Sustaining Action Research

Anne Burns is a part-time Professor at Curtin University, WA, and is a Professor Emerita at Aston University, UK. She is an Honorary Professor at the University of New South Wales, The University of Sydney and The Education University, Hong Kong. Emily Edwards is a Lecturer in Academic Language and Learning at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. Neville John Ellis is an Honorary Lecturer at the University of New South Wales, Australia.

Table of Contents

Part 1: From Research to Implications

Introduction to Part 1

Action research as transformative practice

What is Action Research?

Action research as transformative practice

Action research as a form of professional learning and development

A sociocultural ecological framework

Introduction to the theory

Sociocultural theory

Ecological systems theory

The environment for development

The teaching context

The action research program or project

Tools and mediation

Teacher development

Teacher agency and identity

The sustainability of action research

Implications of sociocultural ecological theory for the action research practice we are proposing

Design phases for supporting and sustaining action research

Challenges and barriers facing teacher action research

Design phases for action research in institutions

Part 2: From Implications to Application

Introduction to Part 2

Sequencing

The top-down vs. bottom-up balance

Activity structure

Activity set A: Needs analysis for AR

Introduction to Activity set A

Sequencing of the activities

Activity A1: Do we have any AR experience?

Activity A2: What are our beliefs about research?

Activity A3: What is AR?

Activity A4: Is it AR or something else?

Activity A5: How confident do we feel about AR?

Activity A6: How could AR fit into our institutional PD goals for the year?

Activity A7: What are the teachers’ PD goals for the year?

Activity A8: How can we use an existing PD framework to set goals?

Activity A9: How can we collate our needs analysis ideas?

Activity A10: Should we have a working party for designing and planning AR?

Activity set B: Designing and planning AR

Introduction to Activity set B

Sequencing of the activities

Activity B1: How do we design a framework for our AR initiative?

Activity B2: What institutional resources can be included?

Activity B3: What are our expectations of working in this AR group?

Activity B4: Will we need any AR mentors?

Activity B5: Will any ‘critical friends’ be involved in the AR?

Activity B6: How do we generate ideas for AR topics?

Activity B7: How can we align our AR topics with institutional needs?

Activity B8: How do we develop AR questions?

Activity B9: How do we make AR project plans?

Activity B10: How can we review our AR plans?

Activity B11: How can we get feedback on our AR plans?

Activity B12: Does our planned AR align with institutional needs?

Activity B13: How much time will we need?

Activity B14: What ethical issues do we need to consider?

Activity B15: What do we need to learn about data collection?

Activity B16: How will we share our AR findings?

Activity B17: Is our AR initiative sustainable?

Activity set C: Implementation and support

Introduction to Activity set C

Sequencing of the activities

Activity C1: Ready to go!

Activity C2: What are the qualities of a good mentor?

Activity C3: How can we set clear expectations for working with an academic partner?

Activity C4: How can we organise group meetings?

Activity C5: How can we make a data collection plan?

Activity C6: Should we start with exploration or action?

Activity C7: What will the experience of AR be like?

Activity C8: How can we organise our data for analysis?

Activity C9: How can we analyse qualitative data?

Activity C10: How can we analyse quantitative data?

Activity C11: How and when is reflection included in AR?

Activity C12: How can we share and reflect on our emotional experiences of conducting AR?

Activity C13: How can we give each other emotional support?

Activity C14: How can we solve problems when working with academic partners?

Activity set D – Sharing AR with the school community

Introduction to Activity set D

Sequencing of the activities

Activity D1: How can we share what we’re learning from our AR projects?

Activity D2: How can we keep the school community updated?

Activity D3: How can we share our research findings at a staff meeting?

Activity D4: How can we organise an AR event in our school?

Activity D5: How can we use posters to share our AR findings?

Activity D6: How can we organise a practical workshop to promote AR findings?

Activity D7: How can we celebrate successes as well as challenges and uncomfortable truths?

Activity D8: How can we use our findings to improve school practice?

Activity set E – Sharing AR with the broader community

Introduction to Activity set E

Sequencing of the activities

Activity E1: How can we write an abstract for a conference?

Activity E2: How can we create our presentation?

Activity E3: How can we prepare for and practice our presentation?

Activity E4: How can we write a practice-oriented article?

Activity E5: How can we write an academic journal article?

Activity E6: How can we get involved with broader communities?

Activity set F – Planning the next steps

Introduction to Activity set F

Sequencing of the activities

Activity F1: How can participants reflect on the AR processes?

Activity F2: How can we get student feedback about the AR project or initiative?

Activity F3: How can we review our AR and adapt our framework for the next iteration?

Activity F4: How can we align the next steps we have planned with our ongoing PD goals?

Activity F5: How can we celebrate what we’ve achieved through our experience of AR?

Part 3: From Application to Implementation

Introduction to Part 3

An ecological view of the teaching context

Towards whole-school change and research cultures

Enabling factors for AR

The structure of Part 3

Micro level: individual teachers or small groups

What people would be involved at this level and how could they work together?

What would the educational goals or purposes of AR be at this level?

What could the enablers for AR be at this level?

Summary of micro level AR benefits and challenges

Meso level: whole of institution

What people would be involved at this level and how could they work together?

What would the educational goals or purposes of AR be at this level?

What could the enablers for AR be at this level?

Summary of meso level AR benefits and challenges

Macro level: communities of practice across institutions

What people would be involved at this level and how could they work together?

What would the educational goals or purposes of AR be at this level?

What could the enablers for AR be at this level?

Summary of macro level AR benefits and challenges

Part 4: From Implementation to Research

Introduction to Part 4

Classroom, teacher, and action research

A "family" of approaches

Reflective practice

Exploratory Practice

Exploratory action research

Self-study

Design-based research

Lesson study

Other terms and approaches

Carrying out research in your institutional context

Research at the micro-level

Research at the meso level

Research at the macro-level

Conclusion and final thoughts

Reference list