Action Research

ACTION RESEARCH

by Antonio C. Antonio

March 3, 2015

Last February 27, 2015, I published an article on the subject “Research Method” on my blogsite (http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/search?q=research+method).  After enumerating some recommended research methods, my good friend, Prof. Fred Cabuang of De La Salle University, mentioned that Action Research is the preferred and recommended method for use by post-graduate students.  Prof. Fred was correct to recommend this method because of the participatory nature of this research method.

There are several definitions of Action Research.  Such as:

·         RAPOPORT:  “Action research aims to contribute both to the concerns of people in an immediate problematic situation and to the goals of social science by jointly collaboration within a mutually acceptable ethical framework.”

·         HULT and LENNUNG: “Action research simultaneously assists in practical problem-solving and expands scientific knowledge, as well as enhances the competencies of the respective actors, being performed collaboratively in an immediate situation using data feedback in a cyclical process aiming at an increased understanding of a given social situation and undertaken within a mutually acceptable ethical framework.”

Kurt Lewin, a social psychologist, is credited with postulating Action Research.  Lewin describes or defines Action Research as the promotion of changes in a group by using complex social issues in order to bring about improvements to a society.  This is accomplished by collecting and considering even ill-structured data from organized workshops to construct general laws and how these (general laws) can impact on social changes to be implemented.

There are also different types of Action Research, such as:

1.    Experimental Action Research – This practice is the most popular and traditional type of Action Research which is a deductive perspective.  In this process, a set of hypotheses (to include ill-defined data and information) are bunched together with the purpose of identifying the cause-effects relationships and dynamics between these hypotheses  with the ultimate end of deriving general laws from a series of interventions.

2.    Inductive Action Research – This practice aims to produce a general theory from qualitative data.  In this process, data (mostly qualitative) collected from the Action Research intervention may do away with any attempt to verify data.  The ultimate purpose is producing a general theory even from these unverified data.

3.    Participatory Action Research – This is a more tedious process that entails immersion and participation of the researchers in the entire length of the intervention.  In this process, the researcher assumes the role of facilitator and consultants instead of a resource person. Again, the bottom-line purpose is to derive general laws which could be the basis for diagnostics to be conducted.

From the foregoing discussion, it seems possible and plausible that Action Research could be used as a form of research especially (in their order ease in accomplishing) (a) Experimental Action Research, (b) Inductive Action Research and (c) Participatory Action Research.  Action Research is described as a type of research initiated to solve an immediate problem or a reflective process of progressive problem solving led by individuals working with others as part of a community to improve the way they address issues and solve problems.  There is a close relationship between participatory management and Action Research.  As pro-environment and natural resources management practitioners, we are all aware of the importance and relevance of participatory management in upland undertakings.  Upland communities are more receptive to a more “personalized” approach which is one of the centrepiece elements of participatory management.

Additionally, like in basic management, there are identifiable stages in using Action Research.  These are: (1) Analysis; (2) Fact-finding and data gathering; (3) Conceptualization; (4) Planning; (5) Implementation; and, (6) Progressive evaluation.

The choice of research method is really the call of the researcher.  But if the researcher is looking for a higher degree of effectiveness, and because of its participatory nature, nothing can beat Action Research.

Just my little thoughts…

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REFERENCES:

Antonio, A. C. (2015). Research Methods.  Retrieved 3^rd of March 2015 from http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/search?q=research+method

Avison, D., Baskerville, R. and Myers, M. (2001). Controlling Action Research Projects, Information Technology and People.

Avison, D., Lau, F., Neilsen, P. A., and Myers, M. (1999). “ActionResearch.” Communications of ACM.

Sagor, R. (2000). Guiding School Improvement with Action Research. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Retrieved 16 February 2015 from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/100047/chapters/What-Is-Action-Research%C2%A2.aspx