Action Research

By Lynn Woolever

AED 615

November 6th, 2006

What Is Action Research?

• Research to inform local teachers and other educational professionals of a way to solve day-to day immediate problems.

Types of Action Research

• Practical

• Participatory

Practical

• To address specific issues

• To improve short term practice and inform long term decisions

• Should result in an action plan to be implemented and evaluated

Participatory

• To empower life improvement• To bring about social change• To address specific issues• Should result in an action plan to be implemented

and evaluated• Involves a sizeable group of people with diverse

experiences that want to solve the same problem• All those affected should participate in the study

in some form or fashion

Steps To Use

1. Identifying the Research Question

2. Gathering the Necessary Information

3. Analyzing and Interpreting the information

4. Developing an Action Plan

Step 1: Identifying the Research Question

• Clarify the problem

• The problem should be narrow in scope

• The problem should be manageable

Step 2: Gathering the Necessary Information

• Decide what data is needed and how to collect it

• Possible collection methods include: experiments, surveys, casual-comparative studies, observations, interviews, analysis of documents, and ethnographies

• One or more of these methods may be used

Step 3: Analyzing and Interpreting the Information

• The data must be examined in relation to the question or problem to be solved

• Questions to be asked to analyze the data should be Who, What, When, Why, Where, How

• Opinions of all involved should be taken into account during data analysis

How Is Data Analyzed?

• Reflecting on all opinions involved

• Those involved work collaboratively to create descriptions of hoe the data related to the problem being addressed

• Much less complicated than other forms of research

Step 4: Developing an Action Plan

• Based on the findings a plan should be initiated to implement changes that can be evaluated

When Is It Appropriate?

• When systematic inquiry is used• Intent to solve a small local day to day task• Value-based research• Purposive samples are selected• Generalizability can be limited• Teacher-developed instruments• Carried out by a teacher or other educational

professional

Assumptions for Use

Teachers and other educational professionals:

Have the authority to make decisionsWant to improve their practiceCommitted to continual professional

developmentWill and can engage in systematic research

Limitations of Use

• Not meant for broad generalization

• For a small day to day task, not a large ongoing problem

Journal Article

Future demand, probable shortages, and strategies for creating a better future in food

supply veterinary medicine

J. Bruce Prince, PhD; David M. Andrus, PhD; Kevin P. Gwiner, PhD

Link to article:http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/pdf/10.2460/javma.229.1.57

How Action Research Was Employed

• Specific targeted small population to address the current issue of shortages in food science veterinary medicine

• A panel of experts was involved in the research and analyzing the data

• Used to improve the numbers of veterinary students going into food science veterinary medicine

• A action plan was developed and implemented because of the study

Work Cited

Prince, J., Andrus, D., & Gwinner, K. (2006). Food Supply Veterinary Medicine: Future demand, probable shortages, and strategies for creating a better future in food supply veterinary medicine. Journal of the American

Veterinary Medical Association, 229(1), 57-69.