The Action Research cycle
Cycles provide a useful way of thinking about and describing an Action Research process. Each cycle is made up of four phases - Observe, Reflect, Plan and Act.
Observe
Experience in Reconnect and NAYSS has shown that the observe phase is often the logical starting point for Action Research – you notice an issue that you want to explore and begin by recording your observations.
Reflect
The next phase is to take the time to reflect on the observations and extract meaning from them.
Plan
Based on your observations and reflections, this is the time to prepare a plan of action – what needs to be done and who needs to do it.
Act
This is the part of the cycle where you implement your plans.
Each stage of the Action Research cycle is discussed in more detail below.
Observe
Some stages of observation are:
- To look at what is happening
- Describe what has happened
- Record what has happened
Good observation requires looking at what is happening and describing it accurately. Its purpose is to provide a sound base for reflection by producing a widely accepted understanding of what actually happened
(Quixley, 1997 in Reconnect Action Research Kit, 2000).
Formal and informal data collection strategies
There are a range of ways to collect data. For example, data collection from clients could include verbal communication, such as face-to-face or by telephone. Data collection from other services could be obtained in writing and structured to answer specific questions.
The observe stage can be a good place to start an Action Research cycle by:
- considering something that is happening or not happening
- using available information
- finding out new information
- involving a range of people to describe what they think is occurring.
Observation tools
- Questionnaires/surveys
- Minutes from forums or meetings
- Informal interviews and discussions and keeping a journal in the agency to track insights, observations, anecdotes and questions raised
- Group brainstorming
- Client information, referral sheets, work logbooks and other agency paperwork
- Email and websites where people can leave comments and ask questions
- Wall charts/ graffiti boards
- Information systems such as computer files, coloured folders for different questions and suggestion boxes.
Focus questions
What did you notice?
What were the outcomes of your actions?
What happened?
Did different stakeholders observe different things?
What is going on for your clients?
Is there anything new or different?
Can you enrich your understanding of the situation by talking with your clients and/or different stakeholders about what you have observed and to gain different perspectives?
Reflect
Stages of reflection include:
- Standing back and looking at what happened.
Take time:- involve stakeholders to gain different interpretations.
- Developing ideas or ‘theories’ about what happened.
Brainstorm by:- talking it over
- sharing insights
- piecing things together or ‘jigsawing’.
- Sharing ideas with others so that a range of interpretations and ‘meanings’ can be considered.
Float ideas by:
-
- making informed guesses based on the information gathered
- comparing what you have observed with competing evidence
- looking at alternative explanations.
This is the stage in the cycle where you need to spend time thinking about the findings of the observations, negotiating meaning with stakeholders and building a shared understanding.
Suggestions for reflecting
- Have a look at what has been done, the information gathered about it and let it sit for a while.
- Talk to people to get a range of perspectives.
- Have some quiet time to work out what you think and encourage others to do the same.
- Share ideas and be honest about them.
- Be open about what is going on.
- Respect different understandings and interpretations.
- Be aware that people’s values and experiences will influence their reflections.
- Think about issues in their particular context.
- Give ideas/theories the opportunity to develop over time.
Focus questions
What does it mean?
What do the results of your actions tell you?
What further action is suggested?
What new knowledge did you generate?
Have you challenged your assumptions and those of your stakeholders?
Who agrees? Who disagrees? And what does this reveal?
Have you reflected on how your observations impact on the young people involved? Their families? The community?
Plan
Planning includes:
- Clarifying the questions being asked
- Identifying the actions to be tried out
- Developing an action plan.
All stages should be participatory and collaborative and the planning stage is no different. At this point, stakeholders should come together to talk about what they will do and how they will do it. It is important at this point to directly involve those affected by the research question. Each member of the group undertaking the Action Research itself should make active contributions to the plan and work collaboratively with one another.
You will find that a well thought out, flexible and coordinated action plan will prove effective, particularly in serving a wide range of stakeholders. For example, if workers across five community organisations are involved in trialling a new approach under a particular Action Research project, it is critical that they have a clear, agreed action plan that all are committed to implementing.
Planning process
- Using the reflection and thinking from the previous stage involving stakeholders and different ideas and perspectives.
- Asking - what do we want to do?
- Work out a priority of what you want to do.
- Look at your resources, i.e. what you need to achieve your goals.
- After looking at your resources you may need to re-think priorities.
- Collaboratively develop strategies for putting ideas into action – who is doing what and how?
- Think through the implications of the intended action .
- Timetable your action plan – when will things be done by?
- Build in observation and reflection methods - how will we keep an eye on what is happening?
Remember:
- Planning doesn’t need to be difficult.
- Planning often means clarifying and refining a plan as new and changed understandings emerge.
- Collaborative planning with stakeholders is important to getting the research question right.
- Using or adapting existing ways of involving clients in services may assist in planning.
Focus questions
What are you planning on doing?
Who is doing what?
Who is affected?
Who do you need to involve?
What made you think about making this change or examining this particular aspect of the problem?
What improvement do you hope to see?
What knowledge do you hope to generate?
Act
Action includes:
- Do what you said you were going to do – systematically and creatively implement plans
- Communicate with others and involve them in the process
- Keep track of what happens.
Remember:
- Make sure you have agreement on the who, what, when and how of the action plan.
- Actions reflect the plan although the plan can be changed or abandoned.
- Actions are not separate from research - the aim is to test questions in practice.
- Documenting action as it happens makes describing what happened much easier – record who did what, when and how.
- Action does not have a particular end point. If it isn’t working, it can be reviewed and re-planned any time.
- It does not have to be complex, technical or flashy. It may involve a small change at first like testing ideas and coming up with an initial strategy. You may have to try a number of things before you feel you are on to something, and you will learn something from everything that happens.
Focus questions
What are you doing?
What are your actions?
What is happening?
Who is doing what?
How are you recording this?