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What is Action Research?
History of Action Research
An Overview of the Thesis
Methodology
Data Collection
Implications for Research

What is action research? Designing an action research project. Developing research questions/themes; research design; data collection and analysis; reliability and validity.

What is Action Research?

• Action research can be described as a family of research methodologies which pursue action (or change) and research (or understanding) at the same time.

• In most of its forms it does this by using a cyclic or spiral process which alternates between action and critical reflection and in the later cycles, continuously refining methods, data and interpretation in the light of the understanding developed in the earlier cycles.

• It is thus an emergent process which takes shape as understanding increases

• It is an iterative process which converges towards a better understanding of what happens.
• In most of its forms it is also participative (among other reasons, change is usually easier to achieve when those affected by the change are involved) and qualitative.

http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/whatisar.html

• Action research is inquiry or research in the context of focused efforts to improve the quality of an organization and its performance.
• It typically is designed and conducted by practitioners who analyze the data to improve their own practice.
• Action research can be done by individuals or by teams of colleagues.
• The team approach is called collaborative inquiry.
• Action research has the potential to generate genuine and sustained improvements in schools.
• It gives educators new opportunities to reflect on and assess their teaching; to explore and test new ideas, methods, and materials; to assess how effective the new approaches were; to share feedback with fellow team members; and to make decisions about which new approaches to include in the team's curriculum, instruction, and assessment plans.

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/drugfree/sa3act.htm

Action research consists of a family of research methodologies which pursue action and research outcomes at the same time. It therefore has some components which resemble consultancy or change agency, and some which resemble field research.

Action research tends to be...

• Cyclic - similar steps tend to recur, in a similar sequence;
• Participative - the clients and informants are involved as partners, or at least active participants, in the research process;
• Qualitative it deals more with language than with numbers; and
• Reflective critical reflection upon the process and outcomes are important parts of each cycle.

http://ousd.k12.ca.us/netday/links/Action_Research/begin_guide_action_research

Action Research is a form of collective self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants in social situations in order to improve the rationality and justice of their own social or educational practices, as well as their understanding of these practices and the situations in which these practices are carried out. [Carr & Kemmis 1988:3]

What distinguishes action research from other methodologies are common traits or characteristics. There appear to be four -

• Firstly it is situational in that it focuses on a specific problem in a defined context. In educational action research the focus is on practice.

• Secondly it involves planned action and intervention through a spiral of deliberate steps. In this case and in most cases, it is a spiral of plan, act, observe, and reflect, which is repeated a number of times with the objective of changing and improving practice. The emphasis is on self critical evaluation.

• Thirdly it is collaborative in that it involves all those with a stake or interest in the study to work in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and consensus, democratic decision making and common action.

• Fourthly it is participatory in that it is undertaken by participants of the enquiry. Those directly involved are equal partners in the research process and retain ownership of the study. The object of the research is the participants’ own practices.

• Kurt Lewin is regarded by many as the father of Action Research.

• Some credit to John Collier, the United States Commissioner for Indian Affairs from 1933 to 1945 as the inventor of the term action research.

• Collier used the term when describing the efforts of administrators, scientists and Indians to improve farming practices. He advocated an action - research -research - action cycle as a way of improving the lifestyle of the American Indians

• Even before Collier there were earlier attempts to encourage teachers as researchers but research interests that focussed on experimental studies soon stifled these.

• Lewin used the term "Action Research" to describe research that united experimental methods with social action to address major social issues.

• From the mid forties and beyond Lewin developed and applied his concept of action research to a number of community experiments in post World War Two America.

"It was tried in contexts as diverse as integrated housing, equalisation of opportunity for employment, the cause and cure of prejudice in children, the socialisation of street gangs, and the better training of youth leaders."

(Carr & Kemmis p2)

• Lewin's version of action research involved an external agent to assist the practitioners and this differs somewhat from modern techniques, however, Lewin's basic research cycle of planning, executing, and reconnaissance to allow further planning has become an important feature of many contemporary action research projects.

• Stephen Corey was among the first to use action research in the field of education. Corey contrasted the idea of action research with more fundamental research. Fundamental research argued Corey had not become an important part of educational practice. He felt that most researchers arrived at generalisations and had no intention of doing anything with the results.

• Corey introduced many teachers to action research and endeavoured to popularise and legitimise it. He recognised the difficulty action research had in producing traditionally defined educational theory but believed that because education was action orientated and practical in nature then educational research needed to address practical problems.

• Corey's work was vulnerable to criticism.
• In 1957 Hodgkinson presented arguments against the use of action research. He believed practitioners of action research lacked familiarity with the basic techniques of research and that it was not really research because it did not meet the criteria of valid scientific methodology.
• Hodgkinson also questioned the role of the teacher as researcher indicating that teachers did not have the time, expertise or resources to carry out the specialised task of research.

• Hodgkinson's criticism and the circumstances of the time seemed to conspire against action research and it did not take long for it to acquire a negative image.
• In the US, at least, it remained "unused and unadmired" by mainstream researchers and practitioners and fell into dramatic decline. The one noted exception was Shumsky.

• The strongest advocacy for action research came from outside the US.

• In the US the preferred model of educational reform was the Research, Development and Dissemination (RD & D) model which was a feature of the North American curriculum movement of the 1960's.
• Critics of the curriculum movement indicated that the RD & D model was not effective in bringing about educational reform.
• In the search for a more effective model of reform action research experienced a resurgence especially in the United Kingdom.
• A key figure in this resurgence was Schwab. He was not an advocate of action research but he was instrumental in developing curriculum as a field of enquiry.
• A field, which he felt, was sterile and useless unless it engaged teachers as key participants.
• During the 1970's action research enjoyed a renaissance.

• A number of factors contributed to the rebirth including, a greater autonomy among teachers, greater strains placed on the existing curriculum, a less influential conventional research establishment and a continuity, in the UK at least, of intellectual tradition.
• Social psychology and human relations studies, especially at the Tavistock Institute in London had a long tradition of using action research.

• One of the best known advocates of action research in the UK and in Australia was Lawrence Stenhouse.

• His perspective on action research came from his experience in curriculum development.
• The Schools Council Humanities Curriculum Project (HCP) in 1967 produced curriculum materials and focussed on helping teachers examine the effects of new strategies for teaching controversial issues.
• Stenhouse wanted to help teachers examine their own practice in a critical and systematic way.
• For Stenhouse, action research was the process by which educational ideas were translated into curriculum materials and then evaluated.

• Colleagues of Stenhouse were to later apply his ideas to several other projects such as the Ford Teaching Project.
• Action research in the UK is often associated with the Ford Teaching Project and the work of Elliott and Adelman. The Ford Teaching Project (1973 -1976) involved teachers in collaborative action research projects in their own classrooms.

• In recent times both in Australia and in Europe authors such as Carr & Kemmis, Klafi and Brock have used the ideas of Jurgen Habermas to describe three kinds of action research - technical, practical and emancipatory.

1. Technical action research is seen as "other directed". It may provide a stimulus for change but is seen by some, especially Carr & Kemmis, as not really action research in the more developed sense. It may give the educator a new perspective on their work and help to provide the social and organisational conditions necessary for continued self-improvement and higher order action research but often it is merely co-optive.
2. In practical action research an outsider establishes cooperative relationships with teachers and helps them to articulate their concerns, to plan some action, and to evaluate its effects. For some, this is not appropriate action research as the professional researcher owns the theory or at least critical aspects of it.
3. Emancipatory action research requires a self leading group of teachers accepting responsibility for its own emancipation of problems. It involves not only the transformation of individuals and the profession but ultimately a more far reaching transformation of the language, organisation and the practice of education. (McTaggart19:27-30)

• In 1986 a seminar was held at Deakin University to discuss the issues surrounding action research.
• The participants agreed that action research had passed through several phases since World War 2. These phases were referred to as "generations".

1. The first generation of action research was the initial flowering in the US under Lewin. The contribution of Dewey and others was also recognised.
2. Second generation action research was the work done in the UK by Stenhouse, Elliott and Adelman.
3. Their work led to calls for more explicitly critical and emancipatory action research approaches that heralded the third generation of action research underpinned by the work of Carr and Kemmis in Australia.

• The aim of the 1986 seminar was to agree on which direction action research would take in the future. This direction would be described as fourth generation action research. Unfortunately agreement was not reached on the future direction and the debate about action research's legitimacy as a research paradigm has raged ever since.

• The raging debate however has not stopped academics, practitioners, administrators and policy makers from designing, encouraging and participating in action research projects which have been many and varied.

• The thesis was undertaken in the Faculty of Education, Monash University.
• It investigated the work of a group of primary teachers as they contemplated classroom computers use.
• An action research methodology was employed.
• A large primary school situated in the south east growth corridor of suburban Melbourne, Victoria was the setting for the investigation.

• Each member of the action group agreed to do two units of work with his or her class
• Each unit was based on the integrated curriculum algorithm incorporating the software classification system developed.
• Each member used the action research cycle [plan, act, observe, reflect] individually attempting, to improve the algorithm, increase knowledge about the software classification system, empower, improve and transform their own teaching, and seek insight into the research themes.

• Members further agreed to participate in group action research cycles by attending regular seminars, consulting each other individually and collecting data as directed. Each member of the group was responsible for

• Working through the action research spirals and recording observations;

• Attending regular seminars to discuss the project;

• Consulting with others and with the coordinator individually;

• Maintaining documents to record events as they happened;

• Answering questionnaires and interview questions, both written and recorded;

• Surveying children for their responses to the project;

• Collection of samples of children's work;

• Administration of questionnaires to students;

• Collection and photocopying of relevant primary documents.

 

• The thesis is divided into eleven chapters.
• The first, the Introduction, gives a brief overview of the study. This reveals why the study was conducted, its objectives, the structure of the thesis and its limitations.
• Chapter Two, the Literature Review, demonstrates an understanding of the research, theory, concepts, ideology, and opinion related to the topic and shows the relationship between these and what is proposed in this investigation.
• Chapter Three, the Methodology chapter, has a threefold purpose: to provide essential background information aimed at clarifying the reader’s understanding of the study; to explain the researcher’s selection of action research as the chosen methodology; and to describe the Research Design.
• Chapters Four, Five, Six and Seven correspond to Terms, 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the 1991 school year. Their purpose is to provide a rich, thick description of the project as it happened; reasons are given for particular decisions, strategy changes, and so on. The four chapters provide the first level of analysis and represent a database of knowledge on which the reader can draw to verify findings.
• Chapters 8 and 9 is to determine to what degree the study’s objectives have been met. Chapter 8 deals with Objective [a], concluding that the objective was achieved: a curriculum algorithm was developed that constituted a viable solution to Mossgiel Park’s Computers in Education problems. Chapter 9 deals with Objective [b]. It concludes that that empowerment did occur, since knowledge, skills and positive attitudes were developed; however the degree of empowerment varied.

• Chapter 10 deals with the research themes. It concludes that many positive effects on student learning resulted from the use of the algorithm; that the study was a successful professional development strategy; and that significant knowledge was gained regarding hardware and software.

• The final chapter, the Conclusion, draws together the findings presented in the study and discusses their implications for classroom practice.

• This study was designed to respond to a problem at Mossgiel Park Primary School and as such is highly idiosyncratic.
• This makes transferability of findings problematic.
• The researcher has endeavoured to show that the school, its problems, and challenges were typical of other state schools in Victoria, and to provide a rich, thick description of what happened so the reader has a base of knowledge on which to make judgements about transferability or not.
• Even so, shifting the findings to other schools and other situations should be treated with caution.
• This is not to imply that the findings are irrelevant to others, quite the contrary. It is the researcher’s opinion that many of the findings are relevant locally, nationally and internationally. Potential appliers of the findings should pose questions such as What is relevant for me in the study?, What aspects of the findings suit my circumstances and the way I teach?, Do I agree with the rationale underpinning the instructional strategy?, and so on.
• In the end it is up to readers to make a judgement of what can be transferred to their situations and what cannot.

Table of Contents

Chapter One - Introduction

1.1 Background - The Problem

The purpose of this chapter is to present background information relevant to the investigation, demonstrate why an action research methodology was chosen, describe and explain the research design and demonstrate how the trustworthiness of the study was established.

Choosing a Research Methodology

• Choosing an appropriate research method can sometimes be controversial.
• As Patton [1990] points out philosophers and methodologists have been engaged in a long standing debate about how to best conduct research.
• Essentially the debate has centred on the merits of two fundamentally different and competing paradigms: on the one hand, conventional research - logical positivism, using quantitative and experimental methods to test hypothetical/deductive generalisations; and on the other hand, phenomenological inquiry, based on the use of qualitative and naturalistic approaches to inductively and holisitically understand human experience. [Patton 1990]
• Both paradigms have various strategies for generating and analysing data and it is not unusual for researchers to align themselves to one or the other. Such an alignment would then determine the choice of research methodology.
• Patton argues that hitching your wagon to one particular paradigm or the other may not be the most appropriate way of choosing a research method.
• He is not an advocate of one paradigm versus the other, both have something to offer and one should not be rejected in favour of the other because of habit or loyalty.
• What is important for Patton [1990] is selecting a research design that is appropriate for a specific inquiry situation.
• He refers to this as situational responsiveness. Responding to the situation involves reflection on the purpose of the inquiry, the questions being investigated and the resources available.
• This allows the researcher to design open and flexible evaluations that combine, adapt, and vary both qualitative and quantitative research strategies to suit the situation.

• For this study, the researcher, after considering

1. the purpose of the inquiry,
2. the questions being asked, and
3. the resources available,

decided that action research was the most appropriate research design.

• To judge whether this was an appropriate choice or not readers must have some understanding the situation.
• The following section on Background provides information on the how the study evolved.

• An important part of the background, in this case, is making the position of the researcher clear.
• This serves three purposes.

1. First, an understanding of the researcher's position is vital to understanding how the study evolved.
2. Secondly it provides the researcher with an opportunity for catharsis, allowing him to declare certain biases by clarifying his assumptions, world view, and theoretical orientations
3. Thirdly it helps the reader to make a more informed judgement about the credibility and confirmability of the report.

The Researcher as Critical Friend

That role can be summarized as follows;

1. It was recognised by others in the group that the researcher was the expert in regard to research, so he was given the task of coordinating the study. This involved the scheduling of meetings, suggesting data collection methods, the management of the people involved, and the one hundred and one other administrative tasks that had to be done during the course of the study.

2. Ultimately it would also be the task of the researcher to document the results of the study. There was no argument with this - an onerous task which all were happy to see someone else take the responsibility for.

3. The researcher would support and facilitate the action group by;

- keeping the group on task

- aiding with data collection

- offering critical analyses

- supplying feedback

- introducing and offering information

- acting as a resource

- responding to, and reflecting on, ideas and actions

- helping to connect and synthesise information

- helping to stimulate and challenge

• The difficulty for the critical friend is to offer this support in a way so that others in the group remain in control and free to act powerfully.
• It is difficult to judge whether this was the case at all times in this study but the researcher did make a conscious effort to remain true to this axiom of action research.

Why Action Research?

• The problem was of a practical nature. It was a practical problem that required a concrete solution and would involve changing individual teacher practice.

• In conducting this research the researcher found himself in what he considered a rather unique situation. Regular PhD students and professional researchers pursue research activities on a full time basis and are usually outsiders looking in trying to make sense of the social and physical world they see. In this case the researcher was a major participant in that world and was not only trying to make sense of it but was also endeavouring to change it and improve it.

• Originally the objects of the enquiry were the researcher's own teaching practices along with the teaching practices of a number of colleagues. A research method that took this into account was needed, and as many commentators and practitioners point out action research is a form of self reflective enquiry allowing the researcher to research him/herself.

• The third reason action research was chosen was because of the environment in which the researchers were to operate.

• All researchers are restricted by the resources and facilities that are available to them and these restrictions will have a profound influence on the methodology they adopt.
• This inquiry was no different. In using the Mossgiel Park school community as the resource for the inquiry the researcher had to consider the following points

• Interference with the normal activities and routines of the school, classes and individuals had to be kept to a minimum. Data collection was to take place over 12 months and in that time the researcher felt a moral obligation to keep things as normal as possible. One of the strengths of getting the research design accepted by the principal and other staff was the fact that pupils would, generally, not be asked to do anything they would not normally be expected to do in the course of a school year, and the few activities that were out of the ordinary were seen to be of educational merit.

• In return for the use of the facilities some quid pro quo was expected. It was never stated explicitly but there was an expectation that if the school participated in the investigation then it would have to benefit in some way.

Taking these two points into consideration meant that the research methodology had to be chosen carefully. If the inquiry was to be of benefit to students, staff and school and not be too disruptive then the researcher felt that it should:

1. Focus on practical solutions to real problems, and aim at changing and improving practice and lifting confidence;

2. Ensure a high commitment to the study by allowing teachers to maintain control and ownership of the inquiry;

3. Ensure that innovative and creative solutions were found by encouraging risk taking, cooperation, collaboration and creative problem solving and by nurturing a process where new ideas could be tried, evaluated, reviewed and tried again with minimum disruption;

4. Be flexible and able to respond to changes in circumstance and unexpected events and outcomes;

5. Be attractive to others and be seen as worthwhile, to be of some practical benefit;

6. Be non-threatening and easily explained and understood but at the same time, because of the nature of the study, it had to be systematic and rigorous.

• An action research methodology seemed to promise minimum disruption, would be of benefit to the school, and if conducted correctly would be systematic and rigorous.

• The research design is the plan, structure, and strategy of the investigation and in conventional quantitative inquiries demonstrates how research questions are to be answered and how control variance will be dealt with.
• In a naturalistic enquiry such as this where design and theory emerge, develop and unfold, the design is usually presented as a broad framework that outlines the basic strategies of data collection and analysis, and shows how the problems of establishing trustworthiness will be dealt with.

Difficulties in Designing an Action Research Inquiry.

• There were a number of difficulties that the researcher had to overcome in designing an action research inquiry.

[i] Terminology

• Action research, as was pointed out previously, is an umbrella term that encompasses a number of divergent views about what it is and how it should be done.
• Many definitions exist and many writers have disparate views on how it should be conducted.

• This made it difficult for the researcher to decide on an appropriate course of action.
• Many of the action research projects prominent in the literature are highly idiosyncratic and relate to a specific context.
• It was therefore incumbent upon the researcher to be aware of the debate surrounding the methodology, to settle on an appropriate definition, and to select design strategies that are common to action research and which distinguish it from other methodologies.

• what distinguishes action research from other methodologies are common traits or characteristics. There appear to be four -

[a] Firstly it is situational in that it focuses on a specific problem in a defined context. In educational action research the focus is on practice, in this case the problem of developing curriculum for Computers in Education at Mossgiel Park Primary School.

[b] Secondly it involves planned action and intervention through a spiral of deliberate steps. In this case and in most cases, it is a spiral of plan, act, observe, and reflect, which is repeated a number of times with the objective of changing and improving practice. The emphasis is on self critical evaluation.

[c] Thirdly it is collaborative in that it involves all those with a stake or interest in the study to work in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and consensus, democratic decision making and common action. [Oja & Smulyan 1989] In this case strategies were put into place to ensure that all participants were able to communicate frequently and openly, and a process was established which endeavoured to avoid possible conflicting perceptions and assumptions throughout the study.

[d] Fourthly it is participatory in that it is undertaken by participants of the enquiry. Those directly involved are equal partners in the research process and retain ownership of the study. The object of the research is the participants’ own practices. In this case a number of strategies were implemented to ensure that all participants felt they were equal partners who had an ownership stake and felt they could influence the direction the study was to take.

• The closest thing to a How to Do It manual for action research is The Action Research Planner [Kemmis & McTaggart 1988] and although it advocates a particular type of action research, it is a useful guide for developing an appropriate research design.

• The main instrument of data collection in an inquiry such as this is the human instrument.
• This results in a measure of unpredictabilty which cannot not really be specified at the beginning of the inquiry and creates many difficulties in relation to data collection.
• It is impossible to predict all that is going to happen. The environment within which the researchers were working was a real school with real people. It could not be controlled or manipulated to any great extent. The researchers had to accept what happened in terms of human drama and make the most of certain situations.
• In this case original plans had to be changed for numerous reasons and adaptations made to data analysis and collection as design and theory emerged. The research design needed to be flexible and open enough to deal with the unfolding circumstances, allow researchers the opportunity to pursue serendipitous avenues, and prepare them for the inevitable changes to data collection and analysis.
• The problem for the action researcher is how to plan an open and flexible design. The solution, learnt from experience, is that you can, but only to a certain extent. In this study there were many happenings that were beyond the control of the researchers and seriously jeopardised the best laid plans. The research design must be flexible, able to accommodate changes, and above all be innovative.

• Action research is considered, by some to lack rigour. This brings into question the reliability and validity of action research.

• Common criticisms leveled at action research:

1. it is not really research,
2. it is what good teachers do anyway;
3. it is not objective,
4. it lacks reliability and validity;
5. it is not scientific,
6. it is ad hoc.

• Admittedly good teachers are constantly reflecting on their practices with an eye for improvement, but action research is more than this.
• Action research is a...systematic enquiry made public..
• It compels the researcher to collect a variety of data in a systematic and rigorous way, to make the findings public, and to seek validation for its claims through collaboration with peers.

• All research should be concerned with producing valid and reliable knowledge in an ethical manner, and action research should be no different.
• For the conventional researcher this means paying attention to internal and external validity, reliability, and objectivity.
• For the naturalistic researcher it means establishing the trustworthiness of the inquiry by paying attention to the credibility, the transferability, the dependability and the confirmability of the inquiry.

• Credibility is the naturalist's substitute for the conventionalist's internal validity and it involves two tasks: first, carrying out the inquiry in such a way that the findings in all probability will be credible, and secondly, to demonstrate the credibility of the findings by having them approved and verified by the constructors of the multiple realities being studied.
• In this case the following strategies were adopted to enhance the credibility of the enquiry;

[i] Prolonged engagement.

• The purpose of prolonged engagement is so the researcher can immerse him/herself in the culture of the site.
• This enables the researcher to test for misinformation introduced by distortions either of self or of the respondents, and to build trust.
• In this case the researchers were practising primary teachers with at least four years experience in the education system and with at least three years experience at Mossgiel Park School.
• The chief researcher had fifteen years experience as a classroom teacher including five years at the school. All had experience with the use of computers in the classroom and had been involved in the development of curriculum.

• The study itself was carried out over 12 months and involved staff and students from all grade levels.
• It could be argued that if the natives were doing the research it would be easy to build trust but difficult to detect and take account of distortions. In defence of this the chief researcher was aware of this difficulty and approached the inquiry with this quote in mind,

There are no techniques that will guarantee against such influence either unconsciously or consciously; awareness, however, is a great step towards prevention.

 

 

• Early in this chapter the researcher has endeavoured to make the reader aware of certain biases by clarifying the researcher's assumptions, worldview, and theoretical orientation.

• It is the researcher’s opinion that the experience of those involved and the length of the study enhanced its credibility.

• Persistent observation is a technique used to identify those characteristics and elements in the situation that are most relevant to the problem, and focus on them in detail.
• The idea is to engage in tentative labelling of the salient factors and then explore them in detail.
• The very nature of action research with its self-reflective spiral requires the researcher to engage in persistent and detailed observation.

• Triangulation is the use of multiple investigators, multiple sources of data, or multiple methods to confirm the emerging findings.
• Its purpose is to help construct plausible explanations about the phenomena being studied.
• In this case data were collected from a number of different sources including observation, interview, documents, journals, video recordings and audio recordings.
• Again because of the nature of action research it was cross referenced and verified by multiple investigators who met as a group on a regular basis and who met individually with the chief researcher on a weekly basis.

• This is the process of continually taking data and interpretations back to the people from whom they were derived and asking them if the results were plausible.
• In an action research project such checks are necessary for smooth progress through the self reflective spiral.
• In this case plans were made for all those involved to meet regularly to discuss such issues and to meet with the chief researcher on an individual basis.
• At individual meetings ideas, interpretations and data collection would be discussed at an informal level.
• At group meetings agreement would be reached confirming an observation and gaining consensus on the next step to be made.
• Decisions were made in a collaborative atmosphere, further enhancing credibility.

• Referential adequacy refers to the archiving of data for later scrutiny.
• This helps to enhance credibility by making available, for those who wish to view it, the researcher's raw data.
• In this case a system was designed for the storage and classification of the data as it was collected.
• It was decided that files would be created that stored the data in chronological order.
• Video and audio recordings were used to record interviews, meetings, and classroom happenings.
• All were meticulously labelled, transcribed verbatim and archived.

• Establishing transferability is very different for the naturalist from the conventional concept of external validity.
• The naturalist cannot specify external validity in the conventional sense; s/he can only provide thick description which would enable the reader who is contemplating a transfer to reach a conclusion about whether it is a possibility or not.
• According to Lincoln and Guba [1985]

It is... not the naturalist's task to provide an index of transferability; it is his or her responsibility to provide the database that makes transferability judgements possible on the part of potential appliers. [Lincoln & Guba 1985:316]

• In this case the researcher has attempted to improve the transferability of the findings by;

• This is so any readers interested in transferring the findings have an appropriate and relevant base of information on which to make informed judgements.

• Demonstrating how typical the school, its problems and challenges were in relation to other primary schools in Victoria.

• In the traditional sense reliability refers to the extent to which one's findings can be replicated.
• It is based on the assumption that there is a single reality which if studied repeatedly will give the same results.
• Naturalistic research deals with multiple realities and is not seeking to isolate the laws of human behaviour.
• Its task is to describe and explain the world as those in the world interpret it.

As Merriman [1990] points out,

Because what is being studied in education is assumed to be in flux, multifaceted, highly contextual, because information gathered is a function of who gives it and how skilled the researcher is at getting it, and because the emergent design of a qualitative case study precludes a priori controls, achieving reliability in the traditional sense is not only fanciful but impossible.

• Lincoln and Guba [1985] suggest thinking about dependability instead of reliability in the traditional sense.
• This means that rather than insisting that outsiders get the same results, the researcher wants the reader to concur that given the data collected, the results make sense and that they are consistent and dependable.

• In order to enhance the dependability of this study the researcher has adopted a technique suggested by Lincoln and Guba [1985:317-8] - an audit trail.
• This involves describing in detail how data were collected, how categories were derived, and how decisions were made.
• The report is written in detail so an auditor could easily follow and authenticate the findings of the study or follow the trail of the researcher.

• Objectivity in the traditional sense refers to how one can establish the degree to which the findings of an inquiry are determined by the subjects and conditions of the inquiry and not by the biases, motivations, interests, or perspectives of the inquirer.
• [Lincoln and Guba 1985:290] argue that there are two definitions of objectivity. The quantitative view judges objectivity using intersubjective agreement whereas the qualitative view is that objective means reliable, factual, confirmable or confirmed.
• For the naturalistic inquirer this definition removes the emphasis from the investigator and on to the data. The question becomes; Are the data and findings confirmable or not?

• For this study conformability is enhanced by all of the techniques described above and especially by the use of the audit trail. It was also enhanced by the use of a personal journal in which a variety of information about the researcher, the study, other researchers and methodology was recorded more or less on a daily basis throughout the period of the project.

• It is incumbent upon the researcher to ensure that, as part of the research design strategies are put into place to establish the trustworthiness of the inquiry. This means exploiting techniques that enhance the credibility, the transferability, the dependability, and the conformability of the study.

• Outlined above are the strategies and techniques that were adopted in this study. In the final analysis it is up to the reader to gauge the trustworthiness of the report, but the researcher feels that the adoption of the above techniques help to persuade the reader that the inquiry is worth paying attention to and worth taking account of.

The Broad Framework

• As mentioned, one of the characteristics of action research is its participatory nature.
• Those directly involved should be equal partners in the research process and should retain ownership of the study.
• For the researcher this presented a dilemma. If he was to present the research agenda to the action group fait accompli then the participatory nature of the study would be seriously threatened.
• On the other hand if the action group met without a purpose and the researcher took a back seat role, then progress may be too slow perhaps even non existent.
• Remaining true to the participatory nature of action research meant the action group should

1. define the specific problem,
2. carry out a reconnaissance of the current situation,
3. establish the purpose of the inquiry and
4. decide on a broad plan of action.

• This would not, could not, possibly occur however in a vacuum.
• The researcher's influence was going to be enormous.
• After all it was he who was identifying and articulating the concern about computer use in the school; he possessed intimate knowledge of the pilot project; and he had the research skills necessary to design a plausible investigation. It was incumbent on him to make suggestions, to be the driving force, to be the glue that bound the group together, but he was also responsible for ensuring that correct methodological procedures, which would result in a trustworthy investigation, were followed.

• Remaining true to the axioms of action research, especially its participatory nature, would be difficult.
• Awareness is perhaps the first step in dealing with these issues.
• It allows the researcher to make a conscious effort to define his role and consistently pursue it.
• In the end it is up to the reader to decide how successful or unsuccessful the researcher has been.

• The first step in the research design would be the development of a thematic concern and the establishment of an action research group. The following represents the broad framework that was presented as part of the initial proposal.

• One of the first steps in any naturalistic inquiry should be to determine the focus of the research.
• For action research this usually means the development of a thematic concern.
• The thematic concern is the issue or theme that the group has decided to investigate.
• It is usual to develop the thematic concern by getting group members together to discuss their concerns and confer on possible courses of action.
• In this case the thematic concern was developed through the researcher's 1988 case study and the subsequent pilot project.
• Instead of bringing a group together, discussing a range of concerns and focussing on one particular issue, the concern, Computers in Education at Mossgiel Park, was already established and interested parties would be asked to join the group.

• Once the group was formed they would go on to define the specific problem, to carry out a reconnaissance of the current situation, establish the purpose of the inquiry and decide on a broad plan of action.
• Of course, the researcher had at the back of his mind the findings of the pilot project and a possible course of action, but it would be up to the group to decide what direction the investigation would take.

• The first phase would be to find out whether any of the staff shared the researcher's thematic concern and were prepared to invest some time in discussing and working through the problems.

• The researcher would talk, individually, to as many of his colleagues as possible; speak at staff meetings; and address letters to all members of staff. Staff would be invited to an initial meeting after which they would be invited to join the action group.

• The next step would be The Reconnaissance phase.
• This is the process of establishing what the current situation was in regard to the thematic concern.
• In this case it would involve investigation of the following -

1. The current situation in regard to Computers in Education at Mossgiel Park;
2. The findings and recommendations of the pilot project;
3. The profile of each member of the group to determine their skill, knowledge and confidence with computers in the classroom;
4. The resources available to the group;
5. The nature of action research and procedures for carrying it out.

In possession of this information and with the researcher's guidance the group would be in a position to define the problem, plot a course of action and establish a purpose for the enquiry.

• After The Reconnaissance the group would be expected to move from the broad focus, Computers in Education at Mossgiel Park, to a more defined problem that needed to be investigated and possibly resolved.
• The researcher saw the problem as the failure of the staff at Mossgiel Park to integrate computers into the curriculum and that the root cause of the problem was the school's failure to come to terms with the Frameworks philosophy and school based curriculum.
• This was compounded by teachers’ lack of knowledge about the emerging Computers in Education movement. It would be his task to lead the group in this direction and help them to articulate a definition of the problem.

• With the problem defined the group would move onto plotting a course of action.
• This course of action would involve teachers using action research spirals to investigate their own teaching practices in regard to Computers in Education .
• The researcher saw the course of action as teachers building on the findings of the pilot project - taking the integrated curriculum algorithm and the software classification system, subjecting it to the action research spirals of a broader cross section of practitioners, and seeing what came out at the other end.
• Again it would be his task to lead the group in this direction and help them to implement a plan of action that was going to be viable and yield results.

[v] The Purpose of the Inquiry

• Having planned a course of action the group would then be expected to express the purpose of the inquiry in terms of objectives.
• The researcher saw the investigation as having two objectives; the development of the algorithm and the empowerment of individual teachers.
• The researcher also believed that beyond the actual action research the whole process would yield some important findings about professional development, software and hardware, and student learning.
• He would encourage the group to develop a set of research themes that would help to drive the enquiry and accompany the objectives. This would involve the use of appropriate data collection instruments.

• A major part of the action research process is the documentation of the investigation.
• Ideally it would be the group's decision as to how the investigation would be made public but in reality the study was to be formally written as a thesis.
• This meant that the researcher had to impose a data collection regime on the group.
• This did not necessarily detract from the study, on the contrary it imposed on the participants a disciplined approach to data collection which may have been absent in other circumstances.

• The planned data collection process would involve the teachers in the following activities:

1. Working through the action research spirals and recording their observations;
2. Attending regular seminars to discuss the study;
3. Consulting with each other and with the researcher on an individual basis;
4. The maintenance of certain documents that would record events as they happened;
5. Answering questionnaires and interview questions both written and recorded;
6. Surveying of children to gather their responses to the study;
7. Collecting samples of children's work;
8. Administration of questionnaires to students;
9. Collection and photocopying of relevant primary documents.

• As mentioned the thematic concern, Computers in Education at Mossgiel Park, was already broadly defined.
• The Researcher wanted to start an action group. He spoke to as many staff as possible individually and sent a letter to all staff asking them to join a discussion group early in December 1990.
• At this meeting eleven staff [later reduced to nine] indicated that they shared the Researcher's concern wished to join the group.

• The Researcher supplied the group members with some readings on Computers in Education, including notes on the pilot project and on action research. Members were to take the reading home over the Christmas vacation and return prepared to launch the reconnaissance and devise a plan of action.

• The Reconnaissance is the process of establishing the current situation regarding the thematic concern. Once this is established, the information is conveyed to the group for an informed judgement on what action is needed.
• In this case the Reconnaissance involved reporting to the group the following information:

1. The current situation regarding Computers in Education at Mossgiel Park;
2. The findings and recommendations of the pilot project;
3. The profiles of members of the action group to determine their skill, knowledge and confidence with computers in the classroom;
4. The resources available to the group;
5. The nature of action research and procedures for carrying it out.

• It would then be necessary to agree upon the problem, set broad objectives and establish a course of action.

• The first step was for the group to ask itself Where are we at? What do we know? in relation to the thematic concern.

• The next step was to move from a broad focus to a narrower definition of the problem.

To use the action research process to -

[a] further develop and evolve the integrated curriculum algorithm and software classification system described in the pilot project.

[b] empower individual teachers with the knowledge, skill and confidence to understand, improve and transform their teaching procedures and practices regardingComputers in Education.

In pursuing the objectives it was anticipated that a number of themes could be investigated that would illuminate understanding and help to drive the inquiry.

The research themes were

• The effect of this instructional strategy on student learning;
• The effectiveness of the project as a professional development strategy;
• The effectiveness of classroom organisation regarding hardware; and
• The content and quality of software.

The project was designed so these themes could be investigated along with the main objectives.

[iii] Action Plan

• Having settled on the purpose of the inquiry the next step was to determine a plan of action.
• After much discussion the following plan was agreed upon.

• Each member of the group would do two consecutive units of work [one per term] with their class.
• Each unit would be based on the integrated curriculum algorithm developed in the pilot project which incorporated the software classification system developed by the Researcher.
• It was agreed that for logistical reasons Grade 5 and 6 would begin in Term 1. Grade 3 and 4 in Term 2, and Grade Prep, 1 and 2 in Term 3.

• Each member would use the action research cycle on an individual basis attempting to improve the algorithm, increase knowledge about the software classification system, empower, improve and transform their teaching, and seek to illuminate the research themes.
• As a group, members would conduct major action research cycles each term.
• The micro cycles conducted by individuals would feed into the macro group cycles.

• Members further agreed to attend regular seminars, consult with each other and the Researcher on an individual basis, collect data as directed by the Researcher, allow the Researcher to enter the class for detailed observation and to collect video evidence, and be guided by the Researcher as to what to collect for evidence.

Data Collection

[i] Observation

• Observation of events that were to take place would be the task of the members of the action group.
• Those observations would need to be recorded in a rational and coherent manner so progressive analysis and final analysis could take place.
• The researcher's plan was to suggest to the group a number of initial recording instruments and to develop other instruments as the study progressed and the need arose.
• The following are the full range of instruments used to record observations during the course of the investigation.

[a] Personal Journals

[b] Field Notes/Anecdotal Records

[c] Video Recordings

[d] Audio Recordings

[ii] Primary Documents

• It was recognised by the researcher that it would be necessary to collect a number of primary documents for analysis. [see Appendix E] These included documents from;

[a] The Directorate of School Education

[b] Mossgiel Park Primary School Administration

[c] Individual Classroom Documents

[i] Teacher Background

[ii] Initial Planning Sheets

[iii] Curriculum Plans

[iv] Work Programs

[v] Software Evaluations

 [d] Questionnaires / Interviews

Action, Observation and Reflection: Term 1 - Weeks 3 to 11

4 Represents a week's work on the unit. Data source work programs and curriculum plans.

8 Represents a data collection point. At these times data was collected either in written, audio or video form.

Week 3 Ending 16/2/91

Sam, Christine and Sharon started their first units of work during Week 3. All had prepared for the commencement of their units by conducting brainstorming and question formulation sessions in the previous week.

Sam's class began their unit on the media by asking What does a newspaper consist of? The central activity was to categorise different sections of the newspaper and to develop a conclusion about the make up of the paper. On the Wednesday Sam introduced the children to Newsroom. Initially he conducted a whole grade lesson demonstrating to the children how the program worked. With one computer in the room he then allowed groups of four students to explore the software for about thirty minutes at a time. Sam wanted the children to experiment with Newsroom and so offered little instruction after the initial class lesson. He did supply the children with the manual and was keen to see how far they could progress without his intervention.

In consultation with the Researcher Sam made these observations about his first week -

· The central activity was too long. Children worked in groups and did not finish.

· Attempts were made to relate other activities to the Media but these were unsuccessful because of the time taken with the central activity. Sam felt that his class had not really investigated the focus question thoroughly.

< Sam was satisfied with the way he had introduced Newsroom and felt that the children's time had been well spent. He did however concede that some children had found the program difficult.

At the end of the week Sam felt that he would have to think more about the central activity and perhaps do some more work with the children on discriminating, classifying and analysing.

Sharon's class began their unit of work on Space by asking How can we find out about Space? The central activity involved the discussion and brainstorming of ideas, the reading of a big book on constellations, and experimenting with sun dials. Other activities included looking at a telescope, at pictures of constellations and the photographing of shadows and sunlight. On the Monday the children were introduced to Explorer Metros [Sharon had hoped to borrow a copy of Space Mission Mada and use it as her cornerstone software but this was not to be and she had hoped Explorer Metros would fill the void]. The children were given initial instructions as a whole grade and then worked in pairs at becoming familiar with the program. With only one computer in the room it was necessary to rotate the groups, but by the end of the week each group had had at least one turn of thirty minutes at the computer.

At the end of the first week Sharon made the following observations -

< She was concerned that she did not have a cornerstone program. It was suggested Sharon try Mickey's Space Adventure. She commented, after reviewing the program that she felt the children would become bored with it as it was not relevant and too long.

< Sharon also wanted to begin using Crossword Magic but realised that she had to teach the children how to use the program. She discussed with the Researcher how this might best be done. It was suggested that either a class lesson be used or an expert tutor system where a couple of brighter students are taught how to use the program and they progressively teach the rest of the class.

 

 

Seminar 7/3/91 [Geoff, Sharon, Christine, Sam]

Sharon was disappointed that Space Mission Mada was not available but was looking forward to learning about and using the Appleworks database. She mentioned how well the children had responded to the unit of work, how cooperative they had been, and how happy she was working in this way.

Sam was very enthusiastic about Scoop and also mentioned how well the children had responded to the unit of work, especially Scoop. He was concerned about the role of related activities and consolidation of skills and processes activities. The pilot project had defined these activities but it was up to the group to refine or even change these definitions if necessary.

Sam was also concerned that all activities had to relate to the topic. This was not the original idea for consolidation of skills and processes activities. They were supposed to teach skills and did not have to necessarily relate to the topic. The group agreed that this is how consolidation of skills and processes activities should be treated but Christine and Sharon suggested that if the activities could be related in some way then they had more meaning, and resulted in a greater commitment from the children.

Other points discussed at the seminar included:

· All agreed that the children needed to be made more aware of the process and the reasons behind what the teacher was trying to achieve with the unit of work. If shared ownership was the goal then the children had to realise what was happening and understand that the focus and contributing questions posed would have a direct bearing on what would happen in the classroom. It was accepted that the process of awareness would take time and needed to be positively reinforced by the teacher.

· All the staff had launched individual student projects and there was some discussion on how the questions should be structured. It was agreed that the questions should relate to the focus questions and that, if possible, some of the questions would require the children to use the computer either for presentation purposes or to gather and organise information.

· The Researcher initiated discussion on whether the teachers felt too much time and effort went into the planning and setting up of the units of work. Some felt that the planning and preparation were excessive but that was because the teachers, along with the children, were on a learning curve, and they expected the situation to improve dramatically with each new unit of work.

· The Researcher asked the group how they felt about their teaching now compared to 12 months ago. The group made the following points.

• They viewed the project as a personal challenge and felt more motivated towards teaching now than they had in the past. The study had enthused them, motivated them.

• They thought they evaluated the situation better, were more able to look at what was going on in the classroom and make more informed judgements.

• They were more switched on to the idea of authentic purpose, especially in relation to the computer.

• They felt better about what they were doing in the classroom, felt the children were more cooperative, better motivated and parent reaction was good.

• They consulted more with their colleagues which was leading to a greater sharing of resources, greater understanding of each other’s ideas and more harmonious staff relations.

·

• This chapter begins by describing how the Thematic Concern and the Action Group were established.
• The Thematic Concern was established by inviting interested staff to a seminar to discuss Computers in Education at Mossgiel Park. This seminar took place late in 1990. From this seminar an Action Group was formed. The the first task of the group was to formulate a list of themes and topics that students would study in 1991.

• The Reconnaissance Phase began early in 1991 and involved establishing the situation regarding Computers in Education at the school.
• It was found that despite the school’s heavy investment in Apple IIe hardware and software, the Computers in Education program was in trouble.
• Teachers were becoming disillusioned and were searching for a practical instructional strategy to help them integrate computers into the curriculum.

• The pilot project was suggesting a solution to the problem but further investigation was required.
• The group decided to initiate action by establishing objectives and research themes and by formulating a plan of action.
• The action plan involved members of the action group implementing two units of work over two terms.
• Each unit of work would be based on the integrated curriculum algorithm developed in the pilot project.
• Members would use the action research process in an effort to improve the algorithm and increase their knowledge and skill regardingthe use of computers in the classroom.

Sam [Media], Sharon [Space], Christine [Our World / Aborigines] and Greg [Australian Sport] commenced units of work in Term 1. This chapter is a descriptive analysis of what happened. Week by week details are given on the progress of each unit. The final table [4.6] shows the changes that were made to the algorithm at the end of Term 1.

Jack's greatest contribution to the group was his willingness to learn, his humour, and his capacity to infect the group with his enthusiasm. He had been using computers in his classroom for four years and had built up a familiarity with various pieces of educational software. He was dissatisfied with his Computers in Education practises and hoped to learn more about relating classroom computer activity to the rest of the curriculum. He freely admitted that his use of the computer was peripheral to other classroom activities and was worried that he was not exploiting the machine's full potential.

He was extremely interested in the findings of the pilot project and was keen to learn more about the integrated curriculum and its philosophical underpinnings. He was comfortable with a child centred, problem solving approach, was keen to discuss and develop different practices, to change his procedures, and clarify his own personal philosophy.

On numerous occasions he expressed his concern with the stagnant policy direction of the school and his increasing melancholy. Teaching was becoming boring and Jack saw the study as an intellectual challenge that might lift his spirits and possibly rekindle his enthusiasm for the profession.

He was an effective teacher who relied on humour and a loud voice to get his message across. He had a genuine concern for his students and did his job well, but one sensed that the study came along at the right time to rescue him from his despondency. He completed two units of work in second and third terms - The Sea and Australian Geography. He used five pieces of software, Kraken: A Deep Sea Quest, The Print Shop, Explore Australia, Best Bubble Blower, and First Fleet Database.

Analysis of Jack’s experiences suggests a significant shift in his thinking took place during the study. As stated, he was bored and frustrated with teaching. He was searching for a better way of doing things and found it. His enthusiasm for the integrated curriculum and the computer was contagious. At seminars he genuinely immersed himself in the debate, thinking aloud, reflecting, continually clarifying his ideas, and influencing others. He changed. His outlook was positive, he was happy that his children were learning and he became a strong advocate for the integrated curriculum.

Integrating the curriculum make s everything more meaningful and in turn promotes better learning. [t2tcrevl.doc]

It’s easy to plan, its got continuity and it provides for all the children from high achievers to low achievers.[t2tch34.doc]

... you can see some kids’ eyes light up and say yes, I can see why we are doing this. There is a reason for doing it rather than "why are we doing this just because he tells us". They've got a reason to read because they want to.[t3tchevv.doc]

I found it more effective, you know because I'm looking at not simply just doing the activity because it's enjoyable for the sake of it, I'm now doing it for a purpose, ... I don't just go to a book and say there's an activity, I'll give that to the kids ... now I think what sort of activities would help answer these questions ... what haven't I done enough of, are they going to be asking the questions, have they been solving the problems, or are they simply just going to be colouring in the sheet of paper. [Seminar Transcript - 19/5/91]

Through using the integrated program the children are continually being reinforced with spelling words, reading and so on. Each lesson complements the next. Each reinforces knowledge learnt in the previous lesson. For example teaching nouns, verbs and adjectives. If children are taught with new or unknown words from a book they have too many concepts to learn. Using known words from the topic reinforces those words and the children only have to concentrate on what nouns, verbs and adjectives are... A number of children have changed their attitude towards work - very positive now. [t3tchevv.doc]

He also liked the algorithm and saw it as an essential tool or framework for setting up the investigation, structuring appropriate activities and giving the investigation scope and sequence.

The best thing I like about it [the algorithm] was I knew where I was going each week , the kids had decided what they wanted to find out and I had that aim. The kids were getting better quality teaching through deciding themselves... I knew where I was going every week three weeks in advance which made it easier for me to get the work all organised instead of next week I'll do this, next week I'll do that and deciding the day before. Here I had four/five weeks to decide the activities and find the information.[t2tch34.doc]

The algorithm caters for high and low achievers, children behaviour better, children always have work to do, teaches the children to organise and manage their time. Once established very little preparation is needed. [t3fueval.doc]

Through experience with Kraken Greg was also quick to see the potential of the computer component of the algorithm. Apart from the program’s obvious connection to the topic he clearly saw the cognitive and affective connection.

They were very interested in it [Kraken]. They were so eager to do it and even when they solved it they wanted to keep doing it. It tied everything together. By doing other activities it helped to solve problems on the computer. [t2tch34.doc]

I think it is good to have [a cornerstone program]. In my case where I used Kraken, it gave the kids a base rather than "oh what are we doing this for?" It gave them a goal and it just set the scene so it was a good introduction and a good motivator...[t2tch34.doc]

Previous to this school I've had computers and I've never used them. Coming to this school I've used the computers in my class all the time and this year I've seen how to push it. I haven't seen kids that really wanted to do something like a research assignment. I've never seen them wanting to jump into it and do it all the time and take it home.[t2tch34.doc]

The computer is helping to teach the children cooperation and working within a group. It is a terrific aid . Children have had to make sure they include themselves in the group work otherwise they don’t get a go and the group crumbles... A group of four votes to make decisions on the computer. This was devised by the group members themselves. [t2tch34.doc]

He was comfortable with the software classification system and saw its link to the algorithm as a very useful concept which enabled him to plan far more effectively for the use of computers.

It is a good resource to have a suite of software that supports each other and the topic. [t2tcrevl.doc]

It is not just a computer for the sake of a computer. The kids are actually learning to use it and there is a purpose behind it and it is also aiding the work they are doing in class.[t3tchevv.doc]

Changes to his personal teaching philosophy and practice were significant and he freely admitted that some of his old practices were not effective.

I learnt that some of my old techniques of teaching reading, teaching spelling hadn't been successful so I've learnt techniques to make it more successful. I've worked out that I can be organised... I can be organised better and have more reasoning behind lessons than just doing a lesson for the sake of it..[t2tch34.doc]

I think I have come to realise that ... Children need to experiment, experience things and make mistakes. They need lots of discussion. Children no matter whether they are high or low achievers can learn if they feel part of the class and work. Self esteem helps them learn. Once children are working and enjoying themselves they will learn. Children enjoy working in groups. It has aided reading, decision making and problem solving. The focus questions for the week really gave the children something interesting to work towards, and not just a haphazard approach to a theme. [t3fueval.doc]

My teaching now is more systematic, more meaningful, caters better for individual differences, a lot more successful in the language areas, children are more self motivated. [t2tcrevl.doc]

Before entering this [the present study] I believed I worked thematically, but it was not systematic, did not allow enough for individuals and lacked that extra motivation that comes from the children having an influence over the course. Also I have become less a giver of information and more a provider. [t2tcrevl.doc]

He also freely admitted his disillusionment with teaching and how the study had rejuvenated his interest and motivation.

... and it’s maintained an interest for me. I'm already starting for next term trying to find little bits of information that I think the kids might want to know... I'm collecting files and things like that ready for next term, already trying to work out how can I make it interesting because by making it interesting I'm making it easier on myself and that is less work. The kids work better. There are less discipline problems... [t2tch34.doc]

I thought it was a lot of crap when I first started. I though "Oh yeah we've done all this before". You know we've worked this way, but just the little changes have made a big change, like our discussion at the beginning. Having the computer program linked in better. The kids having control over what they like, certain control. A little thing like that which doesn't seem much but, for me, has changed it completely.[t2tch34.doc]

For Jack the study was a very powerful experience, not only did it increase his knowledge and skill in relation to the use of the computer in the classroom but it lifted his spirits and his self esteem. It gave him the opportunity, to examine his practice and change the things he didn’t like, to reinvent himself as a teacher and as a result he was more systematic, more organised, more receptive to the children’s needs, much happier and more confident.

How do I feel about my teaching now? I feel successful. I've always worried about teaching spelling but I think I'm slowly coming to grips with it because I can see the kids improving and their reading too.[t2tch34.doc]

I've been very happy this term probably a lot more interested in my teaching than I've been for a long time, and that’s with less work and the kids are taking more pride in things.[t2tch34.doc]

How has my teaching changed? I utilise the computer better. I provide more opportunities for and am more aware of the low achievers. I can set the class to work and not have to worry about ability grouping. [t3fueval.doc]

I think through discussion and talking about it and all that, I have improved and put a lot of the theory into practice. I really think I have. [t3tchevv.doc]

I've always been, very structured in my class and really pushed for them to learn facts. I've said right, I've got to get these kids to read and read and read. Whereas I've taken a different track this year. Reading for meaning. Reading to find out how to do an activity and writing for all different purposes and I’ve found that you don't actually have to push the kids and say you've got to learn this, you've got to learn that’ They actually start to enjoy reading and want to read and can see a need to read. It's a scary thing. [t3tchevv.doc]

It is the researcher’s opinion that the research design used in this study will serve as a positive role model for future researchers wishing to pursue an action research methodology.

One of the difficulties in using action research is finding research designs which can be used as a framework or examples, because of the highly idiosyncratic nature of action research. Studies are usually developed in response to a particular problem and the solutions developed may not be appropriate in other circumstances. This is further complicated by the academic debate surrounding action research.

Despite its idiosyncratic nature there are many aspects of the research design used in this study which would aid researchers wishing to adopt an action research methodology, especially the synthesis of ideas that distinguishes action research from other forms of research, and the attention given to establishing the trustworthiness of the study.

The second implication for research is that this study helps to demonstrate just how difficult it can be to do action research. Its reliance on careful planning, innovative action, detailed observation, and deep reflection makes it time consuming and demanding. For the classroom teacher it requires a deep commitment to solve the problem. For researchers and facilitators it requires exceptional interpersonal skills to hold the whole project together, and advanced research skills to analyse qualitative data and tease out findings.

It is important for those contemplating action research to understand just how difficult and time consuming it can be to establish and maintain a project that is going to yield trustworthy results. The researcher believes that the knowledge built in this study aids that understanding.

The third implication for research is in the area of further investigation that this study illuminates. Some of these areas have been alluded to throughout the course of the dissertation. They include, the selection of the Topic, what to do with composite classes, the use of Bloom’s taxonomy, the development of evaluation strategies, further investigation of the Supporting Software component of the software classification system, a closer look at the effects of the instructional strategy on student learning, and further investigation of participants in order to judge the effectiveness

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