Action Research for Improving Educational Practice
A Step-by-Step Guide
- Valsa Koshy - Brunel University, UK
Action Research in Education
"This will be a useful guide for a range of teacher-researchers, honours students and others interested in improving their practice."
- British Journal of Educational Technology
"A comprehensive guide to action research; it will be the equivalent of having an experienced tutor available twenty four hours a day to provide valuable advice and reassurance to the researcher, at all stages of the project."
- Carole Portman-Smith, Advanced Skills Teacher for the London borough of Richmond Upon Thames
Which topics are right for Action Research in an education context? How do you go about planning a project, collecting and analyzing your data? What's the best way to present your research findings to parents, colleagues, or funding bodies?
Whether you are a busy teacher doing research in your classroom, an undergraduate starting your research project, or a graduate student writing up your dissertation, this step-by-step guide takes you through every stage involved in carrying out action research.
In this brand new edition, you will find additional guidance on:
- The challenges of being an insider researcher
- Searching and analyzing literature from the internet
- Children's participation and children's rights in action research projects in educational settings
- Validity and authenticity in action research
- A new chapter on writing for publication
- An action research planning sheet
This book draws on Valsa Koshy's extensive experience of supervising researchers at all levels, and includes examples of action research carried out by practitioners across a range of topics and age groups. Case studies include UK and international examples, allowing you to reflect on multiple perspectives of action research in education.
Those new to action research, and those looking for a straightforward explanation of the methods involved, will find this book invaluable.
This book is a useful guide if you are embarking on action research for the first time. With many illustrative examples and relevant websites, the text takes the student through the research process from defining action research to publishing action research findings.
Though this book is written quite clearly and offers many wonderful examples, the topic does not really fit our teaching focus. I am sure, it can give practicioners very good and helpful hints on how to do research in their classrooms. However, we try to teach our teacher students the basics of empirical working. Based on these, I am sure, the book can be a good addition. Therefore, we recommend this book as additional literature.
The book has a useful glossary, which is helpful for the reader. Guidance on further reading is included along with website addresses linking to resources.
Clear examples and diagrams are used; these make it easier for the reader to understand the issues and strategies being discussed. Bullet points are used to list and draw the reader’s attention to key points.
This is a useful book for those undertaking action research projects as part of their studies.
This is a very useful text for anyone considering using action research. It is practical and full of useful tips.
Truly helpful book with hands on examples. Excellent!
I organise a teacher researcher group. The group is already using this book as text for its regular meetings, to drive Action Research that we carry out. We are finding it most useful.
This is a very clear text - offering advice and structure for teachers undertaking a course in practioner inquiry. This is a key field for us - and the clarity in detail and structure of this text makes it very suitable for practitioner and teachers looking into their own practice.
(Happy to add more if you want ..!!)
This remains one of my favourite texts for Action Research. The students find it very readable and the presentation is clear and concise.
Preferred the Clive Opie Doing Educational Research book as an introductory book into this subject matter. That is not to say the book is not good - clear guidance, nicely broken down, extremely accessible. A personal preference only.
The most comprehensive yet accessible publication on conducting action research. the bookmis recommended as essential for the course.
New to the 2nd edition is guidance on the following:
-
Philosophical underpinnings of Action Research
-
The challenges of being an insider researcher
-
Searching and analysing literature from the internet
-
Children's participation and children's rights in action research projects in educational settings
-
Validity and authenticity in action research
The 2nd edition also features:
-
A new chapter on writing for publication
-
An action research planning sheet
Sage College Publishing
