This section will include links to action research practitioners as well as a
dissertation submitted to the University of Strathclyde .
Action Research Links These links are intended for practitioners and for those preparing dissertations in topics involving action research. All too often the student is left with the feeling that he or she is on their own. These links are intended to reflect sources I have found of value and wished I had had access to during my various researches.
Developing study on critical thinking as an aid to students in further education.
Jack
Whitehead's Action Research Homepage
This site has copies of Ph.D submissions.One is by Moyra Evans whose second chapter provides a highly personal overview of action research. The living contradiction approach (favoured by Bath) to action research is but one approach to action research. It is sad that other academic action researchers in the UK have not put examples of their favoured approach to action research on the Internet. This would provide students with a more balanced view of forms of action research. It would show that there are other ideas, and approaches to action research, other than the particular approach taught by the University course they attended. Hopefully, more will follow the examples of Jack Whitehead and Pamela Lomax and demonstrate practical examples of researcher / practitioner participation.
In March 1997 Jack Whitehead added one further dissertation to his home page.This is by Moira Laidlaw. In addition there is the second chapter of Jacqui Hughes's Ph D.This is a very readable survey of recent events in action research in education. Jacqui Hughes clearly sets out the practical approach that leads to what she terms the dialectical logic of mutually dependent questions and answers. It is interesting to read this in conjunction with Janet Masters History of Action Research.
The approach of Jack Whitehead's students is an interesting one, but whether the approach has the rigour claimed by Jack and his colleagues is for the individual reader to decide.
Contains a number of articles that clearly position Pamela's approach to action research. I particularly like the inaugural lecture The Narrative of an Educational Journey or Crossing the Track, when Pamela became Professor of Educational Research at Kingston University
The Qualitative Report Index of an online journal edited by Ron Chenail. This site is a must for any qualitative researcher. Worth reading is Presenting Qualitative Data by Ronald J. Chenail
Quality Assurance or Quality Enhancement
Paper written on the issue whether quality in education can be best achieved by quality assurance, the present paradigm or by quality enhancement.
Web Journal of Current legal issues
This is an on line law journal that has published some excellent action research material that relates to legal practice. The action research approach adopted is one of prblem solving and may be regarded by some as more rigorous than some of the education based sources. The site is worthy of examination. The article by Caroline Maughan of the University of the West of England entitled 'Problem-Solving Through Reflective Practice : The Oxygen of Expertise or Just Swamp Gas:' in {1996} 2 WEB JCLI is especially interesting to any teacher practitioner who wishes to see the concept applied to practice other that which we are so familiar with. Another article worth looking at is Julian Webb's Extending the Theory-Practice Spiral : Action Research as a Mechanism for crossing the Academic / Professional Divide. 1995 2 Web JCLI. The article examines the validity of action research as a means of providing continuing professional development for lawyers.
Education Policy Analysis Archives
This site is well known for the quality papers on a variety of educational matters. I especially liked the paper by Stephen Kemmis 'Action Research and Social Movement : A Challenge for Policy Research' Volume 1 Number 1. In the same volume there is a thought provoking paper by Ivor Goodson 'The Devil's Bargain' Volume 1 Number 3 Griffith University
An Australian site that has in its occasional papers series an interesting paper by Paul Ramsden 'Using Research on Student Learning to Enhance Educational Quality' which is worth looking at. Education Research and Perspectives
This is an Australian site with some worthy articles. Two such articles appeared in the June 1993 edition. Both articles were on reflection. One that gives a comprehensive overview is by David Smith and Neville Hatton 'Reflection in Teacher Education : A Study in Progress', the other details reflection in the classroom and is by Al Yen Chan 'Experienced and Student Teachers' Reflection on Classroom Practice'.
History of Action Research by Janet Master
This article takes a look at the history of action research from primarily an American and Australian perspective. Those British action researchers may find a number of familar names missing. For these reasons the article should be essential reading for the British based action researcher.
Alternative Paradigms in Environmental Education Research: The Interpretive Perspective by Diane C. Cantrell is an interesting and stimulating account of alternative paradigms in educational research. This article is especially interesting for those looking at research philosophy and justification for using a qualitative approach to research.
The Creation of Theory: A Recent Application of the Grounded Theory Method by Naresh R. Pandit.
Part of the abstract tells of the content of this paper. The principal objective of this paper is to reveal how the style of qualitative research known as the 'grounded theory approach' was applied in a research project (Pandit, 1995) which attempted to generate a theoretical framework of corporate turnaround. For anyone interested in grounded theory this article is essential reading.
Another interesting article on grounded theory is
Glaser and Strauss : Grounded Theory in Further Education
where Wayne Babchuk examines the implications of the debate between Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss concerning key elements or underlying assumptions of grounded theory for research and practice in adult education. It is directed primarily at graduate students and other researchers who are in the process of conducting grounded theory analyses, as well as those considering utilizing this methodology to explore adult education problems and issues. This award winning article provides us with much interesting detail of how the approaches of Glaser and Strauss have chnaged towards grounded theory over the years.
Dissertation on reflection on a competence based course of study submitted by the page owner to the University of Strathclyde
Eric Digest
Documents on aspects of educational research provide valuable source material. I especially like the article on reflective practice by Susan Imel is a good general introduction to reflective practice that can be followed by the more detailed work of Smith and Hatton.
S L John updated October 2002