1. By Dr. J.AUGUSTUS RICHARD Professor
ACTION RESEARCH By
Dr. J.AUGUSTUS RICHARD
Professor

2. CONTENTS DEFINITION TYPES OF RESEARCH
WHAT ACTION RESEARCH “IS” AND “NOT”
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACTION RESEARCH AND FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH
STEPS OF ACTION RESEARCH
EXAMPLE

3. What is Action Research?
Kurt Lewin, a professor at MIT
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge)
first coined the term “Action Research” in about 1944,
“Action Research is a process in which participants examine their own educational practice systematically and carefully using the techniques of research”.  

4. It is based on the following assumptions:
teachers and principals work best on problems they have identified for themselves;
teachers and principals become more effective when encouraged to examine and assess their own work and then consider ways of working differently;
teachers and principals help each other by working collaboratively;
working with colleagues helps teachers and principals in their professional development.
Action Research is systematic and involves collecting evidence on which to base rigorous reflection.

5. What Action research is
Action research is collaborative and participative
Action research is practical
Action research is developing critical reflection on ones teaching
Action research is planned and systematic approach
Action research is open minded
Action research is creative and divergent thinking

6. Action research is NOT
It is not the usual things teachers do when they think about their teaching.  
It is not just problem-solving.  
Action Research involves problem-posing.  
It is not research on other people.  
Action Research does not treat people as objects.  It treats people as autonomous, responsible agents who participate actively in making their own histories by knowing what they are doing.
It is not the scientific method applied to teaching.  
Action Research is not just about hypothesis-testing or about using data to come to conclusions.  It is concerned with changing situations, not just interpreting them.  It takes the researcher into view.  

7. BASIC or FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH
TYPES OF RESEARCH
BASIC or FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH
Basic elements of education are discovered
APPLIED RESEARCH
Eg: ACTION RESEARCH
Day-to-day problems of educational process are solved

8. Difference between fundamental and action research
Sl.No
FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH
ACTION RESEARCH 1
It is traditional
Application of basic research 2
It has wider area of problem
It has narrow problematic area 3
It needs special training
It can be conducted by a teacher, principal, manager and other educational officer without any special training 4
Standard tools are used
Self made tools are used 5
It needs no relationship with school and based on samples
It is delimited to school only 6
Its objective is to indoctrinate the principles
Its objective is to improve school working by finding practical solution to the educational problems t 7
The results achieved are general
Generalization is not necessary 8
Heretruth is discovered
It improves the activities and working system of school

9. How can I improve students discipline/cooperation in classroom ?

11. How can I increase pupils participation in school assembly?

13. How can I improve my teachers instructional skill and ability?

14. Advantages of Action Research
It develops attitude in the teachers
By studying the interest, needs and abilities of the pupil teachers can adopt a teaching method by which teaching may become interesting and promotes all round development of the pupil.
It raise achievement level of the pupils
Curriculum can be effectively developed
It solves problems on indiscipline
It removes discrepancies among pupils and students
(social causes)
Solves problems of delinquency and backwardness

15. STEPS IN ACTION RESEARCH1
IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM 2
DEFINING AND DELIMITING THE PROBLEM 3
ANALYSING THE PROBABLE CAUSES 4
FORMULATION OF ACTION HYPOTHESIS 5
BASE LINE DATA 6
TOOLS FOR COLLECTING DATA 7
ACTION DESIGN 8
EVALUATION

16. 1. Identification of the Problem
It should be related to the school
The need of its solution should be felt
It should be in the scope of the researcher
Its scope should neither be too wide nor too narrow

17. 2. Defining and delimiting the problem
Definition should be clear and definite.
The area of research should be delimited
Eg: In the 9th class pupils, a habit should be created to do the home task.

18. 3. ANALYSING THE PROBABLE CAUSES
List of causes should be prepared and scientific analysis is made
Eg.: For not doing homework
Lack of intelligence
Individual difference
Domestic environment
Non-understanding of questions given in homework
Careless
No proper checking of homework by teacher
No punishment

19. 4. Formulation of Action Hypothesis
Hypothesis : guessed solution
with sensitivity, consultation, creative imagination
Eg: To create habit of doing homework, the hypothesis is
“ If a teacher checks the home work carefully and punishes those
who fail to do it, then the pupils will start doing home work timely”

20. 5. Base line data / Information
Basic information – help - to solve problem
Eg:
History of the pupil
Knowledge of the family
Economic background
Cultural values
Etc.,..

21. 6. Tools for collecting data
Tools – help – to collect data Eg.: Observation Study Questionnaire Personal interviews Etc.,..

22. 7. Formulation of action design
After formulating hypothesis, collecting data and mentioning the tools action plann should be designed
Description of proposed activities
Methods of doing activities
Time management

23. 8. Evaluation of results
Result are derived after analysis and based on action
The researcher may use following techniques for evaluating result:
Questionnaire
Test
Rating scale
Check list
Observation
Statistical methods

24. EXAMPLE Name of the teacher : Mr. X Name of the School : ABC
Class : IX
Area of the Problem : not doing homework in maths
Pin pointed problem : “To create a habit in those pupils of doing homework in maths who show carelessness and fail to do it in time”.

25. 6. Probable causes : Individual differences Lack of intelligence
Domestic environment
Lack of furniture in classroom
Weak eye-sight
Impaired hearing
Non-understanding of the questions given in the home work
Doing home work carelessly
No checking of homework
No marking of homework
No punishment to the defaulters / no discrimination between pupils doing and not doing homework

26. 7. Action Hypothesis : 8. Base-Line data
“ If the teacher checks the home task in mathematics carefully and punishes the defaulters, then the pupils will start doing home work carefully and timely”
8. Base-Line data
History of the pupils
Knowledge of the family
Necessary information regarding economical, cultural and physical situations

27. 9. Tools for collecting data
Observation
Study
Questionnaire
Personal interviews
Exercise book of arithmetic

28. Activities to be started
7. ACTION DESIGN
S.no
Month & Week
Activities to be started
Method
Expected tools 1
1st week of Nov
To know about interest, attitudes and aptitudes
Self efforts and cooperation of companions
Personal interview 2
2nd week of Nov
To decide how many pupils can be checked
Self thinking
Study
To decide hoe much home tasks should be given to the pupils daily
Conversation with all the teachers who teach the pupils
Answer book in maths 3
3rd week of Nov
To understand the content regarding the homework and assigning home task
Learning experience - 4
4th week of Nov
To get back the copies from the pupils in definite time
Self - thinking
Answer-books in mathematics 5
1st week of Dec
To punish those pupils who do home task carelessly or fail to do
Self-thinking and cooperation if the associates 6
2nd week of Dec
To know the progress of pupils
Self efforts

29. 8. Evaluation
By testing the hypothesis on the basis of result received from the activities, it is identified that before conducting AR, 48 pupils out of 60 or 80% pupils did not complete the home work.
Only 12 or 20% pupils did homework in time.
But the research revealed that only 27 or 45% pupils lagged behind in doing homework and remaining 33 or 55% pupils started doing home work carefully
In this way the number of pupils doing home works increased consequently.

30. RESULT
BEFORE
AFTER

31. THANK YOU