Action Research Process
"Action research is the process of using research principles to provide information that educational professionals use to improve aspects of day-to-day practice" (McMillan & Schumacher, 2006, p. 414)
1. The Introduction - This section states the problem. It elucidates all the issues involved. It presents the problem posed to our school and what the consequences are if we solve or do not solve the problem.
The Leadership Team is responsible for the Introduction which will be vetted by the entire learning community.
2. The Literature Review - All teachers and staff will find a related journal, magazine and newspaper articles, research studies, books, and websites that speak to our issue.
All stakeholders are expected to contribute to this collective body of knowledge. Participants are encouraged to find literature that examines the critical need through the lens of the discipline or group to which they belong.
3. Establish Baseline - Focus Groups will determine the data to be examined to establish a baseline.
All Focus Groups will establish and then examine what they consider to be essential data. This same data will be examined after the intervention to determine the efficacy of the intervention.
4. Intervention/Action - Home Groups will implement an Intervention to determine its impact.
The Intervention may be individually determined by each Home Group or the Intervention may be determined as a collective with all Home Groups implementing the same Intervention. This will be determined by consensus.
5. Analyze Intervention - Focus Groups will examine the data collected from the Intervention.
The Focus Groups will examine the data collected resulting from the Intervention. The same data sources that were analyzed in Step 3 Establish Baseline will be examined to determine the impact of the Intervention.
6. Reflection - The results of the Intervention will be considered by the Stakeholders.
All Stakeholders will determine the next course of action based upon the results of all the previous steps. Do our results match with current research and studies? Is there additional information needed? Should data be examined through a different lens? Should the process be repeated? Should another Intervention be implemented? Should the Intervention be codified and implemented into our established practice? Was the Intervention ineffectual?