Table of contentsIntroductionHistory and definition of action researchTypes of action researchOperationalization of action researchAdvantages of action researchCritiques of action researchConclusionIntroductionParticipatory action research, or research -action for short, is a highly participatory, experiential, and reflective research method whose dominant goal is to foster social change. This article will describe what action research is and its origin, the types of action research and how to operationalize this methodology, as well as its advantages and limitations, concluding by highlighting the contexts for which this method is most appropriate and proposing suggested changes to strengthen the impact of action research. and overcome your limitations. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayHistory and Definition of Action Research Action research has a multidisciplinary background, with roots in psychology, anthropology , sociology, women's studies, nursing studies, and education. Although disciplinary diversity has led to various variations of the method, the following common threads that connect all types of action research have emerged: Reflexive form of empirical research Research subjects act as participants and contributors. Desire to produce tangible solutions to impact the lives of participants. A somewhat repetitive process. planning, action and evaluation. One of the main tenets of action research is its collaborative nature, in which a researcher views research subjects as co-authors and works alongside them to shape the research objectives and outcomes. Another key aspect of this methodology is reflexivity; although it is not specific to action research, one could argue that reflexivity is amplified in this method more than in others. Action research is aware of the history, culture, activities, and emotions of the population being studied, and expressly encourages participants to examine issues reflexively. affecting them or their community. Action research is also experiential in that its primary goal is to provide participants with a means to take action and overcome their specific problems. The role of the researcher in action research is not to observe objectively, but rather to work alongside the group being studied, in partnership with them to guide the research. Action research is most often used at the local level (as opposed to the macro level) by targeting particular problems. in specific situations with small-scale theorizing. Its objective is twofold: to distill knowledge that will be directly applicable to a defined group; and empower each individual in that group (rather than just leaders or elites) to implement and use the information produced by research. The key differentiators of action research from other methodologies include its value-laden focus, collaboration with the very people it studies. studies, and its simple, easily understandable language – unlike statistical programs and sophisticated techniques associated with other methodologies. Types of Action Research It is widely accepted that there are three categories of action research, although researchers have called them by different names. is alignment with one’s purpose and process. The technical/scientific/collaborative mode of action research is distinguished by a researcheridentifying a specific problem after collaborating with a practitioner, then relaying the information to that practitioner, who in turn oversees the transfer and use of knowledge by the group in question. Using this mode, the researcher identifies an intervention based on a predefined theoretical framework and interacts only with a practitioner, rather than with the study population. Another form of action research is the practical/mutual collaboration/deliberate mode, which is more flexible than the practical/mutual collaboration/deliberate mode. aforementioned version and favors a concern for emancipation and empowerment of participants. A limitation of this approach compared to the above mode is a reduction in control and precision, but practitioners of this typology do not worry about this as these are not considered the primary goals. The third and final mode of action research is emancipation. /Enhancing Critical Science, which “promotes emancipatory practice among participating practitioners; that is, it promotes a critical consciousness that manifests itself in political as well as practical action to promote change.” Ultimately, this version of action research aspires to converge theory with real-world problems, then use this intersection to enlighten participants about their problems by "lifting the veil of their obscured understandings" and " raising their collective consciousness.” This mode claims that the fusion of theory and enlightenment emancipates participants, which then results in action and change. Operationalizing action research Action research is operationalized by the four-step model plan, act, think and reflect. The planning stage is where research questions are identified by the researcher, helping the population to examine their situation in order to recognize their problems, often via focus groups. The researcher could also independently identify a problem and present it to the participants to gain their agreement and buy-in. The second phase, Act, includes data collection and information gathering, which largely depends on the research question, researcher preferences, and limitations due to population or contextual factors. The third phase, reflection, involves analyzing and then relating the data to potential solutions to problems identified early in the research process. In action research, the guiding analytical questions through which to filter data are “why, what, how, who, where, when.” It is essential that results are determined collaboratively with participants through focus groups or other meetings. Action research requires that the results be accepted by all participants and be considered to reflect each participant's perceptions of the population in question. Finally, it is crucial that participants have the opportunity to review the data throughout the interpretation process – not just after the results are completed – and that they are generally kept informed of research activities and progress . The fourth and final phase is reflection, during which the researcher shares findings with participants in order to empower them to work together to bring about change. This may take the form of meetings, a formal written report, a project website, a video, or even a dramatic re-enactment of a role play. What is essential however is that the results are presented in actionable and easily understandable language, so that participants can use the results with limited access barriers.Benefits of theaction researchOne of the advantages of action research is that it offers a simple and easily operational process, eliminating the need for statistical models or sophisticated frameworks. Another benefit is time efficiency, as these phases can be completed relatively quickly, which is part of why this methodology is favored in for-profit environments, which often operate under faster turnaround times than in the academia. Depending on the researcher's perspective, a third advantage could be considered its applicability and ability to generate tangible changes and concrete results.Critiques of Action ResearchAs no methodology is perfect, a frank discussion of the limitations and the flaws of action research is necessary. First, the level of participant involvement required throughout the study, but particularly in the data analysis phase, leads to some feasibility challenges. For example, although this method explicitly states that data should be discussed among participants in order to agree on their analysis, power dynamics, anonymity, and confidentiality between participants are not considered. These factors have the potential to significantly impact participants' willingness to share their perspectives, preventing frank discussion of the data among all participants. Another criticism of action research that also concerns feasibility is the requirement that the reports, or results, reflect the perspectives of all stakeholders in the study. population. In order to reflect the testimony of all stakeholders, a researcher must speak to and listen to all stakeholders, which can be incredibly difficult with large populations, populations with exceptionally busy participants, large or prestigious participants who may don't take the time, or other such scenarios. Another limitation related to feasibility is the methodology's requirement that the researcher make every effort to keep all stakeholders informed of progress and activities, granting them the opportunity to share comments and contributions throughout. throughout the process. At the most basic level, achieving progress seems difficult if the researcher must be constantly open to participant contributions and rewrites. First, it is possible that participants' edits contradict each other, leading to a cyclical repetition of revisions. Additionally, one of the benefits of action research is its speed while still taking the time to share a regular cadence of updates and requests. Input from a potentially large group of participants can be time-consuming in itself, but the additional time spent working with participants on revisions and stopping later progress to revise an earlier section could become quite tedious. Action research requires the researcher to share their findings with the participants, which is entirely reasonable and predictable. However, experts in this method said researchers should go beyond a traditional article and advocate for project web pages, narrative explanations recorded on video. results, even dramatic reconstructions of role-playing games. Although translating the results into a version easily understood by participants seems to be an ethical and respectful step, the gestures mentioned above seem too cumbersome, costly and time-consuming, and should not be mentioned. as best practices, but rather as suggestions. Another criticism concerns the charged nature of.