Action Research

Action research

This is an approach that basically requires research applied to practical issues in the everyday social world. It is an attempt to change and monitor results. The research is likely to be qualitative and participative, as action research starts with a problem and aims on improving the situation.

There are four key parts to Action research.

Planning (working out what to do)
Acting (putting this into practice)
Observing (looking at what happens)
Reflecting (Looking back and analysing the results)

Action research is intended to improve a real life problem situation for instance changing the perceptions of people and pole dancing, or give Pole dancing a fair chance at being an Olympic sport. To do this you need to,

• Identify and clarify the problem.
• Identify and implement the change intended to improve the situation.
• Test and evaluate to determine the impact of change made on the original problem.

Nethertheless as with any research method there are advantages and disadvantages to action research.

The action research cycle
1) Ask questions
2) Collect data
3) Analyse
4) Formulate hypothesis/Reflect
5) Plan action steps
6) Positive action for change

For example
1) How do you perceive Pole dancing? Do you think it should be considered an Olympic sport?
2) Conduct interviews, put together questionnaires and surveys.
3) Analyse results, what do people think, for and against Olympics and find out why.
4) Formulate the prediction and reflect how I got to the hypothesis.
5) How I can get people to people understand that Pole dancing is a fun way to keep fit and increase confidence. I would do this by holding classes for those who disagree with my statement and show them what happens in the classroom and what is required for Pole dancing. Do a demonstration of Pole moves to show skill required.
6) Positive action for change would be not only proving that sheer strength and skill is needed to Pole dance and its worthy of a place in the Olynpics.

Again it would come back round to the beginning

1) I would ask the questions again.
2) I would again collect the data
3) I would finally analyse the data and see if people had changed their minds
4) I would formulate my hypothesis and hope that people have changed their minds
5) If people had changed their minds I would inform them of online petitions for Pole dancing to be considered an Olympic sport
6) I would introduce a class for more new-comer Pole dancers as a way to keep fit.

Advantages
• Involves people
• Helps to open up a problem
• Ensures it is a thorough methodology
• An on the job focus

Disadvantages

• Time consuming and continuing (as demonstrated in example)
• Difficult if you do not have a set group of people
• Relies on goodwill of some participants
• May distract from other important areas of your work.

Action research is collaborative by nature. In any collaborative research participants are involved as fully as possible in the research in their own group or organisation. This approach is popular because as a worker-researcher you often research some kind of change in the workplace.
I don’t think I want to change something in the workplace as people in my Pole dancing classes are there by choice of their own, however I would like to change the perceptions of those who may take part and non-Pole dancers towards Olympic possibilities.