Key Elements of Action Research

Planning

Acting
Plan
Observing

Reflecting Reflect Act

Observe

Action research is conducted for three key purposes:

“Firstly, the improvement of a practice of some kind; second, the improvement of

the understanding of a practice by its practitioners, and thirdly, the improvement
of the situation in which the practice takes place…Those involved in the practice
being considered are to be involved in the action research process in all its
aspects of planning, acting, observing and reflecting “(Carr and Kemmis, 1986, p165)

Two key issues:

Change

the ‘use’ of participants

Assumptions for those wishing to initiate change:

1. Don’t assume that your version of what the change should be is the one that
could or should be implemented. You have to exchange your reality of what
should be through interaction with others concerned
2. Change involves ambiguity, ambivalence and uncertainty about the meaning
of the change. Effective implementation is a process of clarification.
3. Some conflict and disagreement are not only inevitable but fundamental to
change.
4. People need pressure to change (even in directions they desire) but it is only
effective under conditions that allow them to react and interact.
Resocialization is at the heart of change (otherwise, you need to replace people
to change).
5. Effective change takes time. It is developmental process that takes at least two
years.
6. Lack of implementation isn’t necessarily because of rejection or resistance.
There are many other reasons, including insufficient resources or time
elapsed.
7. Don’t expect all, or even most, people or groups to change. Progress occurs by
increasing the number of people affected.
8. You need a plan based on these assumptions and underpinned by knowledge
of the change process.
9. Change is a frustrating, discouraging business. If you are not in a position to
make the above assumptions, which may well be the case, don’t expect
significant change, as far as implementation is concerned.

(Robson, 1993, p443, based on Fullan, 1982, p.91)

If significant behavioural change is anticipated as a result of Action research, then the

research must be strong enough to support behaviour change. A “do this” is always
responded to with a “why??” Good robust research is the answer to the “Why?”
Before we start

Mind map these questions on the change:

1. What is the nature of the social ‘reality’ we wish to investigate?

2. What might represent knowledge or evidence of the social reality which we
wish to investigate?
3. What topic, or broad substantive area, is the research concerned with?
4. What is the intellectual puzzle? What do we wish to explain? What are our
research questions?
5. What is the purpose of our research? What are we doing it for?
6. What data sources and methods of data generation are potentially available or
appropriate?
7. What can these methods and sources feasibly tell us about? Which properties
of the social reality might these data sources and methods potentially help us
to address?
8. Which of our research questions could they help us address?
9. How or on what basis do we think they could do this?
10. What are we trying to achieve in integrating data and method?
11. How – according to what logic – do we expect to be able to add the products
together, or to integrate them?
Research Design

Validity

Validity Key Threats Description Action

Reliability Subject the wrong sorts of people ensure right samples
error taking part (i.e. the cleaner…)
subject people strongly convinced of devise ways to get
bias either the benefits or the faults range of opinion
of ICT
Observer exhausted researcher! Pay attention to
error amount of work
Observer researcher convinced of Attempt Objectivity,
bias benefits or faults of ICT state bias
Construct too little planning, not enough Arrange many
(framework) investigation into setting, kinds/settings/times
validity sample frame, respondents for data collection
happen (multi
approaches)Give
clear rationale for
methods, settings
and times; use
triangulation
Internal validity Organisation has just been Investigate enough
through upheaval and won’t before research
be able to focus on activities, If upheaval during
people have research, choose
changed…anything which another group and
would suggest that this group leave this one
of people in this place were If upheaval during
otherwise occupied and could research, choose
not give good attention to the another in difficulty
research activity for comparison
external validity selection
(generalisability)
setting
history

Research is
• Data collection and the generation of hypothesis
• Validation of hypothesis through use of analytic techniques
• Interpretation by reference to theory, established practice and practitioner
judgement
Action Research is research for improvement that is also monitored by the same
research techniques

Action Research uses respondents much more deeply than other research. Therefore,
we adopt PA methodolgy, deeply committed to its democratic approach -
respondents analyse data & offer solutions. The accumulated
(insert M's para on PA)
(print slide from CE ppt, print some visuals from OCVA VolCom rsch)

Ethical Principles in Action Research

Classic Approaches PLA approaches

Observe protocol (consultation, consent of
organisation)
Make the principles of procedure binding
and known (agreeing rights and process)
Involve participants (participants shape
work)
Negotiate with those affected (participant
consent)
Report progress (visibility, transparency,
accountability)
Obtain explicit permission to observe,
examine (documented)
Negotiate descriptions of observations
(participant descriptions)
Obtain explicit permission to use quotes
(unless data is anonymised)
Negotiate reports for various levels of
release (stakeholder interest)
Accept responsibility for maintaining
confidentiality
Retain the right to report on your work
(reports should not be subject to veto)
(adapted from Robson, 1993, p34)
occurs at negotiation with group, before
intervention
agreed at beginning of intervention
with group
participants name issues, suggest
solutions
participants engage or not, as they
choose
participants watch emerging findings,
agree feedback outside of gathering
occurs at negotiation with group, before
intervention
participants describe their own issues,
agree descriptions outside of gathering
participants agree or not during
gathering and use own words
participants decide feedback outside of
gathering
occurs at negotiation with group, before
intervention
occurs at negotiation with group, before
intervention
EGK, 2005