ap Republic of the Philippines

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

MINISTRY OF BASIC, HIGHER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION
UPI AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL
Nuro, Upi, Maguindanao

OBE
COURSE MODULE
BACHELOR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION – 1
FIRST SEMESTER, AY 2023-2024

RESEARCH IN
EDUCATION
(ACTION
RESEARCH)

KATHLYN PEARL JANE G. CUERPO

Instructor
[Link]@[Link]
 MODULE 1:

INTRODUCTION TO ACTION RESEARCH

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. Define action research.

2. Describe how the reflection-in-action mindset serves you as a teacher candidate. .
3. Describe the evolution of action research and why it is becoming popular in teacher preparation programs.

WHAT IS ACTION RESEARCH?

Action research, in the school setting, is a systematic approach to improve teaching practices. It is a
simple process, and if you learn how to use it, it will meet many of your teaching goals. You will find that the
methods of action research are designed to answer one of the most basic questions in education: How well are my
students learning what I intend to teach? After all, isn’t student learning the most important goal of teaching?
Much has been written about the positive effects of using action research in the school environment (Calhoun
2002; Darling-Hammond & Baratz Snowden 2007; Mills 2007; Pelton 2007; Sagor 2009). In this chapter, you
will be introduced to the mindset and skill sets of an action researcher. The remainder of this volume is focused
on helping you learn and do action research. You will find that this highly effective model of classroom inquiry,
presented in the coming pages, will serve you well now as you learn the art of teaching and in the future as you
become an exemplary teacher
A simple way to understand action research is take a look at the term itself and separate its parts. “Action”
means pretty much what you might think it would. In terms of action research, the action is what you do as a
teaching professional in the classroom. Creating the learning environment, interacting with your students,
developing lesson plans, assigning homework, and almost everything you do in your daily routine of teaching
constitutes the “action” of action research. The “research” part of action research refers to the methods, habits,
and attitudes you will learn about in this book. The methods of data collection, the professional habits of
observation, the attitude of openly searching for new and better ways to present material and challenge your
students, and the disposition to be a reflective practitioner will all be covered in the coming pages. Before long,
you will develop the ability to reflect upon your actions with intention. Your purposeful reflections will shape
your future actions. These are among the many skills you will craft as you proceed with this process.

BECOMING AN ACTION RESEARCHER

As mentioned earlier, the methods of action research are designed to answer the most basic question of
education: How well are my students learning what I am teaching? However, it must be stressed that there is
something more important than the answer to the original question. The central focus of becoming an action
researcher is how you respond to the answer to that most basic question. You may have feedback and information
on your students’ learning, including your personal observations and their test scores but what are you doing with
such data? You may be pondering what your next step should be. If your students are doing well, what can you do
to enrich their learning? If they are not doing well, what can you do to improve their learning or test results?
Reflection on student learning is what all good teachers do naturally, and it is a skill that can be developed
by doing action research. Action researchers believe that the real solutions for meeting the challenges of educating
today’s students lie in the expertise of the teacher and how they effectively use the information or “data” that is
generated by their students in their classrooms each and every day. Action research is simply an organized,
proven, and reliable process for ensuring that you use the data in your classroom to evolve into the high quality
educator that your students need and deserve. You will find that the habits and practices of conducting classroom
action research will serve you as you begin your teaching career and in the future as you become a leading
teacher. You may experience some apprehension about your ability to implement your first action research
project. This is expected and a perfectly normal way to feel.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH
1. Empirical – research is based on direct experience or observation by the researcher
2. Logical – research is based on valid procedures and principles.
3. Cyclical – research starts with a problem and ends with a problem.
4. Analytical – research utilizes proven analytical procedures in gathering data, whether historical, descriptive,
experimental, and case study.
5. Critical – research exhibits careful and precise judgment.
6. Methodical – research is conducted in a methodical manner without bias using systematic method and
procedures.
7. Replicability – research design and procedures are repeated to enable the researcher to arrive at valid and
conclusive results.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD RESEARCHER

1. Intellectual Curiosity – researcher undertakes deep thinking and inquiry of the things, problems, and
situations around him.
2. Prudence – researcher is careful to conduct his study at the right time and at the right place wisely, efficiently,
and economically.
3. Healthy Criticism – the researcher is always doubtful as to the truthfulness of the results.
4. Intellectual Honesty – researcher is honest to collect or gather the data or facts in order to arrive at honest
results.
5. Intellectual creativity – a resourceful investigator always creates new researches.

ETHICS OF RESEARCH
 Avoid any risk of considerably harming people, the environment, or property unnecessarily.
 Do not use deception on people participating.
 Obtain informed consent from all involved in the study.
 Preserve privacy and confidentiality whenever possible.
 Do not plagiarized the work of others.
 Grant and limit authorship
 Do not falsify research.

PROCESS OF ACTION RESEARCH

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Activity 1

K-W-L CHART
Topic: _____ACTION RESEARCH________

What I Know What I Want to Know What I Learned

Activity 2
Analyze the following situations and explain whether or not the Ethics are violated. (15 points)
1. A movie reporter interviewed a movie star and published on a magazine every detail of the past five
relationships the latter had without her consent.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

2. A group of five students were assigned a topic for research. Two did the assignment and the rest financed
all expenses.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
3. A group of researchers had a case study of a philandering husband. They revealed the name of the man in
their report, including pictures with the other woman.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

4. Christine Grace was very careful in citing her references in her research report by making sure that all
authors were acknowledged in every citation.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

5. In the final research report, Deo’s name was included by his friends even if he did not contribute anything
to the accomplishment of the task.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

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 People are known to be curious beings. They tend to be inquisitive with their surroundings, thus producing various
ideas that may adhere or counter-react with their points of view. When asked about their areas of interest, some people may
say that they are into the world of technologies and machines, medicine, languages, politics, environment, history, arts,
business, and others. In research, considering your interest in choosing the kind of study you want to pursue has a significant
factor in the success of your study.

A research topic, as defined by Barrot (2017), is a general area of interest that you would like to pursue in your
research. One thing a researcher must keep in mind is to identify a research topic that is both interesting and useful. In order
to achieve this, there are several factors to consider:
 First, your interest in the topic. A research paper cannot be finished overnight it takes a lot of time and effort.
There is no greater motivation to accomplish something than doing what you love. Also, an interesting topic for a
study will appeal to the readers and encourage them to read your research.
 Second, your research must have relevance. A good research is something that does not only cater the interest of its
readers, but also contributes to the betterment of the society. One of the goals of research is to help improve the
present community by gathering relevant information that help solve the problems of the society.
 Third is the availability of data (resources). Before deciding to pursue a particular study, make sure that you have
gathered enough data such as background, related literature and studies, findings, and other references to support
your ideas. Conducting a research is a lot of work, therefore, you must also have financial resources to enable you
to undertake the study.
 Lastly, when you plan to conduct a study, it must be within your abilities as a researcher. You must see to it that
your topic is feasible within a specific time limit. Manageability is one great factor to consider in order to ensure
the success of the study. In addition to these factors, Barrot (2017) stressed out the following topics to avoid in
choosing a research topic:
 Very recent or highly technical topics – may have limited number of references
 Sensitive or controversial topics that may offend certain groups of people

Writing the Research Title

Before coming up with a title, you must first start with a topic. Having a clear focus on the field that you are going
to undertake allows you formulate an effective title. The title summarizes the main idea of the whole paper and is the most
notable part of the research paper. Thus, it must be written using the fewest possible words without compromising its clarity
and idea. Barrot (2017) presented some guidelines for writing your research title.
1. Avoid an overly general title such as “Exercise and Weight.”
2. Refrain from using abbreviations unless they are commonly known.
3. Avoid using phrases such as “A Study of…” and “An Investigation of…” as they show wordiness. An example of
this is “A Study on the Effects of Violent Video Programs on the Students’ Academic Performance.”
4. Indicate the subject and scope of the study by specifying your dependent and independent variables.
5. As much as possible, refrain from indicating the year the study has been conducted. An example of this is
“Examining the Study Habit Elementary Pupils at Nuro Central Elementary School during School Year 2015-2016.”
6. Employ either the declarative or question form in formulating your title, but take note that the question form is used
less frequently in research

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 ACTION RESEARCH TITLE MAKING

Names of the members:

1.
2.
3.
Direction: List three topics related to your PROGRAM. Then derive a major title out of your
chosen topics. Make sure that your title/topic must be “IN TIME”.

I – Innovative N – Novel T – Time-Bound I – Ideal M – Manageable E – Empirical

TOPICS:
1.
2.
3.

MAJOR TITLE
1.

ALTERNATIVE TITLES:
1.
2.

Writing Introduction
Every research paper needs context so that readers can understand why you have created it. This is
exactly what you can do in your research paper introduction. Of course, this can mean that your introduction
is the hardest part of paper to write firs. So, it is essential that you get it right. The introduction writing is
going to set out your rationale, which is what a research will be based around. Your readers will be able to tell
right from the beginning what they are going to be reading about and even whether it interests them. It is
important that you make the beginning of your research paper interesting and engage your readers from the
first line. This will make sure that people continue to read research and learn about what you have found out.

What to include in writing an Introduction?

 Introduce your topic/problem

 Create some context and background

 Tell your reader about the research you plan to carry out

 State your rationale explain why your research is important

 State your hypothesis

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The background of the study introduces important facets that establish the general context where study
revolves. This part may include the description of the subjects of the study or history involving the research.
Let us use an example showing how to establish the background of the study. You may want to conduct a
study on the effects of traffic on your city. To establish the background of your study, you need to discuss
several aspects describing your topic. For instance, you may first provide a brief overview of the changes in
the traffic situations in your city through the years. Then you may discuss and determine the effects of heavy
traffic on both passengers and motorists. Finally, you may explain the factors that contribute to heavy traffic
in your city. Possible factors include the increase in the number of vehicles on the road and problems in the
enforcement of traffic rules and regulations. Another important component of the background of the study is
the establishment of the research gap. A research gap is an issue that has not been fully addressed by previous
studies. Doing this helps you show where your research stands in the academic field. Here are the four
components to consider in establishing the research gap.
1. The current state of the field Explain that the general field which your current study is situated remains
to be a significant are of research up to the present. Point out that it continues to interest many researchers and
practitioners.

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 2. The current and conventional practice in addressing the issue Discuss the current practices being used
by researchers, practitioners, or authorities within the particular field of study you are investigating. Make
sure to explain the merits of these practices and their contribution to your field of study.
3. The research gap Explain that there are other aspects under the topic which may not have been
addressed by current practices and conventions in your field of study. It may be also possible that these
established practices have failed to provide conclusive findings in investigating your chosen topic.
Additionally, you may state that there are very few studies that have explored the area of your current
research. Make sure that the research gap you have identified remains relevant and has not been addressed
yet, otherwise, you will fail to provide a convincing justification for conducting your research.
4. The contribution of the present study in addressing the research gap Discuss how your own study will
help fill in the research gap you have identified. Filling the gap may be in the form of a new methodology or
approach, or the development of a new perspective or theory. In writing this section, avoid making negative
or biased remarks. For instance, refrain from using the words neglected and failed when presenting
established conventions in a certain field. Instead, phrase or state your idea in an objective manner:
In writing this section, avoid making negative or biased remarks. For instance, refrain from using the
words neglected and failed when presenting established conventions in a certain field. Instead, phrase or state
your idea in an objective manner: “While the study of (Author X) investigates the area of ___________, the
current study focuses on __________.’’ It is also important in this section to define terms or concepts that are
mentioned for the first time. This may be done informally (or provide the definition parenthetically) or
formally (or use a separate sentence for the definition.

Activity 3

Write a one-page introduction about your approved Research Title. Follow the format below and the Rubrics for
scoring.

Format:
Times New Roman Date of submission: September 1, 2023
Size 12
Double spacing
Main page title (center and bold)

Rubrics

CRITERIA NO. OF POINTS

STRONG INTRODUCTION 5

THESIS 5

ORGANIZATION OF ESSAY 5

RESEARCH GAP 5

SPELLING, GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION 5

TOTAL 25

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 MODULE 2:

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

1. describe the justifications/reasons for conducting the research
2. state research questions
3. indicate scope and delimitation of research
4. cite benefits and beneficiaries of research
5. present written statement of the problem

Activity 1.
What immediately comes to your mind the moment you hear these two words: PROBLEM and
QUESTION? How would you compare and contrast the two?

QUESTION PROBLEM

RESEARCH PROBLEM VS. RESEARCH QUESTION

Research Problem
The ultimate goal of the research is not only to propose ways of studying things, people, places, and events, but also
to discover and introduce new practices, strategies, or techniques in solving a problem. When you decide to do a research,
you begin with a problem that will lead you to a specific topic to focus on.

Research Questions
The research problem enables you to generate a set of research questions. Research questions aim at investigating
specific aspects of the research problem. Though deduced from the general or mother question, one specific question may
lead to another sub-problem or sub-question

Identifying and Stating the Research Problem

After identifying your topic, formulating your title, and drafting the background of the study, the next
thing that you have to identify is your research problem. At some point, you may have a clear understanding of
your topic, but within that topic you must find the problem that you will find an answer to by the end of your

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study. Albert Einstein said, “The mere formulation of a problem is far more essential that its solution, which may
be merely a matter of mathematical or experimental skill. To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old
problems from a new angle requires creative imagination and marks real advances in science.”
Research problem, as defined by Barrot (2017), refers to the particular issue which you will address in
your study as well as the specific area of concern of the research. It states what is to be investigated, identifies the
variables, and discusses their relationships. After identifying your research problem, you now have to state it and
establish its place in your study. This is the function of the problem statement. It formally points out the issue that
your study wants to address. A good problem statement does not only identify the problem in the study but also
answers the question “Why is the problem worthy of being investigated?”

According to Selltiz et al, (1976), as cited in the book of Ardales (2008), a problem is researchable when
it meets three (3) conditions:
1. The concept must be clear enough so that one can specify in words what exactly the question is;
2. The concepts must be such that they can be represented by some sort of evidence which is obtainable
through direct observation or other less direct activites;
3. It must be feasible to carry out such operations or activities.

Chico and Matira (2016) presented some features of a good problem:

✓ Clarity - The complexity of a question can frequently hide unclear thoughts and lead to a confused
research process. This needs to be clear and thought-through.
✓ Specificity - Is your research question focused? It must be specific enough to be well-covered in the
space available. - Is it complex? It should not be answerable with a simple “yes” or “no” or by easily-found facts.
It should require both research and analysis on the part of the writer
✓ Well-defined Scope - Does it define the scope and set the limits of the problem? It should give you
boundaries to what extent your study will cover. - Things that are not needed or insignificant to the study must be
eliminated so that the focus and direction of the study is clear.
✓ Measurability - In stating the problem, you identify the variables to be observed and measured. The
answer to the problem posed must not be ambiguous and double-meaning.
- A research question defines which data you need to collect and which methods you will use to access and
analyse your documents.
✓ Manageability - You need to be realistic about the scope and scale of the project by asking questions
that are within your ability to tackle. - Are you able to access people, statistics, or documents from which to
collect the data you need to address the question fully? Are you able to relate the concepts of your research
question to the observations, phenomena, indicators or variables you can access? Can these data be accessed
within the limited time and resources you have available to you?
Sample Research Questions
Unclear: Why are social networking sites harmful?
Clear: How are online users experiencing or addressing privacy issues on such social networking sites as
Twitter and Facebook?
Unfocused: What is the effect of global warming on the environment?
Focused: How is glacial melting affecting the penguins in the Arctic Circle?
Too simple: How are doctors addressing diabetes in the Philippines?

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 Appropriately complex: What are the common traits of those suffering from diabetes in the Philippines,
and how can these commonalities be used to aid the medical community in the prevention of the disease?

Formulating the Research Questions

Research questions are important components of your research which help define the research problem of
your study. They indicate specific concerns related to your research problem that your study intends to answer.
This part of the paper is most commonly known as the Statement of the Problem.
They are classified into two:
• General Research Question - derived from the main problem of the study
- it must contain words related to quantitative research, such as effects or relationship
- the words who, when, or where shall not be placed in the general research question as these elicit factual
questions that may not require extensive investigation and discussion
• Specific Research Questions - anchored on the general research questions
- helpful in developing tools for collecting data, gathering related references, organizing your paper, and
drawing valid conclusions from findings
- depend on the type of quantitative research you are doing Research Objectives
– goals that your research aims to achieve Thesis Statement
– serves as a one-sentence summary of the arguments that you are presenting in your study

Scope and Delimitations

The Scope and Limitations of research are tandem ideas of what, and what not the researcher can do. The
scope of research is the coverage, the part of the research that was exactly done and where the information that
was used specifically came from. In discussing the scope of the study, there are three (3) basic steps to follow.
These are expressed in terms of focus (subject matter coverage), locus (the place or location of the study), and
modus (mode or manner of data-gathering). The limitations of the study determine the bounds of the research
when enough information has been gathered from a scope of the study. The researcher may then “set limits” once
a conclusion is reached.
Barrot (2017) presented the components of the scope and delimitation which include (but are not limited
to) the following:
• Topic of the study
• Objectives of the study and the issues it will address
• Time frame in which the study will be conducted
• The locale or area where the study will be conducted
• Characteristics of the participants in the study (age, sex, education, economic status, civil status, and
other traits)
• Response formats used in the study
In writing the scope and delimitation, you must make sure that there are reasons for the inclusion and
exclusion of some variables. These reasons vary depending on the nature of the study. For example, you may
choose to delimit the participants to a particular city/community due to a large population. You may also choose
to limit the objectives your study will accomplish due to time constraints.

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 You may use the following phrases when writing the scope and delimitation:
• This study covers…
• This study focuses on…
• The coverage of this study…
• This study is limited to…
• This study does not cover…

Significance-Benefits and Beneficiaries

Another important component of the Introduction of your research paper is the significance of the study.
This section details the contribution or benefit that your study provides to different people and organizations,
including the academe and other sectors of society. Thus, the significant of the study may be in a practical,
methodological, or theoretical sense.
The significance of the study can be written in two ways:
a. The topical arrangement is done in paragraphs and based on the weight of the individual contributions.
It can be also based on how you sequence your specific research questions. If you will use this format, there
should be one paragraph corresponding to each of the contributions or research questions.
b. Enumeration format – the details must be arranged according to the beneficiaries Example:
▪ field of study (e.g., business, education)
▪ government agencies
▪ private organizations
▪ organization or company involved in the study
▪ staff, heads, and administrators of a specific organization or company
▪ population the participants belong to
▪ other researchers
Phrases in Expressing Significance of the Study
• The findings of this study will be useful to the following entities:
• This study will contribute to…
• This study will benefit the following groups or individuals

Activity 1
Instruction: Write one general research question and three specific research questions for each of the given
research topics. Write your answers in the answer sheet.
1. Research Topic: Students’ Attitude toward their Studies in Relation to their Academic Achievement
2. Research Topic: Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Traditional and Modern Medicines of Iloilo and Negros
Occidental
3. Research Topic: Relationship between Economic Status and Academic Performance and Career Preference of
Senior High School Students in the Province of Maguindanao

Activity 2
Instruction: Develop the general and specific objectives of your own study. Write your answers in the answer
sheet.

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Activity 3
Instruction: Using your own study, prepare two (2) versions of the significance of the study (topical arrangement
and enumeration format). Write at least three (3) beneficiaries of the research. Write your answers in the answer
sheet.

A. Topical Arrangement B. Enumeration Format

*Take note of the comments and corrections given by your teacher for they will serve as your guide in revising the
significance of the study.

Activity 4
Instruction: Develop the scope and delimitation of your own research. Be guided by its components presented in
the discussion part. Write your answers in the answer sheet.

*Take note of the comments and corrections given by your teacher for they will serve as your guide in revising the
scope and delimitation.

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