How I Learned to (Mostly) Stop Worrying

and Love Action Research

Hazel Rothera

Oxford Brookes University Library hrothera@brookes.ac.uk

@hrothera

Why Action Research?

“A paired samples t-test was used to

examine RQ1, which was

concerned with identifying students’

existing information literacy skills…”

“A large-scale

national

study…”

“Drawing on the results

of a survey sent to

library directors and

senior management

team members…”

Two years, total budget £7K (most of that for my time – few hours a week)

“What I really want to know is…”

What questions, issues or frustrations do you have about

how your users make use of your resources and services?

Or, what aspects of your users’ behaviour would you like to

know/understand more about, be more sure of, or have

better evidence for?

(Discuss…)

Delegates’ thoughts on issues they would

like to investigate:

How can action research help?

small-scale practice-based

reflective

cyclical

values-based

“Action research is a practical way of looking at

your work in any profession to check that it is as

you would like it to be.” (McNiff, 2010)

(Kolb’s reflective cycle)

What?

So what?

Now what?

(Rolfe et al, 2001; Eoyang, 2006)

Where do you start?

What?... So what?... Now what?...

• You said – we did…

• Short internal reports – Library colleagues, organisation colleagues

• Internal meetings and conferences – poster if a paper is too scary

• Write up for an internal newsletter

• Tweet, Facebook etc

• Be brave – investigate professional journals!

Impact – how will anyone know?

What barriers have you experienced, or can you imagine,

to doing a piece of action research in your setting?

[Discuss…]

What’s stopping you?

Delegates’ thoughts on potential

barriers to action research:

Potential barriers

(and how to tackle them!)

Time … agree some with management; incorporate into

your projects; set specific slots aside

Resources … any internal grants? Professional bodies? Use

what’s free or already available

Too complicated … keep it simple and small - scale to start with, try

one small project

Too small - scale – won’t be “valid” … Valid in your context; action research can have

“ relatability ” to similar contexts, rather than

“ generalisability ” ( Bassey 1981)

No - one will participate … publicise well, targeted, explain why and the

benefits for them, have incentives!

Lack of support … online groups and fora (such as AR+, LIRG,

ILG); find a mentor

Fear! … start small; read around; take deep breath &

step outside your comfort zone

Why I’m glad I did…

“It was really nice to

give feedback and feel

like it was listened to.”

[Focus group participant]

“You’re so proactive, you

move us forward and get

us trying new things”

[course committee chair, Education]

“The Education Librarian’s

always doing research with

us to improve services…”

[Former focus group participant,

overheard touring prospective students

on an Open Day]

“Are you doing a

doctorate with this?

You should be!”

[Academic colleague]

Brainstorm what research methods you could use to

gather the data you may need (focus groups, surveys,

statistics from your LMS, interviews, critical incident

analysis…)

… and list, just for yourself, up to 3 things you will do

when you get back to work to move forward!

How could you investigate your question?

Want to find out more?

Short bibliography:

Bassey, M (1981) Pedagogic research: on the relative merits of search for generalisation and study of single events. Oxford Review of Education,

7(1), 73-94

- originator of the idea of “relatability” as opposed to “generalisability” in education research.

Eoyang, G (2006) Attractors: the info-letter of the Human Systems Dynamics Institute 3(1). http://www.hsdinstitute.org/learn-more/read-the-

latest/attractors/archive/18-ATTRACTORS-Jan-2006.pdf

- helpful and concise analysis of how to apply the “What? So what? Now what?” reflective model.

Elliott, J (1991) Action research for educational change. Milton Keynes: Open University Press

- Elliott argues strongly that action research is very closely linked to reflective practice, to the extent that they could be considered the same thing

McNiff, J (2010) Action research for professional development (Rev. ed.) Poole: September Books

- my day-to-day action research bible, always on my desk!

Rolfe, G (2001). Critical reflection for nursing and the helping professions: a user’s guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave

- originator of the What? So what? Now what? reflection model.

Winter, R (1989) Learning from experience: principles and practice in action-research. London: Falmer

- one of the classics of the genre in the field of education; particularly helpful on the principles and ethics of action research

Very quick and basic introduction to action research from Wikiversity:

http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Action_research

ALA workshop on Action-Based Research for librarians:

http://alaworkshopdata.wordpress.com/