Marzano (2003) notes that Action Research is a term derived from the research of Kurt Lewin who, in 1946, used it as a methodology for examining post war issues. As a research methodology, Marzano notes that action research was not applied to education until 1953 where it was used in a series of studies conducted by Stephen Corey to improve school practice. Today, action research is viewed as a research methodology that empowers and emancipates teachers in their efforts to empirically solve practical problems.
Johnson (1993) states that action research is an important component of educational inquiry in that it allows teachers, local schools, and school districts to document their efforts to make data-driven decisions. Further, it is said to be a method of inquiry that assists them in identifying the needs, assessing the development processes, and evaluating the outcomes of the changes they define, design, and implement.
The purpose of this paper is to provide a thorough description and delineation of action research by focusing on its various goals and purposes, and delineating the specifics of it as a processes. The paper ends with the formulation of a series of conclusion about action research and its goals and processes. The presented conclusions are derived based on the presented material.
Action Research: Definition and Processes
According to Schmuck (1997) action research is a solution-oriented research methodology that can be undertaken on either a group or an individual basis. Schmuck makes the point that the linking of the terms "action" and "research" highlights the essential features of the methodology which is said to be a method of inquiry consisting of trying out ideas in actual practice as a means of increasing knowledge about and/or improving curriculum, teaching, and learning. Schmuck further notes that often action research is collaborative which is to say that it is frequently undertaken by a grou...