MODELS OF ACTION

RESEARCH

-JOHN ELLIOTS
MODELPrepared by:
Erick Ling
Cindy Ho

Lu Shiau Yee
Ong Wan Yee

Wong Li Yan
-TESL D-

WHO IS THIS MAN?

BIOGRAPHY
Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of East
Anglia, UK.
A founding member and former director of the internationally
acclaimed Centre for Applied Research in Education (CARE)
at UEA.
Dean of Education from 1992-95.
Well-known internationally for developing the theory and
practice of action research in the contexts of curriculum
and teacher development.
Developing the theory and practice of action research within
the broad field of education and training, as a means of
bringing about sustainable innovation and change through
engaging teachers and trainers as active participants in
creating knowledge about how to effect change

KEY FEATURES IN JOHN ELLIOTS

MODEL
Emphasises constant evolution and redefinition of the
original goal through a series of reconnaissance recurring
every cycle
Claims that small-scale studies can not only improve
practical situations, but can also lead to the generation of
theory
Elliots work encourages the notion that teachers can be
enabled to create their theory of practice through critical
reflection on their practice

Initially an exploratory stance is adopted, where an

understanding of a problem is developed and plans are
made for some form of interventionary strategy. (The
Reconnaissance & General Plan)

Then the intervention is carried out . (The Action in

Action Research)

During and around the time of the intervention, pertinent

observations are collected in various forms. (Monitoring
the implementation by Observation. )

The new interventional strategies are carried out, and

the cyclic process repeats, continuing until a sufficient
understanding of (or implement able solution for) the
problem is achieved (Reflection and Revision).

 Although

Lewins model is an excellent basis for

starting, Elliott argued that:
The general idea should be allowed to shift.
It is a statement which links to an idea to
action.
It also refers to a state of situation one
wishes to improve.
Eg:
Students are dissatisfied with the methods
by which they are assessed. How can we
collaborate to improve students
assessment?

 Reconnaissance

should involve analysis as well

fact finding. It should constantly recur in the spiral
of activities, rather than occur at the beginning.
Eg:

Students seem to waste a lot of time in

class. How can I increase the time students
spend on task?

(a) Describing the facts of situation: (help clarify

the problem)
Which pupils are wasting time?
What are they doing when they are wasting
time?

(b) Explaining the facts of the situation: (critical

analysis of the context in which they arise).
How

do they arise? simple activities

provided
Create hypothesis based on the analysis.
Eg: Simple activities provided lead students to
waste their time.

 Implementation

is not straightforward process

like Lewin said, but it has to be monitored in
order to know the effects of an action.
How both the process of implementation and
its effects are going to be monitored?
- use monitoring techniques to provide
evidence of how well the course of action is
being implemented (diaries, profiles,
document analysis).

THANK
YOU