Action Research Methodology

INTRODUCTION Action research is one of those terms that we hear quite often in today’s educational circles. But just what does it mean?  Typically, action research is undertaken in a school setting.  Action Research (AR) represents a growing field of educational research whose chief identifying characteristic is the recognition of the pragmatic requirements of educational practitioners for organized reflective inquiry into classroom instruction. AR is an process designed to empower all participants in the educational process (students, instructors and other parties) with the means to improve the practices conducted within the educational experience (Hopkins, 1993). All participants were knowing, active members of the research process.  Action research has been described as an informal, qualitative, formative, subjective, interpretive, reflective and experiential model of inquiry in which all individuals involved in the study are knowing and contributing participants (Hopkins, 1993). Action research has the primary intent of providing a framework for qualitative investigations by teachers and researchers in complex working classroom situations.  It is a reflective process that allows for inquiry and discussion as components of the “research.” Often, action research is a collaborative activity among colleagues searching for solutions to everyday, real problems experienced in schools, or looking for ways to improve instruction and increase student achievement. Rather than dealing with the theoretical, action research allows practitioners to address those concerns that are closest to them, ones over which they can exhibit some influence and make change.  Practitioners are responsible for making more and more decisions in the operations of schools, and they are being held publicly accountable for student achievement results. The process of action research assists educators in assessing needs, documenting the steps of inquiry, analysing data, and making informed decisions that can lead to desired outcomes.  We will discuss several types of action research, its history, and a process that may be used to engage educators in action research.