DEFINITIONS

Action research is an inquiry-based research conducted by teachers that

follows a process of examining existing practices, implementing new
practices, and evaluating the results, leading to an improvement cycle that
benefits both students and teachers.

Also known as: practitioner research, teacher research, site-based research,
and action science

Action research is simply a form of self-reflective enquiry undertaken by
participants in social situations in order to improve the rationality and
justice of their own practices, their understanding of these practices, and
the situations in which the practices are carried out. [Carr and
Kemmis,1986]

AR is the process by which practitioners attempt to study their problems
scientifically in order to guide, correct & evaluate their decisions & actions.
(Corey,1953)

Elliot (1991) defined AR as a process through which teachers:













Action research can thus be used to:







Carr and Kemmis (1986) describe action research as being about:












Hence, as a summary, there are two essential aims of all action research;
to improve and to involve.

Those involved in the practice being considered are to be involved in the
action research process in all its phases of planning, acting, observing and
reflecting.
CHAPTER 4 ACTION RESEARCH CONCEPTS AND
MODELS

understand ones own practice;
understand how to make ones practice better;
understand how to accommodate outside change in ones
practice;
Understand how to change the outside in order to make
ones practice better.

the improvement of practice;
the improvement of the understanding of
practice;
the improvement of the situation in which the
practice takes place.

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 the form that is readily
available to and understandable by other
teacher.

CHARACTERISTICS
It is dynamic & systematic process of
self inquiry and action carried out by
practitioners in the line of work.

Should be current & relevant.
Should be related to present
teaching responsibility so that not
wasting/expend extra time on it.
Should be integrated into
teaching.

Researcher is involved in an
immediate & direct way.
Crucial to understand that the course
of action takes involves you directly.
The project is undertaken
collaboratively by the participants in
the situations, not by outsiders
studying the practice of an
individual/group.

You & your participants are
actively involved.
If you are merely an observer
looking at an action on a group of
subjects, it becomes more of an
experiment & less of an action
research.

The action proceeds thru a spiral of
cycles of planning, acting, observing,
reflecting & evaluating.

You may repeat the implementation
of action as many times as you feel
necessary to produce results,
adapting & improving on each cycle of
action in small but significant ways.

It raises awareness & understanding
of your practice, leading to change &
improvement thru practical action.

The research action allows you to
improve & grow professionally. That
is why you shud decide on an area
that is related to your teaching
responsibility.




Misconception on Action Research:








Action Research is:
concerned with bringing about change. Its aim is not to solve problems
per se, but to find ways of bringing about change so that the reasons
for these problems can be eliminated.
is about people working together in collaborative ways so that they
can grow professionally.
is much more about process rather than about product
NOT a LIBRARY PROJECT where we learn more about a topic that
interests us.
NOT PROBLEM-SOLVING in the sense of trying to find out what is wrong,
but rather a quest for knowledge about how to IMPROVE.
NOT doing research ON OR ABOUT PEOPLE, or finding all available
information on a topic looking for the correct answers.
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.


IMPORTANCE







to integrate teaching with research.
To improve the effectiveness of practice
To bridge the expectation & performance gap.
To realize educational values.
To enable systematic & scientific re evaluation of
current theories.
Contributes to the theory & knowledge base to
enhance practice
Supports the professional development of practitioners
Builds a collegial networking system
Helps practitioners identify problems & seek solutions
systematically
Can be used at all levels & in all areas of education