Action Research as applied to the Dissertation Report MSc Advanced Practice June 2006 Ann Winter

Session objectives Consider the action research approach and cycles Apply action research cycles to module learning outcomes 1 – 6 Discuss implications of researching own organisation and self study

An approach to inquiry which aims at taking action and creating knowledge about that action Generic term covering many forms of action oriented research- diversity of approaches Collaborative Meet your academic and organisation’s needs Reaction to lack of change following traditional research paradigms

1) action research is about people reflecting upon and improving their own practice; (2) by tightly inter-linking their reflection and action; and (3) making their experiences public to other people concerned by and interested in the respective practice

Action research cycle Different labels to steps: Look, think and act Plan-Do-Study-Act Spiral in nature in that 1 Action research cycle may lead directly to another Act Find Plan

Learning outcome 1 Action Research cycle – PLAN/DIAGNOSE Justify the selection of a topic of relevance to the health, needs of services users, carers, families groups or population based on an analysis of need and current policy context Pre step 1- context and purpose in real time Why is this project necessary/important? Where are the external and forces? What are the internal cultural and structural forces? What needs changing in order to move to desired future? Who should you collaborate with? Who are the stakeholders? What is the future like? Consider personal and organisational gains

Framing and naming Choose an issue that can be realistically achieved in time scale Labels are important so select an issue rather than a ‘problem’ sets an opportunity frame of reference rather than a defensive context Awareness of array of issues which might be uncovered The precise issue might ‘emerge’ in respect of boundaries which may be subject to change as understanding deepens and judgements and interpretations of data inform issue Articulate what the unit/service would look like after the change has taken place- provides a clear initial focus What needs to be done first- an assessment of readiness and capability Social context is very important ie organisation and community in which you are working ie concerns, what the issues mean and what is intended and hoped for, discipline issues

Learning outcome 2 Action Research cycle – PLAN/DIAGNOSE Access, critically appraise and present evidence and theory from the perspectives of policy, practice, quality and underpinning values Diagnosing the issue/s Collecting data/evidence/information Critical analysis of evidence Examining and looking at the issue from various angles, checking reasoning, looking for assumptions, weighing up alternatives, looking for relational aspects with broader issues

Data generation Data comes through engagement with others, day to day organisational processes e.g. meetings, problems being solved, decision making, over coffee Every action, even the act of there being research, is an intervention Action research is more about data generation than gathering Document reflections of all occasions May use secondary data, studying formal documentation (desk research) or observation Outset literature Data-Information-Knowledge-Understanding-Insight- Wisdom (Ralph 1999)

Learning outcome 3 Action Research cycle – PLAN/DIAGNOSE Identify the knowledge available on the chosen topic in terms of research, theory, policy, professional practice and evidence of good practice Identifying knowledge holders and ways of knowing – experiential (knowing through), presentational, propositional (knowing that), practical (know how) Negotiating access Considering sensitivity, confidentiality Duality of role Identifying what assumptions, knowledge you bring to the research process Awareness of political and ethical issues and power structures

Ethical issues Negotiating access Confidentiality – academic aspect of exercise where final work will be released to external organisation and lodged in library Participants rights not to participate Keeping participants informed Permission to use documentation produced for other purpose Permission to use locations Confidentiality of journal entries Ownership of findings Not knowing where journey is going to end

Organisations knowledge assets 1.Experiential – skills, know how, energy, passion & tension of individuals 2.Conceptual – explicit through language, designs, images 3.Routine – tacit in actions and practices. Organisational routines, culture and know how 4.Systemic – documents, specifications, databases Little, S. and Ray, T Managing Knowledge. An essential reader. Sage Publications. London

Learning outcome 4 Action Research cycle – PLANNING ACTION Formulate proposals for the utilisation of knowledge for practice and or service development in the context of the practitioners field of work Methodology/method of inquiry Review practice of AR and/or knowledge utilisation in own field of practice Selected approach and review processes and procedures Draw up an action plan

Method of inquiry Outline and justify approach Action plan – what can I do about it/what kind of data can I gather/generate/where will I look? Demonstrate procedures Utilisation of AR cycles Evidence of challenging own assumptions Use of multiple data sources

Learning outcome 5 Action Research cycle – PLANNING ACTION Critically analyse how knowledge may be transferred, utilised and transformed in use, making use of relevant theory and evidence on these processes Who will be affected? How will they be affected? Relate particular events as progress Further use of emerging literature Use of supporting theory

Using frameworks 1.Select a framework only if it’s Simple, fits your values, highlights what you think are relative and important and validates your experience ? Face validity Examples are: Systems thinking, change theories, organisational dynamics and power structures 2. Use critical friends/validation group/interested observers to listen to you and offer critical feedback

Learning outcome 6 Action Research cycle – TAKING ACTION Critically reflect on the role of the practitioner and others in facilitating these processes and evaluating outcomes In an AR project there are at least 2 layers of cycles happening concurrently The more explicit core/project cycle & the dissertation/academic cycle You need to be continually enquiring into how the steps are going and what you are learning as this shapes the subsequent steps This is what differentiates AR from problem solving & forms the basis of the dissertation which needs to include both cycles This is what provides the rigour to your data collection e.g. how is the data generated, gathered, explored and evaluated?

Learning in action and reflecting upon action Draw upon your knowledge and thought processes during the AR project (use of journals - grounded theory) Reflection – reflecting in and on action – consider interpretive judgements and inferences which have changed and developed Your role as a complete member in researcher studying own organisation Your lived experience as a researcher and pre- understanding of your organisation and its culture Telling your story through self reflection and learning Third person narrative provides objectivity if using first person there needs to be very clear distinction between the narrative account and your interpretation

Pragmatic action research Studying system in action Frame of research is managing change or solving a problem Target of improving operational action Opportunistic May look at existing issue using action research cycles

AR involving researcher’s self study May focus on researchers job/role within organisation Intention may be to study self in action Simultaneous research and reflection as part of AR process

Self reflection and learning How do you make sense of what happened ? Use of established theory and knowledge which aligns narrative story with theory AR projects are situation specific but it is worth considering if there are significant factors which may be extrapolated from a local situation to a more general situation Learning outcomes 7 & 8 focus more upon concepts of evaluation