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Action Research

Action research and practitioner research both use cycles of reflection and action to investigate ways to improve practices. [1] Action research is a collaborative effort to enact change, while practitioner research is undertaken individually for professional development. [2] Both approaches begin by diagnosing a problem and then planning, implementing, observing, and evaluating efforts to resolve the issue. [3]

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Mairin Hennebry
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71 views2 pages

Action Research

Action research and practitioner research both use cycles of reflection and action to investigate ways to improve practices. [1] Action research is a collaborative effort to enact change, while practitioner research is undertaken individually for professional development. [2] Both approaches begin by diagnosing a problem and then planning, implementing, observing, and evaluating efforts to resolve the issue. [3]

Uploaded by

Mairin Hennebry
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Action/Practitioner Research

 Outline of approach

 Action research has several forms, but is broadly about taking action to bring about change in
practice.  It uses a cycle of reflection and intervention to investigate ways that practice can be
improved.  It is generally understood to be a collaborative form of research.

 Practitioner research is about personal professional development.  It follows a similar cycle


of reflection and action, but is generally undertaken by the individual.  It is carried out in
order to change practice and improve learning. 
Key concepts    

Action research Practitioner research

         Is collaborative          May be collaborative or individual

         Is empowering          Develops reflective practice

         Develops reflective practice          Is about investigating everyday


practices
         Links practice and research
         Concerned with improvement,
         Is about investigating everyday reflection, monitoring, intervention,
practices evaluation, problem-solving

         Concerned with improvement,          Is context specific, but experiences


reflection, monitoring, intervention, may be shared with colleagues who may
evaluation, problem-solving be seeking to improve similar aspects of
their own practice
         Is context specific
 
What might action/participant research look like

 Both are forms of a cyclical reflection and action on practice.  Both presuppose there is a
problem to be resolved, and begin with a diagnosis of that problem.  Then follows a cycle, or
more accurately, a spiral, of planning to improve, implementation of the plan, observation of
the effects, and evaluation of the results. 
Further reading

Argyris, C. and Schön, D. A. (1992) Theory in Practice: Increasing Professional


Effectiveness.  London: Jossey Bass.

Campbell, A.; McNamara, O. and Gilroy, P. (2004) Practitioner Research and


Professional Development in Education. London: Paul Chapman Publishing.

Cohen, L.; Mannion, L.; and Morrison, K (2000) Research Methods in Education (5th
edn) London: RoutledgeFalmer

McNiff, J. & Whitehead, J. (2006) All You Need To Know About Action Research.
London: Sage. 
 

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