行动研究方法学.docx

1、行动研究方法学An Overview of theMethodological Approach ofAction ResearchRory OBrienFaculty of Information Studies, University of Torontoobrienrfis.utoronto.ca1998Citation:OBrien, R. (2001). Um exame da abordagem metodolgica da pesquisa ao An Overview of the Methodological Approach of Action Research. In R

2、oberto Richardson (Ed.), Teoria e Prtica da Pesquisa Ao Theory and Practice of Action Research. Joo Pessoa, Brazil: Universidade Federal da Paraba. (English version) Available: http:/www.web.ca/robrien/papers/arfinal.html (Accessed 20/1/2002)Table of ContentsIntroduction“If you want it done right, y

3、ou may as well do it yourself.” This aphorism may seem appropriate if you are a picky housekeeper, but more and more people are beginning to realize it can also apply to large corporations, community development projects, and even national governments. Such entities exist increasingly in an interdep

4、endent world, and are relying on Action Research as a means of coming to grips with their constantly changing and turbulent environments.This paper will answer the question “What is Action Research?”, giving an overview of its processes and principles, stating when it is appropriate to use, and situ

5、ating it within a praxis research paradigm. The evolution of the approach will be described, including the various kinds of action research being used today. The role of the action researcher will be briefly mentioned, and some ethical considerations discussed. The tools of the action researcher, pa

6、rticularly that of the use of search conferences, will be explained. Finally three case studies will be briefly described, two of which pertain to action research projects involving information technology, a promising area needing further research.What is Action Research?DefinitionAction research is

7、 known by many other names, including participatory research, collaborative inquiry, emancipatory research, action learning, and contextural action research, but all are variations on a theme. Put simply, action research is “learning by doing” - a group of people identify a problem, do something to

8、resolve it, see how successful their efforts were, and if not satisfied, try again. While this is the essence of the approach, there are other key attributes of action research that differentiate it from common problem-solving activities that we all engage in every day. A more succinct definition is

9、,Action research.aims to contribute both to the practical concerns of people in an immediate problematic situation and to further the goals of social science simultaneously. Thus, there is a dual commitment in action research to study a system and concurrently to collaborate with members of the syst

10、em in changing it in what is together regarded as a desirable direction. Accomplishing this twin goal requires the active collaboration of researcher and client, and thus it stresses the importance of co-learning as a primary aspect of the research process.i What separates this type of research from

11、 general professional practices, consulting, or daily problem-solving is the emphasis on scientific study, which is to say the researcher studies the problem systematically and ensures the intervention is informed by theoretical considerations. Much of the researchers time is spent on refining the m

12、ethodological tools to suit the exigencies of the situation, and on collecting, analyzing, and presenting data on an ongoing, cyclical basis.Several attributes separate action research from other types of research. Primary is its focus on turning the people involved into researchers, too - people le

13、arn best, and more willingly apply what they have learned, when they do it themselves. It also has a social dimension - the research takes place in real-world situations, and aims to solve real problems. Finally, the initiating researcher, unlike in other disciplines, makes no attempt to remain obje

14、ctive, but openly acknowledges their bias to the other participants.The Action Research ProcessStephen Kemmis has developed a simple model of the cyclical nature of the typical action research process (Figure 1). Each cycle has four steps: plan, act, observe, reflect.Figure 1 Simple Action Research

15、Model (from MacIsaac, 1995)ii Gerald Susman (1983) gives a somewhat more elaborate listing. He distinguishes five phases to be conducted within each research cycle (Figure 2). Initially, a problem is identified and data is collected for a more detailed diagnosis. This is followed by a collective pos

16、tulation of several possible solutions, from which a single plan of action emerges and is implemented. Data on the results of the intervention are collected and analyzed, and the findings are interpreted in light of how successful the action has been. At this point, the problem is re-assessed and th

17、e process begins another cycle. This process continues until the problem is resolved.Figure 2 Detailed Action Research Model(adapted from Susman 1983)iii Principles of Action ResearchWhat gives action research its unique flavour is the set of principles that guide the research. Winter (1989) provide

18、s a comprehensive overview of six key principles.iv 1) Reflexive critiqueAn account of a situation, such as notes, transcripts or official documents, will make implicit claims to be authoritative, i.e., it implies that it is factual and true. Truth in a social setting, however, is relative to the te

19、ller. The principle of reflective critique ensures people reflect on issues and processes and make explicit the interpretations, biases, assumptions and concerns upon which judgments are made. In this way, practical accounts can give rise to theoretical considerations.2) Dialectical critiqueReality,

20、 particularly social reality, is consensually validated, which is to say it is shared through language. Phenomena are conceptualized in dialogue, therefore a dialectical critique is required to understand the set of relationships both between the phenomenon and its context, and between the elements

21、constituting the phenomenon. The key elements to focus attention on are those constituent elements that are unstable, or in opposition to one another. These are the ones that are most likely to create changes.3) Collaborative ResourceParticipants in an action research project are co-researchers. The

22、 principle of collaborative resource presupposes that each persons ideas are equally significant as potential resources for creating interpretive categories of analysis, negotiated among the participants. It strives to avoid the skewing of credibility stemming from the prior status of an idea-holder

23、. It especially makes possible the insights gleaned from noting the contradictions both between many viewpoints and within a single viewpoint4) RiskThe change process potentially threatens all previously established ways of doing things, thus creating psychic fears among the practitioners. One of th

24、e more prominent fears comes from the risk to ego stemming from open discussion of ones interpretations, ideas, and judgments. Initiators of action research will use this principle to allay others fears and invite participation by pointing out that they, too, will be subject to the same process, and

25、 that whatever the outcome, learning will take place.5) Plural StructureThe nature of the research embodies a multiplicity of views, commentaries and critiques, leading to multiple possible actions and interpretations. This plural structure of inquiry requires a plural text for reporting. This means

26、 that there will be many accounts made explicit, with commentaries on their contradictions, and a range of options for action presented. A report, therefore, acts as a support for ongoing discussion among collaborators, rather than a final conclusion of fact.6) Theory, Practice, TransformationFor ac

27、tion researchers, theory informs practice, practice refines theory, in a continuous transformation. In any setting, peoples actions are based on implicitly held assumptions, theories and hypotheses, and with every observed result, theoretical knowledge is enhanced. The two are intertwined aspects of

28、 a single change process. It is up to the researchers to make explicit the theoretical justifications for the actions, and to question the bases of those justifications. The ensuing practical applications that follow are subjected to further analysis, in a transformative cycle that continuously alte

29、rnates emphasis between theory and practice.When is Action Research used?Action research is used in real situations, rather than in contrived, experimental studies, since its primary focus is on solving real problems. It can, however, be used by social scientists for preliminary or pilot research, e

30、specially when the situation is too ambiguous to frame a precise research question. Mostly, though, in accordance with its principles, it is chosen when circumstances require flexibility, the involvement of the people in the research, or change must take place quickly or holistically.It is often the

31、 case that those who apply this approach are practitioners who wish to improve understanding of their practice, social change activists trying to mount an action campaign, or, more likely, academics who have been invited into an organization (or other domain) by decision-makers aware of a problem re

32、quiring action research, but lacking the requisite methodological knowledge to deal with it.Situating Action Research in a Research ParadigmPositivist ParadigmThe main research paradigm for the past several centuries has been that of Logical Positivism. This paradigm is based on a number of principles, including: a belief in an objective reality, knowledge of which is only gained from sense data that can be directly experienced and verified between independent observers. Phenomena are subject to natural laws that humans discover in a l