ACTION RESEARCH STEPS

Summary

The video script outlines the process of action research, emphasizing its non-linear, recursive nature. It involves identifying a problem, setting it in a theoretical context through literature review, designing a data collection plan, analyzing emerging patterns, and allowing for dynamic changes. The process culminates in drawing conclusions, formulating action plans, and reporting findings, all aimed at enhancing teaching practices and learning outcomes.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Action research is a recursive process, not linear, and steps may be repeated or out of order.
• 🤔 Start by identifying a question, problem, or research topic within your teaching environment.
• 📚 Set the research in a theoretical context with a literature review to build credibility and guide data collection.
• 🔬 Design a systematic plan for data collection, including what and how often data will be collected.
• 🔑 Use multiple data sources and look for emerging themes, categories, or patterns as data is collected.
• 🔄 Allow for the research question or problem to change dynamically as new insights are gained.
• 📊 Analyze and organize data using inductive analysis, categorizing and counting observations.
• 📝 Make conclusions and recommendations based on the interpreted data to answer the research question or address the problem.
• 🛠 Develop a plan of action based on conclusions and recommendations for future teaching strategies.
• 📑 Report findings through a written report, scholarly paper, or professional presentation.
• 🔄 Remember that action research is an evolving process, and steps may be repeated or adjusted as needed.

Q & A

What is action research?

Action research is a recursive process involving systematic observation of one's own teaching environment or practice with the purpose of understanding and improving the quality of instruction and enhancing learning.

Why is it important to define terms in action research?

Defining terms ensures clarity and a common understanding of the concepts used throughout the research process, which is crucial for accurate analysis and interpretation of findings.

Is the process of action research linear?

No, action research is not linear. It is recursive, meaning steps may be repeated or done out of order as the research evolves.

What is the first step in conducting action research?

The first step is to ask a question, identify a problem, or select a research topic that is of interest within your classroom or teaching environment.

Why is setting the problem in a theoretical context important?

Setting the problem in a theoretical context provides a solid foundation for the research, helps to formulate the research question, and lends credibility to the findings by linking them to existing literature and professional resources.

What are the two ways to conduct a literature review in action research?

A literature review can be conducted before beginning to collect data to help formulate the question and guide data collection, or it can be done as data are being reported or conclusions are being drawn.

What is the purpose of designing a plan for data collection in action research?

Designing a plan for data collection ensures the research is systematic and methodical, outlining what data will be collected, how often, and when, which helps in the organization and analysis of the data.

Why is it acceptable for the research question or problem to change during action research?

It is acceptable because action research is a dynamic process that can adapt to new findings and insights. Changes should be documented and explained in the research report to maintain transparency and integrity.

What is inductive analysis in the context of action research?

Inductive analysis involves analyzing data as it is collected, identifying themes, categories, or patterns, and interpreting what these patterns mean in relation to the research question.

What should be included in the conclusions and recommendations of an action research project?

The conclusions should interpret the data, answer the research question, or address the problem, while recommendations should be based on the data and suggest actions or changes to be implemented.

What is the significance of the action step in action research?

The action step is where the researcher implements the conclusions and recommendations, creating a plan of action that reflects the insights gained from the research and contributes to practical improvements in teaching or learning.

How should the findings of an action research project be reported?

Findings should be reported in a clear and professional manner, which can be in the form of a written report, scholarly paper, or through in-person or online presentations.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Introduction to Action Research Process

This paragraph introduces the concept of action research, emphasizing its recursive and non-linear nature. It outlines the initial step of identifying a question, problem, or research topic within one's educational environment. The paragraph also highlights the importance of setting the research within a theoretical context through literature review, which can be conducted before or during data collection. The process is dynamic, allowing for the evolution of the research question or methodology as new data emerges.

05:01

📝 Steps in Conducting Action Research

This paragraph delves into the detailed steps of the action research process. It discusses the design phase, which involves planning data collection methods and frequency. The paragraph underscores the significance of using multiple data sources and analyzing data as it is collected to identify themes and patterns. It also mentions the flexibility of the process, allowing for changes in research questions or methodologies based on emerging data. The paragraph concludes with steps on analyzing and organizing data, drawing conclusions, making recommendations, and planning actions based on findings. Finally, it stresses the importance of reporting findings through various professional presentations.

Keywords

💡Action Research

Action research is a method of inquiry that seeks to examine and transform a social situation with participants through a spiral of steps including planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. In the video, it is the central theme, focusing on systematic observation within a classroom teaching environment to improve instruction quality. The script mentions it as a recursive, non-linear process involving several steps that may be repeated or altered as the research evolves.

💡Recursive Process

A recursive process in the context of the video refers to the iterative nature of action research, where steps may not always follow a linear progression and can be revisited or altered. The script emphasizes that action research is not a one-way street, and researchers might loop back to previous steps based on new insights or changes in the research focus.

💡Systematic Observation

Systematic observation is a research method that involves watching and recording behaviors or events in a consistent and methodical way. The video script describes it as a core part of action research, where a teacher observes their own teaching practice to identify areas for improvement, with the purpose of enhancing learning outcomes.

💡Theoretical Context

Setting a problem or research topic within a theoretical context involves reviewing existing literature to understand what has been studied before and how it relates to the current research. The script explains that this step lends credibility to the findings and helps in formulating research questions and data collection methods.

💡Literature Review

A literature review is the process of searching and reviewing existing literature in a field of study to establish a theoretical background for the research. In the script, it is suggested as a preliminary step to inform the research question and data collection strategy, and it can also be revisited as data is analyzed.

💡Methodology

Methodology in research refers to the analysis of the body of methods and principles associated with a branch of knowledge. In the video script, it is mentioned as the plan for collecting data, outlining what data will be gathered and how, which is crucial for making the action research systematic and structured.

💡Data Collection

Data collection is the process of gathering and analyzing information from various sources to answer a research question or test a hypothesis. The script highlights the importance of using at least two different types of data sources and the need for data to be collected and analyzed in an ongoing, evolving manner.

💡Inductive Analysis

Inductive analysis is a method of reasoning from specific observations to broader generalizations. The script describes it as a form of data analysis where the researcher counts occurrences and categorizes them, leading to the identification of themes and patterns within the collected data.

💡Conclusions and Recommendations

In the context of the video, conclusions and recommendations are the interpretations and suggestions drawn from the analyzed data. The script states that this step involves answering the research question and addressing the problem, providing insights into what can be concluded from the data and what actions can be recommended based on those conclusions.

💡Plan of Action

A plan of action in action research is a strategy developed based on the conclusions and recommendations from the data analysis. The script explains that this step is critical in the action component of action research, where the researcher decides how to implement changes or improvements in their teaching practice.

💡Professional Presentation

A professional presentation refers to the act of sharing research findings in a formal and structured manner, which could be through written reports, scholarly papers, or oral presentations. The script mentions this as the final step in action research, where the researcher communicates their findings to an audience, contributing to the body of knowledge in the field.

Highlights

Action research is a recursive, non-linear process that involves systematic observation to improve teaching quality.

The process begins with identifying a question, problem, or research topic within one's teaching environment.

Setting the research topic in a theoretical context involves a literature review to build a solid foundation and credibility.

There are two approaches to literature review: before data collection or during the reporting phase.

Designing the research involves creating a plan for data collection, which is essential for a systematic approach.

It is recommended to use at least two different types of data sources for a comprehensive analysis.

Data should be collected and analyzed with attention to emerging themes, categories, or patterns.

Action research allows for the dynamic adjustment of the research question or problem as new insights are gained.

The process of inductive analysis involves categorizing and quantifying observed phenomena as data is collected.

Making conclusions and recommendations involves interpreting the data and addressing the research question or problem.

Action research culminates in a plan of action based on conclusions and recommendations for practical application.

Reporting findings is a crucial step, which can take various forms such as written reports or presentations.

Action research is adaptable, with steps often repeated or done out of order as the study evolves.

The importance of linking research directly to classroom practice for immediate application and relevance.

The necessity to describe any changes made during the research process for transparency and integrity.

The ethical responsibility to discontinue or modify ineffective teaching strategies discovered through research.

Action research encourages professional growth by addressing specific interests and solving problems within the classroom.

The process emphasizes the importance of a good narrative to guide the reader through the research journey.

Action research serves as a tool for continuous improvement in teaching strategies and educational outcomes.

Transcripts

Andy Johnson we are looking at the steps

of action research defining our terms of

systematic observation of one's own

classroom teaching environment or

teaching practice the purpose of which

is to understand and improve the quality

of instruction and or enhance learn

first of all action research is a

recursive process it is not linear yes

I'm giving you steps but we do not

always proceed in a linear fashion

sometimes steps are repeated or done out

of order so keep that in mind

so step one even though this could be a

different step is to ask a question

identify a problem or select a research

topic decide what to study this should

be within your classroom or teaching

environment or school what is of

interest to you what do you want to

study what problem should you solve

number two set the problem or research

topic in a theoretical context this is a

review of the literature professional

books journals or other professional

resources to see what others have found

to build a solid theoretical context and

to give you some ideas for what data to

collect and how to collect it now this

sets your study in a theoretical context

and it lends credibility to your

findings as well and you're able to link

research directly to your classroom

practice this way now there are two ways

to do it you can do a literature review

before you begin collecting data and

again this helps you formulate the

question provides the idea for data

collection you can also review

literature as data are being reported or

as conclusions or being drawn either way

most people do the literature review

before beginning to collect data

step3 design make a plan this is what

makes it systematic for collecting data

this is sometimes known as methodology

what data are going to be collected how

how often and when these are elements

described before you begin the action

research project and then begin to

collect and analyze data it is

recommended that at least two different

types of data sources be used and I'll

describe what these are in another video

but as you begin to collect and analyze

data and reanalyze that data as they are

collected here's where you begin to

notice and look for themes categories or

patterns to emerge as patterns emerge

sometimes this influences your finding

you know what sort of things to look for

so this always changes emerges evolves

you allow acts and research studies to

evolve as necessary so number five if

necessary allow the question or problem

to change action research is a dynamic

ever-changing process it's not a

controlled experiment it's common to

change teaching strategies sources of

data collection or even the focus of the

study as data are being collected now

this is acceptable as long as you

describe the reasons for changing in

your action research reports you take us

along you are a good narrative for

example if you started a study and you

found that the strategy you are using

does not work it's an utter failure yes

you have a professional responsibility

to discontinue using it or to change it

it somehow

number six analyzed and organized data

as I referred to sometimes data are

analyzed and organized as they

collected when you analyze that you want

to tell us how many things you see this

is a form of inductive analysis how many

total things were recorded the

categories or kinds of things and the

numbers within each category that's

called inductive analysis number seven

make conclusions and recommendations

that I'm going to remind you once again

action research is a recursive process

even though I've given you these nine

steps oftentimes they go out of order

and you have to go back and repeat steps

again but number seven conclusions and

recommendations here you interpret the

data you tell us what they mean and you

make recommendations based on the data

what conclusions can be made and what

recommendations can be drawn based on

the data here the research question is

answered or the problem is addressed and

you make your recommendations number

eight is the action in action research

you make a plan of action based on the

conclusions and recommendations

what is your plan of action how will you

do it and number nine reports your

findings the facts are presented either

in writing or some form of professional

presentation you have you produce some

sort of product or performance this

could be a written report a scholarly

paper or some type of in person or on

line presentation those are the action

research steps they are recursive