Using values to help plan your action research project... Jack Whitehead In examining your values in the process of bringing about changes/improvements in your workplace, it is often helpful to produce a piece of autobiographic writing that clarifies for yourself (and for others) the experiences from your past that helped to form the values that you are now trying to live as fully as you can in your workplace. As you write, it is important that you express yourself freely without the usual constraints that can be felt in expectations about fulfilling criteria of "academic writing." I am writing this in the context of producing a living educational theory account for Master's writings (on the 9th June 2010). I am hoping to put an illustration of how such autobiographical writings that reveal the meanings of values, can be transformed into Master's writing, in the Doctoral and Masters supervisions and references ofhttp://www.actionresearch.net at:
What kind of evidence can I gather to show why I am interested in this issue?
What can I do? What will I do?
What kind of evidence can I gather to show that I am having an influence?
How can I explain that influence?
How can I ensure that any judgments I might make are reasonably fair and accurate?
How will I change my practice in the light of my evaluation?
There is always a dilemma between suggesting action plans and avoiding making them appear as prescriptive. In action research, everyone takes responsibility for their own practice and for asking their own questions. You do need to ensure, however, that your research is reasonably systematic and rigorous. In doing your research, you are aiming to make a claim that you have improved practice, so you do need to produce validated evidence to support that claim.
Jack Whitehead
In examining your values in the process of bringing about changes/improvements in your workplace, it is often helpful to produce a piece of autobiographic writing that clarifies for yourself (and for others) the experiences from your past that helped to form the values that you are now trying to live as fully as you can in your workplace. As you write, it is important that you express yourself freely without the usual constraints that can be felt in expectations about fulfilling criteria of "academic writing." I am writing this in the context of producing a living educational theory account for Master's writings (on the 9th June 2010). I am hoping to put an illustration of how such autobiographical writings that reveal the meanings of values, can be transformed into Master's writing, in the Doctoral and Masters supervisions and references ofhttp://www.actionresearch.net at:
http://www.actionresearch.net/writings/arsup.shtml (Jack Whitehead).
Brainstorming the problems without thinking about the solutions can be a helpful process.
Jack Whitehead's approach to help students plan (from Jean McNiff, (2002) Action research for professional development: Concise advice for new action researchers)
Here is a modified version of Jack’s action plan.
There is always a dilemma between suggesting action plans and avoiding making them appear as prescriptive. In action research, everyone takes responsibility for their own practice and for asking their own questions. You do need to ensure, however, that your research is reasonably systematic and rigorous. In doing your research, you are aiming to make a claim that you have improved practice, so you do need to produce validated evidence to support that claim.
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