Action ResearchSummary from Elliot, J. (1995) What is Good Action

Research? Some Criteria in Action Researcher, no. 2. Hyde Publications

–Elliot, J (1995) p.1

“The term is now being used to legitimate any form of methodological deviance from

the traditional paradigm. it is the buzz word which is appealed to when any

researcher wants to promote the practical relevance of their work to teachers and

administrators.”

AR aims to realise educational values

A test for Good Action Research:

Does it improve the educational quality of transactions between teachers and learners?

AR integrates teaching and research

AR is not a different process to that of teaching. It fuses teaching and research into a single activity. Those who claim to have no time for research because of the demands of teaching have therefore misunderstood the concept…

AR develops the curriculum

Through AR curricula are deconstructed and reconstructed in both content and form.

The outcome of good AR is not simply improvement in the quality of teaching for those engaged in it, but also for others!

AR involves gathering data about teaching from different

points of view

This is called triangulation.

In a fully developed AR process teachers will be comparing and contrasting the accounts of observers and students with their own.

AR defines, rather than applies quality indicators

Good AR acknowledges the fact that what constitutes quality in teaching cannot be defined independently of the circumstances in the classroom in which it was carried out.

Implications of this paper for the PBI module

When forging your AR topic and question, consider again your educational values - you are trying, through the process, to REALISE them.

As a HOD, AR provides a great opportunity to undertake relevant research before revamping a scheme of work (curriculum).