Action Research in EducationAction Research in EducationBrown Bag LuncheonBrown Bag Luncheon

2/12/082/12/08

Edwin D. BellEdwin D. Bell Department of Department of

EducationEducation Winston-Salem Winston-Salem

State UniversityState University

What is it?What is it?

Action ResearchAction Research

A group of A group of research research methodologies thatmethodologies that

pursue change and pursue change and understanding. It is understanding. It is a cyclical process a cyclical process that alternates that alternates between action between action and critical and critical reflection.reflection.

What is It? (continued)What is It? (continued)

Action research is a particular Action research is a particular type of descriptive research that type of descriptive research that can be carried out by educators. can be carried out by educators. (Slavin, 2006)(Slavin, 2006)

Why Do We Use It?Why Do We Use It?

What is the relationship of What is the relationship of Action Research to the Action Research to the Education?Education?

It is grounded in It is grounded in constructivismconstructivism It supports the Scholarship of It supports the Scholarship of

Teaching from Teaching from Boyer’s Scholarship reconsidereBoyer’s Scholarship reconsideredd (Boyer, 1990) (Boyer, 1990)

How Does the Process Work?How Does the Process Work?

Look at the situation:Look at the situation: Gather relevant dataGather relevant data Define and describeDefine and describe Build a picture to describe the Build a picture to describe the

situation, e.g., situation, e.g., force field analysisforce field analysis

(Stringer, 1999)(Stringer, 1999)

(This concept emerged from the (This concept emerged from the work of Kurt Lewin)work of Kurt Lewin)

Process (continued)Process (continued)

Think about the situation:Think about the situation:- Explore and analyze- Explore and analyze

- What is happening here- What is happening here - Interpret and explain- Interpret and explain - How and why are things the way - How and why are things the way

they are (Stringer, 1999)they are (Stringer, 1999)

Process (continued)Process (continued)

Act:Act:

- Plan, i.e., develop a - Plan, i.e., develop a logic logic

Model Model

- Implement- Implement

- Evaluate (Stringer, 1999)- Evaluate (Stringer, 1999)

What Tools Do We Use?What Tools Do We Use?

True and True and Quasi-Experimental Research dQuasi-Experimental Research designs esigns (Gribbons & Herman, 1997)(Gribbons & Herman, 1997)

TriangulationTriangulation Quantitative MethodologyQuantitative Methodology Qualitative MethodologyQualitative Methodology

What tools Do we Use? What tools Do we Use? (continued)(continued)

Grounded Theory: A thumbnail sGrounded Theory: A thumbnail sketchketch

Always try to use field notes as Always try to use field notes as part of your triangulation.part of your triangulation.

What Do We Do NextWhat Do We Do Next

Look at the situation through a conceptual Look at the situation through a conceptual framework that you develop.framework that you develop.

I encourage people to use Karl Weick’s I encourage people to use Karl Weick’s loosely-coupled systems perspective loosely-coupled systems perspective (Weick, 1976)(Weick, 1976)

I encourage them to collect and use I encourage them to collect and use analytical, empirical, and intuitive data in analytical, empirical, and intuitive data in the decisions that they make about the decisions that they make about teaching and learning.teaching and learning.

I encourage them to submit their written I encourage them to submit their written analysis to peer review, i.e., publish.analysis to peer review, i.e., publish.

QuestionsQuestions

ReferencesReferences

Boyer, E. (1990) Boyer, E. (1990) Scholarship Reconsidered: Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate. Priorities of the Professoriate. Retrieved on Retrieved on 2/8/08 from 2/8/08 from http://www.sfsu.edu/~acaffrs/faculty_manual/dhttp://www.sfsu.edu/~acaffrs/faculty_manual/docs/other/Scholarship_Reconsidered.dococs/other/Scholarship_Reconsidered.doc

Dick, B. (2005). Grounded theory: A thumbnail Dick, B. (2005). Grounded theory: A thumbnail sketch. sketch. Resource Papers in Action Research, Resource Papers in Action Research, Retrieved from Retrieved from http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/groundedhttp://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/grounded.html.html

Gribbons, Barry & Herman, Joan (1997). True and Gribbons, Barry & Herman, Joan (1997). True and quasi-experimental designs. quasi-experimental designs. Practical Practical

Assessment, Research & EvaluationAssessment, Research & Evaluation, 5(14). , 5(14). Retrieved May 31, 2006 from Retrieved May 31, 2006 from http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=5&n=14http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=5&n=14

References (continued)References (continued)

Slavin, R. E. (2006). Educational Psychology: Theory Slavin, R. E. (2006). Educational Psychology: Theory and and Practice, 8Practice, 8thth Edition, Boson, MA: Allyn and Edition, Boson, MA: Allyn and BaconBacon

Stringer, E. T. (1999). Action Research, 2Stringer, E. T. (1999). Action Research, 2ndnd Edition, Edition, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Weick, K. (1976) Educational organizations as loosely Weick, K. (1976) Educational organizations as loosely coupled systems, coupled systems, Administrative Science Administrative Science

Quarterly, 21. Retrieved on 2/8/08 from Quarterly, 21. Retrieved on 2/8/08 from http://faculty.babson.edu/krollag/org_sihttp://faculty.babson.edu/krollag/org_site/org_theory/Scott_articles/weick_lcs.htmlte/org_theory/Scott_articles/weick_lcs.html