Action Research

By: Mohammad Younis Farid

younis.farid@gmail.com

What is Action Research?

Action Research is teacher-initiated classroom investigation which seeks to increase the teachers understanding of classroom teaching and learning, and to bring about change in classroom practices (Gregory 1988; Kemmis and McTaggart 1988). Action Research has acquired a widespread acceptance around the world today and it is used in many educational and professional contexts for the improvement of prevalent practices. It began in the USA during the 1940s through the work of Kurt Lewin, a social scientist, and later emerged in Britain in 1970s. gaining a wider acceptance from then on (Mcniff 2002). Action Research is a tool for reflective practice which aims to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom. Action Researchers are classroom practitioners who identify an area of their teaching practice which requires improvement, devise and implement a plan of action to solve the problem, and then observe and evaluate the effectiveness of the actions to determine whether or not the problem has been resolved. It is a cyclic process which continues until the solution for a problem has been found. There are several models of Action Research available in literature, however, the model presented by Kemmis and McTaggart is most well-known, although it has been criticized by some for being too fixed and rigid (Burns 2009). One cycle of Action Research in this model comprises of the following four broad phases:

1. Planning
The practitioner identifies a problem area in his teaching practice and develops a plan of action in order to resolve the problem and improve the quality of teaching. He also has to bear in mind the realities and constraints of his specific teaching context.

2. Action
The plan of action will involve carefully considered deliberate interventions into the teaching situation and over an agreed period of time. These actions will be critically informed and aimed at solving the specific problem in the teaching context.

3. Observation

It is the data collecting phase where you systematically record the effects of the action. The practitioner must use various tools to document the context, actions and opinions of those involved.

4. Reflection
This is the final phase where you evaluate and interpret the effects of the action in order to have a clear understanding of the issue you have been researching about. You may find you have successfully found a solution to the problem or you may need to do further cycles of AR to further improve the situation. You can share the report of your research with colleagues to continue your professional development. (Adapted from Kemmis & McTaggart, 1988, pp. 1114)

As most classroom teachers are already overworked and pushed for time, this reflective teaching tool has immense benefits for them as it becomes a part of their teaching routine and does not put much extra burden on them. Through Action Research, they will be able to hone their pedagogical skills, find tailor-made solutions to the problems in their teaching context and greatly improve the teaching and learning in their classrooms. Instead of experts telling them what to do, the teachers are able to find teaching strategies and techniques which work best in their specific context. They become informed professional and much more effective teachers through the continuous professional development that Action Research offers.

Why is it called Action Research?

Action Research is called Action Research because Action is central to this type of research. When a practitioner identifies a problem area, he devises possible actions or changes to implement, and then evaluates the effects of actions to find out which action is the solution to the problem. Actions are not arbitrarily chosen, but the choice has to be critically informed and based on the data collected by the practitioner. (Burns 2009) The evaluation of the effects of the actions then informs the theory of the practitioners. Action Research is not possible without the action in it because simply put, it is mostly the research about the effects of the plan of action, and thus it has been aptly termed as Action Research.

Characteristics of an Action Researcher

An Action Researcher must have a thirst for continuous professional development and should be ready to work harder and go an extra mile in his mostly overworked job. He should develop an understanding of research methodology and data collection tools, especially of the Action Research cycles. Furthermore, he should be a keen observer, sharp analyst and an accurate interpreter of data. He must be open to criticism, willing to accept his mistakes and always ready to learn. He should also have a friendly nature in order to develop a positive rapport with his students and extract candid feedback from them about his teaching. He also has to develop good terms with his colleagues to be able to collaborate with them in Action Research projects as well as to gain from their experience and expertise. He must also read literature on education, learning theories and teaching methodologies in order to keep pace with the current pedagogical practices and to be able to make informed choices in his classroom. He must always be ready to experiment with new teaching techniques and avoid stereotyping. Above all, he must always reflect on his teaching practices and keep striving to improve his instructional skills.
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Bibliography
1. Gregory. R (1988) Action Research in the Secondary Schools Routeledge, Chapman & Hall London 2. Kemmis. S. and McTaggart R. (1988) The Action Research Planner Deakon University Press Victoria 3. McNiff, Jean (2002) Action Research Booklet (Ebook www.jeanmcniff.com) 4. Burns. A (2010) Action Research in Language Teaching Routledge Newyork