ASSIGNMENT

ACTION RESEARCH

Submitted to Submitted By

Viji Teacher Simi SSocial ScienceReg. No. 13360016CTE Arkannoor.

INTRODUCTION

Action research is a new dimension in the field of research. Traditionally it was

believed that educational research is the presence of the well trained research experts

only. But how the approach of action research emphasis encouragement to the

practitioners, school teachers, administrators and others to do research in enter to

improve their own work and functioning of school. Various thinkers have tried to

define the teem action research.

According to S M Corey

“Action research is the research a person conducts in order to enable him to

achieve his purpose more effectively. A teacher conducts action research to improve

his own teaching. A school administrator conducts action research to improve his

administrative behavior”. It is the research used by teacher’s supervisors and

administrator to improve the quality of their decisions and actions.

Best

Action research is focused on the immediate application on the development of

theory. It has placed its emphasis on real problem, here and now, in a local setting.

A close analysis of the above determinations may clear4ly reveal that action

research concerns itself with the immediate problems faced by the teachers and

administrators. It helps them to make judgment and engage in better practices at their

respective jobs. Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that action research is the

research by the practitioner of the practitioner and for the practitioner.

Objectives of Action Research

Main objectives of action research are follows.

1. To improve the practices going on presently in the schools.

2. To remove the motion that educational research is the job specialists only.

3. To make the teachers and school administrators research method.

4. To develop in the practitioners the required confidence and ability to carry out

research for solving their own problems.

5. To make the students teachers and educational administrators more conscious

about their problems and their immediate solutions.

6. To make the school or educational personal more co-operative and democratic

in their work.

7. To inculcate the desire and attitude among the school personnel for bringing

excellence in their work.

8. To make the environment of the school more conductive for effective teaching

and learning.

Features/ characteristics of Action R esearch

Main features of action research may be summarized as below.

1. It is focused on the immediate problems, and their solutions within the

available resources.

2. It does not concern with the building of theories, broad generalization and

principles.

3. It aims to improve the practices or work conditions of the people. When

conduct such research.

4. It involves little efforts, resources and finances in comparison to fundamental

or pure researches.

5. Here the person who conducts the research and applies the findings of the

research is the one and same.

6. It inculcates a spirit as well as ability in the practitioners to improve their

practices.

7. It main purpose is to create such healthy and proper conditions and

environment as to facilitate better teaching as well as better learning for the

maximum welfare of the student.

Steps in action research

The main steps involved in carrying out action research may be followed as

below,

Step I : Identification and specification of the problem.

Step 2 : listing of the probable causes.

Step 3 : Analysis of the probable causes and foundation of action hypotheses.

Step 4 : Action programme.

Step 5 : Evaluation of the action programme.

Step 6 : Follow up and communicating the finding to others.

Advantages of action research

1. It makes the teachers students and educational administrators research and

educational administrators research minded.

2. It makes them to improve their world of work habits and have practical

solutions to their problems.

3. It makes them to improve their practices bring.

4. The results of such research findings can be best utilized for improving their

world of work and developing them professionally as much as possible.

5. It helps in making the surroundings conditions and environment quite

conductive to proper teaching and learning.

6. It helps the teacher student and educational personnel to find the new ways,

acquire new interest, better motivation and enthusiasms for playing their

respective roles.

7. Action research makes the work environment of the school more co

operative and democratic.

8. It helps in broadening the mental horizon and general outlook of the

student’s teachers and school personnel and educational administrator.

9. It makes the practitioners to acquire significant confidence to face and solve

the day to day problems with their own attempts within the available

resources.

10. It makes the teacher student and administrators not only to utilize results of

their findings but also to make use of the results of others findings.

Limitations of action research

The action research as method of research refers from the following

limitation and drawbacks

1. The teacher or other practitioners are infect very poor research their

finding may lead them in no where or in opposites directions resulting

into great educational loss or aggravation of educational problems.

2. The solutions of the educational problems require regions c operative

efforts on the part of students teachers and educational authorities such

co-operation on a true democratic pattern is rarely available in its absence

the research looses its absence the research lose its strength as well as

validity.

3. Acting research is more or less a completely localized affair hence the

assertion that its result may be utilized by others remains quite

questionable.

4. In the existing conditions of our schools where teachers already burdered

with over work an students are encircled with a heavy scheme of students

are encirded with a heavy scheme of studies and administers puzzled with

increased administration problem too much to expect from them for

serious work like action research.

Importance of action research.

a) Action research dispels the fear that research is only a job of highly

qualified person it has caused to develop problem awareness among the teachers

and administrators and has made them research minded by the developing

scientific and objective attitude.

b) Action research provides a systematic study on the spot in the natural

conditions of the problem felt and effect of thee change introduced by actual

practitioners. Thus it gives them opportunity to test their belief and to take

advantage of their own experiences.

c) Action research improves the quality of teaching learning process without

involving extra financial expenditure.

d) It needs no special arrangement and creation of artificial conditions.

e) It give birth to comparative feeling and develops love and mutual

understanding among the different partners of teaching learning process.

f) The working of the present day schools has been so mechanical and of

routine nature that the teachers fear to take any progressive step. Action

research can help in improving such atmosphere.

g) It will reduce the wastage and stagnation in the teaching learning process

by developing a progressive outlook and bringing flexibility in the school

programme.

h) It bring excellence in the working style of institution.

CONCLUSION

However the limitations and drawbacks listed above do not imply that

action research is defective and aimless in itself. The short comings arise an

account of lack of consciousness zeal enthusiasm and governance and the part

of the partitions for conducting and improving their practices. It is why, there is

a need of providing solid theoretical as well as practical knowledge and skills to

the students as well as service teachers for conducting as well as utilizing the

product of such research in the improvement of their professional work. They

themselves have to take administrative responsibilities in future and if they are

used to carry out action research, it will automatically be transferred to the

administrators on the upper ladder as well s to the students at the lower end of

the receiving side.

REFERENCE,

1. Foundations of Educational Technology - Dr.S.K Mangal2. http:/web.net/robrien/papers/artinal.html#toc 261846503. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/action research