Educational Action Research Lesson 1

Educational Action Research

• Educational action research is a systematic, reflective approach aimed at improving educational practices.
• It consists of a cyclical process: planning, acting, observing, and reflecting to enhance teaching and learning outcomes.
• Focuses on solving specific problems encountered by practitioners in local settings.
• Practitioners conduct this research after understanding relevant research methods from academic literature.
• Encourages collaborative, democratic strategies to examine community issues and develop solutions.
• Variants of action research include participatory research, collaborative inquiry, emancipatory research, action learning, and contextual action research.
• Central idea: "learning by doing" – identify a problem, implement a solution, evaluate effectiveness, and adjust as necessary.

Feasibility of Research Problems

• Research problems must be feasible; key considerations include:
  • Funding availability for the study.
  • Adequate time to complete the research within existing program deadlines.
  • Researcher’s understanding of required research design and statistical methods.
• Criteria for evaluating a research problem (McMillan, 1996):
  • Is the problem researchable?
  • Is it significant for understanding the issues?
  • What type of research does it indicate?
  • Specified target population?
  • Defined variables of interest?
  • Is the problem clearly articulated?

Sources of Research Problems

• Research topics can emerge from multiple sources:
  • Theory: Implications of theories in educational practice.
  • Experience: Personal or professional experiences relevant to the problem.
  • Literature: Prior studies or literature can highlight knowledge gaps.
  • External sources/expert ideas: Insights from educational experts.
  • Replication of previous studies: Verification of earlier research findings.

Theory in Research

• Theories provide general explanations of behaviors and phenomena.
• Can be used to formulate applicable educational research problems or refine existing theories.
• Background to the problem should succinctly explain the specific issue and its relevance to the literature.

Statement of the Problem

• A precise statement directly follows the background description, outlining the problem addressed in the study.
• Defines the scope of the research and articulates key variables and their relationships.
• Examples include attitudes towards assessments or educational policies.

Chapter Two: Literature Review Guidelines

• Define the scope of the review and the main themes.
• Specify the timeframe for relevant literature considered.
• Conduct a comprehensive search using academic databases and appropriate keywords.
• Evaluate the credibility of selected sources based on publication standards and relevance.
• Organize the literature by emerging themes or theories.

Chapter Three: Research Design

• Describes the overall research design (e.g., experimental, correlational, case study).
• Justifies the chosen design in relation to research questions and objectives.

Population and Sampling

• The target group consists of elements conforming to specific criteria for generalization of research results.
• Examples include all teachers in a defined geographical area.
• If not all subjects are accessible, an accessible population must be defined.
• Sample selection is critical for generalizability; representative sampling is essential.
• Recommended sample size for statistical analysis is typically 30 or more.
• Sampling methods may be probability-based (e.g., simple random sampling) or non-probability based.

Explore the foundational concepts of educational action research in this quiz. Learn how this systematic approach can enhance teaching practices and address specific educational challenges through reflective inquiry. Engage with the cyclical process of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting to improve educational outcomes.