Action research principals

samtoby

Total long shot but worth a go as so many people are on these forums! I know this is cheeky.

I am in my first year of Uni and I have to write an essay on action research. That's fine, I can satisfy all the criteria it asks for but one.

It asks me about the principals of action research. All I can locate a complicated definition that I can't make head or tail of. I am dyslexic and really struggle with complicated language and I have lots of coping mechanisms but I am getting no where with this one.

I am starting to feel going to university was a bad bad idea because of my learning difficulty and in turn am getting even more down hearted.

I also feel worried as my first grades are coming to me a week tomorrow. Arggghhhhh.

I am staying up tonight to do some more research regarding the principals in the hope I can work it out. Is anyone able to offer me any direction!?

Person_one

Don't stay up all night.

Go to the library tomorrow, there will probably be a librarian who is linked to your school/department who can help you with study skills, and with how to use library resources effectively to find what you need.

Don't panic, first year is often tough, its a steep learning curve. Are you getting any extra support for your dyslexia?

[Deleted User]

What's your field of study?

Fluff15

Here is a free copy of Action Research: Principles and practice - page 15 has a whole section on it (sorry if you have a copy)

http://kapanjadibeda.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/action-research-princip-and-practice.pdf

and another book:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=url7ay18Ev8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=action+research&hl=en&sa=X&ei=DZTlUuLQDdGrhQejlYCwCg&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=action%20research&f=false

Have you got somebody to read out the first few paragraphs to you? I sometimes find if something is shown/read to me, I understand much better than if I'm just reading it myself.

From what I've read, the principles of action research are to find out what would happen in a specific scenario to come to a localised solution, in comparison to normal research which takes a general sample and produces a solution that fits most but maybe not all. However, I personally haven't come across this subject before and I can see why you're getting confused with all the words! I've been reading some of it and it's not easy.

How long have you got until you need to submit? And has this subject been covered in your lectures? There is no problem in emailing your tutor explaining that you're having an issue with all the jargon and can't get your head around it! They will be happy to help - that's their job! Any classmates you can speak to also?

In regards to your dyslexia, please don't let this put you off! Speak to the university to see what support they can give you, there's lots of things out there (although I'm not sure specifically what). My housemate in first year was dyslexic and was given a special word processor and laptop - he ended up leaving university with a first and a great job lined up.

Take things slow, and try not to get worked up about it (easier said than done, I know). Have a break from the computer, have a cup of hot chocolate and if you really can't face it any more tonight, don't feel bad for going to bed and trying in the morning.

msb5262

Samtoby - you are very naughty! Look at the time!

Go to bed woman, at 24 weeks pregnant it's a rubbish idea to sit up worrying about this. (I'm not a stalker btw, just remember you from a few months back on the m/c thread)


My DD is very dyslexic like you, also very bright like you, so I have some idea what it's like for you - read the excellent advice here, spend a short time thinking and making notes then BED!
Please talk to your tutor and I bet you'll feel much less anxious.


Take care of yourself and don't stress too much.


MsB x

neverdespairgirl

I'm dyslexic, have done an undergrad degree and two post-grad degrees, and haven't a clue what action research is, either.

But getting in a tangle about it really isn't going to help - I'm with the other posters, have a nice warm relaxing bath, get a good night's sleep, and email / talk to your tutor in the morning. If you are fretting about it now, you aren't going to get far understanding it tonight, and have a much, much better chance tomorrow morning when you are rested and calmer.

Dyslexia's not the end of the world, and there's no reason to take one silly jargon phrase and worry about the whole of your degree.

coolcait

First of all, I hope that you've followed the advice to switch off, have a nice bath, and go to bed. And that you don't read this till nice and late tomorrow morning!

Secondly, I have to confess that even though I love complex theories and lots of big words, I found the 'Action Research' links very, very heavy going.

Please ask your tutor to help explain things in an user-friendly way, because that's the best way to keep your self right.

But I did find this quote, which might help:

"Action Research is a fancy way of saying let's study what's happening at our school and decide how to make it a better place."

Basically, you're looking at what you're doing, and asking yourself questions like:

- is this working?
- if so, why is it working?
- if not, why isn't it working?
- what evidence do I have to support my answers to the first three questions?
- are there any areas where we could improve?
- which areas?
- why do they need to be improved?
- how do we improve them?

Then, after you've made any changes, you ask yourself:

- what changes were made?
- did the changes make a difference?
- was the difference good or bad?
- what evidence do I have to show that there is a difference?

And so on.

In many ways, it sounds like the kind of thing which a good teacher (or manager) would already be doing. "What's working? What's not working? How do I fix that? How do I make things even better?"

I may well be wrong - and that's why I said that it's important for you to talk this over with your tutor. But that's basically what I took out of the various internet links on the subject.

Hope you feel a lot better and more relaxed when you wake up tomorrow

daisiegg

Ahh, coolcait has said most of what I was going to say It is actually not a complicated thing; I don't know why all the writing about it is so dense! It would help to know what field you are in - education, healthcare, something else?

I have been helping our PGCE student with her action research assignment at the moment. It is 5am and I am in an iPad but if you are still stuck when I am up and properly on a computer in a few hours, I will dig out what I have got on my memory stick and see if there is anything useful - I think there might be.

I hope you don't mind a gentle correction - it would be principles, not principals - not trying to be an !!!!, but don't want you to write it like that in your essay and get marked down!

Hope you managed to calm down and get some sleep.

samtoby

Thanks everyone. I am doing a degree in affordable and social housing management. This is the first 1000 words of a project and this is element 1 of 4. (Two is the proposals for my action research project, three is the actual research and four is reflection on the project) Element one has to cover a definition of action research (which I have done) the principles of action research (thanks daisegg) demonstrate and understanding of action research and finally the advantages and disadvanatges.

It doesn't seem many words I know when many essays are way more words but it seems so complicated to me.

Thanks Fluff15 I will look at those two links.

Person_one - I have been offered some support and not utilised it yet - I might now with this!

Neverdespairgirl - thank you

mrsb5262 - I went to sleep not long after the post in the end

coolcait - thank you very much I am going to look at what you wrote and think about it

alwaysonthego_2

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Fluff15

How are you getting on samtoby?