Action Research_Spiral

To Use Video in Action Research or Not?

That is the Question!

Akpene AfenyaduEDRD 6000 Qualitative Analysis

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Introduction

The presentation slides will discuss action research as a type of research design, the key approaches to action research, and the process of action research. The discussion will also touch on documenting action research on video as well as the opportunities and limitations. The concluding slide poses questions to encourage audience participation.

What is Action Research?

The term “Action Research” is credited to Kurt Lewin (Kemmis & McTaggart, 2005). Action Research (AR) is a form of social enquiry described as an interpretative practice enacted through a series of commitments and collaboration by the researcher and participants (Smith, 2007). It is an insider form of research as opposed to outsider research. AR is conducted by individuals originating from and located within the environment they are studying and thus increases local control.

Some of the key approaches to AR have been identified as participatory research, classroom action research, action learning, action science, soft systems approaches, and industrial action research (Kemmis & McTaggart, 2005). These approaches emerged at different points in time after AR was first introduced by Kurt Lewin in 1933.

The focus of AR is to effect change and improvement in prevailing conditions.

The process of AR can be generic or elaborate.

The generic process of AR , in order of priority, is to identify an issue, plan, act, observe, and reflect: another cycle, if necessary, starts again at the planning phase.

The elaborate process (Kurt Lewin’s spiral of steps) involves, in order of priority, identifying initial idea, fact finding, planning, first action, evaluation, reflection, amend plan if necessary and restart spiral steps with second action. (Illustration of Lewin’s spiral of steps on next slide)

The reflection cycle of AR is a crucial step as it is used by the researcher and participants for recollection and to critique themselves (Dick, 1997). Observations made upon reflection and critique serve as a guide for later stages of the process. Introspection could be valuable. Research (Lebak & Tinsley, 2010) shows a positive correlation between reflective capacity and improvement in practice.

The visual documentation of research provides an opportunity for discovery and to collect rich data (Harper, 2005).

Lewin’s spiral process of action research :

Identifying initial idea

First action step

Planning

Evaluate

ReflectionFact finding Amend plan

(if necessary))

Second action step …

Adapted from Mark K. Smith (1996, 2001, 2007)Note: Phases circled above, in my opinion, should be captured on video.

Example of Action Research captured on video

Below is a link to Action Research ‘in action’ on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdRCtveWDUU

Why video?

There is visual power in a picture. By capturing both auditory and visual information, video can stimulate several senses simultaneously. This allows viewers to discern the richness of the story from different set of voices captured in a single moment.

Video recording can be a product and a process: A product to be viewed and a process undertaken by participants in front of and/or behind the camera(s).

Video documentation can provide details beyond written data as it captures images and the inherent sense of place (DuFon, 2002). Furthermore, video is portable. Thus, recorded video documentation could travel beyond the environment under study and by extension, serve as a learning tool for others.

Example 2

A study (Lebak & Tinsley, 2010) on classroom action research shows a positive effect of video documentation on action research. The study involves 3 teachers who conducted action research in collaboration with their students with an aim to improve teaching quality. The authors conclude that by watching the recorded video of their respective teaching practices, the teachers were transformed and consequently, modified their teaching styles.

The link to the abstract of the article is provided below:

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/klu/jste/2010/00000021/00000008/00009216?crawler=true

Opportunities

Recorded video can be played back to participants in order to get them to recall and describe their thoughts, feelings and reactions at different points in time during a given event. This in turn provides information about events that could not be observed or captured by video.

Recording can be watched repeatedly and thus provides an opportunity to notice anything missed in previous viewings.

Video could be watched while production is in progress. This offers an opportunity for reflection throughout the respective spiral stages.

Limitations

Possibility of the “Hawthorne effect” (Haidet, Tate, & Divirgilio-Thomas, 2009). The Hawthorne effect describes situations when people behave differently because they know they are being watched or their actions are being recorded.

Video can only capture actions in view of the lens. Activities not captured during taping could translate to loss of potentially valuable data.

Could be invasive as anonymity and/or confidentiality may not be possible.

ConclusionThe use of video in action research serves as a powerful means of self-reflection. The visual power in a picture can reveal unconscious behavior and by extension participants are able to view themselves from an external perspective.

Limitations could be mitigated by desensitizing participants prior to the start of the study by exposing them to the process of video recording. As well, multiple video cameras situated at different angles could capture a wider range of shots. Moreover, individuals who may be uncomfortable with a probable public display of their image(s) could be excused from participating.

So, going back to the question of whether or not to use video in action research: With participants’ consent, why not? Go ahead!

Questions for comments

What could be the criteria for selecting the camera person in an insider form of research?

How can all stakeholders participate in video recording as a process?

References:

Dick, B. (1997). Choosing action research. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from http://www.uq.net.au/action_research/arp/choice.html   

DuFon, M. A. (2002). Video recording in ethnographic SLA research: Some issues of validity in data collection. Language Learning & Technology, 6(1), 40-59.  

Haidet, K. K., Tate, J., Divirgilio-Thomas, D., Kolanowski, A., & Happ, M. B. (2009). Methods to improve reliability of video recorded behavioral data [Research in Nursing & Health]. Research in Nursing & Health, 32(4), 465-474.  

Harper, D. (2005). What’s new visually? N.K. Denzin & Y.S. Lincoln (Eds). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.   

Kemmis, S.& McTaggart, R. (2005). Participatory Action Research: Communicative Action and the public sphere. N.K. Denzin & Y.S. Lincoln (Eds). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Lebak, K., & Tinsley, R. (2010). Can inquiry and reflection be contagious? Science teachers, students, and action research. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 21(8), 953-970.  

Question mark [Image]. (n.d.) Retrieved March 10, 2013 from: www.proginosko.com

Smith, M. K. (1996, 2001, 2007). Action research. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from http://www.infed.org/research/b-actres.htm#cite  Video camera [Image]. (2011, August 3). Retrieved from http://lipmag.com/arts/film-arts/movie-extra-webfest-2-0-competition/attachment/video-camera/  

Video camera [Image]. (2011, August 3). Retrieved from http://lipmag.com/arts/film-arts/movie-extra-webfest-2-0-competition/attachment/video-camera/  

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