Action research can make you a "student of teaching" (John Dewey). 

Action research - methodology article

This article looks at the benefits of action research.

  • What is action research?
  • Why should teachers do action research?
  • What are the steps in the action research process?
  • Where can your research question come from?
  • What evidence can you collect to see whether your solution has worked or not?

What is action research?

It is a process in which teachers investigate teaching and learning so as to improve their own and their students' learning.

Why should teachers do action research?

  • To help them notice what they and their students really do, rather than what they think they do.
  • To get feedback as to the success or failure of what they are doing.
  • To help them tailor teaching and learning to their learners and their settings.
  • So that they are able to justify the teaching and learning choices they make.
  • To increase their knowledge of learning and teaching and become authorities on teaching.
  • To become less dependent on decisions made by people who are far away from their learning and teaching sites, people like textbook writers and school administrators.
  • To ensure that they don't become bored with teaching.

What are the steps in the action research process?

Sue Davidoff and Owen van den Berg (1990) suggest four steps: plan, teach / act, observe and reflect. Here are some guidelines for each step.

Plan

  • Identify the problem area.
  • Narrow it down so that it is manageable.
  • Investigate the problem. When does it happen? Who does it affect?
  • Where does it happen?
  • Think about what might be causing the problem. Talk to other teachers and/or read to get more ideas about this.
  • Think about a solution and how to implement it.
  • Think about what evidence you will collect to decide whether your action is successful or not. How will you collect it? How will you analyse it?

Teach / Act: Implement your solution.

Observe: Gather evidence which you will analyse to decide whether your solution was successful or not.

Reflect: Analyse the evidence you gathered. Has the problem been solved? If not, what step will you try next? If yes, what problem will you try to solve now?

Where can your research question come from?

Research questions can come from:

A problem/difficulty which you or your students are experiencing. For example, you might notice that only a few students take part in group work activities. Before looking for a solution, investigate the problem.

  • Do students know how to give and support their ideas, disagree with others, ask questions etc. in the language they must use in group work activities?
  • Do students know that they should take different roles in groups? Group activities usually need a facilitator, a recorder, a reporter and a time-keeper.
  • Are the activities suitable for group work or could the students do them on their own? Once you have a better understanding of the problem, plan what solution you will try.

Observing the teaching and learning processes in your classroom. For example, you could observe how you use questions in your classroom. Record a lesson and then listen to find answers to the following questions:

  • How many questions do I ask my students?
  • What type of questions do I ask them? (Who? What? Where? When? How? Why?)
  • How long do I wait for students to answer?

Something you have readFor example, you may have read an article in which the author said that letting students use their Mother Tongue in group work improves the quality of their feedback. You might want to test this idea and so set yourself the question, "How does allowing students to use their Mother Tongue in group work activities affect the length of their feedback? The number of ideas presented in their feedback? The accuracy of the language they use in their feedback? The level of language they use in their feedback?  

Previous researchFor example, a South African teacher, Rosh Pillay, started doing action research in an attempt to solve the following problem: My students don't know how to structure an argument essay. While working on this problem she discovered that her students didn't know how to analyse essay questions. She then carried out a second cycle of action research in which she tried to answer the question, "Will the quality of my students' essays improve if I teach them how to analyse the essay question?"

What evidence can you collect to see whether your solution has worked or not?

You can collect many types of evidence. For example:

  • Students' exercises, essays, assignments, tests etc.
  • Other documents like your lesson plans, notes to students' parents, minutes of meetings etc.
  • Personal notes. Write short notes as you observe your students.
  • Observation schedules. Draw up a list of behaviours and language to look for while students are working in groups, reading aloud, doing a report back, performing a role play etc.
  • Peer observations. Ask a colleague to observe you while you teach.
  • Ask him/her to look for particular behaviours, language use etc.
  • Audio recordings
  • Video recordings
  • Interviews of learners, their parents, teachers, administrators etc.
  • Questionnaires
  • Student journals
  • Teacher journals

If you have never done action research before, start small. Ensure that the problem you try to solve is manageable. And don't be afraid of making mistakes. As all teachers know, we learn through our mistakes.

Cheron Verster, teacher trainer and materials developer, South Africa

Comments

Submitted by NancyBenitez. on Tue, 01/03/2023 - 02:55

Good evening
Action research is a very important and interesting topic.
Action research is method to solve problems within an educational environment, in what can help in the educational environment by means of scientific knowledge is developed and put into practice in a real scenario However, through participatory action research should get the educational community to become the main agent to achieve the transformation of their reality.

Regards

Submitted by Sandy Sánchez on Fri, 12/30/2022 - 19:10

Hi everyone ,
It is informative and very helpful in teaching , a study strategy known as "action research" combines research with participation and action in the field. Its history can be found in the years immediately following World War and over the past few years, it has gained popularity alongside other qualitative methods as more and more people have realized the importance of gathering rich data through various channels. It is a type of applied research that is especially beneficial for creating theories regarding actual practice. I believe that in this way, the teacher can constantly improve and assist the student in a better way.

Sandy Sánchez

Submitted by Ma. Gabriela Chamba on Sun, 11/27/2022 - 06:21

Hi there!!
Action research is a subject I had not heard of before. However, I am currently attending a level at the university where I receive this subject, so I've read this interesting article. And from my point of view, it is very important and helpful in the field of education because beyond just investigating, it makes us reflect and develop the solution to the problem that we can present in a more profound and more effective way.
Thank you.

Submitted by erickpvilla on Thu, 11/10/2022 - 03:02

I find this article very useful specially since I started to learn about what research action is. I think the information that is provided here will help me to understand and get started to carry a research on educational issues I’ve experienced as student and teacher.
Thanks for sharing this

Submitted by Valeria Tutasi… on Wed, 11/09/2022 - 22:51

Good Afternoon Dear Mr Jose Lema Ph.D and Classmates.
About the article.

When investigating and analyzing aspects of scientific educational training aspects and to contribute to society's action research help in great magnitude because it embroiders different problems of study, in turn, we can develop the potential research that can be done to the population by taking a sample as a basis to form well and build a reflective practice this article seems to me very important for learning new practices, In this way, our learning in research according to the motivations and new findings at the social level can help us together with action research to plan and face challenges that society and we as future researchers are exposed to solve problems and innovate in a practical way in the various competencies of research today in conjunction with society.

Thank you very much.

Regards

Submitted by VGAB on Wed, 11/09/2022 - 22:09

This arcticle helped me understand that knowing the steps to apply action research is essential since through these the teacher can identify the topics or exercises where students have comprehension problems in the classroom. Once the problem has been identified, the teacher can implement a solution. We donit forget that for a correct teaching process, feedback is very important.

Submitted by ChineseCL7 on Wed, 11/09/2022 - 20:53

This article helps us to understand in a suitable way, what are the steps in order to Identify the problems that we as a students and also as a teachers have in our classes, also the way to investigate the problem. we have to start establishing these questions like: When does it happen? Who does it affect? and what are the possible solutions to implement it.

Submitted by Fabian Arias on Wed, 11/09/2022 - 04:37

Due to our status as students, obviously our field of research will be the educational field, however it is incredible to see the field of application of action research, especially due to the versatility of its operation and also because it has become so widespread that most researches are carried out under this modality, having a large number of works, articles and so on where to base our future research.

Submitted by Yasna Saritama on Wed, 11/09/2022 - 04:14

Action Research
Good night everyone!
Valuable article! Since the research-action process is a great help for the teacher in order to improve the construction of pedagogical knowledge of the teaching process. Allowing to discover and analyze the shortcomings or weaknesses. In addition to search and apply own techniques or methodology led to improvement. Nowadays, there is a poor performance of teachers within the educational system in their teaching practice and action research can become an adequate methodology to change to quality education, eradicating the difficulties of the students.

Submitted by vanesa2 on Tue, 11/08/2022 - 22:53

Hello to all,
I consider this article has been a clear example of action research and how to apply it in class has seemed fundamental to me because as future teachers it is important to apply it to the learning process in students because we can show the problem, observations, questions and collect evidence to see if the solution has worked or not.
From the ideas that I gathered from this article, it is important for me to continue reading and researching more so that this action research process can be managed correctly, as well as practical solutions to analyze, compile and analyze data collected for my next research project throughout my student life and career.

Thank you very much.

Submitted by vanesa2 on Tue, 11/08/2022 - 22:52

Hello to all,
I consider this article has been amazing and a clear example of action research and how to apply it in class has seemed fundamental to me because as future teachers it is important to apply it to the learning process in students because we can show the problem, observations, questions and collect evidence to see if the solution has worked or not.
From the ideas that I gathered from this article, it is important for me to continue reading and researching more so that this action research process can be managed correctly, as well as practical solutions to analyze, compile and analyze data collected for my next research project throughout my student life and career.

Thank you very much.

Submitted by Dayana Salo on Tue, 11/08/2022 - 16:48

Hello all, indeed research is a very important tool in all aspects and more in the education of the English language, I was reading some comments and indeed I consider that in our country there is much more research in this field because with it we can modify certain strategies or methodologies and that is more focused on students. This process should be investigated by teachers to provide solutions to problems that may arise.

Submitted by Dayana Salo on Tue, 11/08/2022 - 16:37

Hello everyone, thanks for sharing this information, in the process of learning and development of a professor, research plays a fundamental role with it we can see the progress and the progress of the students, the things we can improve, and give solutions to a problem. In my opinion, a teacher must know when to apply it in order to develop a quality education based on the needs of the students.

Submitted by Geomara Gordillo on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 16:58

I found this article very interesting, about action research, it helps teachers to improve the teaching process, identifying the successes and errors in the classroom, reflecting on how to achieve a good result, increase knowledge in students, with different methodologies, dynamic, creative activities etc. Without a doubt, it is a very valuable article that a teacher should take into account.

Submitted by Paola Quinde on Sun, 11/06/2022 - 00:54

¡¡Hi everybody!!

After reading this article, I conclude, Action Research is a tool that should be very familiar with teachers committed to the teaching-learning of Ecuadorian children, in order to develop new strategies to improve education of our children.

Thanks

Submitted by Carlos Pluas on Fri, 11/04/2022 - 02:46

Hello there!

This article is gold! I have never come across this type of research before. I am majoring in Language Teaching in the English Language at university, and my professor and friend, Mr Jose Lema PhD, have recently started me on this subject, which I found to be much like traditional research.

From the insights I had after reading this article, action research is something that I believe must be applied to the learning process of students and teachers to show the problem, make observations, and seek solutions to prevent it from escalating. But this procedure must be carried out consistently and should help teachers get feedback on overall student success or failure and tailor the learning and teaching process to the needs and settings of students.

The thing that I think I will have many problems with is trying to name a problem, get the research question(s), and find a solution to the problem. That is not an easy task and will require much of my time. So, this article will provide me with the steps and suggestions on how to properly do action research on teaching and learning for teachers and students, as well as practical solutions to gather, analyse, and interpret the collected data for my upcoming research project. Wish me luck!

And that is it for me! Wish you have an enjoyable day!

Carlos

Submitted by AdrianaAstu on Thu, 11/03/2022 - 04:42

It is interesting and very useful in teaching since it helps the teacher to learn while evaluating or investigating a "phenomenon" in his teaching methodology because while the student acquires knowledge, the teacher is able to evaluate if he is doing it correctly or what deficiencies he has and if these deficiencies are related to the way of teaching, I think that in this way the teacher can constantly improve and help the student in a better way, it is important to remember that a teacher is a constant researcher to be a better professional every day.

Submitted by Guadalupe Achiña on Thu, 11/03/2022 - 03:18

Excellent and interesting article, the information is understandable. So, helps to get better methodologies and facilities to follow action research easily step by step. because in the educational process action research is a good method to face a problem,

Submitted by MARLENE ELIZAB… on Thu, 11/03/2022 - 02:49

Thank you very much for such valuable information, I want to mention that the main benefits of action research are the improvement of the practice, the understanding of the practice and the improvement of the situation in which the practice takes place, after reading all the information I now have a clearer idea on the subject.

Submitted by Kyabett Baldeón on Thu, 11/03/2022 - 01:48

Good evening,
This topic is fundamental to analyze and verify the practical development between the teacher and his students, in this way, the research can see the performance of the teacher and the progress of the student, and with the data collection take correct measures to change and improve the problems encountered.
Regards.

Submitted by Dayana Barriga on Thu, 11/03/2022 - 01:23

I find action research very interesting and especially useful in teaching, this type of research helps the teacher to know if the way of teaching and learning of both the student and himself is being effective. With this research the teacher can support and improve the practice in the classroom.

Submitted by Alisson Flores on Thu, 11/03/2022 - 01:13

It is interesting to learn from innovative topics, it is something essential personally as a future teacher to find research that focuses on students and my criteria. It seems to me that action research is something essential because in this way we are leaving behind traditional education and focusing on what our students need. Even more, an investigation helps to find the problem of various situations that come to pass and thus find a solution in order to create a comfortable environment for them to participate openly.
Thank you for this valuable information.

Submitted by Alisson Flores on Thu, 11/03/2022 - 01:05

Good night everyone.
I did not know about action research but it is something very interesting to study even more as a future teacher than to be, to investigate different ways for a class to be dynamic. Above all, the fact of creating an interesting environment for the student or creating research focused on the students in order to improve our techniques and create a social environment, eliminate traditional education but modern education where students are the main role of their learning.
Thank you for this valuable information and time.

Submitted by mhandeni on Sat, 06/22/2019 - 10:50

I did not know action research before. Thank you for clarification. Additionally, I am thinking of doing a PhD program and my research interest lies on English teachers professional development. One of the areas that I may be required to look at is teachers' ability to conduct action research.Thank you very much!

Submitted by jvl narasimha rao on Mon, 05/02/2016 - 00:59

Action research is a must for the continuous professional development of a teacher and to know the problems faced by the learners and to suggest remedies to over come them. This is a great blog by the administrators and I appreciate them for their great knowledge and vision in the field of teaching English

Submitted by rasha2007 on Thu, 03/27/2014 - 13:24

These information are really beneficial. However, they would be excellent if provided with a good example about action research in teaching English as a Foreign Language-the problem solving model. I would be so grateful if you have an excellent model you can send.

Submitted by stephen jeyaraj k on Thu, 03/06/2014 - 14:41

The article Action Research has cleared my doubt why action research needed for an experienced teacher and action research is essential for an English teacher who teaches Englsih as a foreign language as he faces many learning problems from the learners. So through action research we can deal the learners by step by step approach. Thanks a lot for this article!

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