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21 Action Research Examples (In Education)

action research examples and definition, explained below

Action research is an example of qualitative research . It refers to a wide range of evaluative or investigative methods designed to analyze professional practices and take action for improvement.

Commonly used in education, those practices could be related to instructional methods, classroom practices, or school organizational matters.

The creation of action research is attributed to Kurt Lewin , a German-American psychologist also considered to be the father of social psychology.

Gillis and Jackson (2002) offer a very concise definition of action research: “systematic collection and analysis of data for the purpose of taking action and making change” (p.264).

The methods of action research in education include:

  • conducting in-class observations
  • taking field notes
  • surveying or interviewing teachers, administrators, or parents
  • using audio and video recordings.

The goal is to identify problematic issues, test possible solutions, or simply carry-out continuous improvement.

There are several steps in action research : identify a problem, design a plan to resolve, implement the plan, evaluate effectiveness, reflect on results, make necessary adjustment and repeat the process.

Action Research Examples

  • Digital literacy assessment and training: The school’s IT department conducts a survey on students’ digital literacy skills. Based on the results, a tailored training program is designed for different age groups.
  • Library resources utilization study: The school librarian tracks the frequency and type of books checked out by students. The data is then used to curate a more relevant collection and organize reading programs.
  • Extracurricular activities and student well-being: A team of teachers and counselors assess the impact of extracurricular activities on student mental health through surveys and interviews. Adjustments are made based on findings.
  • Parent-teacher communication channels: The school evaluates the effectiveness of current communication tools (e.g., newsletters, apps) between teachers and parents. Feedback is used to implement a more streamlined system.
  • Homework load evaluation: Teachers across grade levels assess the amount and effectiveness of homework given. Adjustments are made to ensure a balance between academic rigor and student well-being.
  • Classroom environment and learning: A group of teachers collaborates to study the impact of classroom layouts and decorations on student engagement and comprehension. Changes are made based on the findings.
  • Student feedback on curriculum content: High school students are surveyed about the relevance and applicability of their current curriculum. The feedback is then used to make necessary curriculum adjustments.
  • Teacher mentoring and support: New teachers are paired with experienced mentors. Both parties provide feedback on the effectiveness of the mentoring program, leading to continuous improvements.
  • Assessment of school transportation: The school board evaluates the efficiency and safety of school buses through surveys with students and parents. Necessary changes are implemented based on the results.
  • Cultural sensitivity training: After conducting a survey on students’ cultural backgrounds and experiences, the school organizes workshops for teachers to promote a more inclusive classroom environment.
  • Environmental initiatives and student involvement: The school’s eco-club assesses the school’s carbon footprint and waste management. They then collaborate with the administration to implement greener practices and raise environmental awareness.
  • Working with parents through research: A school’s admin staff conduct focus group sessions with parents to identify top concerns.Those concerns will then be addressed and another session conducted at the end of the school year.
  • Peer teaching observations and improvements: Kindergarten teachers observe other teachers handling class transition techniques to share best practices.
  • PTA surveys and resultant action: The PTA of a district conducts a survey of members regarding their satisfaction with remote learning classes.The results will be presented to the school board for further action.
  • Recording and reflecting: A school administrator takes video recordings of playground behavior and then plays them for the teachers. The teachers work together to formulate a list of 10 playground safety guidelines.
  • Pre/post testing of interventions: A school board conducts a district wide evaluation of a STEM program by conducting a pre/post-test of students’ skills in computer programming.
  • Focus groups of practitioners : The professional development needs of teachers are determined from structured focus group sessions with teachers and admin.
  • School lunch research and intervention: A nutrition expert is hired to evaluate and improve the quality of school lunches.
  • School nurse systematic checklist and improvements: The school nurse implements a bathroom cleaning checklist to monitor cleanliness after the results of a recent teacher survey revealed several issues.
  • Wearable technologies for pedagogical improvements; Students wear accelerometers attached to their hips to gain a baseline measure of physical activity.The results will identify if any issues exist.
  • School counselor reflective practice : The school counselor conducts a student survey on antisocial behavior and then plans a series of workshops for both teachers and parents.

Detailed Examples

1. cooperation and leadership.

A science teacher has noticed that her 9 th grade students do not cooperate with each other when doing group projects. There is a lot of arguing and battles over whose ideas will be followed.

So, she decides to implement a simple action research project on the matter. First, she conducts a structured observation of the students’ behavior during meetings. She also has the students respond to a short questionnaire regarding their notions of leadership.

She then designs a two-week course on group dynamics and leadership styles. The course involves learning about leadership concepts and practices . In another element of the short course, students randomly select a leadership style and then engage in a role-play with other students.

At the end of the two weeks, she has the students work on a group project and conducts the same structured observation as before. She also gives the students a slightly different questionnaire on leadership as it relates to the group.

She plans to analyze the results and present the findings at a teachers’ meeting at the end of the term.

2. Professional Development Needs

Two high-school teachers have been selected to participate in a 1-year project in a third-world country. The project goal is to improve the classroom effectiveness of local teachers. 

The two teachers arrive in the country and begin to plan their action research. First, they decide to conduct a survey of teachers in the nearby communities of the school they are assigned to.

The survey will assess their professional development needs by directly asking the teachers and administrators. After collecting the surveys, they analyze the results by grouping the teachers based on subject matter.

They discover that history and social science teachers would like professional development on integrating smartboards into classroom instruction. Math teachers would like to attend workshops on project-based learning, while chemistry teachers feel that they need equipment more than training.

The two teachers then get started on finding the necessary training experts for the workshops and applying for equipment grants for the science teachers.

3. Playground Accidents

The school nurse has noticed a lot of students coming in after having mild accidents on the playground. She’s not sure if this is just her perception or if there really is an unusual increase this year.  So, she starts pulling data from the records over the last two years. She chooses the months carefully and only selects data from the first three months of each school year.

She creates a chart to make the data more easily understood. Sure enough, there seems to have been a dramatic increase in accidents this year compared to the same period of time from the previous two years.

She shows the data to the principal and teachers at the next meeting. They all agree that a field observation of the playground is needed.

Those observations reveal that the kids are not having accidents on the playground equipment as originally suspected. It turns out that the kids are tripping on the new sod that was installed over the summer.

They examine the sod and observe small gaps between the slabs. Each gap is approximately 1.5 inches wide and nearly two inches deep. The kids are tripping on this gap as they run.

They then discuss possible solutions.

4. Differentiated Learning

Trying to use the same content, methods, and processes for all students is a recipe for failure. This is why modifying each lesson to be flexible is highly recommended. Differentiated learning allows the teacher to adjust their teaching strategy based on all the different personalities and learning styles they see in their classroom.

Of course, differentiated learning should undergo the same rigorous assessment that all teaching techniques go through. So, a third-grade social science teacher asks his students to take a simple quiz on the industrial revolution. Then, he applies differentiated learning to the lesson.

By creating several different learning stations in his classroom, he gives his students a chance to learn about the industrial revolution in a way that captures their interests. The different stations contain: short videos, fact cards, PowerPoints, mini-chapters, and role-plays.

At the end of the lesson, students get to choose how they demonstrate their knowledge. They can take a test, construct a PPT, give an oral presentation, or conduct a simulated TV interview with different characters.

During this last phase of the lesson, the teacher is able to assess if they demonstrate the necessary knowledge and have achieved the defined learning outcomes. This analysis will allow him to make further adjustments to future lessons.

5. Healthy Habits Program

While looking at obesity rates of students, the school board of a large city is shocked by the dramatic increase in the weight of their students over the last five years. After consulting with three companies that specialize in student physical health, they offer the companies an opportunity to prove their value.

So, the board randomly assigns each company to a group of schools. Starting in the next academic year, each company will implement their healthy habits program in 5 middle schools.

Preliminary data is collected at each school at the beginning of the school year. Each and every student is weighed, their resting heart rate, blood pressure and cholesterol are also measured.

After analyzing the data, it is found that the schools assigned to each of the three companies are relatively similar on all of these measures.

At the end of the year, data for students at each school will be collected again. A simple comparison of pre- and post-program measurements will be conducted. The company with the best outcomes will be selected to implement their program city-wide.

Action research is a great way to collect data on a specific issue, implement a change, and then evaluate the effects of that change. It is perhaps the most practical of all types of primary research .

Most likely, the results will be mixed. Some aspects of the change were effective, while other elements were not. That’s okay. This just means that additional modifications to the change plan need to be made, which is usually quite easy to do.

There are many methods that can be utilized, such as surveys, field observations , and program evaluations.

The beauty of action research is based in its utility and flexibility. Just about anyone in a school setting is capable of conducting action research and the information can be incredibly useful.

Aronson, E., & Patnoe, S. (1997). The jigsaw classroom: Building cooperation in the classroom (2nd ed.). New York: Addison Wesley Longman.

Gillis, A., & Jackson, W. (2002). Research Methods for Nurses: Methods and Interpretation . Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.

Lewin, K. (1946). Action research and minority problems. Journal of SocialIssues, 2 (4), 34-46.

Macdonald, C. (2012). Understanding participatory action research: A qualitative research methodology option. Canadian Journal of Action Research, 13 , 34-50. https://doi.org/10.33524/cjar.v13i2.37 Mertler, C. A. (2008). Action Research: Teachers as Researchers in the Classroom . London: Sage.

Dave

Dave Cornell (PhD)

Dr. Cornell has worked in education for more than 20 years. His work has involved designing teacher certification for Trinity College in London and in-service training for state governments in the United States. He has trained kindergarten teachers in 8 countries and helped businessmen and women open baby centers and kindergartens in 3 countries.

  • Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ 25 Positive Punishment Examples
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  • Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ Perception Checking: 15 Examples and Definition

Chris

Chris Drew (PhD)

This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU.

  • Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link 25 Positive Punishment Examples
  • Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link 25 Dissociation Examples (Psychology)
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2 thoughts on “21 Action Research Examples (In Education)”

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Where can I capture this article in a better user-friendly format, since I would like to provide it to my students in a Qualitative Methods course at the University of Prince Edward Island? It is a good article, however, it is visually disjointed in its current format. Thanks, Dr. Frank T. Lavandier

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Hi Dr. Lavandier,

I’ve emailed you a word doc copy that you can use and edit with your class.

Best, Chris.

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action research projects in education examples

Action research in the classroom: A teacher's guide

November 26, 2021

Action research in the classroom: A teacher's guide to understanding your learners and improving student outcomes.

Main, P (2021, November 26). Action research in the classroom: A teacher's guide. Retrieved from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/action-research-in-the-classroom-a-teachers-guide

What is action research?

Action Research is a systematic enquiry method that educators undertake as their practice researchers . The enquiry of the Action Research is mostly seen as a cyclical process . Below are the two examples of the action research process.

Within the context of professional development in schools, they provide teachers with reflective knowledge that can be used to advance pedagogical performance. This type of critical reflection can be built into a professional development cycle in a wide range of educational contexts.

This type of development of practice can improve the experience of students very quickly. When facilitated effectively, action research can equip classroom practitioners with a deeper understanding of their student's needs .

Regardless of whether the findings are written into a project report, the educational experiences can be used to inform curriculum design and delivery.

' Kurt Lewin ' (1944) was the first person to propose the term “ action research ,” for a process of inquiry and investigation that takes place as an action is carried out to solve a problem . Currently, we use the term ' action research' for a reflective process of inquiry , performed to improve practice and understanding . One may use the word “ action ” for the change he/ she is trying to implement and “ research ” to define a teacher's improved knowledge of the learning environment. In this article, we will explore how this professional learning model can be used to improve educational outcomes in both primary and secondary schools.

Creating an action research project

The action research process usually begins with a situation or issue that a teacher wants to change as part of school improvement initiatives .

Teachers get support in changing the ' interesting issue ' into a 'researchable question' and then taking to experiment. The teacher will draw on the outcomes of other researchers to help build actions and reveal the consequences .

Participatory action research is a strategy to the enquiry which has been utilised since the 1940s. Participatory action involves researchers and other participants taking informed action to gain knowledge of a problematic situation and change it to bring a positive effect. As an action researcher , a teacher carries out research . Enquiring into their practice would lead a teacher to question the norms and assumptions that are mostly overlooked in normal school life . Making a routine of inquiry can provide a commitment to learning and professional development . A teacher-researcher holds the responsibility for being the source and agent of change.

Examples of action research projects in education include a teacher working with students to improve their reading comprehension skills , a group of teachers collaborating to develop and implement a new curriculum, or a school administrator conducting a study on the effectiveness of a school-wide behavior management program.

In each of these cases, the research is aimed at improving the educational experience for students and addressing a specific issue or problem within the school community . Action research can be a powerful tool for educators to improve their practice and make a positive impact on their students' learning.

Potential research questions could include:

  • How can dual-coding be used to improve my students memory ?
  • Does mind-mapping lead to creativity?
  • How does Oracy improve my classes writing?
  • How can we advance critical thinking in year 10?
  • How can graphic organisers be used for exam preparation?

Regardless of the types of action research your staff engage in, a solid cycle of inquiry is an essential aspect of the action research spiral. Building in the process of reflection will ensure that key points of learning can be extracted from the action research study.

What is action research

What is an action research cycle?

Action research in education is a cycle of reflection and action inquiry , which follows these steps:

1. Identifying the problem

It is the first stage of action research that starts when a teacher identifies a problem or question that they want to address. To make an a ction research approach successful, the teacher needs to ensure that the questions are the ones 'they' wish to solve. Their questions might involve social sciences, instructional strategies, everyday life and social management issues, guide for students analytical research methods for improving specific student performance or curriculum implementation etc. Teachers may seek help from a wide variety of existing literature , to find strategies and solutions that others have executed to solve any particular problem. It is also suggested to build a visual map or a table of problems, target performances, potential solutions and supporting references in the middle.

2. Developing an Action Plan

After identifying the problem, after r eviewing the relevant literature and describing the vision of how to solve the problem; the next step would be action planning which means to develop a plan of action . Action planning involves studying the literature and brainstorming can be used by the action research planner to create new techniques and strategies that can generate better results of both action learning and action research. One may go back to the visual map or table of contents and reorder or colour-code the potential outcomes. The items in the list can be ranked in order of significance and the amount of time needed for these strategies.

An action plan has the details of how to implement each idea and the factors that may keep them from their vision of success . Identify those factors that cannot be changed –these are the constants in an equation. The focus of action research at the planning stage must remain focused on the variables –the factors that can be changed using actions. An action plan must be how to implement a solution and how one's instruction, management style, and behaviour will affect each of the variables.

Developing a model for action research

3. Data Collection

Before starting to implement a plan of action , the researcher must have a complete understanding of action research and must have knowledge of the type of data that may help in the success of the plan and must assess how to collect that data. For instance, if the goal is to improve class attendance, attendance records must be collected as useful data for the participatory action. If the goal is to improve time management, the data may include students and classroom observations . There are many options to choose from to collect data from. Selecting the most suitable methodology for data collection will provide more meaningful , accurate and valid data. Some sources of data are interviews and observation. Also, one may administer surveys , distribute questionnaires and watch videotapes of the classroom to collect data.

4. Data Analysis and Conclusions

At this action stage, an action researcher analyses the collected data and concludes. It is suggested to assess the data during the predefined process of data collection as it will help refine the action research agenda. If the collected data seems insufficient , the data collection plan must be revised. Data analysis also helps to reflect on what exactly happened. Did the action researcher perform the actions as planned? Were the study outcomes as expected? Which assumptions of the action researcher proved to be incorrect?

Adding details such as tables, opinions, and recommendations can help in identifying trends (correlations and relationships). One must share the findings while analysing data and drawing conclusions . Engaging in conversations for teacher growth is essential; hence, the action researcher would share the findings with other teachers through discussion of action research, who can yield useful feedback. One may also share the findings with students, as they can also provide additional insight . For example, if teachers and students agree with the conclusions of action research for educational change, it adds to the credibility of the data collection plan and analysis. If they don't seem to agree with the data collection plan and analysis , the action researchers may take informed action and refine the data collection plan and reevaluate conclusions .

Making insightful classrooms observations

5. Modifying the Educational Theory and Repeat

After concluding, the process begins again. The teacher can adjust different aspects of the action research approach to theory or make it more specific according to the findings . Action research guides how to change the steps of action research development, how to modify the action plan , and provide better access to resources, start data collection once again, or prepare new questions to ask from the respondents.

Teachers developing professional judgements

6. Report the Findings

Since the main approach to action research involves the informed action to introduce useful change into the classroom or schools, one must not forget to share the outcomes with others. Sharing the outcomes would help to further reflect on the problem and process, and it would help other teachers to use these findings to enhance their professional practice as an educator. One may print book and share the experience with the school leaders, principal, teachers and students as they served as guide to action research. Or, a community action researcher may present community-based action research at a conference so people from other areas can take advantage of this collaborative action. Also, teachers may use a digital storytelling tool to outline their results.

There are plenty of creative tools we can use to bring the research projects to life. We have seen videos, podcasts and research posters all being used to communicate the results of these programs. Community action research is a unique way to present details of the community-related adventures in the teacher profession, cultivate expertise and show how teachers think about education , so it is better to find unique ways to report the findings of community-led action research.

Final thoughts on action-research for teachers

All teachers want to help their students to become better citizens and learners. An action research project offers unique and reflective professional learning one may use to bring a positive change in educational and classroom practices and to find out whether those changes bring the desired results or not. An action research model provides unique ideas and knowledge along with critical action research making a great formula for effective change.

The advantages of action research are far and wide but some members of staff who are already swamped with a busy workload might need the development cycle broken down into really simple steps. Ultimately, the educational context in which these projects are facilitated will matter. Education practitioners will need a careful balance of autonomy and guidance to get the whole staff buy in.

As well as the various international journals that could take interest in your projects, there may well also be some local opportunities to showcase staff knowledge . Instead of writing a project report, participant observations could be explained within 'teach meets' or other collaborative sharing events. These types of occasions give members of their education community a clearer understanding of the development of practice that teachers have been engaged in.

action research projects in education examples

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How Teachers Can Learn Through Action Research

A look at one school’s action research project provides a blueprint for using this model of collaborative teacher learning.

Two teachers talking while looking at papers

When teachers redesign learning experiences to make school more relevant to students’ lives, they can’t ignore assessment. For many teachers, the most vexing question about real-world learning experiences such as project-based learning is: How will we know what students know and can do by the end of this project?

Teachers at the Siena School in Silver Spring, Maryland, decided to figure out the assessment question by investigating their classroom practices. As a result of their action research, they now have a much deeper understanding of authentic assessment and a renewed appreciation for the power of learning together.

Their research process offers a replicable model for other schools interested in designing their own immersive professional learning. The process began with a real-world challenge and an open-ended question, involved a deep dive into research, and ended with a public showcase of findings.

Start With an Authentic Need to Know

Siena School serves about 130 students in grades 4–12 who have mild to moderate language-based learning differences, including dyslexia. Most students are one to three grade levels behind in reading.

Teachers have introduced a variety of instructional strategies, including project-based learning, to better meet students’ learning needs and also help them develop skills like collaboration and creativity. Instead of taking tests and quizzes, students demonstrate what they know in a PBL unit by making products or generating solutions.

“We were already teaching this way,” explained Simon Kanter, Siena’s director of technology. “We needed a way to measure, was authentic assessment actually effective? Does it provide meaningful feedback? Can teachers grade it fairly?”

Focus the Research Question

Across grade levels and departments, teachers considered what they wanted to learn about authentic assessment, which the late Grant Wiggins described as engaging, multisensory, feedback-oriented, and grounded in real-world tasks. That’s a contrast to traditional tests and quizzes, which tend to focus on recall rather than application and have little in common with how experts go about their work in disciplines like math or history.

The teachers generated a big research question: Is using authentic assessment an effective and engaging way to provide meaningful feedback for teachers and students about growth and proficiency in a variety of learning objectives, including 21st-century skills?

Take Time to Plan

Next, teachers planned authentic assessments that would generate data for their study. For example, middle school science students created prototypes of genetically modified seeds and pitched their designs to a panel of potential investors. They had to not only understand the science of germination but also apply their knowledge and defend their thinking.

In other classes, teachers planned everything from mock trials to environmental stewardship projects to assess student learning and skill development. A shared rubric helped the teachers plan high-quality assessments.

Make Sense of Data

During the data-gathering phase, students were surveyed after each project about the value of authentic assessments versus more traditional tools like tests and quizzes. Teachers also reflected after each assessment.

“We collated the data, looked for trends, and presented them back to the faculty,” Kanter said.

Among the takeaways:

  • Authentic assessment generates more meaningful feedback and more opportunities for students to apply it.
  • Students consider authentic assessment more engaging, with increased opportunities to be creative, make choices, and collaborate.
  • Teachers are thinking more critically about creating assessments that allow for differentiation and that are applicable to students’ everyday lives.

To make their learning public, Siena hosted a colloquium on authentic assessment for other schools in the region. The school also submitted its research as part of an accreditation process with the Middle States Association.

Strategies to Share

For other schools interested in conducting action research, Kanter highlighted three key strategies.

  • Focus on areas of growth, not deficiency:  “This would have been less successful if we had said, ‘Our math scores are down. We need a new program to get scores up,’ Kanter said. “That puts the onus on teachers. Data collection could seem punitive. Instead, we focused on the way we already teach and thought about, how can we get more accurate feedback about how students are doing?”
  • Foster a culture of inquiry:  Encourage teachers to ask questions, conduct individual research, and share what they learn with colleagues. “Sometimes, one person attends a summer workshop and then shares the highlights in a short presentation. That might just be a conversation, or it might be the start of a school-wide initiative,” Kanter explained. In fact, that’s exactly how the focus on authentic assessment began.
  • Build structures for teacher collaboration:  Using staff meetings for shared planning and problem-solving fosters a collaborative culture. That was already in place when Siena embarked on its action research, along with informal brainstorming to support students.

For both students and staff, the deep dive into authentic assessment yielded “dramatic impact on the classroom,” Kanter added. “That’s the great part of this.”

In the past, he said, most teachers gave traditional final exams. To alleviate students’ test anxiety, teachers would support them with time for content review and strategies for study skills and test-taking.

“This year looks and feels different,” Kanter said. A week before the end of fall term, students were working hard on final products, but they weren’t cramming for exams. Teachers had time to give individual feedback to help students improve their work. “The whole climate feels way better.”

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Methodology

  • What Is Action Research? | Definition & Examples

What Is Action Research? | Definition & Examples

Published on January 27, 2023 by Tegan George . Revised on January 12, 2024.

Action research Cycle

Table of contents

Types of action research, action research models, examples of action research, action research vs. traditional research, advantages and disadvantages of action research, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about action research.

There are 2 common types of action research: participatory action research and practical action research.

  • Participatory action research emphasizes that participants should be members of the community being studied, empowering those directly affected by outcomes of said research. In this method, participants are effectively co-researchers, with their lived experiences considered formative to the research process.
  • Practical action research focuses more on how research is conducted and is designed to address and solve specific issues.

Both types of action research are more focused on increasing the capacity and ability of future practitioners than contributing to a theoretical body of knowledge.

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Action research is often reflected in 3 action research models: operational (sometimes called technical), collaboration, and critical reflection.

  • Operational (or technical) action research is usually visualized like a spiral following a series of steps, such as “planning → acting → observing → reflecting.”
  • Collaboration action research is more community-based, focused on building a network of similar individuals (e.g., college professors in a given geographic area) and compiling learnings from iterated feedback cycles.
  • Critical reflection action research serves to contextualize systemic processes that are already ongoing (e.g., working retroactively to analyze existing school systems by questioning why certain practices were put into place and developed the way they did).

Action research is often used in fields like education because of its iterative and flexible style.

After the information was collected, the students were asked where they thought ramps or other accessibility measures would be best utilized, and the suggestions were sent to school administrators. Example: Practical action research Science teachers at your city’s high school have been witnessing a year-over-year decline in standardized test scores in chemistry. In seeking the source of this issue, they studied how concepts are taught in depth, focusing on the methods, tools, and approaches used by each teacher.

Action research differs sharply from other types of research in that it seeks to produce actionable processes over the course of the research rather than contributing to existing knowledge or drawing conclusions from datasets. In this way, action research is formative , not summative , and is conducted in an ongoing, iterative way.

As such, action research is different in purpose, context, and significance and is a good fit for those seeking to implement systemic change.

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action research projects in education examples

Action research comes with advantages and disadvantages.

  • Action research is highly adaptable , allowing researchers to mold their analysis to their individual needs and implement practical individual-level changes.
  • Action research provides an immediate and actionable path forward for solving entrenched issues, rather than suggesting complicated, longer-term solutions rooted in complex data.
  • Done correctly, action research can be very empowering , informing social change and allowing participants to effect that change in ways meaningful to their communities.

Disadvantages

  • Due to their flexibility, action research studies are plagued by very limited generalizability  and are very difficult to replicate . They are often not considered theoretically rigorous due to the power the researcher holds in drawing conclusions.
  • Action research can be complicated to structure in an ethical manner . Participants may feel pressured to participate or to participate in a certain way.
  • Action research is at high risk for research biases such as selection bias , social desirability bias , or other types of cognitive biases .

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

  • Normal distribution
  • Degrees of freedom
  • Null hypothesis
  • Discourse analysis
  • Control groups
  • Mixed methods research
  • Non-probability sampling
  • Quantitative research
  • Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Research bias

  • Rosenthal effect
  • Implicit bias
  • Cognitive bias
  • Selection bias
  • Negativity bias
  • Status quo bias

Action research is conducted in order to solve a particular issue immediately, while case studies are often conducted over a longer period of time and focus more on observing and analyzing a particular ongoing phenomenon.

Action research is focused on solving a problem or informing individual and community-based knowledge in a way that impacts teaching, learning, and other related processes. It is less focused on contributing theoretical input, instead producing actionable input.

Action research is particularly popular with educators as a form of systematic inquiry because it prioritizes reflection and bridges the gap between theory and practice. Educators are able to simultaneously investigate an issue as they solve it, and the method is very iterative and flexible.

A cycle of inquiry is another name for action research . It is usually visualized in a spiral shape following a series of steps, such as “planning → acting → observing → reflecting.”

Sources in this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.

George, T. (2024, January 12). What Is Action Research? | Definition & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved February 22, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/action-research/
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2017). Research methods in education (8th edition). Routledge.
Naughton, G. M. (2001).  Action research (1st edition). Routledge.

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Action Research

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Action research is a method used by teachers to solve everyday issues in the classroom. It is a reflective, democratic, and action-based approach to problem-solving or information-seeking in the classroom. Instead of waiting for a solution, action research empowers teachers to become critical and reflective thinkers and lifelong learners that are dedicated to helping improve student learning and teaching effectiveness.

Teachers or program leaders can take on an action research project by framing a question, carrying out an intervention or experiment, and reporting on the results. Below you’ll find resources, examples, and simple steps to help you get started.

Action Research in Early Childhood Education

Steps for action research.

1. Identify a Topic

Topics for action research can include the following:

  • Changes in classroom practice
  • Effects of program restructuring
  • New understanding of students
  • Teacher skills and competencies
  • New professional relationships
  • New content or curricula
  • What problem do you want to solve? What information are you seeking?
  • What data will need to be collected to help find a solution or answer?
  • How will it be collected, by whom and from whom?
  • How can you assure that your data will be reliable?

3. Collect Data

A mixed-method approach is a great way to ensure that your data is valid and reliable since you are gathering data from more than one source. This is called triangulation.

Mixed-methods research is when you integrate quantitative and qualitative research and analysis in a single study. Quantitative data is data that can be measured and written down with numbers. Some examples include attendance records, developmental screening tests, and attitude surveys. Qualitative data is data that cannot be measured in a numerical format. Some examples include observations, open-ended survey responses, audio recordings, focus groups, pictures, and in-depth interviews.

Ethically, even if your research will be contained in the classroom, it is important to get permission from the director or principal and parents. If your data collection involves videotaping or photographing students, you should review and follow school procedures. Always make sure that you have a secure place to store data and that you respect the confidentiality of your students.

4. Analyze and Interpret the Data

It’s important to consider when data will be able to answer your question. Were you looking for effects right away or effects that last until the end of the school year? When you’re done, review all of the data and look for themes. You can then separate the data into categories and analyze each group. Remember the goal of the analysis is not only to help answer the research question, but to gain understanding as a teacher.

5. Carry out an Action Plan to Improve Your Practice 

After the analysis, summarize what you learned from the study.

  • How can you share your findings?
  • What new research questions did the study prompt you to research next?
  • What actionable steps can you make as a result of the findings?

Pine, G. J. (2008). Teacher action research: building knowledge democracies. Sage Publications.

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The following Action Research Projects (ARPs) provide just that. These practical ideas and strategies are the result of classroom action research conducted by teachers in schools and classrooms.

To use this site, simply identify a grade level or topic of interest and click on it. This will take you to a list of ARPs for your review. Click on any ARP to learn more about the topic, what was done, and who did it.

Elementary (preK-5)

Digital portfolios.

  • Evaluating the Effectiveness of Student-Created Digital Portfolios in Creating a Culture of Self-Efficacy in Kindergarten Classrooms

Improving Chronic Absenteeism

  • Addressing Chronic Absenteeism through Peer-Mentoring

Literacy Academy

  • Effectiveness of Early Language Literacy Plan Academy Model in Nonsense Word Fluency
  • Critical Thinking Using an Online Discussion Forum with Fourth Graders

Math Computation

  • Math Computation Proficiency in Elementary Classrooms

Parental Involvement

  • Increasing Parental Involvement Through Technology Use

Reading Fluency

  • Reading Fluency in the First Grade Classroom

Reading/Language Arts

  • Phonemic Awareness Instruction as a Response to Intervention Strategy for Kindergarten Students without Preschool Experience
  • Improving Reading Fluency and Comprehension With The Daily Café Program

Reflective Thinking Routines

  • Reflective Thinking Routines and Their Impact on Teachers’ Rates of Positive to Directive/Corrective Interactions with Students

Speech Production Targets

  • Non-Words Used as Speech Production Targets

Student Goal Setting

  • Student Goal Setting to Increase Academic Achievement in Math

Middle School (6-8)

Chronic absenteeism.

  • Impacts of “Internal” Mentoring Program on Chronic Absenteeism
  • Student Recognition and Goals: The Effects of Student Recognition and Goal Setting on Motivation and Achievement among At-Risk Opportunity School Students

Student Behavior and Academics

  • An Investigation into the Impact of Extra-Curricular Activities on Student Behavior and Academic Success

Restorative Justice

  • Restorative Justice Prevailing Over Suspension

High School (9-12)

Ability grouping in mat.

  • Maximizing the Benefits of Grouping by Ability in Math

Credit Recover Programs

  • Effectiveness of Online Credit Recovery Versus Face-to-Face Credit Recovery Programs
  • Increasing English Learner Assessment Scores with Software Intervention Programs

Full Inclusion

  • Should Alternate Curriculum Integration Lead to Full Inclusion?

Instructional Approaches for Developing Spanish Fluency

  • The Effects of Comprehensive Input Through Storytelling in High School Spanish Students

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Open access

  • Published: 09 May 2018

The Potential of Teacher-Led Research: Teachers’ Action Research Collaborations in Science Education in Singapore

  • Gavin W. Fulmer 1 ,
  • Hye-Eun Chu 2 &
  • Sonya N. Martin 3  

Asia-Pacific Science Education volume  4 , Article number:  7 ( 2018 ) Cite this article

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This special issue presents action research projects that serve as examples of research collaborations among teachers and university faculty that are practically significant to both schools and teachers while also having potential to inform theory and build scholarly knowledge. We see these examples of teacher-led research as highlights of work carried out by science teachers as education researchers in Singapore. Action research has been emphasized in Singapore for over 15 years as a way to promote school-based educational innovations and teachers’ self-development (Hairon, 2006 , 2017 ; Tang, 2000 ). However, to date, teacher-led and school-based research following other research models in East Asian contexts, such as Japanese lesson study and Chinese model lessons, have been more widely recognized. This dearth of published work belies the wide use of varied teacher-led research in Singaporean schools as many studies have been conducted over extended periods of time that encompass a wide range of topics. Unfortunately, relatively little has been published to describe the findings emerging from these action research projects.

The action research papers in this special issue originated from collaboration between school science teachers and university researchers and supervisors. The partnerships were bidirectional, establishing theoretical bases in teachers’ action research goals while helping the researchers have more direct views of research on implementation and teacher experience in real classrooms and school settings. Despite disagreement in the literature about how action research should be implemented (Beaulieu, 2013 ), we see that action research is not only a tool for professional development and lesson improvement, but also could serve as an avenue for engaging teachers in scholarship. Thus, the important idea coming from this set of special issue papers is that action research not only has immense potential help to increase teachers’ sense of reflection about teaching, it can also help teachers to look beyond the immediate classroom to speak to issues involving standards interpretation and implementation, novice teacher induction and retention, and more. Previously, these avenues of research were typically seen as the purview of university researchers or district personnel. Nevertheless, these studies show that teachers themselves have the capacity to develop as reflective practitioners, leaders, and researchers.

In the following introduction to this special issue, we give a brief background of the Singaporean education context and the role of action research in this context, summarize the papers that comprise the special issue, and then review the central theme from these action research reports.

Background on Singapore and its education system

Singapore’s education context is an example of a markedly cosmopolitan intersection of historical structures, cultural influences, and contemporary trends. The system has notable similarities to the UK, owing to its history as a British colony and ongoing membership in the Commonwealth of Nations (Gregory & Clarke, 2003 ). Singaporean students attend primary school for Grades 1–6 and secondary school for Grades 7–10, after which they have different routes depending on their own preferences, prior academic performance, and examination results. Singapore has its own adaptation of the Cambridge General Certificate of Education (GCE): The O-Level (Ordinary Level) that students sit at the end of Grade 10. Depending on their O-level results, Singaporean students may go to junior college for Grades 11–12, which prepares students for the GCE A-Level (Advanced Level) examinations and admission to university; to a polytechnic institute, which yields a three-year diploma suitable for entry-level employment in a variety of applied fields such as IT or nursing; or to a vocational education center, which offers two-year certificates in a skilled trade.

Singapore’s educational context demonstrates cultural influences similar to its Asian neighbors, especially those with Confucian bases. It is an assessment-driven society, influenced by cultural values regarding standardized examination systems similar to other Asian societies (Kennedy, 2007 ). Singapore also has a stated goal for the education system of supporting the national interest and developing a stable nation-state. That means participating in and endorsing the Singaporean meritocratic social model, inculcating values of multiculturalism and nation building, and developing students’ character, citizenship, and leadership (Gopinathan, 2012 ; Gregory & Clarke, 2003 ).

Singapore is also influenced by contemporary trends in education. Accountability pressure is constant, given the high social and economic stakes of standardized assessments for students, parents, teachers, and schools (Ng, 2010 ). The centralized teacher education system, while highly regarded, is also undergoing changes to incorporate new technological tools and to respond to educational models (Tan, 2018 ). At the same time, the Ministry of Education ( 2010 ) has adopted policies that target twenty-first century skills and promote innovation and adaptiveness. That has meant a move to soften the examination pressure, to provide multiple pathways for student advancement and recognition, and to promote alternative assessment practices at the school and classroom levels.

The role of action research in the system

Action research has been promulgated in Singapore by the Ministry of Education since 2000, during the introduction of a teacher collaborative platform called Learning Circles (Hairon, 2017 ), and has continued to be promoted in Singaporean schools at all levels in the past decade (Soh, 2011 ). Promotion of action research has resulted from education policymakers’ recognition of the need for innovations and improvements in the education system so that the Singaporean workforce can meet its future economic needs. Additionally, the Singapore Ministry of Education encourages use of action research as part of its school management and evaluation structures, such as the School Excellence Model and the Enhanced Performance Management System.

Singapore strives to be a leader in educational excellence, with attention to lessons learned from other countries and with extensive efforts at its own innovations. In examining the educational innovations in Singapore’s system, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD] , 2014 ) found Singapore’s top five innovations in organizational policy and practice to be: (1) more use of incentives for secondary teachers; (2) more external evaluation of primary and secondary school classrooms; (3) more parental involvement in school projects, programs, and trips; (4) more peer evaluation of teachers in secondary education; and (5) more enrichment education for secondary science students.

These innovations cannot succeed without research—especially action research. While one cannot estimate in isolation the extent to which action research helps Singapore achieve its educational innovations and its relatively high PISA and TIMSS results, it likely plays a meaningful role due to the importance of standardized assessments and school ranking within the Singaporean system. In a context that prioritizes students’ performance, teachers may use action research as a way to incorporate new instructional approaches iteratively while ensuring that student learning outcomes are at least as good as what would be achieved with traditional methods of instruction (Goh & Goh, 2006 ). In this way, action research provides a mechanism for supporting classroom innovation while keeping in mind a consistent learning goal.

Papers in this special issue

Hairon ( 2017 ) presents an overview of action research as it has been adopted and implemented in Singapore. This paper updates and expands on Hairon’s ( 2006 ) paper on action research in this setting, discussing how action research has been officially promoted, but also reviewing some of the challenges that face teachers who enact action research. It discusses some of the presumptions and priorities in action research, compares action research to other approaches common to the system, such as lesson study and professional learning communities, and looks at the skills, expectations, and work culture needs for successful action research.

Fernandez ( 2017 ) conducts a quasi-experiment on students’ learning of thermal physics, comparing an inquiry-based instruction approach in one classroom with traditional instruction in two other classes. The inquiry-based approach helped improve the students’ conceptual understanding and their sense of self-efficacy. The findings demonstrate that inquiry-oriented approaches can be implemented effectively in Singaporean secondary classrooms, with results for both traditional learning outcomes as well as affective ones.

Chua et al. ( 2017 ) report findings from a study of feedback order for chemistry and mathematics secondary students. Previous work on feedback has suggested that score reporting tends to detract from students’ attention to written comments. But to withhold scores would be roundly criticized in the Singaporean context, where parents and students pay great attention to grades and performance. By delaying score reporting until after students have received and responded to written feedback, the authors find that the benefits of descriptive comments can be maintained.

Long and Bae ( 2018 ) report on interviews with beginning primary school teachers where they discuss their conceptions of science inquiry and their challenges in implementing inquiry in their classes. This work differs from conventional views of action research because the teacher focuses on novice teachers’ views and practices as they grapple with the transition to full-time teaching and the use of inquiry-oriented approaches, while dealing with challenges including assessment expectations and lack of resources and planning time.

Teo et al. ( 2017 ) report on a teacher’s experience with participatory action research (PAR) where the teacher and students engaged in cogenerative dialogue (cogen) sessions. The goal of the sessions was to help the teacher transition from a teacher-centered approach to a more student-centered approach using insights from the cogen and with co-teaching by the researcher. The findings serve as a case study in the process of using cogen to transform one’s teaching and show the potential for benefits of cogen in the Singapore context.

Lessons from this special issue

The papers included in this special issue are all built around teachers’ experiences planning, conducting, and reporting on their school-based research projects. The educational level varies from primary school to secondary school. The subject matter also varies widely: physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and elementary science. The scope of the research varies from cogenerative dialogue sessions, to classroom units, to interviews with teachers about their experiences across units. This is intentional. An analysis of research presented at a local conference in Singapore revealed that 71 projects were related to action research (Tan et al., 2009 ). Of these, 86% used quantitative methodologies and the remaining 14% used qualitative or mixed methodologies. That more teachers adopted quantitative methods may be explained by the accountability pressures that teachers feel as they must demonstrate the effectiveness of their lessons as stipulated by the Enhanced Performance Management System. The studies in this special issue provide a wide perspective, as they include more qualitative and mixed methods work in addition to quantitative work. The breadth and variability of methodologies allows this set of papers to offer a valuable new perspective of action research in the Singapore context.

The salient emerging theme from these papers is that teachers can serve as knowledgeable partners for research that can contribute directly to the academic debate. The teachers writing these special issue papers are drawing ideas from the academic literature to design and conduct teacher-driven research that touches directly on problems arising in school contexts. Through these partnerships, the papers are then able to draw inferences and communicate directly back to the academic literature. Scholars can read these papers as direct contributions to the body of literature in their respective fields. The pieces can also be seen as highlights of the quality work that teachers can lead with the collaborative support from university partners.

The key lessons from our special issue are that teachers are not simply consumers of research and that action research need not be confined to informing professional development or iterative lesson improvement. Instead, strategic partnerships among teachers and university-based researchers can provide opportunities to find classroom implications from previous literature and to expand the literature based on research that has close ties to teachers’ own experiences. While previous work on action research has often positioned it as a professional development exercise, collaborative work between teachers and researchers can yield findings that can speak back to the academic setting.

We encourage researchers in other settings to build similar connections with teachers that aim to empower them to take the lead in formulating research questions and pursuing promising research alongside faculty members. In this way, we advocate for teachers and their students to be positioned to contribute more equally to the examination of scholarly problems in school settings. We especially hope to see more research like this conducted in the Asia-Pacific region and for the findings of these collaborations to be shared with readers of Asia-Pacific Science Education (APSE). We believe APSE can continue to lead the way in providing a channel for disseminating research that can make a difference in the teaching and learning of science in the region and beyond (for more information, see Martin & Chu, 2015 ).

Beaulieu, R. J. (2013). Action research: Trends and variations. The Canadian Journal of Action Research, 14(3), 29–39.

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Teo, T. W., bin Badron, M. F., & Tan, A.-L. (2017). Enabling classroom change by infusing cogen and coteaching in participatory action research. Asia-Pacific Science Education, 3 (6). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41029-017-0019-7 .

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Gavin W. Fulmer

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College of Education, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

Sonya N. Martin

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Gavin Fulmer is an Assistant Professor at University of Iowa in Iowa City, USA, and was formerly in the Curriculum, Teaching, & Learning Group at Singapore’s National Institute of Education. His research focuses on development, application, and implications of assessment in science education. Hye-Eun Chu is a Lecturer at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, and was formerly in the Natural Sciences and Science Education Group at Singapore’s National Institute of Education. Her research focuses on monitoring students’ conceptual development and formative assessment practices in science classrooms. Sonya Martin is an Associate Professor of Science Education at Seoul National University in Korea. For many years, she has conducted classroom-based research with teachers and students using action research methodologies to improve science teaching and learning.

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Fulmer, G.W., Chu, HE. & Martin, S.N. The Potential of Teacher-Led Research: Teachers’ Action Research Collaborations in Science Education in Singapore. Asia Pac. Sci. Educ. 4 , 7 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41029-018-0024-5

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How to Do Action Research in Your Classroom

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4 Preparing for Action Research in the Classroom: Practical Issues

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

  • What sort of considerations are necessary to take action in your educational context?
  • How do you facilitate an action plan without disrupting your teaching?
  • How do you respond when the unplanned happens during data collection?

An action research project is a practical endeavor that will ultimately be shaped by your educational context and practice. Now that you have developed a literature review, you are ready to revise your initial plans and begin to plan your project. This chapter will provide some advice about your considerations when undertaking an action research project in your classroom.

Maintain Focus

Hopefully, you found a lot a research on your topic. If so, you will now have a better understanding of how it fits into your area and field of educational research. Even though the topic and area you are researching may not be small, your study itself should clearly focus on one aspect of the topic in your classroom. It is important to maintain clarity about what you are investigating because a lot will be going on simultaneously during the research process and you do not want to spend precious time on erroneous aspects that are irrelevant to your research.

Even though you may view your practice as research, and vice versa, you might want to consider your research project as a projection or megaphone for your work that will bring attention to the small decisions that make a difference in your educational context. From experience, our concern is that you will find that researching one aspect of your practice will reveal other interconnected aspects that you may find interesting, and you will disorient yourself researching in a confluence of interests, commitments, and purposes. We simply want to emphasize – don’t try to research everything at once. Stay focused on your topic, and focus on exploring it in depth, instead of its many related aspects. Once you feel you have made progress in one aspect, you can then progress to other related areas, as new research projects that continue the research cycle.

Identify a Clear Research Question

Your literature review should have exposed you to an array of research questions related to your topic. More importantly, your review should have helped identify which research questions we have addressed as a field, and which ones still need to be addressed . More than likely your research questions will resemble ones from your literature review, while also being distinguishable based upon your own educational context and the unexplored areas of research on your topic.

Regardless of how your research question took shape, it is important to be clear about what you are researching in your educational context. Action research questions typically begin in ways related to “How does … ?” or “How do I/we … ?”, for example:

Research Question Examples

  • How does a semi-structured morning meeting improve my classroom community?
  • How does historical fiction help students think about people’s agency in the past?
  • How do I improve student punctuation use through acting out sentences?
  • How do we increase student responsibility for their own learning as a team of teachers?

I particularly favor questions with I or we, because they emphasize that you, the actor and researcher, will be clearly taking action to improve your practice. While this may seem rather easy, you need to be aware of asking the right kind of question. One issue is asking a too pointed and closed question that limits the possibility for analysis. These questions tend to rely on quantitative answers, or yes/no answers. For example, “How many students got a 90% or higher on the exam, after reviewing the material three times?

Another issue is asking a question that is too broad, or that considers too many variables. For example, “How does room temperature affect students’ time-on-task?” These are obviously researchable questions, but the aim is a cause-and-effect relationship between variables that has little or no value to your daily practice.

I also want to point out that your research question will potentially change as the research develops. If you consider the question:

As you do an activity, you may find that students are more comfortable and engaged by acting sentences out in small groups, instead of the whole class. Therefore, your question may shift to:

  • How do I improve student punctuation use through acting out sentences, in small groups ?

By simply engaging in the research process and asking questions, you will open your thinking to new possibilities and you will develop new understandings about yourself and the problematic aspects of your educational context.

Understand Your Capabilities and Know that Change Happens Slowly

Similar to your research question, it is important to have a clear and realistic understanding of what is possible to research in your specific educational context. For example, would you be able to address unsatisfactory structures (policies and systems) within your educational context? Probably not immediately, but over time you potentially could. It is much more feasible to think of change happening in smaller increments, from within your own classroom or context, with you as one change agent. For example, you might find it particularly problematic that your school or district places a heavy emphasis on traditional grades, believing that these grades are often not reflective of the skills students have or have not mastered. Instead of attempting to research grading practices across your school or district, your research might instead focus on determining how to provide more meaningful feedback to students and parents about progress in your course. While this project identifies and addresses a structural issue that is part of your school and district context, to keep things manageable, your research project would focus the outcomes on your classroom. The more research you do related to the structure of your educational context the more likely modifications will emerge. The more you understand these modifications in relation to the structural issues you identify within your own context, the more you can influence others by sharing your work and enabling others to understand the modification and address structural issues within their contexts. Throughout your project, you might determine that modifying your grades to be standards-based is more effective than traditional grades, and in turn, that sharing your research outcomes with colleagues at an in-service presentation prompts many to adopt a similar model in their own classrooms. It can be defeating to expect the world to change immediately, but you can provide the spark that ignites coordinated changes. In this way, action research is a powerful methodology for enacting social change. Action research enables individuals to change their own lives, while linking communities of like-minded practitioners who work towards action.

Plan Thoughtfully

Planning thoughtfully involves having a path in mind, but not necessarily having specific objectives. Due to your experience with students and your educational context, the research process will often develop in ways as you expected, but at times it may develop a little differently, which may require you to shift the research focus and change your research question. I will suggest a couple methods to help facilitate this potential shift. First, you may want to develop criteria for gauging the effectiveness of your research process. You may need to refine and modify your criteria and your thinking as you go. For example, we often ask ourselves if action research is encouraging depth of analysis beyond my typical daily pedagogical reflection. You can think about this as you are developing data collection methods and even when you are collecting data. The key distinction is whether the data you will be collecting allows for nuance among the participants or variables. This does not mean that you will have nuance, but it should allow for the possibility. Second, criteria are shaped by our values and develop into standards of judgement. If we identify criteria such as teacher empowerment, then we will use that standard to think about the action contained in our research process. Our values inform our work; therefore, our work should be judged in relation to the relevance of our values in our pedagogy and practice.

Does Your Timeline Work?

While action research is situated in the temporal span that is your life, your research project is short-term, bounded, and related to the socially mediated practices within your educational context. The timeline is important for bounding, or setting limits to your research project, while also making sure you provide the right amount of time for the data to emerge from the process.

For example, if you are thinking about examining the use of math diaries in your classroom, you probably do not want to look at a whole semester of entries because that would be a lot of data, with entries related to a wide range of topics. This would create a huge data analysis endeavor. Therefore, you may want to look at entries from one chapter or unit of study. Also, in terms of timelines, you want to make sure participants have enough time to develop the data you collect. Using the same math example, you would probably want students to have plenty of time to write in the journals, and also space out the entries over the span of the chapter or unit.

In relation to the examples, we think it is an important mind shift to not think of research timelines in terms of deadlines. It is vitally important to provide time and space for the data to emerge from the participants. Therefore, it would be potentially counterproductive to rush a 50-minute data collection into 20 minutes – like all good educators, be flexible in the research process.

Involve Others

It is important to not isolate yourself when doing research. Many educators are already isolated when it comes to practice in their classroom. The research process should be an opportunity to engage with colleagues and open up your classroom to discuss issues that are potentially impacting your entire educational context. Think about the following relationships:

Research participants

You may invite a variety of individuals in your educational context, many with whom you are in a shared situation (e.g. colleagues, administrators). These participants may be part of a collaborative study, they may simply help you develop data collection instruments or intervention items, or they may help to analyze and make sense of the data. While the primary research focus will be you and your learning, you will also appreciate how your learning is potentially influencing the quality of others’ learning.

We always tell educators to be public about your research, or anything exciting that is happening in your educational context, for that matter. In terms of research, you do not want it to seem mysterious to any stakeholder in the educational context. Invite others to visit your setting and observe your research process, and then ask for their formal feedback. Inviting others to your classroom will engage and connect you with other stakeholders, while also showing that your research was established in an ethic of respect for multiple perspectives.

Critical friends or validators

Using critical friends is one way to involve colleagues and also validate your findings and conclusions. While your positionality will shape the research process and subsequently your interpretations of the data, it is important to make sure that others see similar logic in your process and conclusions. Critical friends or validators provide some level of certification that the frameworks you use to develop your research project and make sense of your data are appropriate for your educational context. Your critical friends and validators’ suggestions will be useful if you develop a report or share your findings, but most importantly will provide you confidence moving forward.

Potential researchers

As an educational researcher, you are involved in ongoing improvement plans and district or systemic change. The flexibility of action research allows it to be used in a variety of ways, and your initial research can spark others in your context to engage in research either individually for their own purposes, or collaboratively as a grade level, team, or school. Collaborative inquiry with other educators is an emerging form of professional learning and development for schools with school improvement plans. While they call it collaborative inquiry, these schools are often using an action research model. It is good to think of all of your colleagues as potential research collaborators in the future.

Prioritize Ethical Practice

Try to always be cognizant of your own positionality during the action research process, its relation to your educational context, and any associated power relation to your positionality. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you are not coercing or engaging participants into harmful practices. While this may seem obvious, you may not even realize you are harming your participants because you believe the action is necessary for the research process.

For example, commonly teachers want to try out an intervention that will potentially positively impact their students. When the teacher sets up the action research study, they may have a control group and an experimental group. There is potential to impair the learning of one of these groups if the intervention is either highly impactful or exceedingly worse than the typical instruction. Therefore, teachers can sometimes overlook the potential harm to students in pursuing an experimental method of exploring an intervention.

If you are working with a university researcher, ethical concerns will be covered by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). If not, your school or district may have a process or form that you would need to complete, so it would beneficial to check your district policies before starting. Other widely accepted aspects of doing ethically informed research, include:

Confirm Awareness of Study and Negotiate Access – with authorities, participants and parents, guardians, caregivers and supervisors (with IRB this is done with Informed Consent).

  • Promise to Uphold Confidentiality – Uphold confidentiality, to your fullest ability, to protect information, identity and data. You can identify people if they indicate they want to be recognized for their contributions.
  • Ensure participants’ rights to withdraw from the study at any point .
  • Make sure data is secured, either on password protected computer or lock drawer .

Prepare to Problematize your Thinking

Educational researchers who are more philosophically-natured emphasize that research is not about finding solutions, but instead is about creating and asking new and more precise questions. This is represented in the action research process shown in the diagrams in Chapter 1, as Collingwood (1939) notes the aim in human interaction is always to keep the conversation open, while Edward Said (1997) emphasized that there is no end because whatever we consider an end is actually the beginning of something entirely new. These reflections have perspective in evaluating the quality in research and signifying what is “good” in “good pedagogy” and “good research”. If we consider that action research is about studying and reflecting on one’s learning and how that learning influences practice to improve it, there is nothing to stop your line of inquiry as long as you relate it to improving practice. This is why it is necessary to problematize and scrutinize our practices.

Ethical Dilemmas for Educator-Researchers

Classroom teachers are increasingly expected to demonstrate a disposition of reflection and inquiry into their own practice. Many advocate for schools to become research centers, and to produce their own research studies, which is an important advancement in acknowledging and addressing the complexity in today’s schools. When schools conduct their own research studies without outside involvement, they bypass outside controls over their studies. Schools shift power away from the oversight of outside experts and ethical research responsibilities are shifted to those conducting the formal research within their educational context. Ethics firmly grounded and established in school policies and procedures for teaching, becomes multifaceted when teaching practice and research occur simultaneously. When educators conduct research in their classrooms, are they doing so as teachers or as researchers, and if they are researchers, at what point does the teaching role change to research? Although the notion of objectivity is a key element in traditional research paradigms, educator-based research acknowledges a subjective perspective as the educator-researcher is not viewed separately from the research. In action research, unlike traditional research, the educator as researcher gains access to the research site by the nature of the work they are paid and expected to perform. The educator is never detached from the research and remains at the research site both before and after the study. Because studying one’s practice comprises working with other people, ethical deliberations are inevitable. Educator-researchers confront role conflict and ambiguity regarding ethical issues such as informed consent from participants, protecting subjects (students) from harm, and ensuring confidentiality. They must demonstrate a commitment toward fully understanding ethical dilemmas that present themselves within the unique set of circumstances of the educational context. Questions about research ethics can feel exceedingly complex and in specific situations, educator- researchers require guidance from others.

Think about it this way. As a part-time historian and former history teacher I often problematized who we regard as good and bad people in history. I (Clark) grew up minutes from Jesse James’ childhood farm. Jesse James is a well-documented thief, and possibly by today’s standards, a terrorist. He is famous for daylight bank robberies, as well as the sheer number of successful robberies. When Jesse James was assassinated, by a trusted associate none-the-less, his body travelled the country for people to see, while his assailant and assailant’s brother reenacted the assassination over 1,200 times in theaters across the country. Still today in my hometown, they reenact Jesse James’ daylight bank robbery each year at the Fall Festival, immortalizing this thief and terrorist from our past. This demonstrates how some people saw him as somewhat of hero, or champion of some sort of resistance, both historically and in the present. I find this curious and ripe for further inquiry, but primarily it is problematic for how we think about people as good or bad in the past. Whatever we may individually or collectively think about Jesse James as a “good” or “bad” person in history, it is vitally important to problematize our thinking about him. Talking about Jesse James may seem strange, but it is relevant to the field of action research. If we tell people that we are engaging in important and “good” actions, we should be prepared to justify why it is “good” and provide a theoretical, epistemological, or ontological rationale if possible. Experience is never enough, you need to justify why you act in certain ways and not others, and this includes thinking critically about your own thinking.

Educators who view inquiry and research as a facet of their professional identity must think critically about how to design and conduct research in educational settings to address respect, justice, and beneficence to minimize harm to participants. This chapter emphasized the due diligence involved in ethically planning the collection of data, and in considering the challenges faced by educator-researchers in educational contexts.

Planning Action

After the thinking about the considerations above, you are now at the stage of having selected a topic and reflected on different aspects of that topic. You have undertaken a literature review and have done some reading which has enriched your understanding of your topic. As a result of your reading and further thinking, you may have changed or fine-tuned the topic you are exploring. Now it is time for action. In the last section of this chapter, we will address some practical issues of carrying out action research, drawing on both personal experiences of supervising educator-researchers in different settings and from reading and hearing about action research projects carried out by other researchers.

Engaging in an action research can be a rewarding experience, but a beneficial action research project does not happen by accident – it requires careful planning, a flexible approach, and continuous educator-researcher reflection. Although action research does not have to go through a pre-determined set of steps, it is useful here for you to be aware of the progression which we presented in Chapter 2. The sequence of activities we suggested then could be looked on as a checklist for you to consider before planning the practical aspects of your project.

We also want to provide some questions for you to think about as you are about to begin.

  • Have you identified a topic for study?
  • What is the specific context for the study? (It may be a personal project for you or for a group of researchers of which you are a member.)
  • Have you read a sufficient amount of the relevant literature?
  • Have you developed your research question(s)?
  • Have you assessed the resource needed to complete the research?

As you start your project, it is worth writing down:

  • a working title for your project, which you may need to refine later;
  • the background of the study , both in terms of your professional context and personal motivation;
  • the aims of the project;
  • the specific outcomes you are hoping for.

Although most of the models of action research presented in Chapter 1 suggest action taking place in some pre-defined order, they also allow us the possibility of refining our ideas and action in the light of our experiences and reflections. Changes may need to be made in response to your evaluation and your reflections on how the project is progressing. For example, you might have to make adjustments, taking into account the students’ responses, your observations and any observations of your colleagues. All this is very useful and, in fact, it is one of the features that makes action research suitable for educational research.

Action research planning sheet

In the past, we have provided action researchers with the following planning list that incorporates all of these considerations. Again, like we have said many times, this is in no way definitive, or lock-in-step procedure you need to follow, but instead guidance based on our perspective to help you engage in the action research process. The left column is the simplified version, and the right column offers more specific advice if need.

Figure 4.1 Planning Sheet for Action Research

Action Research Copyright © by J. Spencer Clark; Suzanne Porath; Julie Thiele; and Morgan Jobe is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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200+ List of Topics for Action Research in the Classroom

List of Topics for Action Research in the Classroom

In the dynamic landscape of education, teachers are continually seeking innovative ways to enhance their teaching practices and improve student outcomes. Action research in the classroom is a powerful tool that allows educators to investigate and address specific challenges, leading to positive changes in teaching methods and learning experiences. 

Selecting the right topics from the list of topics for action research in the classroom is crucial for ensuring meaningful insights and improvements. In this blog post, we will explore the significance of action research in the classroom, the criteria for selecting impactful topics, and provide an extensive list of potential research areas.

Understanding: What is Action Research

Table of Contents

Action research is a reflective process that empowers teachers to systematically investigate and analyze their own teaching practices. Unlike traditional research, action research is conducted by educators within their own classrooms, emphasizing a collaborative and participatory approach. 

This method enables teachers to identify challenges, implement interventions, and assess the effectiveness of their actions.

How to Select Topics From List of Topics for Action Research in the Classroom

Choosing the right topic is the first step in the action research process. The selected topic should align with classroom goals, address students’ needs, be feasible to implement, and have the potential for positive impact. Teachers should consider the following criteria when selecting action research topics:

  • Alignment with Classroom Goals and Objectives: The chosen topic should directly contribute to the overall goals and objectives of the classroom. Whether it’s improving student engagement, enhancing learning outcomes, or fostering a positive classroom environment, the topic should align with the broader educational context.
  • Relevance to Students’ Needs and Challenges: Effective action research addresses the specific needs and challenges faced by students. Teachers should identify areas where students may be struggling or where improvement is needed, ensuring that the research directly impacts the learning experiences of the students.
  • Feasibility and Practicality: The feasibility of the research is crucial. Teachers must choose topics that are practical to implement within the constraints of the classroom setting. This includes considering available resources, time constraints, and the level of support from school administrators.
  • Potential for Positive Impact: The ultimate goal of action research is to bring about positive change. Teachers should carefully assess the potential impact of their research, aiming for improvements in teaching methods, student performance, or overall classroom dynamics.

List of Topics for Action Research in the Classroom

  • Impact of Mindfulness Practices on Student Focus
  • The Effectiveness of Peer Tutoring in Mathematics
  • Strategies for Encouraging Critical Thinking in History Classes
  • Using Gamification to Enhance Learning in Science
  • Investigating the Impact of Flexible Seating Arrangements
  • Assessing the Benefits of Project-Based Learning in Language Arts
  • The Influence of Classroom Decor on Student Motivation
  • Examining the Use of Learning Stations for Differentiation
  • Implementing Reflective Journals to Enhance Writing Skills
  • Exploring the Impact of Flipped Classroom Models
  • Analyzing the Effects of Homework on Student Performance
  • The Role of Positive Reinforcement in Classroom Behavior
  • Investigating the Impact of Classroom Libraries on Reading Proficiency
  • Strategies for Fostering a Growth Mindset in Students
  • Assessing the Benefits of Cross-Curricular Integration
  • Using Technology to Enhance Vocabulary Acquisition
  • The Impact of Outdoor Learning on Student Engagement
  • Investigating the Relationship Between Attendance and Academic Success
  • The Role of Parental Involvement in Homework Completion
  • Assessing the Impact of Classroom Rituals on Community Building
  • Strategies for Increasing Student Participation in Discussions
  • Exploring the Influence of Classroom Lighting on Student Alertness
  • Investigating the Impact of Daily Agendas on Time Management
  • The Effectiveness of Socratic Seminars in Social Studies
  • Analyzing the Use of Graphic Organizers for Concept Mapping
  • Implementing Student-Led Conferences for Goal Setting
  • Examining the Effects of Mind Mapping on Information Retention
  • The Influence of Classroom Temperature on Academic Performance
  • Investigating the Benefits of Cooperative Learning Strategies
  • Strategies for Addressing Test Anxiety in Students
  • Assessing the Impact of Positive Affirmations on Student Confidence
  • The Use of Literature Circles to Enhance Reading Comprehension
  • Exploring the Effects of Classroom Noise Levels on Concentration
  • Investigating the Benefits of Cross-Grade Collaborations
  • Analyzing the Impact of Goal Setting on Student Achievement
  • Implementing Interactive Notebooks for Conceptual Understanding
  • The Effectiveness of Response to Intervention (RTI) Programs
  • Strategies for Integrating Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
  • Investigating the Impact of Classroom Discussions on Critical Thinking
  • The Role of Brain Breaks in Enhancing Student Focus
  • Assessing the Benefits of Inquiry-Based Learning in Science
  • Exploring the Effects of Music on Studying and Retention
  • Investigating the Use of Learning Contracts for Individualized Learning
  • The Influence of Classroom Colors on Mood and Learning
  • Strategies for Promoting Collaborative Problem-Solving
  • Analyzing the Impact of Flexible Scheduling on Student Productivity
  • The Effectiveness of Mindful Breathing Exercises on Stress Reduction
  • Investigating the Benefits of Service Learning Projects
  • The Role of Peer Assessment in Improving Writing Skills
  • Exploring the Impact of Field Trips on Cultural Competency
  • Assessing the Benefits of Personalized Learning Plans
  • Strategies for Differentiating Instruction in Large Classrooms
  • Investigating the Influence of Teacher-Student Relationships on Learning
  • The Effectiveness of Vocabulary Games in Foreign Language Classes
  • Analyzing the Impact of Classroom Discussions on Civic Engagement
  • Implementing Goal-Setting Strategies for Test Preparation
  • The Role of Classroom Celebrations in Building a Positive Environment
  • Strategies for Enhancing Student Reflection and Metacognition
  • Investigating the Effects of Positive Behavior Supports (PBS)
  • The Influence of Classroom Humor on Student Engagement
  • Assessing the Benefits of Student-Led Research Projects
  • Exploring the Impact of Timed vs. Untimed Tests on Anxiety
  • Investigating the Use of Educational Podcasts for Learning
  • The Effectiveness of Debate Activities in Developing Persuasive Skills
  • Analyzing the Impact of Mindful Walking Breaks on Concentration
  • Strategies for Promoting Digital Citizenship in the Classroom
  • The Role of Visualization Techniques in Mathematics Learning
  • Assessing the Benefits of Classroom Agreements for Behavior
  • Exploring the Effects of Goal-Setting in Physical Education
  • Investigating the Influence of Classroom Seating Charts on Behavior
  • The Effectiveness of Peer Editing in Improving Writing Skills
  • Strategies for Integrating Cultural Competency in History Lessons
  • Analyzing the Impact of Classroom Pets on Student Well-Being
  • The Role of Morning Meetings in Building Classroom Community
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Learning Centers in Elementary Schools
  • Exploring the Effects of Virtual Reality in Geography Education
  • Assessing the Impact of Homework Choice on Student Motivation
  • Strategies for Promoting Growth Mindset in Mathematics
  • The Influence of Classroom Layout on Group Collaboration
  • Investigating the Benefits of Mindful Listening Practices
  • The Effectiveness of Using Real-World Examples in Science Lessons
  • Analyzing the Impact of Student-Led Assessments on Accountability
  • Exploring the Use of Learning Contracts for Student Responsibility
  • Investigating the Benefits of Teaching Digital Literacy Skills
  • Strategies for Implementing Peer Mentoring Programs
  • The Role of Graphic Novels in Promoting Literacy
  • Assessing the Impact of Flexible Grouping in Mathematics Classes
  • The Effectiveness of Using Storytelling for Conceptual Understanding
  • Investigating the Influence of Classroom Rituals on Attendance
  • Exploring the Benefits of Mindfulness Practices in Physical Education
  • Strategies for Integrating Social Justice Education in the Curriculum
  • Analyzing the Impact of Goal-Setting on Homework Completion
  • The Role of Classroom Mindfulness Activities in Stress Reduction
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Educational Apps for Vocabulary
  • The Effectiveness of Using Drama in History Lessons
  • Assessing the Impact of Classroom Routines on Time Management
  • Exploring the Influence of Teacher-Student Rapport on Academic Achievement
  • Strategies for Promoting Active Listening Skills in the Classroom
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Concept Mapping in Science
  • The Role of Classroom Socratic Seminars in Developing Critical Thinking
  • Assessing the Impact of Mindful Eating Practices on Student Focus
  • Exploring the Effects of Flipped Learning in Physical Education
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Educational Games for Math Fluency
  • The Effectiveness of Peer Assessment in Art Classes
  • Strategies for Fostering Creativity in Science Education
  • Analyzing the Impact of Morning Stretches on Student Alertness
  • The Role of Classroom Discussions in Enhancing Social Studies Learning
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Augmented Reality in History Lessons
  • Assessing the Impact of Growth Mindset Interventions on Test Anxiety
  • Strategies for Incorporating Environmental Education in the Curriculum
  • The Effectiveness of Using Conceptual Maps in Literature Analysis
  • Exploring the Influence of Classroom Lighting on Reading Comprehension
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Learning Apps for Language Acquisition
  • The Role of Classroom Experiments in Science Education
  • Analyzing the Impact of Mindful Breathing Exercises on Test Performance
  • Strategies for Promoting Collaborative Problem-Solving in Mathematics
  • Assessing the Benefits of Mindfulness Practices in Physical Education
  • Exploring the Effects of Flexible Seating on Student Collaboration
  • Investigating the Influence of Homework Choice on Student Motivation
  • The Effectiveness of Using Educational Podcasts for History Learning
  • Strategies for Integrating Sustainability Education Across Subjects
  • Analyzing the Impact of Mindful Writing Practices on Language Arts Skills
  • The Role of Peer Teaching in Enhancing Understanding of Complex Concepts
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Digital Storytelling in Literature Classes
  • The Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based Learning in Social Studies
  • Assessing the Impact of Student-Led Book Clubs on Reading Engagement
  • Strategies for Incorporating Financial Literacy in Mathematics Education
  • Exploring the Influence of Classroom Decor on Science Interest
  • Investigating the Benefits of Mindful Movement Breaks in the Classroom
  • The Role of Reflection Journals in Developing Critical Thinking Skills
  • Analyzing the Impact of Virtual Field Trips on Geography Learning
  • Strategies for Promoting Inclusive Physical Education Practices
  • Assessing the Benefits of Using Educational Board Games for Learning
  • The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Practices in Foreign Language Classes
  • Investigating the Influence of Classroom Rituals on Academic Rigor
  • Exploring the Impact of Student-Led Conferences on Goal Setting
  • The Role of Mindful Listening Practices in Improving Communication Skills
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Educational Apps for Science Exploration
  • Analyzing the Effectiveness of Socratic Seminars in Philosophy Classes
  • Strategies for Promoting Gender Equity in STEM Education
  • Assessing the Impact of Classroom Celebrations on Student Well-Being
  • The Effectiveness of Using Debate Activities in Language Arts
  • Exploring the Influence of Positive Affirmations on Classroom Climate
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Concept Mapping in History Essays
  • Strategies for Incorporating Media Literacy in Social Studies
  • Analyzing the Impact of Mindful Reflection Practices on Homework Completion
  • The Role of Peer Collaboration in Enhancing Artistic Skills
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Educational Apps for Vocabulary Acquisition
  • The Effectiveness of Mindful Breathing Exercises in Test Preparation
  • Assessing the Impact of Flipped Learning in Science Laboratories
  • Strategies for Promoting Civic Engagement in Social Studies Classes
  • Exploring the Influence of Outdoor Learning on Scientific Inquiry
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Learning Stations for Literature Analysis
  • The Role of Mindful Movement in Improving Physical Education Experiences
  • Analyzing the Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Language Learning
  • Strategies for Incorporating Global Perspectives in Geography Education
  • Assessing the Impact of Mindful Coloring Activities on Stress Reduction
  • The Effectiveness of Using Educational Games for History Review
  • Investigating the Benefits of Mindful Breathing Exercises in Mathematics
  • Exploring the Influence of Classroom Rituals on Study Habits
  • The Role of Mindful Listening Practices in Enhancing Oral Communication
  • Analyzing the Impact of Student-Led Workshops on Study Skills
  • Strategies for Promoting Critical Media Literacy in Language Arts
  • Assessing the Benefits of Mindfulness Practices in Physical Fitness
  • The Effectiveness of Using Educational Apps for Music Appreciation
  • Investigating the Influence of Classroom Decor on Artistic Expression
  • Exploring the Impact of Mindful Eating Practices on Nutrition Awareness
  • The Role of Peer Assessment in Improving Science Fair Projects
  • Analyzing the Benefits of Mindful Breathing Exercises in History Classes
  • Strategies for Promoting Teamwork in Physical Education
  • Assessing the Impact of Classroom Celebrations on Cultural Understanding
  • The Effectiveness of Using Conceptual Maps in Geography Education
  • Investigating the Benefits of Mindful Movement Breaks in Mathematics
  • The Role of Mindful Listening Practices in Improving Musical Skills
  • Analyzing the Impact of Student-Led Discussions in Philosophy Classes
  • Strategies for Incorporating Environmental Stewardship in Science Education
  • Assessing the Benefits of Using Educational Games for Physical Fitness
  • Exploring the Influence of Classroom Decor on Mathematical Interest
  • Investigating the Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Art Appreciation
  • The Role of Mindful Movement in Enhancing Physical Education Experiences
  • Strategies for Promoting Cultural Competency in Language Arts
  • Analyzing the Impact of Mindful Breathing Exercises on Test Anxiety
  • The Effectiveness of Using Educational Apps for Science Exploration
  • Investigating the Benefits of Peer Teaching in Mathematics Classes
  • Exploring the Influence of Classroom Rituals on Language Arts Skills
  • Assessing the Impact of Mindful Coloring Activities on Creative Expression
  • The Role of Mindful Listening Practices in Improving Public Speaking
  • Investigating the Benefits of Using Learning Stations for History Learning
  • The Effectiveness of Peer Assessment in Improving Writing Skills
  • Strategies for Promoting Digital Literacy in Geography Education
  • Analyzing the Impact of Mindful Eating Practices on Healthy Habits
  • Assessing the Benefits of Using Educational Games for Social Studies
  • The Effectiveness of Mindful Movement Breaks in Science Education
  • Exploring the Influence of Classroom Decor on Writing Motivation
  • Investigating the Role of Mindfulness Practices in Mathematics Anxiety
  • Strategies for Incorporating Financial Literacy in Social Studies
  • Analyzing the Benefits of Using Concept Mapping in Science Labs
  • The Role of Mindful Breathing Exercises in Improving Music Education
  • Exploring the Impact of Virtual Reality on Foreign Language Acquisition
  • Assessing the Benefits of Mindful Movement Breaks in History Classes

Tips for Conducting Action Research in the Classroom

  • Setting Clear Research Goals and Objectives: Clearly define the goals and objectives of the research to ensure a focused and purposeful investigation.
  • Involving Stakeholders in the Research Process: Engage students, parents, and colleagues in the research process to gather diverse perspectives and insights.
  • Collecting and Analyzing Relevant Data: Use a variety of data collection methods, such as surveys, observations, and assessments, to gather comprehensive and meaningful data.
  • Reflecting on Findings and Adjusting Teaching Practices: Regularly reflect on the research findings and be open to adjusting teaching practices based on the insights gained from the research.

Case Studies or Examples

Highlighting successful action research projects provides inspiration and practical insights for teachers. 

Sharing case studies or examples of impactful research can demonstrate the positive outcomes and improvements that can result from well-conducted action research.

In conclusion, action research is a valuable tool for educators seeking to enhance their teaching practices and improve student outcomes. 

Selecting the right topics from a list of topics for action research in the classroom is crucial for the success of action research projects, and teachers should consider alignment with goals, relevance to students, feasibility, and potential impact. 

By exploring a diverse range of topics, teachers can embark on meaningful action research journeys, contributing to the continuous improvement of education.

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Action Research: What it is, Stages & Examples

Action research is a method often used to make the situation better. It combines activity and investigation to make change happen.

The best way to get things accomplished is to do it yourself. This statement is utilized in corporations, community projects, and national governments. These organizations are relying on action research to cope with their continuously changing and unstable environments as they function in a more interdependent world.

In practical educational contexts, this involves using systematic inquiry and reflective practice to address real-world challenges, improve teaching and learning, enhance student engagement, and drive positive changes within the educational system.

This post outlines the definition of action research, its stages, and some examples.

Content Index

What is action research?

Stages of action research, the steps to conducting action research, examples of action research, advantages and disadvantages of action research.

Action research is a strategy that tries to find realistic solutions to organizations’ difficulties and issues. It is similar to applied research.

Action research refers basically learning by doing. First, a problem is identified, then some actions are taken to address it, then how well the efforts worked are measured, and if the results are not satisfactory, the steps are applied again.

It can be put into three different groups:

  • Positivist: This type of research is also called “classical action research.” It considers research a social experiment. This research is used to test theories in the actual world.
  • Interpretive: This kind of research is called “contemporary action research.” It thinks that business reality is socially made, and when doing this research, it focuses on the details of local and organizational factors.
  • Critical: This action research cycle takes a critical reflection approach to corporate systems and tries to enhance them.

All research is about learning new things. Collaborative action research contributes knowledge based on investigations in particular and frequently useful circumstances. It starts with identifying a problem. After that, the research process is followed by the below stages:

stages_of_action_research

Stage 1: Plan

For an action research project to go well, the researcher needs to plan it well. After coming up with an educational research topic or question after a research study, the first step is to develop an action plan to guide the research process. The research design aims to address the study’s question. The research strategy outlines what to undertake, when, and how.

Stage 2: Act

The next step is implementing the plan and gathering data. At this point, the researcher must select how to collect and organize research data . The researcher also needs to examine all tools and equipment before collecting data to ensure they are relevant, valid, and comprehensive.

Stage 3: Observe

Data observation is vital to any investigation. The action researcher needs to review the project’s goals and expectations before data observation. This is the final step before drawing conclusions and taking action.

Different kinds of graphs, charts, and networks can be used to represent the data. It assists in making judgments or progressing to the next stage of observing.

Stage 4: Reflect

This step involves applying a prospective solution and observing the results. It’s essential to see if the possible solution found through research can really solve the problem being studied.

The researcher must explore alternative ideas when the action research project’s solutions fail to solve the problem.

Action research is a systematic approach researchers, educators, and practitioners use to identify and address problems or challenges within a specific context. It involves a cyclical process of planning, implementing, reflecting, and adjusting actions based on the data collected. Here are the general steps involved in conducting an action research process:

Identify the action research question or problem

Clearly define the issue or problem you want to address through your research. It should be specific, actionable, and relevant to your working context.

Review existing knowledge

Conduct a literature review to understand what research has already been done on the topic. This will help you gain insights, identify gaps, and inform your research design.

Plan the research

Develop a research plan outlining your study’s objectives, methods, data collection tools, and timeline. Determine the scope of your research and the participants or stakeholders involved.

Collect data

Implement your research plan by collecting relevant data. This can involve various methods such as surveys, interviews, observations, document analysis, or focus groups. Ensure that your data collection methods align with your research objectives and allow you to gather the necessary information.

Analyze the data

Once you have collected the data, analyze it using appropriate qualitative or quantitative techniques. Look for patterns, themes, or trends in the data that can help you understand the problem better.

Reflect on the findings

Reflect on the analyzed data and interpret the results in the context of your research question. Consider the implications and possible solutions that emerge from the data analysis. This reflection phase is crucial for generating insights and understanding the underlying factors contributing to the problem.

Develop an action plan

Based on your analysis and reflection, develop an action plan that outlines the steps you will take to address the identified problem. The plan should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART goals). Consider involving relevant stakeholders in planning to ensure their buy-in and support.

Implement the action plan

Put your action plan into practice by implementing the identified strategies or interventions. This may involve making changes to existing practices, introducing new approaches, or testing alternative solutions. Document the implementation process and any modifications made along the way.

Evaluate and monitor progress

Continuously monitor and evaluate the impact of your actions. Collect additional data, assess the effectiveness of the interventions, and measure progress towards your goals. This evaluation will help you determine if your actions have the desired effects and inform any necessary adjustments.

Reflect and iterate

Reflect on the outcomes of your actions and the evaluation results. Consider what worked well, what did not, and why. Use this information to refine your approach, make necessary adjustments, and plan for the next cycle of action research if needed.

Remember that participatory action research is an iterative process, and multiple cycles may be required to achieve significant improvements or solutions to the identified problem. Each cycle builds on the insights gained from the previous one, fostering continuous learning and improvement.

Explore Insightfully Contextual Inquiry in Qualitative Research

Here are two real-life examples of action research.

Action research initiatives are frequently situation-specific. Still, other researchers can adapt the techniques. The example is from a researcher’s (Franklin, 1994) report about a project encouraging nature tourism in the Caribbean.

In 1991, this was launched to study how nature tourism may be implemented on the four Windward Islands in the Caribbean: St. Lucia, Grenada, Dominica, and St. Vincent.

For environmental protection, a government-led action study determined that the consultation process needs to involve numerous stakeholders, including commercial enterprises.

First, two researchers undertook the study and held search conferences on each island. The search conferences resulted in suggestions and action plans for local community nature tourism sub-projects.

Several islands formed advisory groups and launched national awareness and community projects. Regional project meetings were held to discuss experiences, self-evaluations, and strategies. Creating a documentary about a local initiative helped build community. And the study was a success, leading to a number of changes in the area.

Lau and Hayward (1997) employed action research to analyze Internet-based collaborative work groups.

Over two years, the researchers facilitated three action research problem -solving cycles with 15 teachers, project personnel, and 25 health practitioners from diverse areas. The goal was to see how Internet-based communications might affect their virtual workgroup.

First, expectations were defined, technology was provided, and a bespoke workgroup system was developed. Participants suggested shorter, more dispersed training sessions with project-specific instructions.

The second phase saw the system’s complete deployment. The final cycle witnessed system stability and virtual group formation. The key lesson was that the learning curve was poorly misjudged, with frustrations only marginally met by phone-based technical help. According to the researchers, the absence of high-quality online material about community healthcare was harmful.

Role clarity, connection building, knowledge sharing, resource assistance, and experiential learning are vital for virtual group growth. More study is required on how group support systems might assist groups in engaging with their external environment and boost group members’ learning. 

Action research has both good and bad points.

  • It is very flexible, so researchers can change their analyses to fit their needs and make individual changes.
  • It offers a quick and easy way to solve problems that have been going on for a long time instead of complicated, long-term solutions based on complex facts.
  • If It is done right, it can be very powerful because it can lead to social change and give people the tools to make that change in ways that are important to their communities.

Disadvantages

  • These studies have a hard time being generalized and are hard to repeat because they are so flexible. Because the researcher has the power to draw conclusions, they are often not thought to be theoretically sound.
  • Setting up an action study in an ethical way can be hard. People may feel like they have to take part or take part in a certain way.
  • It is prone to research errors like selection bias , social desirability bias, and other cognitive biases.

LEARN ABOUT: Self-Selection Bias

This post discusses how action research generates knowledge, its steps, and real-life examples. It is very applicable to the field of research and has a high level of relevance. We can only state that the purpose of this research is to comprehend an issue and find a solution to it.

At QuestionPro, we give researchers tools for collecting data, like our survey software, and a library of insights for any long-term study. Go to the Insight Hub if you want to see a demo or learn more about it.

LEARN MORE         FREE TRIAL

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ’s)

Action research is a systematic approach to inquiry that involves identifying a problem or challenge in a practical context, implementing interventions or changes, collecting and analyzing data, and using the findings to inform decision-making and drive positive change.

Action research can be conducted by various individuals or groups, including teachers, administrators, researchers, and educational practitioners. It is often carried out by those directly involved in the educational setting where the research takes place.

The steps of action research typically include identifying a problem, reviewing relevant literature, designing interventions or changes, collecting and analyzing data, reflecting on findings, and implementing improvements based on the results.

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Classroom-Based Action Research: Revisiting the Process as Customizable and Meaningful Professional Development for Educators

Craig a. mertler, mertler educational consulting, llc, delray beach, florida, usa.

The approach historically used for professional development for classroom educators (i.e., a 'one-size-fits-all' delivery model, where the emphasis is on 'training' and not on 'learning') is, quite simply, outdated. Even in our 'on-demand' world, where professional development modules can be purchased and viewed online, the individualized professional development needs of teachers are not appropriately or accurately being met. Classroom-based action research — with its cyclical nature of systematic investigation of teaching and learning, followed by data-driven improvements resulting from the outcomes of the investigations — provides not only a viable, but also valuable, professional development alternative. Following the development of improvement goals, the process of action research can be used to customize a teacher's professional development, allowing for a much more meaningful approach to professional growth. This approach permits teachers to investigate their own practice and to discover what will and will not work for their students in their classrooms. The integration of classroom-based action research with professional collaboration and with teacher evaluation are both discussed. Recommendations for administrative support — focusing on training, availability of time, collaboration, and incentives — for classroom-based action research are also provided.

Keywords: Action research, Professional development, Pedagogical growth

Introduction

Generally speaking, the over-arching focus of any sort of professional development for P-12 educators is the improvement of their classroom teaching. However, for decades, the approach to professional development in education has been a 'one-size-fits-all' model. The basic logic behind this approach is that everyone can benefit — somehow — from professional development on the same topic. I firmly believe that this is not the case. For example, imagine for a moment a fictitious school district that announces that a yearlong professional development program for teachers throughout the district will focus on the integration of technology, specifically the use wikis and blogs, into classroom practice. Consider the situation of a teacher who has maintained her own classroom blog for years, and who is really effective at doing so. Or, how about the teacher who teaches in a content area for which it is not as feasible or practical to integrate wikis on a daily basis. What do those teachers stand to gain from this yearlong professional development program? As a long-time educator, I have often found myself wondering if or to what degree those countless hours of in-service workshops and trainings have ever truly had a positive impact on how or what I teach, or more importantly, how well my students have mastered the content and skills I was teaching.

The above situation notwithstanding, we have begun to see a great deal of options available to educators when it comes to professional development. Online professional development modules or entire courses can be purchased — in an 'on-demand' manner — to serve the needs of individual teachers. However, at the same time, I would argue that while these may meet the needs of individual teachers, they are not 'individualized' to the specific needs of that particular teacher. For example, a PD module on differentiated instruction may be an appropriate topic for a teacher, but still does not factor in the specifics of the differentiated needs of her particular classroom (nor should it be expected to do so). So, the question remains as to how educators can pursue professional growth and development that truly targets their individual wants and needs.

A Brief History of Action Research in Education

Most educational action research experts credit Kurt Lewin with the development of a theory of action research in the mid-1940s (McNiff, 2002), as well as with the coining of the term 'action research' as early as 1934 (Mills, 2011). Lewin's theory and model of action research was really formulated out of his desire to conduct research for the purposes of solving social problems (Smith, 2001). Stephen Corey was among the first to use action research in education (in the United States in the early 1950s). He believed that the application of the scientific method in educational settings would result in positive change due to the fact that educators would be involved in both the research and the application of the findings (Ferrance, 2000). Corey further believed that the true value in action research lies in the change that occurs in practice as a result of the process, and not in the generalization to a broader audience ( ibid .). Initially, he saw value in the need for teachers and researchers to work together.

Just as action research was beginning to catch on, it began to suffer a decline in the mid-1950s and 1960s, due largely to attacks that it was unscientific, little more than common sense, and was being conducted by amateurs (McFarland & Stansell, 1993, as cited in Ferrance, 2000). Interest in action research waned over the next several years as experimentally-designed research became more widely acceptable and practiced (Ferrance, 2000). However, it later regained momentum in the UK, in the form of the teacher-as-researcher movement (Masters, 1995; McNiff, 2002), largely due to the work of Lawrence Stenhouse, beginning in the early 1970s. Educational practitioners were beginning to question the applicability of scientific (i.e., experimental) research designs and methodologies as a means of truly solving educational problems (Ferrance, 2000). The results of many of these federally-funded studies were seen as purely theoretical, and not grounded in practice.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the educational action research movement continued to grow through the writings and works of people like Jack Whitehead and Jean McNiff. Since the early 1980s (Oliver, 1980), action research has been promoted as a meaningful alternative to more 'typical' in-service training and professional development for educators. Oliver (1980) argued that the major benefit of action research as inservice training is that it promotes a continuing process of professional development in a climate where teachers (and other school personnel) not only pose the research questions, but also test their own solutions, as well. McNiff (2002) has been a strong advocate for the use of action research to foster substantial professional development. She has stated that action research can be utilized both formally and informally, and should begin with the question, 'How do I improve my [emphasis added] work?' This approach is very different from more traditional views of professional development, which typically takes the form of training (where an expert on some topic is brought in to offer advice to educational professionals). In this model, the emphasis typically falls more on the 'training' (by the expert) rather than on the 'learning' (by the educators).

More 'enlightened' forms of professional learning (McNiff, 2002) operate on the assumption that educators already possess a good deal of professional knowledge, and are highly capable of furthering their learning. These types of professional learning capitalize on a more appropriate form of support to help educators celebrate what they already know, but also encourage them to develop new knowledge. An action research approach lends itself very nicely to this process, in that it requires educators to evaluate what they are doing and further to assess how effectively they are doing so. Rather than a trainer, what is required in this process is a supporter — someone who will listen to ideas, perhaps even challenge them, and will help in identifying possible solutions.

The idea of classroom- or school-based action research as a means of fostering professional growth and development is, admittedly, not an entirely new one. However, a good portion of the discussion and specifics contained in the remainder of this article provide concrete ideas for developing a system of professional development — including professional growth and learning, teacher evaluation, collaboration, and educator empowerment — grounded in an action research culture.

The Nature of Classroom-Based Action Research

In this era of ever-increasing accountability and the constant need for research-based interventions and instructional techniques, educators may feel overwhelmed at where to even begin to identify potential solutions to their classroom and school-based educational problems. There are many excellent repositories of research-based solutions and strategies — and, as a trained educational researcher, I fully support this notion. However, we should remain mindful that we must always be concerned with the generalizability and transferability of these solutions. After all, remember that they were shown to be effective, but not with your students, not in your setting, and certainly not using your individualized instructional techniques and style. They are likely not generalizable, and do not provide an 'appropriate fit' to the actual problem you are trying to address (Mertler, 2012a). Based on my nearly three decades of working in schools and with educators, I propose a more immediate and appropriate solution: classroom-based action research.

Action research is any sort of systematic inquiry conducted by those with a direct, vested interest in the teaching and learning process in a particular setting; it is truly systematic inquiry into one's own practice. I have formally described it as a process that 'allows teachers to study their own classrooms… in order to better understand them and to be able to improve their quality or effectiveness' (Mertler, 2012b, p. 4). Action research provides a structured process for customizing research findings, enabling educators to address specific questions, concerns, or problems within their own classrooms, schools, or districts. The best way to know if something will work with your students or in your classroom is to try it out, collect and analyze data to assess its effectiveness, and then make a decision about your next steps based on your direct experience. I often ask educators the following somewhat-rhetorical question: Why would you want to try to answer your questions or solve your problems about your students and your teaching by using someone else's methods, data, and results? (Mertler, 2012a).

I talk about action research as a four-step cyclical process (Mertler, 2012b; see Figure 1), consisting of the following steps: planning for your action research, acting on the plan, developing an action plan for future cycles, and reflecting on the process. The action research process can serve as a mechanism for educators to directly engage in data-driven educational decision making (or, D-DEDM, for short), which can result in a high degree of professional empowerment with respect to what happens in their own classrooms or schools.

Figure 1. The ongoing, cyclical process of action research (from Mertler, 2012b, p. 38)

Figure 1. The ongoing, cyclical process of action research (from Mertler, 2012b, p. 38).

The idea behind integrating classroom-based action research into the culture and mindset of a school or district is that educators can investigate their own practice as a systematic means of discovering what works — and might not work — for their students and in their classrooms. I firmly believe that this adds a substantial degree of professionalism to the job of being an educator. The act of teaching is often referred to as the 'art of teaching;' however, a clear advantage of engaging in classroom- or school-based action research is the addition of the systematic 'science of teaching' into an educational and instructional repertoire. In today's educational world, where accountability takes on greater importance each year, the art of teaching is essential ; the science of teaching is critical . The act of systematically investigating one's own practice — as a mechanism for job-embedded professional development — is , in my opinion, data-driven educational decision making and reform in its purest form.

Action Research as Professional Development…and Teacher Evaluation

The primary reason that I make the connection between action research and professional development is the ability as an educator to focus growth specifically on things that you alone (or, as part of a collaborative team) identify as being an area of your professional practice that you would like to see improve. As I've mentioned, the focus is on your school, your classroom, your students, and their improved achievement; the process (or, rather, the focus of the process) is customizable to meet your specific needs. One-size-fits-all professional development does not accomplish this. In addition, once you have results from your action research inquiry, you have the ability to take action immediately . This, in and of itself, results in professional development that is much more meaningful for educators. If we rely on the dissemination of 'proven' research-based solutions, we typically have to wait for the accumulation of evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of a particular solution— which, again, may likely be subject to generalizability and transferability weaknesses. When you systematically investigate your own instruction, etc., you collect data on your students and on your teaching; you know immediately what works and what might not work.

To extend this notion a bit, if we accept the idea that action research can serve as a sound basis for professional development, then it would make sense that it could be part of a system of annual teacher evaluation (Mertler, 2013). Educators would begin the school year by developing specific professional development goals for themselves for the year that they would pursue through a systematic action research approach. However, we must hold them accountable for what they discover through this process. If we allow — and, I might add, encourage — educators to develop their own professional development goals, and to systematically collect data and investigate their own practice, and if we hold them accountable for the degree of their successes (or at least for what they learn as a result of reflection on the engagement in such a process), we add the critical piece of truly examining teaching effectiveness and its impact on student learning. While arguably there is worth in utilizing standardized test data and value-added data to demonstrate teaching effectiveness, many of us would agree that there are just too many confounding variables that cloud our ability to cleanly and clearly interpret those results. Incorporating action research into teacher evaluation would add to teachers' sense of empowerment, and to ownership over their own teacher evaluation processes.

Collaboration and Educator Empowerment

Up to this point in our discussion, my focus has really been on individual teachers engaging in action research. However, I am a true believer in collaboration within an action research context. Two concepts that lend themselves nicely to this idea are collaborative action research and professional learning communities (Mertler, 2013). Collaborative action research is characterized by four key elements:

  • It consists of practitioners working together as a team.
  • The focus of the team in on a common issue, problem, or goal.
  • There should be the development of a synergy that inspires one another.
  • The focus of the research should be on creating momentum toward more insight into the problem, and greater learning and growth relative to the common issue being investigated. (Clauset, Lick, & Murphy, 2008, p. 2)

The second concept is that of professional learning communities (PLCs). There are several key components of PLCs, many of which overlap with those of collaborative action research. PLCs are characterized by:

  • A shared mission, vision, and goals;
  • A collaborative culture;
  • Collective inquiry into best practices and current reality;
  • An action orientation (or, learning by doing);
  • A commitment to continuous improvement; and
  • An orientation focused on results, not on intentions. (DuFour, DuFour, & Eaker, 2008, pp. 15-17)

As you can see, engaging in this collaborative approach to professional development through action research would require a shift in mindset. Working together in teams and abandoning the 'egg-crate' mentality that still permeates some schools, especially as an approach to professional development, might be a difficult transition for some educators. However, as the saying goes, 'there is strength in numbers,' and this approach just might result in substantial and collective improvements in student performance.

Suggestions for Administrators

Of course, convincing teachers to buy into this action research approach to professional development might prove to be a challenge, but there must also be administrative support of this type of professional development (Mertler, 2013). This can best be accomplished through a well thought out and designed infrastructure to support action research as professional development in our schools. Four of the most important features that are necessary requirements for this infrastructure are adequate training and support, the provision of time, the encouragement of collaboration, and the inclusion of rewards or recognition. Each is briefly discussed below:

  • Educators must be trained in conducting and valuing action research as a professional development activity. The concept of research is foreign to many practicing educators. They tend to be intimidated by the thought of conducting their own classroom research. They should receive formal training on the process of designing and conducting their own investigations by someone knowledgeable of the process, as well as in the application of action research to classroom settings. Often, the concept of action research is difficult to grasp or explain until one is in the process of doing it. Active engagement in the process is when it begins to make sense and become clear (Burns, 2010).
  • Educators must be provided with time to do this kind of work. In all of the work that I've done with teachers on this topic, one question comes up repeatedly: Where am I supposed to find time to do all of this?! Time is an issue for all us in our places of work. The bottom line is that time must be created, carved out, set aside. There needs to be designated time to work on these sorts of professional development activities. This can be accomplished through common planning times, designated teacher work-days (or half-days), or perhaps periodic 'professional retreats,' where meetings and collaborative work might take place off-campus, away from the distractions (so to speak) of our everyday work. Let's face it — time is a precious resource if we truly want to innovate in our schools and classrooms.
  • Collaboration must be encouraged throughout the process. As I've stated before, collaboration can be a key component in this process. This work can become overwhelming, and even frustrating at times. It is always beneficial to have multiple sets of eyes and ears to examine and process ideas that are being shared, interpretations of data being collected and analyzed, and alternative solutions to an identified problem.
  • There must be a system of incentives in the form of rewards and/or recognition. The other question that I'm often asked by teachers is: Why would I want to do all of this work if I'm not going to be paid extra for doing it? I think it's important for us to remember that most of us did not enter a career in education for the vast amounts of money we would make! On the contrary, most of us did it because of the intrinsic rewards attached to the teaching profession. However, that being said, I do believe that there needs to be some sort of structure in place to incentivize this kind of professional development and work. These incentives could exist in the form of extrinsic rewards (perhaps, a grant-funded stipend, gift cards donated from local businesses, or prime parking spots!), or in the form of recognition efforts (such as a recognition dinner, or a school- or district-wide 'innovation conference' where educators 'show off' and share the action research they have conducted). Be creative with your incentive systems.

Our educators need to be encouraged — as well as recognized and rewarded — for these professional endeavors, which have great potential to lead to much more engaged and empowered educators in our schools, as well as the improvement of instructional practice and, ultimately, student achievement.

2024 LIFE - Calls for proposals

Life calls for proposals 2024.

The LIFE Calls for proposals 2024 are expected to be published on the  Funding & tender opportunities portal  on 18 April 2024. 

CINEA will hold virtual information sessions from 23 to 26 April 2024 to guide potential applicants through the LIFE Calls for proposals 2024. See the  LIFE YouTube channel  for previous  recordings .  

Anticipated submission deadlines

Standard Action Projects (SAPs) for circular economy and quality of life Deadline date: 19 September 2024 

Standard Action Projects (SAPs) for nature and biodiversity Deadline date: 19 September 2024 

Standard Action Projects (SAPs) for climate change mitigation and adaptation Deadline date: 17 September 2024   

Coordination and Support Action Grants (CSA) for clean energy transition sub-programme Deadline date: 19 September 2024

  • Concept notes:  Deadline date: 5 September 2024 
  • Full proposals:  Deadline date: 6 March 2025  

Technical Assistance preparation for SIPs and SNAPs: Deadline date: 19 September 2024    

Technical Assistance Replication Deadline date: 19 September 2024  

Framework Partnership Agreements (FPA OG)  Deadline date: 5 September 2024

Specific Operating Grant Agreements (SGA OG)  Deadline date: 17 September 2024 

LIFE Preparatory Projects (addressing ad hoc Legislative and Policy Priorities - PLP) Deadline date: 19 September 2024 

Type of grants

Standard action projects (sap).

Projects, other than strategic integrated projects, strategic nature projects or technical assistance projects, that pursue the specific objectives of the LIFE programme.

Strategic Nature Projects (SNAP)

Projects that support the achievement of Union nature and biodiversity objectives by implementing coherent programmes of action in Member States in order to mainstream those objectives and priorities into other policies and financing instruments, including through coordinated implementation of the prioritised action frameworks adopted pursuant to Directive 92/43/EEC.

Strategic Integrated Projects (SIP)

Projects that implement, on a regional, multi-regional, national or transnational scale, environmental or climate strategies or action plans developed by Member States' authorities and required by specific environmental, climate or relevant energy legislation or policy of the Union, while ensuring that stakeholders are involved and promoting coordination with and mobilisation of at least one other Union, national or private funding source.

Technical Assistance Projects (TA)

Projects that support the development of capacity for participation in standard action projects, the preparation of strategic nature projects and strategic integrated projects, the preparation for accessing other Union financial instruments or other measures necessary for preparing the upscaling or replication of results from other projects funded by the LIFE programme, its predecessor programmes or other Union programmes, with a view to pursuing the LIFE programme objectives set out in Article 3; such projects can also include capacity-building related to the activities of Member States' authorities for effective participation in the LIFE programme.

Other Action Grants (OAG)

Actions needed for the purpose of achieving the general objective of the LIFE programme, including coordination and support actions aimed at capacity-building, at dissemination of information and of knowledge, and at awareness-raising to support the transition to renewable energy and increased energy efficiency.

Operating Grants (OG)

Grants that support the functioning of non-profit making entities which are involved in the development, implementation and enforcement of Union legislation and policy, and which are primarily active in the area of the environment or climate action, including energy transition, in line with the objectives of the LIFE programme.

Project proposals submitted under LIFE calls are evaluated and scored against selection and award criteria.

Support for applicants

Guidance on the application process, evaluation and grant signature, and working as an expert will be available on the Funding & Tender portal .

Please see our dedicated page on Support for Applicants.

Expert evaluators

The LIFE Programme appoints external experts to assist in the evaluation of grant applications, projects and tenders. 

If you have skills and experiences in the sustainable energy field and like to evaluate proposals submitted under the LIFE Clean Energy Transition sub-programme, please register in the European Commission’s database of independent experts . 

If you have skills and experiences in the fields of nature & biodiversity, circular economy and climate action and like to evaluate in the LIFE sub-programmes Nature and Biodiversity, Circular economy and quality of life, Climate change mitigation and adaptation, please register your interest with the external Framework Contractor .

Potential expert evaluators can register interest for any of the LIFE sub-programmes. 

Previous calls

  • 2023 calls for proposals
  • 2022 calls for proposals
  • 2021 calls for proposals
  • NGO Call for proposals on European Green Deal
  • 2020 calls for project proposals
  • 2019 calls for project proposals
  • Older 2018 and 2017 calls are available on the archived LIFE website

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  1. 21 Action Research Examples (In Education)

    taking field notes surveying or interviewing teachers, administrators, or parents using audio and video recordings. The goal is to identify problematic issues, test possible solutions, or simply carry-out continuous improvement.

  2. PDF A Practical Guide to Action Research for Literacy Educators

    examples of successful Action Research projects in diverse educational setting. The process for Action Research will be unpacked to help educators clearly understand Action Research and the skills needed to conduct it. In addition, as you examine the principles of Action Research at your own pace, interactive exercises will allow you to

  3. 1 What is Action Research for Classroom Teachers?

    1 What is Action Research for Classroom Teachers? ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS What is the nature of action research? How does action research develop in the classroom? What models of action research work best for your classroom? What are the epistemological, ontological, theoretical underpinnings of action research?

  4. Action research in the classroom: A teacher's guide

    Examples of action research projects in education include a teacher working with students to improve their reading comprehension skills, a group of teachers collaborating to develop and implement a new curriculum, or a school administrator conducting a study on the effectiveness of a school-wide behavior management program.

  5. How Teachers Can Use Action Research for Professional Learning

    For example, middle school science students created prototypes of genetically modified seeds and pitched their designs to a panel of potential investors. They had to not only understand the science of germination but also apply their knowledge and defend their thinking.

  6. PDF Action Research in Teacher Education: Classroom Inquiry, Reflection

    The data revealed action research impacted literacy instruction, teachers struggled with how to make their literacy instruction explicit, projects focused on specific literacy topics, teachers used a range of resources for their selected intervention and shared information with each other and with colleagues in their respective contexts.

  7. What Is Action Research?

    Example: Participatory action research As part of an ongoing commitment to improve school facilities for students with disabilities, an action research plan asked students using wheelchairs to time how long it took them to get to and from various points on school grounds.

  8. Action Research

    This study is a great example of action research in the early childhood setting. Steps for Action Research 1. Identify a Topic Topics for action research can include the following: Changes in classroom practice Effects of program restructuring New understanding of students Teacher skills and competencies New professional relationships

  9. PDF DOING ACTION RESEARCH

    Amanda had been invited to join colleagues in her English Department's project working on an action research project to improve the performance of the large numbers of GCSE resit students who achieved disappointing results. Following a discussion with her proje ct mentor, Amanda decided to experiment with a peer - feedback activity.

  10. Action Research and Systematic, Intentional Change in Teaching Practice

    Within science education, action research projects focus on improving science content knowledge to improve PCK and change practice. For example, Falk (2012) synthesized the experiences of elementary teachers who participated in a professional development program focused on electricity and electrical circuits. As part of their professional ...

  11. Action Research Projects

    Slide 12 Pause Action Research Projects Welcome Looking for practical strategies that can help your students? The following Action Research Projects (ARPs) provide just that. These practical ideas and strategies are the result of classroom action research conducted by teachers in schools and classrooms.

  12. The Potential of Teacher-Led Research: Teachers' Action Research

    This special issue presents action research projects that serve as examples of research collaborations among teachers and university faculty that are practically significant to both schools and teachers while also having potential to inform theory and build scholarly knowledge. ... Singapore's education context is an example of a markedly ...

  13. How to Do Action Research in Your Classroom

    Home How to Do Action Research in Your Classroom. This article is available as a PDF. Please see the link on the right. Audience: Faculty, Teacher. Topics: Other Topics, Research, Teacher Research. Advertisement. Action research can introduce you to the power of systematic reflection on your practice.

  14. Preparing for Action Research in the Classroom: Practical Issues

    An action research project is a practical endeavor that will ultimately be shaped by your educational context and practice. Now that you have developed a literature review, you are ready to revise your initial plans and begin to plan your project. This chapter will provide some advice about your considerations when undertaking an action ...

  15. Action Research in Education

    Activities What are some examples of action research? Specifically at the time of writing, with COVID and hybrid learning models, how students learn may be of particular interest. It may be...

  16. 200+ List of Topics for Action Research in the Classroom

    In the dynamic landscape of education, teachers are continually seeking innovative ways to enhance their teaching practices and improve student outcomes. ... Highlighting successful action research projects provides inspiration and practical insights for teachers. Sharing case studies or examples of impactful research can demonstrate the ...

  17. Action Research: What it is, Stages & Examples

    Stage 1: Plan For an action research project to go well, the researcher needs to plan it well. After coming up with an educational research topic or question after a research study, the first step is to develop an action plan to guide the research process. The research design aims to address the study's question.

  18. PDF Action Research Project

    Purpose of Study. This action research study sought to locate and evaluate instructional strategies for use in teaching pre-algebra to a specific group of seventh grade students. The purpose for doing so was to improve the effectiveness of instruction as determined by measurable student growth observed during a series of instructional units.

  19. Action research in education: a set of case studies?

    Action research aims to improve educational practice by means of reflective cycles and shows variants according to a predominant paradigm, from technical to critical visions. A case study, described as an umbrella term, focuses on understanding classroom situations in real contexts. Although it seems that the defining characteristics of the ...

  20. Classroom-Based Action Research: Revisiting the Process as Customizable

    Stephen Corey was among the first to use action research in education (in the United States in the early 1950s). He believed that the application of the scientific method in educational settings would result in positive change due to the fact that educators would be involved in both the research and the application of the findings (Ferrance, 2000).

  21. Action Research in Education; Theory and Practice

    Action Research in Education; Theory and Practice Authors: Mohamed Hossni British University in Dubai Abstract Presentation's objectives - To define what action research is - To describe the...

  22. PDF A Guide to Action Research Project

    5 Description of EDCC 551 Action Research Course EDCC 551: Action Research in Educational Settings (3 credits) Course Description: This course is designed to give an overview of action research, particularly action research that is

  23. Action Research In Special Education

    Action Research In Special Education. In this webcast Dr. Susan Bruce talks about inquiry as the basis of action research and the types of action research that can be conducted. In addition, she shares examples of action research studies that were conducted at Perkins School for the Blind during the past two school years. Read full transcript ».

  24. 2024 LIFE

    Projects that support the achievement of Union nature and biodiversity objectives by implementing coherent programmes of action in Member States in order to mainstream those objectives and priorities into other policies and financing instruments, including through coordinated implementation of the prioritised action frameworks adopted pursuant to Directive 92/43/EEC.