Action Research Notes

Action Research EDUC 197

Lesson 1: Nature of Inquiry and Research

  • Characteristics of Action Research:

    • Participatory, cyclical process aimed at solving practical problems through collaborative inquiry.
    • Active involvement of stakeholders (teachers, community members, practitioners) in diagnosing issues, implementing solutions, and reflecting on outcomes.
    • Flexibility, iterative cycles (planning, acting, observing, reflecting), and a focus on real-world, context-specific problems.
    • Promotes empowerment, shared ownership, and social change, making it distinct from traditional research methods.
    • Values reflection and continuous improvement.

  • Strengths of Action Research:

    • Participatory nature.
    • Collaboration.
    • Quick wins.
    • Enhances problem-solving.
    • Reflection.
    • Continuous improvement.

  • Weaknesses of Action Research:

    • Time-consuming.
    • Context-dependent.
    • Reproducibility concerns.
    • Resource requirements.

  • Kinds of Action Research:

    • Diagnostic.
    • Collaborative.
    • Participatory.
    • Evaluative.

  • Importance of Action Research Across Fields:

    • Education.
    • Business.
    • Health care.
    • Community development.

  • Differentiates Kinds of Variables and Their Uses:

    • Independent Variables: Cause or manipulator (e.g., teaching methods).
    • Dependent Variables: The effect or outcome (e.g., student test scores).
    • Extraneous Variables: Uncontrolled factors that may influence results (e.g., classroom environment).
    • Confounding Variables: Extraneous factors that distort the relationship.

  • Example of Variables in Research:

    • Effect of Interactive Teaching Methods on High School Students' Mathematics Performance: The Role of Prior Knowledge and Classroom Environment
      • Independent Variables: Teaching method.
      • Dependent Variables: Students' mathematics performance.
      • Extraneous Variables: Prior knowledge of mathematics, socioeconomic status, teacher experience, classroom size, and access to learning resources.
      • Confounding Variables: Student motivation, parental support, tutoring outside school, and attendance rates.

  • Uses of Variables in Research:

    • Properly controlled variables help establish causal links, reduce bias, and increase the precision of findings.
    • Clear operational definitions of variables facilitate replication and comparison across studies.
    • Understanding the roles and interactions of variables.

Lesson 2: Identifying the Inquiry and Stating the Problem

  • Designing a Research Useful in Daily Life:

    • Identifying a practical problem, setting achievable goals, and using accessible methods to find solutions.
    • Relevance, simplicity, and applicability are key.
    • The process involves planning, acting, observing, reflecting, and adapting.

  • Writing a Research Title:

    • Clear, concise, and descriptive of the main focus.
    • Reflect the problem or topic being studied.
    • Makes a good impression and guides the reader's understanding of the research scope.
    • A good title is specific enough to convey purpose but broad enough to encompass key aspects of the study

  • Describing the Background of the Research:

    • Provides context and explains why the research is necessary.
    • Highlights existing issues or gaps.
    • Includes relevant literature, previous findings, or observations that justify the study.
    • It presents a problem statement and indicates the significance of addressing the issue.
    • Concise but comprehensive enough.
    • Example: Citing statistics showing high rates of unhealthy eating or previous studies highlighting challenges faced by students when studying eating habits among students.
    • This section should establish the relevance and urgency of your research, convincing readers that addressing this problem will have meaningful impact.

  • Stating the Research Questions:

    • Research questions guide the focus of the study.
    • They should be specific, clear, and achievable.
    • Well-crafted questions help determine what data to collect and analyze.
    • In action research, questions often revolve around understanding the problem, exploring possible solutions, and assessing outcomes.
    • They should be open-ended enough to encourage reflection but focused enough to provide direction.
    • Example Research Questions:
      • EFFECT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FLIPPED CLASSROOM APPROACH IN GENERAL MATHEMATICS OF GRADE 11 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) LEARNERS AT SANTIAGO INTEGRATED NATIONAL HIGHSCHOOL
        1. What are the pretest scores of the participants before the implementation of the Flipped Classroom Approach?
        2. What are the post test scores of the participants after the implementation of Flipped Classroom Approach?
        3. Is there a significant difference between the pretest and post test scores of the participants before and after the implementation of Flipped Classroom Approach?

  • Indicating Scope and Delimitation of the Study:

    • The scope defines what the study will cover, such as the population, timeframe, and specific variables.
    • Delimitation clarifies what is outside the study's focus.
    • Clearly stating scope and delimitation helps manage expectations and clarifies the boundaries of research.
    • Scope example: This study focuses on high school students aged 15-18 in Barangay San Jose over the course of three months.
    • Delimitation example: Excluding students from other barangays or age groups.

  • Citing Benefits and Beneficiaries of the Study:

    • The benefits highlight the positive impacts of the research, such as improved practices, increased awareness, or policy development.
    • Beneficiaries are those who will gain from the research—students, teachers, community members, policymakers, etc.
    • Clearly stating benefits and beneficiaries demonstrates the relevance and practical value of the work.

  • Presenting the Written Statement of the Problem:

    • The statement of the problem articulates the core issue the research addresses.
    • It should be specific, concise, and framed as a question or statement of challenge.
    • It guides the entire study and helps focus efforts.
    • An effective problem statement clearly describes the situation, its significance, and why it needs addressing.

Lesson 3: Learning from Others and Reviewing the Literature

  • Selecting Relevant Literature:

    • Involves identifying credible, recent, and pertinent sources that address the research problem.
    • Requires thorough searches through academic databases, journals, books, and credible online resources.
    • The goal is to gather diverse perspectives, theoretical foundations, and empirical findings that inform the study.
    • Relevance is determined by how directly the literature relates to the research questions, variables, and context.

  • Resources:

    • Philippine e-journals: https://ejournals.ph
    • EBSCOhost
    • ERIC: eric.ed.gov
    • Google Scholar
    • ProQuest
    • bit.ly/rrlpaperpile

  • Citing Related Literature Using Standard Style:

    • Proper citation ensures academic integrity and gives credit to original authors.
    • Follow the CvSU thesis style, which may include specific rules for in-text citations, footnotes, and reference lists, aligned with APA, MLA, or other standards specified by the institution.
    • Accurate citations reflect thorough research and enable readers to locate sources.

  • Synthesizing Information from Relevant Literature:

    • It transforms isolated pieces of information into a coherent narrative that informs your research framework.
    • Effective synthesis demonstrates critical thinking, showing how literature collectively supports or challenges your study.
    • Look for:
      • Common themes
      • Contrasting viewpoints
      • Gaps

  • Writing a Coherent Review of Literature:

    1. A coherent review organizes synthesized literature logically—often thematically, chronologically, or methodologically.
    2. It begins with broad concepts and narrows down to specific gaps your research will address.
    3. The review must be clear, focused, and connected, culminating in a statement of how your study extends or complements existing knowledge.

  • Following Ethical Standards in Writing Related Literature:

    • Ethical standards include proper citation, avoiding plagiarism, accurately representing sources, and respecting intellectual property.
    • It also involves transparency about methodologies and findings.
    • Upholding these standards maintains academic integrity and credibility.

  • Illustrating and Explaining the Conceptual Framework:

    • The conceptual framework visually and descriptively outlines key variables, their relationships, and the theoretical basis guiding the study.
    • It serves as a map to interpret findings and understand how concepts connect.
    • Explaining it involves describing each component and its relevance to the research problem.

  • IV-DV Model:

    • Research Topic: Healthy Eating Habits
      • Independent Variable: Access to nutrition information and peer influence
      • Dependent Variable: Eating behavior

  • Defining Terms Used in the Study:

    1. Defining key terms ensures clarity and consistency. It explains how specific concepts are understood within the context of your research
    2. Clear definitions help avoid ambiguity
    3. Define Operationally.

  • Listing Research Hypotheses (if Appropriate):

    • Hypotheses are testable statements predicting relationships between variables.
    • They guide quantitative analysis and clarify expectations.
    • Hypotheses should be specific, measurable, and grounded in literature or theory.

  • Listing Research Hypotheses (if Appropriate):

    • The null hypothesis H0H_0 is a statement of no effect, no difference, or no relationship between variables in a population.
    • It represents the default or status quo assumption.
    • The alternative hypothesis H<em>1,H</em>aH<em>1, H</em>a is a statement of an effect, a difference, or a relationship that exists.

  • Presenting a Written Review of Related Literature and Conceptual Framework:

    • Combines the synthesized literature review with the explanation of the conceptual framework, demonstrating how existing research informs your study's structure.
    • It contextualizes your research within the broader academic landscape.

Lesson 4: Understanding Data and Ways to Systematically Collect Data

  • Choosing Appropriate Quantitative Research Design:

    • Selecting the right quantitative design depends on the research objectives, nature of the problem, and data type.
    • Common designs include experimental, quasi-experimental, and descriptive surveys.
    • For action research aimed at solving practical problems, a quasi-experimental or pretest-posttest design is often suitable because it allows assessment of intervention effects without strict control groups.

  • Describing Sampling Procedure and Sample:

    • Sampling involves selecting participants that represent the population.
    • Procedures include random sampling, stratified sampling, or purposive sampling, depending on the study's needs.
    • The sample size should be sufficient to ensure statistical validity and power.
    • Clearly describe how participants are selected, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and sample size calculation.

  • Constructing an Instrument and Establishing Validity and Reliability:

    1. Instruments include questionnaires, tests, or rating scales.
    2. Developing an instrument involves item generation, pilot testing, and refining.
    3. Validity ensures the instrument measures what it's supposed to; reliability ensures consistency over time.
    4. Use content validity, construct validity, and reliability tests like Cronbach's alpha.

  • Describing Intervention (if applicable):

    1. The intervention is the action taken to address the problem, such as training, workshops, or program implementation.
    2. Describe the nature, duration, content, and delivery method of the intervention.
    3. Explain how it is expected to influence the variables.

  • Planning Data Collection Procedure:

    • Data collection involves scheduling when, where, and how data will be gathered.
    • Decide on methods such as questionnaires, observations, or tests.
    • Ensure ethical considerations like informed consent, confidentiality, and data security.
    • Develop data collection tools and protocols.

  • Planning Data Analysis Using Statistics and Hypothesis Testing:

    • Data analysis involves selecting suitable statistical tests based on data type and research questions.
    • For pretest-posttest designs, paired t-tests or ANOVA may be used.
    • Define hypotheses, significance level, and criteria for interpretation.
    • Use descriptive statistics to summarize data.

  • Presenting the Written Research Methodology:

    • The methodology section describes the overall approach, research design, participants, instruments, procedures, and analysis plans.
    • It provides enough detail for replication and justifies choices made.
    • It demonstrates the rigor and appropriateness of your research approach.

Lesson 5: Finding Answers Through Data Collection

  • Collecting Data Using Appropriate Instruments:

    • Selecting suitable instruments is critical for obtaining valid and reliable data.
    • Instruments may include questionnaires, interviews, observation checklists, or tests, depending on the nature of the variables and research questions.
    • Proper development, pilot testing, and administration procedures enhance data quality.

  • Presenting and Interpreting Data in Tabular or Graphical Forms:

    • After data collection, organizing data visually through tables and graphs facilitates easier understanding of patterns, differences, and trends.
    • Visual tools like bar charts, line graphs, and pie charts enhance interpretation and communication of findings.
    • Descriptive statistics such as means, frequencies, and percentages summarize the data.

  • Using Statistical Techniques to Analyze Data:

    • Bivariate analysis examines relationships or differences between two variables, such as comparing means or assessing correlations.
    • Common techniques include t-tests for comparing groups, Pearson's correlation for relationships, and chi-square tests for categorical data.
    • Limiting analysis to two variables at a time allows focused investigation of specific hypotheses.

Lesson 6: Reporting and Sharing Findings

  • Drawing Conclusions from Research Findings:

    • After analyzing the data, the researcher interprets the results to determine what the findings mean in relation to the research questions and objectives.
    • Conclusions should be based on evidence, highlighting significant patterns, relationships, or differences observed in the data.
    • They should also acknowledge limitations and consider the context of the findings.

  • Developing Actionable Recommendations:

    • Based on the research findings and conclusions, the researcher develops practical, actionable recommendations aimed at improving practice or addressing identified issues.
    • It should be specific, feasible, and tailored to the context. They guide stakeholders on what steps to implement next to enhance outcomes or resolve problems.