Action Research Literature Review
Executive Summary
Action Research believes that "Human organizations can only be understood as whole entities" (Baskerville, 1999) and that social processes are best to be studied when change is introduced to observe the effects of these. Furthermore, It makes use of a cyclical approach in order for an initial holistic understanding of a social setting. The action research literature has strongly challenged the character of positivism. It is believed that this type of research is derived from a different ontological basis; it tends to a humanistic social practice rather than a traditional natural science.
Lewin started with the term action research'. His approach to the process is composed of a circle of planning, action and fact-finding. It is sometimes argued that Lewin's model place insufficient analysis at key points. Elliot (1991) argued that in the model the general idea' can be fixed in advance, that reconnaissance' is merely fact-finding and that implementation is a fairly straightforward process. Kemmis developed a more simplistic model that is composed of only four steps: plan, act, observe and reflect. In turn, Susman developed a more elaborate approach to action research. Its process was a continuous circle of diagnosing, action planning, taking action, evaluating, specifying learning and diagnosing, action planning and so on until the problem was resolved. By the mid 70's 4 main streams have emerged. These consist of the traditional action research, contextual action research (action learning), Radical action research, and educational action research.
There are differences between the traditional approach and the research action approach.
Action research is claimed to be a broad process or a way of working rather than a definitive technique. There are many opinions about which method is the best to use and many innovative forms are applied. Action research tries to go beyond the routinely available data to provide not just understanding, but
Action Research believes that "Human organizations can only be understood as whole entities" (Baskerville, 1999) and that social processes are best to be studied when change is introduced to observe the effects of these. Furthermore, It makes use of a cyclical approach in order for an initial holistic understanding of a social setting. The action research literature has strongly challenged the character of positivism. It is believed that this type of research is derived from a different ontological basis; it tends to a humanistic social practice rather than a traditional natural science.
Lewin started with the term action research'. His approach to the process is composed of a circle of planning, action and fact-finding. It is sometimes argued that Lewin's model place insufficient analysis at key points. Elliot (1991) argued that in the model the general idea' can be fixed in advance, that reconnaissance' is merely fact-finding and that implementation is a fairly straightforward process. Kemmis developed a more simplistic model that is composed of only four steps: plan, act, observe and reflect. In turn, Susman developed a more elaborate approach to action research. Its process was a continuous circle of diagnosing, action planning, taking action, evaluating, specifying learning and diagnosing, action planning and so on until the problem was resolved. By the mid 70's 4 main streams have emerged. These consist of the traditional action research, contextual action research (action learning), Radical action research, and educational action research.
There are differences between the traditional approach and the research action approach.
Action research is claimed to be a broad process or a way of working rather than a definitive technique. There are many opinions about which method is the best to use and many innovative forms are applied. Action research tries to go beyond the routinely available data to provide not just understanding, but
References: Baskerville R. L. (1999) ‘Investigating Information Systems with Action Research ' Communications of the Association for Information Systems [Online] http://www.cis.gsu.edu/~rbaskerv/CAIS_2_19/CAIS_2_19.html [Accessed 09/01/2006] Baskerville R.L. (Oct. 1999) ‘Investigating Information Systems with Action Research ' Communications of the Association for Information Systems Volume 2, Article 19 [Online] http://www.cis.gsu.edu/~rbaskerv/CAIS_2_19/CAIS_2_19.html [Accessed 09/01/2006] Baum F. (1996) ‘Research to support health promotion based on community development Approaches ' (In Colquhoun D Baum F. (1998) ‘Measuring effectiveness in community-based health promotion ' (In: Davies J.K. and Macdonald G. Quality, Evidence and Effectiveness in Health Promotion; striving for certainties) Routledge, London. Cunningham J.B. (1995) ‘Strategic Considerations in using Action Research for Improving Personnel Practices ' (In: Research Methods for Business Students, Saunders M, Lewis P, Thornhill A.) Public Personnel Management, pp. 515-19 Dadds M Elliot, J. (1991) ‘Action Research for Educational Change ' Buckingham: Open University Press. Kemmis, S., and McTaggart, R. (1988) ‘The action research planner ' (3rd edition). Deakin University pp.100-105 Müller R Pawson, R. and Tilley, N. (1997). Realistic Evaluation Sage, London Saunders M, Lewis P, Thornhill A Schein, E (1995) 'Kurt Lewin 's Change Theory in the Field and in the Classroom: Notes Toward a Model of Managed Learning ', Systems Practice, [Online] http://www.solonline.org/res/wp/10006.html [Accessed 11/01/2006] Susman G.I Susman G, Evered R. (1978) ‘An Assessment of the Scientific Merits of Action Research ' Administrative Science Quarterly Vol. 23 Susman, G Ullman, D. (2000) 'Kurt Lewin: His Impact on American Psychology, or Bridging the Gorge between Theory and Reality ' [Online] http://www.sonoma.edu/psychology/os2db/history3.html [Accessed 10/01/2006] Waterman H, Tillen D, Dickson R, de Koning K Zuber-Skerit O. (1996) ‘Emancipatory Action Research for Organisational Change and management Development ' (In: Research Methods for Business Students, Saunders M, Lewis P, Thornhill A.) New Directions in Action Research, London, Falmer, pp. 83-105