ACTION RESEARCH:
CONCEPTS AND PRO-
CESSES
LAURO R. GACUSANA, PhD
SESSION TOPICS
• OVERVIEW OF ACTION RESEARCH
• WHY DO ACTION RESEARCH?
• CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF ACTION
RESEARCH
• CHARACTERISTICS OF CLASSROOM-BASED
ACTION RESEARCH
• PROBLEMS AS TOPICS FOR ACTION RESEARCH
• GUIDELINES IN CONDUCTING ACTION RESEARCH
OVERVIEW OF ACTION RESEARCH
AR is a type of research that is simple and
easy to do. It is particularly useful in address-
ing immediate problems and in searching for
alternative courses of action to a given prob-
lem in educational setting or in any organiza-
tional system.
OVERVIEW OF ACTION RESEARCH
Gay (1996) defines AR as the “process
of solving practical problems through the
application of a scientific method. It is
concerned with a local problem and is
conducted in a local setting.
Why do action research?
It is a common notion that no organization is
perfect. This means that day-to-day or long
term operations are not shielded from prob-
lems and issues.
The problems may be about individual or
groups, use of materials and other resources,
practices and processes, outputs, manage-
ment, administration and/or policies.
Why do action research?
Addressing problems demands immediacy in
order to prevent them from escalating to a
serious level.
DepEd is encouraging teachers and school
administrators to engage in action research
in various issuances and directives. (BERF
FUND)
Why do action research?
Practically, AR is a com-
posite in the criteria for
the promotion or reclassi-
fication of positions.
Characteristic features of action research
TWO- PHASE PROCESS ( RESEARCH AND
ACTION)
SITUATION-SPECIFIC – AR is focused on a spe-
cific problem and is done in the local setting or
environment where the problem occurs.
PARTICIPATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE
Characteristic features of action research
PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCHERS AS
CO-RESEARCHERS
DIALECTIC IN NATURE- multiple data collection
AR does not entail the testing of null hypotheses
AR , the researcher may use of varied intervention
strategies
CHARACTERISTICS OF CLASSROOM-
BASED ACTION RESEARCH
CREATIVE
CONTEXTUALIZED
REALISTIC
FLEXIBLE
PROBLEMS AS TOPICS FOR ACTION RE-
SEARCH
WHAT IS A RESEARCH PROBLEM?
Is a situation, an issue or a concern evident in a specific
or particular setting that requires a solution. These may
issues may pertain to academic, behavioral, physical or
health-oriented, environmental or resource related, or
may even be procedural in nature.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE RELATED
PROBLEMS
DECLINING OR POOR PERFORMANCE
LOW CLASS PARTICIPATION
LACK OF MOTIVATION
POOR STUDY HABITS
POOR TIME MANAGEMENT
CHEATING
PROCRASTINATION
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE RELATED
PROBLEMS
HOMEWORK TENSION
WORK SLACKER
ATTENTION DEFICIENCY
SUBJECT ANXIETY
TARDINESS
BOREDOM
UNPRODUCTIVE PEDAGOGICAL STRATEGIES
POOR LEADERSHIP STYLES
STUDENT BEHAVIORAL RELATED PROB-
LEMS
BULLYING
VANDALISM
MAKING CHRONIC COMPLAINTS
TALKATIVENESS
SLEEPING IN THE CLASSROOM
DEFIANCE
PETTY QUARRELS
STRONG DOMINANCE
LOW SELF-ESTEEM
PHYSICAL OR HEALTH-RELATED PROB-
LEMS
POOR HYGIENE HABITS
PRESENCE OF SPECIAL NEEDS
PHYSICAL DEFICIENCY
ENVIRONMENT RELATED PROBLEMS
CROWDED ROOMS
POOR LIGHTNING ANG VENTILATION
NOISE-POLLUTED SITUATIONS
IMPROPER GARBAGE OR WASTE DISPOSAL
UNFRIENDLY USED OF THE COMFORT
ROOMS
PLAYGROUNDS
CANTEEN OR CAFETERIA
INSTITUTIONAL RELATED PROBLEMS
ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT
Policies, rules, and regulations which maintain the equity,
justice, transparency, and accountability.
OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT
Low level of teacher and staff competence, unauthorized
leaves and absences, inadequate facilities, improper im-
plementation of curricular programs, enrollment issues,
poor building construction and facilities maintenance,
lack of staff training and political issues.
Guidelines in Conducting an Action Re-
search
IDENTIFY THE ISSUE/ AND PROBLEM
DECIDE ON THE PROPOSED INTER-
VENTION
IMPLEMENT THE INTERVENTION AND
COLLECT DATA
ANALYZE THE FINDINGS
DECIDE ON WHAT TO DO NEXT
Steps/Stages of Action Research
PLAN (Select a Focus, an Area, or a Problem)
I. THE PROBLEM
(a) know what you want to investigate
Rationale: include 1-3 prior researches/studies or pro-
fessional literature
(b) develop some questions about the area you’ve
chosen
Problem: include the research questions
Framework: Relating the Independent Variable and De-
pendent Variables
Steps/Stages of Action Research
DO (Collect Data)
Use multiple data sources (quantitative and/or qualita-
tive)
Collect data regularly
Seek technical assistance, if needed (or if things slow
down)
You may administer tests, conduct surveys and inter-
views and examine documents.
Collected data must be transformed into a useable
form.
Steps/Stages of Action Research
STUDY (Analyze and Interpret Data)
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Apply manageable statistical procedures
Descriptive statistics only like frequency, percent, averages,
spread (for quantitative data)
Content/inductive analysis/deriving themes (for qualitative
data)
Inferential statistics is optional (but requires
randomization/population study)
Steps/Stages of Action Research
STUDY (Analyze and Interpret Data)
IV. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Highlight the findings and derive conclusions
Extract the recommendations
Steps/Stages of Action Research
ACT (Take Action)
V. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN OF IMPROVEMENT TARGETS
To be presented concisely in writing through paragraph and
tabular/matrix forms
May show a Gantt Chart
Reflect on the conclusions and recommendations
Implement some actions immediately
Assess implementation of selected actions
Share them to stakeholders
Bibliography
Appendices
Action Research Outline
I. Introduction / Problem
II. Methodology
III. Results and Discussion
IV. Conclusions and Recommendations
V. Action Plan based on Recommendations
A Focus on Details
Problem Sensing
Problem Type 1: Learners in the classroom, school, district
A. Learners
LOW Access/Participation Rate
LOW Retention / HIGH Drop-Out Rate
LOW Completion Rate
LOW Achievement (learning areas)
Non- Reader/Non-Numerates
Grades per quarter
LOW Discipline
Absenteeism
Tardiness
Bullying
Poor study habits
Problem Sensing
Problem Type2: TEACHERS in the classroom, school, district
A. Teachers
LOW Performance Evaluation
English Proficiency
POOR EXECUTION of TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES
Practices on Lesson Plans/Learning Logs
Practices on Test Questions with Table of Specifications
Practices on Making Class Records and Rating Sheets
Assignments and projects
Practices on Teaching Approaches, Methods, Techniques, Strategies,
Questioning
Instructional Materials
Student-teacher-IM interaction
Problem Sensing
Problem Type2: TEACHERS in the classroom, school, district
A. Teachers
POOR DISCIPLINE
Absenteeism
Tardiness
Problem Sensing
Problem Type3: (with direct impact on learners)
Non-teaching staff in the school, district
LOW Performance Evaluation
Competence
Skills
POOR EXECUTION of DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES
Practices on Reports Submission
Practices on Delivery of Services
POOR DISCIPLINE
Absenteeism
Tardiness
Problem Sensing
Problem Type 4: (with direct impact on learners)
PARENTS in the CLASSROOM, school, district
LOW Involvement and Cooperation
School activities
Classroom meetings (parents-adviser conference)
Attendance in the Due process on grave student of-
fenses
Problem Sensing
The Identified Problems in the
Classroom, School, District are called
potential DEPENDENT VARIABLES.
The Identified settings like the Class-
room, School, Division and the re-
spondents like pupils/students/teach-
ers/parents/non-teaching staff are
called potential INDEPENDENT VARI-
ABLES.
Action Research Framework
This is a 3-box device that shows only
the variables (independent, dependent)
that an action researcher likes to study
Box 1: independent variables
Box 2: dependent variables
Box 3: plan of action after making a
conclusion and recommendation
Action Research Framework
Action Research Framework
Independent Variables as Profile Vari-
ables (Learners)
Pupils/students
Gender/sex
Birthday/Age
Grade level
Hobbies/favorites
Health history
Family background
Socio economic status
Occupation of mother/father
Family size
others
Independent Variables as Profile Vari-
ables (Teachers/School Heads)
PERSONAL PROFILE
Gender/sex
Birthday/Age
Civil Status
If married, Number of children, occupation of wife/
husband
Hobbies/favorites
Health history
Others
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Educational Attainment
Major
Number of years in the service
Trainings attended
Independent Variables as Profile Vari-
ables (Non-Teaching Staff)
PERSONAL PROFILE
Gender/sex
Birthday/Age
Civil Status
If married, Number of children, occupation of wife/husband
Hobbies/favorites
Health history
Others
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Educational Attainment
Major
Number of years in the service (teaching, non-teaching)
Trainings attended
Independent Variables as Profile Vari-
ables (Parents/Guardian)
PERSONAL PROFILE
Gender/sex
Birthday/Age
Civil Status
If married, Number of children, occupation of wife/husband
Hobbies/favorites
Health history
Others
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Educational Attainment
Number of years in the service, if employed
Trainings attended on child rearing
Fill-in the Action Research framework
by CHOOSING the PROBLEM
(1 or more), SETTING (1 only) and
RESPONDENTS (1 or more)
Action Research Questions
Must be derived from the Action
Research Framework
What is the profile of the students in the
classroom according to their
Gender/sex
Birthday/Age
Grade level
Hobbies/favorites
Health history
Family background
Socio economic status
Occupation of mother/father
Family size?
What is the mean performance of the students
in the classroom in terms of their Math VII
grades in the
First grading
Second grading
Third grading
Fourth grading
NAT VI?
Is there a significant relationship between
the students’
Gender/sex;
Birthday/Age;
Grade level;
Hobbies/favorites;
Health history; and
Family background
Socio economic status
Occupation of mother/father
Family size?
and their performance in Math VII during the
First grading;
Second grading;
Third grading;
Fourth grading; and
NAT VI?
What plan of action should be done to fur-
ther increase the Math VII grades in terms
of teaching strategies per grading period?
Relationship between the Students’ Profile and
their Math VII Performance in the Four grad-
ing Periods and the National Achievement
Test
Or, a BETTER title is
Students’ Profile and their Math VII Performance
in the Four grading Periods and the National
Achievement Test: Towards the Improvement
of Teaching Strategies
What is the profile of the students according
to their
Grade level
Family Economic Status
Family size
Distance of school from
Home
Nutritional status?
What is the performance of the learners in the following
for 1st grading period
Learner Attendance
Learning Area Performance
Science
Math
English
Filipino
AP
MAPEH
TLE
EsP
What is the relationship of the following
learner profiles
Grade level
Family Economic Status
Family size
Distance of school from
Home
Nutritional status
with the following learner performance in the
1st grading period
Learner Attendance
Learning Area Performance
Science Math
English Filipino
AP MAPEH
TLE EsP?
What plan of action should be done to improve
learner services for advanced, least, lost, last to
further increase learner attendance and
performance for the remaining grading periods?
Relationship between the Learners’ Profile and
their Attendance and Learning Area Performance
during the First Grading Period
Or, a BETTER title is
Learners’ Profile and their School Attendance
and Learning Area Performance For the First
Grading Period : Towards the Improvement of
School Services
THE
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
FRAMEWORK
A classroom teacher noticed that there is more
classroom interaction when students are grouped
by dyads or triads. She thought of designing a
teaching experiment to further her claim that
students in dyads/triads perform better in English
for Grade VI.
The teacher has two Grade VI classes
What are the mean grades of the pupils in Grade
VI English using the traditional strategy and the
experimental (with dyads/triads) strategy during
the pre-test and post test?
Is there a significant difference in the (a) pre-test,
(b) post test, (c )gain performance in English VI of
the students in the traditional strategy and in the
experimental strategy (dyads/triads)?
What plan of action should be done to further
increase the English VI grades of the students?
There should be 2 or more classes
Ideally, only 1 teacher should teach those
classes.
Develop lesson plans highlighting the distinct
difference of the strategies to be used
Cover the same competencies
The same grading period
It helps to get their IQ to moderate the initial
difference of the classes.
Hide professionally the experiment to students
and their parents
Conduct pre-test and posttest at the same
time and venue
Teacher’s behavior in class must be the same
throughout.
SAMPLE OF AN ACTION
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Utilizing Video-Lab Materials and Facilities: Its
Effect in the Improvement of NAT Performance
Level in Mathematics of Grade VI Pupils of
Sta. Rita I Central School
I. CONTEXT AND RATIONALE
It has been a concern not only of the classroom teacher, but
in the district, the low performance in Mathematics of Grade
VI pupils. NAT results in SY 2009 to 2011 pegged at 53% on
the average. Interventions had been made but performance
level is still far below the national target of 75% mastery
level. Test item analysis submitted by teachers revealed that
competencies in solving two to three step word problems is
the lowest.
To be cont…hence, this action research.
II. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This action research seeks to answer the problem:
Is there a significant difference in the performance (NAT,
SAT and Quarterly Grades) of the pupils in Math VI when
they are taught using the video lab facilities and the tradi-
tional strategy?
II. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Research Framework
Independent Dependent Towards a proposed
Variable/s Variable/s action
III. INNOVATION, INTERVENTION, AND
STRATEGY
(Innovations, Interventions and strategies to be employed to address
gaps or problems)
To answer the gap the researcher will employ video lab-materials and
facilities….
IV. ACTION RESEARCH METHODS
This action research uses experimental type of research….
a. Participants/Other Sources of Data of Information
The participants of the Grade 6 pupils of Acacia Central
School…
The result of the 2018-2019 NAT Results, Quarterly
Grades, SAT results….
IV. ACTION RESEARCH METHODS
b. Data Gathering Methods
The researcher will conduct using the….Q1& Q3- Section
A receives X section B receives O. The same competencies, same
room, same quiz, same materials, teacher’s mood. Q2 & Q4 - Sec-
tion B receives X section A receives O. The same competencies,
same room, same quiz, same materials, teacher’s mood
IV. ACTION RESEARCH METHODS
c. Data Analysis Plan (STATISTICAL TOOL)
T-test, analysis of co-variant (if IQ is considered)
(if IQ not considered) Previous grade be considered will be used
in the treatment of the data….
V. ACTION RESEARCH WORK PLAN AND
TIMELINE
Research Activities Time Frame
1.
2.
VI. COST ESTIMATE
Itemized Needs Amount
Total
VII. PLANS FOR DISSEMINATION
Resources Needed
Objectives / Time Expected Output /
Activity Strategies / Tasks
Goals Frame Persons Materials Finances Success indicator
VIII. REFERENCES
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
B. APPENDICES
IX: DISCUSSION OF RESULTS AND REFLECTION
(after the proposal)
a. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION (Data Presentation, Analysis and
Interpretation)
b. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
X. ACTION PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENT TARGETS
(as extracted from the Recommendations)
Bibliography
Appendices
Include Abstract. Appropriate transmittal letters are prepared
for formality purposes.
Note: When the Action Research is done in chapters, the write
up can have 10-15 pages, double spaced, 2500 words
Division Signatories of BR/AR
Recommending Approval:
LYNDON B. MACATO GLENDO T. CARIDO, EdD
Senior Education Program Specialist Education Program Supervisor
Planning and Research Division Research Review Committee
CLARITA M. MENDA ANTONIO F. CAVEIRO, PhD
Chief Education Supervisor Chief Education Supervisor
School Governance and Operations Division Curriculum Implementation Division
MOISES D. LABIAN , JR., PhD, CESO VI
Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
APPROVED
CARMELA R. TAMAYO, EdD, CESO V
Schools Division Superintendent
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