Category Archives: Research

Reading The Action Research Planner

Posted on by
Reply

Action Research is a methodology widely used in school improvement. It is easy to justify to school administrators because it works with regular teachers in existing courses with real students, to deliver improvement that teachers and students recognise. It is credible to teachers because it addresses the phenomenon they can see. It is credible to students because it values their voice, and does not necessarily rely on obscure abstract concepts or expert statistical tricks.

The following guidance is quoted and adapted from Kemmis and McTaggert 1988.

Action Research SpiralAction Research Spiral

  1. Select a thematic concern
  2. Plan for improvement of current practice.
    1. Prospective, flexible, considering risks and constraints.
    2. Empowering practitioners
  3. Action to implement plan.
    1. Dynamic, responding instantly to cricumstances and effects
    2. Observed
  4. Observation of effects of action.
    1. planned, “responsible, open-eyed and open-minded”.
    2. observe the action process, effects of action, circumstances and constraints
    3. intended to inform reflection
  5. Reflection on effects
  6. Iterate PAOR

Not

  1. “the usual thing teachers do.” (Should include “rigorous group reflection“.)
  2. Problem solving. (Should include problem posing.)
  3. Research done on other people. (Should be participants.)
  4. Scientific method. (Should be broader than objectivism.)

Key elements

  1. improving education by change
  2. participatory
  3. self-reflective spiral (above)
  4. collaborative
  5. self-critical communities
  6. systematic learning process
  7. theorising: inquisitiveness, understanding, rationales
  8. testing ideas
  9. data: include records, judgements, reactions, impressions
  10. personal journals of learning about (1) teaching practice; (2) research method
  11. a political process
  12. critical analyses including organisational and conceptual structures
  13. starts small
  14. small cycles that grow as questions do
  15. small groups of collaborators and widens
  16. records of change in (1) practice, (2) language and discourse, (3) relationships and organisation, (4) action research.
  17. produces reasoned justification

Reference

  1. Kemmis, S., McTaggert, R., (eds) 1988, The Action Research Planner, 3rd edition. Deakin University, Geelong.
  2. Image: Dick, B.  (2002) Action research: action and research  [On line].  Available at
    http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/aandr.html