The Traditional Action Research - Report Example

Action Research Action research is the kind of research that involves learning through doing (Boog, Ben, et al. 1996). In this case, the group involved in research identifies the problem it aims to resolve and does something that would resolve this problem. The group then monitors how successful this solution is based on their effort. If they are not successful, then they try again. The four main stages that are involved in action research are planning, taking action, observing and then reflecting. After reflection if the research gave the desired results, then the research is deemed to be successful. If it does not give the desired results, then the plan is revised and the subsequent three stages of the cycle implemented. Therefore, action research is a reflective process which involves inquiry and discussion as the main components of researching. Emery & Eric (1965) observes that there are different forms of action research which include traditional action research, contextual action research and radical action research. The Traditional Action Research has its roots mainly founded on managing labor in a given organization. Elden & Rupert (1993) observes that every organization aims to have Organization Democracy, Social-technical systems, quality of working life and organization development. For all these to be realized, a mechanism has to be put in place that ensures that all these components are effectively working. Moreover, a related mechanism has to be put in place to periodically monitor the progress and efficiency of these mechanisms. Tradition action research was mainly founded on Lewin’s work who sorts to increase the efficiency of work through use of clinical model, T-groups, group dynamics and field theory. Out of his research in different organizations, Lewin observed that each organization is unique; therefore requiring unique mechanisms for ensuring the company achieves specific objectives. As a result of this uniqueness, traditional action research tends to old-fashioned or conservative since its aim is to only maintain an organization power structure that has status. Education action research has its main objective being that of academic purposes (Salvatore & Mary, 2005). It is the kind of research that is carried out by the students with the aim of fulfilling the requirements of a given course. Education action research has its foundation from the writings that were made by John Dewey. Dewey was a great American philosopher who always believed that scholars should be involved in solving problems that involves the community. Though the main reason for this research is for professional development, it presses the students to identify problems that are affecting the society in their field of study and possibly offer solution to these problems. The operating environment of this research is mainly in the education institutions where the student is required to apply his or her learning in offering learning solution in offering social problems and development of curriculum. Contextual action research is a move that have been derived from work done by Trist on matters relating among the organizations. Salvatore & Mary (2005) explains that this form of research is aimed to coming up with relations that are structural in the organization with the aim of improving productivity within the company. In any form of research, data collection is a major and important aspect. Ultimate care is ensured that the tools and method of data collection involved is accurate and properly handled. If the data collected is inaccurate, then the impact of the research study would lead to results that are not valid. Data collection is therefore the major step of research since the subsequent steps of analysis and drawing of conclusion solely depends on the data that would be collected. There are basically two broad methods of data collection for action research; quantitative and qualitative data collection method. The quantitative data collection methods relies on sampling structured data randomly by use of instruments that fits the diverse experiences in predetermined response categories (Plang, 1971). Through this, they are able to produce results that are simple to compare summarize and even generalize. Quantitative research therefore is mainly interested in testing of the preset hypothesis that has been based on a phenomenon of interest or known theory. The typical form of gathering data quantitatively include administering of surveys, obtaining required data from management information systems, observing and recording of events that are well defined and experiments or clinical trials. The advantage of quantitative data collection is that it is fast since only samples are used to collect the data. However, it has the disadvantage that the accuracy of the data collected cannot be fully trusted and can only be guaranteed to a certain percentage. The random sample collected may have some defects or may be biased which would make wrong conclusions to be made on the entire population. Qualitative data collection methods have very significant role in the impact evaluation. It provides the useful information that explains the reasons as to why certain results were realized (ABL Group, 1997). In this case, quantitative data collection methods aim to provide information those results to observation of certain type of information. It is a research that accesses the perception of the people well being. Quantitative data collection methods can further be used to improve on the quality of data that is surveyed by helping to generate the evaluation hypothesis that strengthens the design of the questions that are being surveyed (Larry, 2002). This ensures that there is clarity during evaluation of the findings that result from the study of these questions. The main attributes that makes qualitative data collection methods unique are: Their questions have less structural protocols and are open ended. This ensures that the researcher may add, refine or even drop the informants or technique. The questions rely mainly on interactive interviews. In this case, the respondent may be interviewed several times while following up a given issue to either check the reliability of the data or seek clarity for a given concept. There is use of triangulation while checking for the credibility of the finding. In this case, the researcher uses multiple forms of data collection in order to check to ensure the data collected is valid. The conclusions that are made out of data collected in this case are often not generalized to any specific group of people or population. Instead, one piece of evidence may be used to come up with the general pattern that is uniquely observed all through the entire population. The most common methods employed for qualitative data collection methods are document review, observation methods and in depth interview. The main advantage of qualitative data collection is that it is more accurate and comprehensive than quantitative data collection. However, a lot of resources and time is used to collect the data and analyze the data. Data analysis is the process through which the unfinished or the unorganized data is ordered so that conclusive information can be drawn from it. Sylvia, Larry, & Romulo (2003) observes that data analysis is a process that involves working on data, processing it so that one can understand what is present and what is not present in the data. There are many data analysis methods, each majorly dependent on the kind of data collected and the method used to collect data. Major data analysis methods include descriptive statistics, taxonomy, typology, and matrix analysis. Descriptive statistics uses arithmetic and statistical calculation to analyze the collected data (Larry, 2002). Various calculations which include measure of central tendency; mean, median and mode, and measure of dispersion are described arithmetically. For the purpose of presentation, the data may further be presented in form of chart or graph. Biasing of analyzed data in this case is hard since the data is collected is in figures. However inaccurately collected data may result to very poor and inaccurate analyzed data. Typology on the other hand involves classification methodology or system that takes into account themes, patterns and other forms of group data looking what is coherent across all the group of data. Taxonomy on the other hand is a method that uses complex classification that contains multiple component levels of abstractions or conceptions. The higher levels would include lower levels which forms super ordinate and subordinate categories. The constant comparison method on the other hand looks into document that is being analyzed and identifies the parameters that can be used to categorize the behaviors or events. Out of this comparison, deviations and comparisons are drawn that results to drawing of new codes that are related to the research. Matrix analysis, also called logical analysis is an analysis that tends to outline the cause of the behavior of data based on logical reasoning (Richard, 1989). The presentation in this case may involve use of diagrams and flow charts in order to graphically represent the written descriptions. This method of data analysis is however prone to biasing of analyzed data. Planning is a major component of action research. Research is a process that involves systematic inquiry geared toward finding certain kind of information. A Plan helps to increase the ability to adapt to future eventualities (Sylvia, Larry, & Romulo, 2003). In the event that the data collected may not give the kind of information that is required by the researcher, then through the plan, the researcher would know which path to take at the soonest time possible in order to avoid doing irrelevant work. Proper planning further helps to fix steps of the research whenever the research deviates from the expected direction. Furthermore, adequate planning would reduce any unnecessary pressures of immediacy. Richard (1989) explains that if the research activities are not properly planned, then expectations of what may happen as a result to unnecessary pressure being exerted in order to produce the results almost immediately or in a hurry. This may result to the data being collected being inadequate or unnecessarily. Salvatore &Mary (2005) observe that planning would reduce oversights and mistakes therefore making control of the entire research easier. Planning of the research is directly related to the goal that the research seeks to find. The first step in planning for a research is to identify and fully understand the question that needs to be addressed. After this, the method that shall be used to collect data is determined. The method should be able to gather enough data that would be able to lead to a valid conclusion. It is at this stage also that the challenges that are likely to be incurred during the research are determined and the possible solution to these problems. The method of analyzing data is also properly planned. In this case the data analyzed should be properly planned to ensure that the data is properly handled so that the objective of data analysis is met. The result of the analyzed data should also be properly handled to avoid interference from inappropriate parties. Another important aspect of research is risk analysis. Whenever an institution is involved in a research, it involves itself in a responsibility of ensuring that the research standards are met. Kurt (1946) further observes that in course of doing this, the institutions that are involved in carrying out research may be affected positively or negatively by the persons carrying out the research. Furthermore, the researcher may be involving himself or herself to hazardous or risky situations while carrying out the research. In this case, the researcher needs to know the extent of these situations. This way, the research would be carried out smoothly while ensuring as minimum interference with the research environment as possible. In my research project, I intend to use the education educational action research method. To ensure that the data I collect is relevant and accurate, I shall use in-depth interview method and open ended questionnaires. This will further ensure that I get detailed understanding in my area of research and subsequently draw accurate conclusions on the matter. I shall further plan effectively plan the stages of data collection, analysis and evaluation to ensure that I use the minimum resources and time while getting as much information as possible from my research.` References ABL Group. (1997). Future Search Process Design, Toronto: York University. Boog, Ben, et al. ( 1996). Theory and Practice of Action Research - With Special Reference to the Netherlands.  Tilburg, The Netherlands: Tilbury University Press.  Elden, M., & Rupert, C. (1993). Emerging Varieties of Action Research: Introduction to the Special Issue.  Journal of Human relations, 2(1), 121-42. Emery, E. & Eric, L. (1965).  The Causal Texture of Organizational Environments.  Journal of Human Relations, 3(4), 21-32. Kurt, L. (1946). Action Research and Minority Problems, Journal of Social Issues, 2, 34-46. Larry, N. (2002). Modern Research Analysis. New York: The Guilford Press . Richard, W. (1989). Learning From Experience: Principles and Practice in Action-Research. Philadelphia: The Falmer Press, 43-67. Plang, A. (1971). Research Control? Manila: Cardinal Book Store Salvatore, S. C., & Mary, J. (2005). Influence of research in organization, Research analysis techniques 5 (24), 1-13. Sylvia, C., Larry, D., & Romulo, R. (2003). The theory of Research, Problems encountered in research, 5 (2), 4-50. Read More