashionable teaching strategy, yet not really knowing or understanding what or
how kids are learning.
■ GATHER DATA
The collection of data is an important step in deciding what action needs to be taken.
Multiple sources of data are used to better understand the scope of happenings in the classroom
or school. There are many vehicles for collection of data:
Interviews
portfolios
diaries
field notes
audio tapes
photos
memos
questionnaires
focus groups
anecdotal records
checklists
journals
individual files
logs of meetings
videotapes
case studies
surveys records – tests, report cards, attendance
self-assessment samples of student work, projects, performances
Select the data that are most appropriate for the issue being researched. Are the data easy
to collect? Are there sources readily available for use? How structured and systematic will the
collection be? Use at least three sources (triangulation) of data for the basis of actions. Organize
the data in a way that makes it useful to identify trends and themes. Data can be arranged by
gender, classroom, grade level, school, etc
■ INTERPRET DATA
Analyze and identify major themes. Depending upon the question, teachers may wish to
use classroom data, individual data, or subgroup data. Some of the data are quantifiable and can
be analyzed without the use of statistics or technical assistance. Other data, such as opinions,
attitudes, or checklists, may be summarized in table form. Data that are not quantifiable can be
reviewed holistically and important elements or themes can be noted.
■ ACT ON EVIDENCE
Using the information from the data collection and review of current literature, design a
plan of action that will allow you to make a change and to study that change. It is important that
only one variable be altered. As with any experiment, if several changes are made at once, it will
be difficult to determine which action is responsible for the outcome. While the new technique is
being implemented, continue to document and collect data on performance.
■ EVALUATE RESULTS
Assess the effects of the intervention to determine if improvement has occurred. If there
is improvement, do the data clearly provide the supporting evidence? If no, what changes can be
made to the actions to elicit better results?
■ NEXT STEPS
As a result of the action research project, identify additional questions raised by the data
and plan for additional improvements, revisions, and next steps.
Lecture3
Benefits of Action Research
Action research can be a worthwhile pursuit for educators for a number of reasons. Foremost among these
is simply the desire to know more. Good teachers are, after all, themselves students, and often look for ways to
expand upon their existing knowledge.
Focus on school issue, problem, or area of collective interest Research done with the teacher’s students, in a
setting with which the teacher is familiar, helps to confer relevance and validity to a disciplined study. Often,
academic research is seen as disconnected from the daily lives of educators. While this might not always be true, it
can be very helpful for teachers to pick up threads suggested in academic circles, and weave them in to their own
classroom. It is also comforting for parents, or education administrators outside of the school, to know that a teacher
is not just blindly following what the latest study seems to suggest, but is transforming the knowledge into
something meaningful.
Form of teacher professional development
Research and reflection allow teachers to grow and gain confidence in their work. Action research projects
influence thinking skills, sense of efficacy, willingness to share and communicate, and attitudes toward the process
of change. Through action research, teachers learn about themselves, their students, their colleagues, and can
determine ways to continually improve.
Collegial interactions
Isolation is one of the downsides of teaching. Teachers are often the sole adult in a room of children, and
have little or no time scheduled for professional conversations with others. Action research in pairs or by teams of
teachers allows time to talk with others about teaching and teaching strategies. By working on these teams, teachers
must describe their own teaching styles and strategies and share their thoughts with others. As a team they examine
various instructional strategies, learning activities, and curricular materials used in the classroom. Through these
discussions with colleagues they develop stronger relationships. As the practice of action research becomes part of
the school culture, we see increased sharing and collaboration across departments, disciplines, grade levels, and
schools.
Potential to impact school change As teachers get into action research, they are more apt to look at
questions that address school and district concerns rather than questions that affect the individual teacher. This
process creates new patterns of collegiality, communication, and sharing. Contributions to the body of knowledge
about teaching and learning may also result. Development of priorities for school-wide planning and assessment
efforts arise from inquiry with potential to motivate change for improvement’s sake
Reflect on own practice
Opportunities for teachers to evaluate themselves in schools are often few, and usually happen only in an
informal manner. Action research can serve as a chance to really take a look at one’s own teaching in a structured
manner. While the focus of action research is usually the students, educators can also investigate what effect their
teaching is having on their students, how they could work better with other teachers, or ways of changing the whole
school for the better. Conversations can take on a different focus from attempting to “fix” to arriving at
understanding.
Improved communications
Team work within the school or district brings individuals together for a shared purpose. Educators
involved in action research become more flexible in their thinking and more open to new ideas (Pine, 1981). Studies
by Little (1981) suggest positive changes in patterns of collegiality, communication, and networking
Хотя область исследований образовательных действий была предметом бесчисленных
статей, исходящих как от критиков, так и от сторонников, нам еще предстоит прийти к
удовлетворительному выводу относительно эффективности и достоверности
исследований образовательных действий как исследовательского подхода
