Merging Educational Practice and

ResearchA review of Anderson

By W.P.N Pietrek

Key aspects of action research

• Teachers must be perceived as more than just gatherers of data• Dewey – "the contributions that might come from classroom

teachers are … an almost unworked mine"

• Arygyris and Schon suggest Action Research is about practitioners reflecting on issues in their immediate context and developing responses that test their hypotheses and effect change.

• The action researcher follows a spiral of actions:

Plan

ActReflect

Observe

It is an intentional and systematic form of reflective research

Action research in education

• 1950s – Corey believed 'teachers would find the results of their own research more useful than the result of the work of outsiders'.• But:

• Is the classroom teacher's experience non-representative) undermined idea

• Teachers are not trained in research and therefore their data is flawed ) of AR

• 1960s – new movement grew amongst teachers out of concern over the forced implementation of behavioural objectives.

Action Science

• Argyris – action research can become too focused on research at the expense of becoming disconnected from reality (thereby nullifying its benefit).

• Action Research is therefore best done in collaboration with others who have a stake in solving a problem but there also needs to be a level of reflection that leads to individual professional growth (p31). • Must be careful that collaboration does not replace the self-

reflection of the individual.

• … and the individual reflection must still have an outward as well as an inward perspective.

Academic tradition to social movement

• The dualistic hierarchy of university and school is being challenged as a result of the empowerment of the school practitioner.• Consequences?

1. Greater challenge to the conservatism of institutions and increased defensiveness about their traditional practices.

2. Practitioner action researcher put on the back foot for fear of challenging the establishment

• How can this be addressed? – boldness by the practitioner to be critical but to still act collaboratively with the institution.

Quality in Action Research

• Quality criteria? • Validity (quantitative researchers)

• Trustworthiness (qualitative researchers)

• Qualitative researchers tend to be outsiders looking in whilst Practitioner action researchers are assessing and evaluating a situation within a very real and personal setting to themselves.

• Academic researchers – outsiders but want to gain the insider's perspective

• Practitioners – insiders but need to have an outsider's perspective.

• Essentially researchers are defined by the purpose of their research. The academic researchers look to disseminate their findings to a wider group whereas the practitioner researcher looks to apply their findings to their immediate setting.

Criteria for 'Validity' or 'Trustworthiness' in Practitioner Action Research

• 'The extent to which actions occur that lead to a resolution of the problem or a deeper understanding of the problem and how to go about resolving it in the future' (p40)

• 'Are problems framed and solved in a manner that permits ongoing learning of the individual or system' (p41). Needs to reflect ongoing review and incorporate a variety of methods so that the research is not inadvertently skewed.

• Collaborative research 'with all parties who have a stake in the problem under investigation' (p41). If this is not part of the process then it fails to reflect the necessary perspectives.

• Willingness by the practitioner researcher and participants to 'reorient' their views.

• Monitoring through peer review.

Are the findings of Action Research generalizable?

• Change occurs less through coercion and the imposition of new practices and more through practitioners embracing change as a result of their own personal conviction and understanding of a situation.. This also gives the practitioners a greater sense of ownership of the changes.

• Traditional research lends itself to more formalistic generalizations. These are less well received than narrative accounts from school which at least offer a vicarious experience to which it is easier to relate.

Politics of Action Research

• Research within a school can lead teachers to feeling they are under scrutiny and subsequently very vulnerable.

• Is the role of the teacher as the influencer of change less apparent because of decisions being made by those who are removed from teaching and make their decisions based upon underlying assumptions?

• 'Action research can be a way for teachers to push back on outside-in reforms and to expand the limited autonomy they still have' (p55)

• Crucial to always be sensitive to the input of parents and pupils – build alliances rather than see them as threats.

Implications

• Very aware of the danger of being too inward looking.

• Share the vision so that colleagues embrace your research rather than feel vulnerable.

• To be effective in action research one must utilise much broader resources that had been initially considered – look beyond the school to the parents and other community groups. Collaboration is crucial.

• The role of the Practitioner Action Researcher is not to be denigrated. Such research provides narrative insights to which others can experience vicarious empathy. Be sensitive to the setting but be bold in tackling 'injustices' where they are seen.

• The research and its application is always on-going.