Before the session today we were asked to read the introduction to Jean McNiff’s Action Research for Professional Development booklet.
I definitely had a lot of cognitive dissonance during the workshop and while reading this text. Teaching a course that is almost entirely action research-based, I was often confused about why my students found the concept of action research and interventions hard to grasp. Now that I am approaching action research from the perspective of a student, I can see where the lack of clarity from tutors (and from the resources we give to students) can produce uncertainty, disorientation and even resentment. There was definitely a clash between my teaching brain and my student brain.
For example, as a student I found the McNiff text quite unhelpful in unpacking what action research actually is in clear terms. She writes in a repetitive and obfuscatory way about what action research is and not much about what it isn’t. While I am sure no one wishes to spend their days defining research principles in opposition to other research principles, some kind of distinction would have been useful for me, at least as a starting point to begin my research. As a student, I like clear directives that tell me what goes where. Without those directives, I find my mind is a jumble of possibilities and I am unable to focus. For someone like me who has an overactive brain, a lack of parameters can be a dangerous thing as I find it hard to know where and when to stop. This, paired with a tendency towards perfectionism, and it’s cousin procrastination, left me feeling quite stuck and anxious as to how to proceed after reading the handbook.
Looking at the booklet from an educator’s perspective I can see why McNiff deliberately steered clear of giving any sort of directive for what action research is or is not. Keeping the definitions open allows for anyone reading the booklet to take the principles of action research and adapt them to suit their own ends. This is where the learning happens, within the multiple trials and errors of the action research process. A list of do’s and don’ts could inhibit the freedom of the researcher to make mistakes and learn from them.
So what actually are the key elements of action research?
- Practitioner based: The purpose of action research is for the practitioner (researcher) to investigate their own behaviour or reasons for doing things in a systematic way.
- Self-reflective: The researcher must investigate their own behaviour and also reflect on that behaviour. What impact does their behaviour have on others, on themselves?
- Systematic investigation: Action research usually utilises a variety of research methodologies in tandem to investigate behaviour and produce a well rounded set of results from which to draw data and analyse.
- Open ended: Action research does not begin with a fixed hypothesis, it begins with an idea you develop or a behaviour you wish to investigate and get clarity on. Having a fixed idea chokes the research process and makes it directive rather than explorative
- Taking action: The clue is in the name. Action research must conducted by engaging in specific, systematic research actions relevant to the behaviour you wish to study or the question you want answered.
- Evaluation: Once you have taken action, you must evaluate the effect those actions have on the issue. Did they solve the problem or get you closer to solving the problem? In what way? If not, what could be done differently?
- Democratic: The researcher does not conduct research on other people. They are researching themselves. Participants are invited and treated with care and respect, not as test subjects.
- Social intent: Action research seeks to provide research that is of benefit to social groups or society at large – not specific individuals.
- Accountability: Ensuring there are checks and balances in place which keep the research ethical, safe and as unbiased as possible.
- Enquiry: Consistent questioning of your work, your methodologies and your values. Evaluating those to determine how improvements can be made.
- Learning: Each action you take as you work through the action research cycle contributes to your learning and understanding of the subject/yourself.
How does someone conduct action research?
McNiff states that action research is conducted by creating an action plan and following it. Action research is cyclical, meaning that any one project has the potential to encompass a few “cycles” of action research before the practitioner reaches a conclusion; adapting the action plan as they move through the cycle and test their hypothesis.
What issue am I interested in researching?
Why do I want to research this issue?
What kind of evidence can I gather to show why I am interested in this issue?
What can I do? What will I do?
What kind of evidence can I gather to show that I am having an influence?
How can I explain that influence?
How can I ensure that any judgements I might make are reasonably fair and accurate?
How will I change my practice in the light of my evaluation?
McNiff’s modified version of Jack Whitehead’s action planning technique.
Personal musings on action research
- How can I use reflective practice to create a research project which has merit and is genuinely useful to others? (Rather than just navel-gazing and calling it research!)
- “looking at your own work to check that it is as you would like it to be…” What do I want my research to be? How can I ensure that my research is rigorous, ethical and meets the learning objectives set? The implication here is that the standards I must meet here are my own. However, I am creating a research project which is being graded, therefore the criteria I set for what is ‘good’ action research may be very different from what the exam board sets.
- Moving forward, I need to begin to answer the questions above if my research is to be successful. What kinds of research methodologies am I interested in exploring? How can these contribute meaningfully to the discussion around executive function and procrastinating students?
- What is the goal of my research?
- How can I conduct my research in a way that avoids jumping to a solution?
- How can I conduct my research in a way that avoids saviourism and a “troubleshooting” mentality?
Next steps
- Go through the action plan questions above and answer them.
- Reflect on my own relationship to procrastination, how does this inform my research, my learning process and my teaching practice?
- Review different kinds of research methodologies – what is most appropriate for my project?
Bibliography
McNiff, J., n.d. Jean McNiff – Action Research for Professional Development Booklet. [online] Jeanmcniff.com. Available at: <https://www.jeanmcniff.com/ar-booklet.asp>