Action Research Presentation

https://www.powtoon.com/online-presentation/fUQcMWpeDr5/?mode=presentation

Slide 1: Melody Slide 3: Melody

Introduction Accept the Mission

Slide 2: Melody Slide 4: Melody

Today’s Mission Outline of Topics

Slide 5: Melody
What is Action Research
 No Single Definition 
o Action Research has many names - Participatory Action Research (or PAR),
cooperative action inquiry, community-based action research, collaborative
research, and participatory inquiry 
o it is difficult to define AR but it is the purpose and the assumptions of AR that is
important
o But if we must define AR, it is a process of systematic inquiry that is cyclical and
conducted by those inside the community
o The goal is to identify actions to implement change, to generate improvements in
the community of interest that the researcher believes it’s important 
 Offers collaboration with stakeholders
o the researchers/nurses have the ability to work with the patients to discover what
is most important in their lives and what action/change to be implemented 
o Instead of Researcher vs. Participants, the participants are co-researchers and
the researchers facilitates the study 
 Promotes Empowerment
o empowers those who are part of the process to advocate for themselves when
solving real world problems 
o empowers people to bring about change by generating knowledge through
reflection on their personal experiences and situations
 4 Basic Approaches
o 1) Cooperative inquiry 
 Values that the individual is self-determining and cannot be researched
without full participation 
o 2) Community-based action research
 All those whose lives are impacted by the study, should be engaged in
the process
 Goal is to improve work activities, resolve problems or crises, and
develop special projects
o 3) Participatory Action Research
 Interdisciplinary focused
 Provide mutual interactions between researchers and participants, and
giving voice to those who would otherwise not be heard 
o 4) Action Science or Inquiry
 Focuses on the development of action that will lead to systemic change
Slide 6: Alisha
Characteristics of Action Research
 1) Context Bound
o Typically, a local group identifies a problem and seek individuals with research
expertise to assist the process to solve the problem 
o The research and the findings are locally bound, not always generalizable 
 2) Full Engagement 
o The collaborative approach is one of the fundamental roots of AR 
o the process is democratic 
o those who are involved with the research must be equal members in the team 
o uses a critical approach to solve problems
 3) Understand the impacts
o everyone on the research team must constantly be aware of their differences in
beliefs, values, needs, and objectives 
o need to be mindful about power, class, or the existing system within that
community 
 4) Focus is on Action/Change
o the purpose of AR is not to describe an existing problem but to construct new
knowledge 
o need to find new ways to solve a problem 
 5) Decision to execute change 
o all those involved in the research are stakeholders
o no one person should have the power to determine the action that needs to be
taken 
o the result of the study should reflect the group as a collective 

Slide 7: Melody
Selection of Action Research as a Method
1. Implementation of Action/Change
o ex) bringing change in behaviour or new practices, develop a plan for those who
resists change, and empowering the community 
2. Development of local theory
o the outcomes may not be generalizable but the plan of action could have an
impact or assist those with similar problems 
3. Collaborative Approach
o the power and knowledge of the researcher is shared among the participating
individuals who have little or no power/knowledge to implement change on their
own 
o researcher need to let the participants to take the lead of what they identify the
problem is, not what the researcher think it is 
4. Values Empowerment and Voice 
o researcher must regularly attend and be visible in the research setting to help the
participants find their voice and develop a process to empower actions 
5. Power to Act is exclusive to those involved in the process
o No external forces or power and make the participants carry the action/change
o the researcher cannot make the decision for them, but to validate their
experiences and desire for change 
Slide 8: Alisha
Elements of Action Research
 The elements or process of AR are listed here and the process is cyclical until the
success can be envisioned in addressing the identified problem. 
 Important to keep in mind that the participants will have to live with the outcome of
action/change so the collaboration is essential 
1. Data Generation
o Once the problem has been identified, data generation begins right away
o the initial discussions about the problem becomes an important part of the data
analysis 
2. Defining the Problem
o The stakeholders who are the individuals experiencing the problem would make
a nurse/researcher aware of the problem 
o The nurse/researcher will then use her theoretical knowledge and practical
information to assist with the research in bringing change 
3. Planning
o at the initial stage, it is important to identify all the stakeholders and ask them to
come forward to talk about their experiences of the existing problem 
o identify grounds for mutual learning, reflection, and communication between
researchers and stakeholders
o decide collectively how information is to be collected and shared during the
process 
4. Data Treatment and Analysis
o the appropriate methodology for data analysis will depend on the data was
collected 
o Data analysis is a joint activity with the participants, they should be the one
determining whether the results are accurate and appropriate 
o Local theories may be developed by the research team 
5. Action
o Outsiders/Researchers can help guide the implementation of the action/change
but they do not play an active role in it
o Reflection is part of the action phase to understand how the action/change
impacts each participants 
6. Evaluation
o co-facilitation of the evaluation process adds value to the study
o during the evaluation phase, the process of the action/change is assessed and
questioned to see whether it is effective 
7. Writing the Report
o the written report represent the end of the formal study but does not mean that
marks the end of the action/change 
o The report consists of recommendations that are determined collectively, also
includes a literature review to find support of the local theory. 
The planning, action, and evaluation phase becomes cyclical throughout the study. If the initiate
action was evaluated to be ineffective, the team will have to plan again for another course of
action/change until the desired effect is found

Slide 9: Melody
Rigor
 Lincoln and Guba (1985) 
 Credibility
o Established by prolonged engagement with participants, triangulation of
information from multiple data sources, member checking and peer
debriefing 
 Transferability
o Established by creating “thick descriptions”, that when read by another
researcher, can then be applied to another context
 Dependability and Confirmability
o Established through an “audit trail”, another researcher should be able to
read the study and come to a similar conclusion

Waterman (1998) 
 Dialectical
o Analysis and report of movement between theory, research and practice 
o Examination of the tensision, contradictions and complexities 
 Critical
o Analysis of the process of change
o analysis of intentions and actions, ethical implications and consequences 
 Reflexive
o Examination of the biases, suppositions, and presuppositions of the research

Slide 10: Alisha

Limitations
 Relationship between researcher and participants has been criticized as being “too
close”
o Potential to introduce bias
o Researchers take on the leadership role and therefore the relationship can be
seen as being “authoritative” rather than “democratic”
 Scientific rigor of the method
o Time-consuming process
o Findings cannot be generalized and are limited to the practical situation
 Constraints on implementing the change
o Members of the organization may be reluctant to the change

Slide 11: Melody

Ethical Considerations
 Considerations for marginalized groups 
o May not be fully aware of potential tensions in group process when individuals
share contrasting opinions 
 Process consent
o Informed consent can be renegotiated by the researcher and research
participants 
 Those invested in the change may feel vulnerable
o Limit the potential for oppression 
o Consult relevant authorities and involve all participants throughout the process
 Considerations for conducting action research in one’s own organization
 o Difficulties guaranteeing confidentiality, anonymity, informed consent and
protecting subjects from potential harm 

Slide 12: Alisha

Implications
Application to Practice
Eg: Impact of community support on the elderly
 Gallagher et al. (2009)- “Partnership for Healthy Living: An Action Research
Project”
o Purpose: “to develop, implement, and evaluate a nurse-managed
program in a community centre as a form of community support”
o Corresearchers: those who attend the seniors centre, those who are
employed at the senior centre (staff), primary political leaders
o Data generation: focus groups, journals, semi-structured interviews
o Findings: creation of educational interventions as well as “The Nurse is in”
case management model

Application to Education
Eg: Impact that a learning experience can have on students and the community
 Adams and Canclini (2008)- “Disaster Readiness: A Community-University
Partnership”
o Purpose: “to promote active involvement of BSN students in working with
community partners to implement a community-based education
program”
o Corresearchers: community leaders, faculty, BSN students
o Data generation: surveys, meetings with stakeholders
o Findings: BSN students were able to educate the community based on
their educational needs of personal disaster management 

Application to Administration
Eg:  Improving care for palliative care clients
 Phillips, Davidson, Jackson, and Kristjanson (2008)- “Multi-faceted Palliative
Care Intervention:Aged Care Nurses’ and Care Assistants’ Perceptions and
Experiences”
o Purpose: “to describe residential aged care nurses’ and care assistants’
perceptions of palliative care and identify actions to improve care”
o Corresearchers: RNs, care assistants, nursing directors
o Data generation: focus groups
o Findings: greater understanding of palliative care concepts, adoption of a
multidisciplinary approach to care

Slide 13: Alisha

Conclusion

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References and Questions