NEFAS SILK

POLYTECHNIC
COLLEGE

Action Research Training

Feb 2022
Addis Ababa
INTRODUCTION

 The TVET sector is a very dynamic sector

that requires individuals in the sector such
as leaders, experts, and trainers to update
themselves continuously so as to cope
with the changes.
 This training is designed to help
practitioners (people in the work field) in
NSPTC, particularly leaders, experts and
trainers assess their own practices and
make changes to their own practices by
conducting action research
 Introduction Cont’d
It is believed that this training will help
practitioners to get better understanding of action
research and conduct it as part of their continuous
professional development practices in the college
The training consists three parts.
PI: gives a general overview of research
PII: committed to action research, its concepts,
characteristics, why it is conducted, types of action
research, and the steps followed in conducting
action research
PIII: deals with the components of action research
proposal and how action research proposal can be
developed
I. THE OVERALL VIEW OF A RESEARCH

Research has been defined in a number of

different ways:
 A scientific and systematic search for
pertinent information on a specific topic,
an art of scientific investigation.
 A careful investigation or inquiry through
search for new facts in any branch of
knowledge.
 Application of human intelligence in a
systematic manner to a problem whose
solution is not immediately available
 Thus, Research (basic or fundamental
research) is an original contribution to the
existing stock of knowledge making for its
advancement.
 The purpose of research is to discover
answers to questions through the
application of scientific procedures.
 The main aim of research is to find out
the truth which is hidden and which has
not been discovered as yet.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH

 It is empirical: observation and

measurement, involves some type of
practical experimentation. It is an exact
systematic and accurate investigation
 It relies upon data:quantitative and
qualitative/ It gathers new knowledge or
data from primary or first-hand sources.
 It is Intellectual and Visionary: Science
requires vision, and the ability to observe
the implications of results
TYPES OF RESEARCH BASED ON THE
NATURE OF ENQUIRY
 Descriptive Research
 Descriptive research is description of the
state of affairs as it exists at present
 The researcher has no control over the
variables;can only report what has
happened or what is happening
 Explanatory or Causal (Hypothesis-
Testing)
 Helps to develop causal explanations about
variables/factors by addressing the ‘why’
questions
Ex Why are some customers and not others satisfied
with a product of a firm?
 Exploratory Research
 is undertaken to explore an issue or a topic to
identify a problem,
 clarify the nature of the problem or define the
issue involved.
 It can be used to develop propositions
(hypothesis) for further research, to gain new
insights and a greater understanding of the
issue, especially when little is known about that
issue.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH
Research, as an aid to economic policy, has gained
added importance, both for government and business
 It provides the basis for nearly all government
policies in economic system/collecting information
on the economic and social structure of the nation/
 important for social scientists in studying social
relationships and in seeking answers to various
social problems.
 Thus, research is the fountain of knowledge for the
sake of knowledge and an important source of
providing guidelines for solving different business,
governmental and social problems
II. ACTION RESEARCH -AR
 Concepts of Action Research
 A different literature states that action
research is a disciplined process of inquiry
conducted by and for those taking the
action that are also the primary
consumers of the findings.
 The primary reason for engaging in action
research is to assist the “actor” in
improving and/or refining his or her
actions.
 Concepts of AR Cont’d
 AR is a systematic inquiry conducted by
trainers/teachers, administrators, or
others with a vested interest in teaching
learning process or environment for the
purpose of gathering information about
how their particular institutions
operate( how they teach and how their
students learn Mills, 2011)
 Characterized as research that is done by
trainers/teachers for themselves. It is
truly a systematic inquiry into one’s own
practice.
 CONCEPTS OF AR CONT’D
 For example: AR allows trainers to study
their own workshop, instructional methods,
trainees and their own assessments in order
to better understand them and to be able
to improve their quality or effectiveness. It
focuses specifically on the unique
characteristics of the population with whom
a practice is employed or with whom some
action must be taken. This, in turn, results
in increased utility and effectiveness for the
practitioners.
FOR ACTION RESEARCH TO BE SUCCESSFUL, A
NUMBER OF CONDITIONS MUST MEET. THESE
INCLUDE:
 the research must be problem-oriented
 the employee (client) must be at the
centre
 the current situation (status quo) must be
included in the discussion
 the research must produce empirically
demonstrable propositions (direct and
indirect observations)
 Propositions and findings must
systematically fit into a useful theory
 WHY ACTION RESEARCH?
Action research is a form of self-reflective
research carried out by the participants
themselves in an educational or social context
Action research is generally conducted:
 To improve practice;
 To solve problem;
 To empower practitioner;
 To explore and test new ideas, methods, and
materials;
 As part of continuous professional
development
TYPES (MODES) OF ACTION RESEARCH
Technical Action Research: is an important ‘fix
it’ approach in which the action researcher takes
an existing practice from somewhere else and
implements it in his/her own field of practice to
effect an improvement. It’s ‘technical’ because
the action researcher is acting in a fairly
mechanical fashion
Practical Action Research: is different from
technical in that the action researcher chooses or
designs the changes made.
 it is more like practicing a craft/skl
 experience and ideas
The kind of decisions the action researchers take
about what to do how and when are informed by
their professional notions of what will be best for
their clients
For exampe:
 Crafters set their own criteria for quality, beauty,
effectiveness, durability,...
 In education the action researcher is looking
towards contributing to children’s development,
which means that they will be making changes to
improve their students’ learning and self-esteem,
to increase their interest, autonomy or co-
operation, and so on.
POLITICAL ACTION RESEARCH
 The other issue is about changing constraints, and
when one begins to attempt to change the
constraints on action,
 one has to engage in politics because it means
working with or against others to change ‘the
system’.
 One can only do that through the exercise of power
which makes such action political. There are, of
course, many kinds of power and many ways in
which to exercise it. For instance, there is the
power to get people working together, the power
to do things when others aren’t looking, the power
to overcome the objections of others, and so on
AR VS OTHER RESEARCHES
( BASIC OR FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH )
 Fundamental (Scientific) research
contributes to the development of
knowledge /theory whereas, AR for both
knowledge and action.
 In AR, findings are local specific, it is
basically useful in solving an immediate,
specific problem( workshop or classroom
problems)
   Fundamental Research Action Research
Develop & test educational theories Find solutions to specific problems
Objectives   in a situation.
Training Superior training is required in Limited training is required
Research Methodology
Selection of a Wide study is done to select a problem Problems are identified by
Problem trainers/teachers in training/
teaching learning process
Hypothesis Highly specific hypotheses is formed Action Hypotheses are developed
Review of Extensive & thorough study of No such thorough review is needed
Literature literature
Sample Large sample size is required Trainer/Teacher takes the
trainees/students of a class as
sample
Analysis of Complex analysis is done Very simple analysis is done
Data
Conclusions In the form of generalization and In the form of specific results
developing theories  
Application of Generalizations have broad Results are implemented in
Results applicability workshop/ classroom situations to
see the outcome
Similarities:
 Both can be employed Quantitative or
Qualitative or Mixed methods

 Both can generate theories and test

theories
 PURPOSES OF ACTION RESEARCH

Practitioners have to consider their

purposes for conducting research to allow
the results of their research to be
consistent with their purposes.

These include:
 Personal and Professional Purposes for
Conducting Action Research
PERSONAL PURPOSES
 To develop a greater understanding of
individual trainee’s /student's thoughts
and actions.
 To develop a deeper understanding of
trainers’ / teachers' experiences with
particular educational innovations
 To provide trainers /teachers an
opportunity for personal examination and
generation of theory
 To examine the impact of the research
process on practitioners
 To conduct research as an individual
training /learning process valuing
experiential/empirical knowledge
Thus, action research undertaken for
personal purposes aims to greater self-
knowledge, fulfillment, and practitioners'
professional awareness.
PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
 Uses AR as a form of staff development
 Seeks the legitimization of their role as
producers of knowledge and contributors to the
literature of educational research and theory.
 Develops AR networks of practitioners for the
promotion of professionalism
Thus, in this purposes trainers /teachers seek to
extend their research beyond training workshop/
classroom and influence the social and institutional
contexts of their workplace. This type of research
helps to link educational theory and practices
IMPORTANCE /SIGNIFICANCE OF
AR
 Practitioners (people in the work field)
who engage in action research inevitably
find it to be an empowering experience.
AR has this positive effect for many
reasons.
 the most important is that AR is always
relevant to the participants, because the
focus of each AR project is determined by
the researchers, who are also the primary
consumers of the findings.
 IMPRTANCE CONT’D
 AR is a self – reflective inquiry by
participants, undertaken in order to
improve their own educational practices
in training workshop or classroom
situations
 AR is most helpful when it is self-critical
and starts from recognition of a problem
or statement, understanding, collecting
data and then self-evaluating and then
finally improving training /teaching
practices
 IMPRTANCE CONT’D

 Action research has multiplier effects not

only for trainers wherein they improve
their training practices but also positive
impact on trainees’ engagement and
renewed interest in training workshop or
classroom and studies.
CONTRIBUTION OF AR TO TVET COLLEGE
DEVELOPMENT
Technical Vocational Education and Training
(TVET) colleges have a pivotal and strategic
role to play in facilitating inclusive growth and
development in society.
TVET is seen as a crucial step in order to equip
young adults with skills that will develop them
and help them to be more employable by
providing them with the skills, knowledge and
attitudes necessary for employment in the
labor market
 CONTRIBUTION CONT’D

 Thus, contribution of AR to TVET

College development includes:
 Advancing curriculum development
 Helps to develop the capacity of the
facilitators and practitioners
 It can be applied to develop training
modules for trainers
 ACTION RESEARCH PROCESS

Educational action research can be engaged

in by a single trainer /teacher, by a group
of colleagues who share an interest in a
common problem. Whatever the scenario,
action research involves the following main
process:
 PROCESS CONT’D

Selecting a focus
 Clarifying theories
 Identifying research questions
 Collecting data
 Analyzing data
 Reporting results
 Taking informed action
 PROCESS CONT’D
Selecting a Focus :
Begins with the trainer /teacher researcher or
the team of action researchers asking: What
element(s) of our practice or what aspect of
trainee / student learning do we wish to
investigate?
Clarifying Theories:
Involves identifying the values, beliefs, and
theoretical perspectives the researchers hold
relating to their focus.
 PROCESS CONT’D

For example, if trainers are concerned about

increasing responsible classroom behavior, it will be
helpful for them to begin by clarifying which
approach—using punishments and rewards, allowing
trainees to experience the natural consequences of
their behaviors, or some other strategy—they feel
will work best in helping acquire responsible
classroom behavior habits.
 PROCESS CONT’D
 Identifying Research Questions:
 Once a focus area has been selected and
the researcher's perspectives and beliefs
about that focus have been clarified, the
next step is to generate a set of personally
meaningful research questions to guide the
inquiry
 Collecting Data:
 Professional educators always want their
instructional decisions to be based on the
best possible data.
 PROCESS CONT’D
 AR can accomplish this by making sure
that the data used to justify their actions
are valid (meaning the information
represents what the researchers say it
does) and reliable (meaning the
researchers are confident about the
accuracy of their data).
 Trainers must be confident that the
lessons drawn from the data align with
any unique characteristics of their
classroom or institution.
 PROCESS CONT’D
 To ensure reasonable validity and reliability,
AR researchers should avoid relying on any
single source of data. Most researchers use a
process called triangulation to enhance the
validity and reliability of their findings.
 Analyzing Data:
 Although data analysis often brings to mind the
use of complex statistical calculations, this is
rarely the case for the action researcher. A
number of relatively user-friendly procedures
can help a practitioner identify the trends and
patterns in action research data
DEVELOPING AN ACTION RESEARCH
PROPOSAL