PHILOSOPHY OF ACTION RESEARCH

PHILOSOPHY OF ACTION RESEARCH

By, Hanafi Pelu (181061001001)

A.  Background

The idea that there are different views of the world, and the processes that operate within it, is part of what is known as philosophy. Philosophy is concerned with views about how the world works and, as an academic subject, focuses, primarily, on reality, knowledge and existence. Our individual view of the world is closely linked to what we perceive as reality. On a day-to-day basis outside of your academic work, it would be unusual to think often about the way you perceive reality and the world around you. However, in relation to your dissertation, it is very important to realize how you perceive reality. Your individual perception of reality affects how you gain knowledge of the world, and how you act within it. This means that your perception of reality, and how you gain knowledge, will affect the way in which you conduct the research in your dissertation.

The origins of action research are unclear within the literature. Authors such as Kemmis and McTaggert (1988), Zuber-Skerrit (1992), Holter and Schwartz-Barcott (1993) state that action research originated with Kurt Lewin, an American psychologist. McKernan (1988 as cited in McKernan 1991) states that action research as a method of inquiry has evolved over the last century and careful study of the literature shows "clearly and convincingly that action research is a root derivative of the scientific method' reaching back to the Science in Education movement of the late nineteenth century." (McKernan 1991: 8).

McKernan (1991:8) also states that there is evidence of the use of action research by a number of social reformists prior to Lewin, such as Collier in 1945, Lippitt and Radke in 1946 and Corey in 1953. McTaggert (1992: 2) cites work by Gstettner and Altricher which has a physician named Moreno using group participation in 1913 in a community development initiative with prostitutes in Vienna. Freideres (1992:3-4) asserts that the concept of participatory research emerged in the 1970s from development work in low income countries and mentions names such as Fals-Borda and Freideres.

Despite the clouded origins of action research, Kurt Lewin, in the mid-1940s constructed a theory of action research, which described action research as "proceeding in a spiral of steps, each of which is composed of planning, action and the evaluation of the result of action" (Kemmis and McTaggert 1990: 8). Lewin argued that in order to "understand and change certain social practices, social scientists have to include practitioners from the real social world in all phases of inquiry" (McKernan 1991: 10). This construction of action research theory by Lewin made action research a method of acceptable inquiry. (McKernan 1991: 9).

Movements that have had historical and philosophical influences on action Research are:

1. The Science in Education Movement of the nineteenth and early twentieth century in which the scientific method was applied to education, notably in the work of Bain (1979), Boone (1904) and Buckingham (1926) (McKernan 1991: 8).
2. The Experimentalist and Progressive educational work, especially of John Dewey, "who applied the inductive scientific method of problem solving as a logic for the solution of problems is such fields as aesthetics, philosophy, psychology and education" (McKernan 1991:8).
3. The Group Dynamics movement in social psychology and human relations training. This movement was used in the nineteenth century to address the social problems of this era through qualitative social enquiry. (McKernan 1991: 9). It was again utilised in the 1940s to address some of the problems (such as the onslaught of World War II, inter-group relations, racial prejudice, and social reconstruction) being experienced at this time. One of the noted researchers of this time was Kurt Lewin. He discussed action research as a form of experimental inquiry based upon the groups experiencing problems. "Lewin argued that social problems should serve as the locus of social science research. Basic to Lewin's model is a view of research composed of action cycles including analysis, fact-finding, conceptualization, planning, implementation and evaluation of action. (McKernan 1991:9) In the fifties and early sixties action research was used in the study of industry, it developed a committed following in the USA at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and in the UK at the Tavistock Institute. (McKernan 1991: 10)
4. Post-war Reconstructionist Curriculum Development Activity. Action research in education was utiliszd in this era as "a general strategy for designing curricula and attacking complex problems, such as inter-group relations and prejudice through large curriculum development projects (McKernan 1991: 10). Generally the research was carried out by outside researchers with the cooperation of teachers and schools (McKernan 1991:10). Noted researchers of this era were Corey (1953), Taba (1949) and Brady and Robinson (1952) (McKernan 1991:10). However by the end of the 1950s action research was in decline and under attack (McKernan 1991:10). Sanford (1970, as cited in McKernan 1991:10) suggested that the decline was directly related to the split between science and practice which was supported by the movement, and to the shift towards the establishment of expert educational research and development laboratories. This shift highlighted the separation of theory and practice Professional researchers were insulated from the teaching ranks and were prevented from studying problems in the field (McKernan 1991:11).
5. The teacher-researcher movement. This movement originated in the UK, with the work of Stenhouse (1971, 1975) and the Humanities Curriculum Project. Stenhouse felt that all teaching should be based upon research, and that research and curriculum development were the preserve of teachers. (McKernan 1991:11) Other significant teacher-researcher developments include the Ford Teaching Project, and the Classroom Action Research Network.

B.  Discussion

Bogdan & Biklen (1992: 223) explain that action research is the systematic collection of information that is designed to bring about social change. In addition, (Cameron-Jones: 1983) defines action research as a research carried out by practitioners with a view to improve their professional practice and understand it better. In accordance with that Allwright and Bailey (1991: 2) mention that it is a research centers on the classroom, and simply tries to investigate what actually happens inside the classroom. It treats classroom interaction as virtually the only object worthy of investigation.

Three of the many definitions for action research are: a "systemic inquiry that is collective, collaborative, self-reflective, critical and undertaken by participants in the inquiry" (McCutcheon and Jung 1990:148). "a form of collective self-reflective inquiry undertaken by participants in social situations in order to improve the rationality and justice of their own social or educational practices, as well as their understanding of these practices and the situations in which these practices are carried out" (Kemmis and McTaggert 1990:5). "action research aims to contribute both to the practical concerns of people in an immediate problematic situation and to the goals of social science by joint collaboration within a mutually acceptable ethical framework" (Rapoport 1970:499 as cited in McKernan 1991:4).

Within all these definitions there are four basic themes: empowerment of participants; collaboration through participation; acquisition of knowledge; and social change. The process that the researcher goes through to achieve these themes is a spiral of action research cycles consisting of four major phrases: planning, acting, observing and reflecting (Zuber-Skerrit 1991:2).

Grundy and Kemmis (1981 as cited in Grundy 1988) state that there are three minimal requirements for action research. "These requirements incorporate the goals of improvement and involvement which characterize any action research project. The conditions which are set out there as individually necessary and jointly sufficient for action research to exist are:

1. the project takes as its subject-matter a social practice, regarding it as a strategic action susceptible to improvement;
2. the project proceeds through a spiral of cycles of planning, acting, observing and reflecting, with each of these activities being systematically and self-critically implemented and interrelated; and
3. the project involves those responsible for the practice in each of the moments of the activity, widening participation in the project gradually to include others affected by the practice and maintaining collaborative control of the process (Grundy and Kemmis 1981 as cited in Grundy 1988:353).

Action research is a rather simple set of ideas and techniques that can introduce you to the power of systematic reflection on your practice. Our basic assumption is that you have within you the power to meet all the challenges of the teaching profession. Furthermore, you can meet these challenges without wearing yourself down to a nub. The secret of success in the profession of teaching is to continually grow and learn.

Action research is a way for you to continue to grow and learn by making use of your own experiences. The only theories involved are the ideas that you already use to make sense of your experience. Action research literally starts where you are and will take you as far as you want to go, (Frances Rust and Christopher Clark, 2008: p.3)

C.  Conclusion

The secret of success in the teaching profession is to continually grow and learn. Action research is a way to continue to grow and learn by making use of your own experiences.

How to use action research in your classroom was developed from our years of supporting teachers in the Teachers Network Leadership Institute to conduct action research in order to make powerful connections among policy, practice, and student achievement.

It is what others have learned about this topic. If you haven’t already read other research and theory on your topic, now is the time to do it. This is critical to situating your work. If, for example, you find that the action you took has results that are very similar to those of other researchers, then you know your analysis is in the ballpark. Essentially, you can borrow from the authority of others that have come before you to strengthen the claims that you will make for the action that you took. If, however, your results contradict prior research, then you are well on the way to forming a provocative new question about why your study yielded such different results.

References

Bogdan, Robert C . Biklen. Sari Knopp., 1992. Qualitative Research for Education An Introduction To Theory and Methods. London: Allyn and Bacon.

Frances Rust and Christopher Clark, 2008. How to Do Action Research in Your Classroom Lessons from the Teachers Network Leadership Institute.

Holter, I.M., and Schwartz - Barcott,D. (1993). Action Research: What is it? How has it been used and how can it be used in nursing? Journal of Advanced Nursing 1993:128; 298-304

Kemmis,S. and McTaggert,R. (Ed). (1988). The Action Research Reader (3 ed) Geelong: Deakin University Press.

McKernan,J., (1991). Curriculum Action Research. A Handbook of Methods and Resources for the Reflective Practitioner London: Kogan Page

Zuber-Skerrit,O., (1992). Improving Learning and Teaching Through Action Learning and Action Research Draft paper for the HERDSA Conference 1992 University of Queensland.