Work Based Learning and
Continuing Professional Development

Action Research

We support individuals and/or small working groups in organisations to find solutions to workplace problems through the facilitation of collaborative Action Research groups.

Our role will be to support participants to develop:

• understanding of Action Research and to prompt them to put in place the key principles of Action Research as they determine the project strategy
• appropriate research skills to enable effective investigation to be undertaken
• sustainable outcomes for their organisation

What is Action Research?

Action Research explores issues of direct relevance to those involved in the research, diagnosing and finding solutions to problems within their organisation. The module explores best practice and others' successes to enable participants to bring about change in their own organisations while developing their own personal practice.

Introducing Action Research

Understanding Action Research
Developing an Action Research proposal
Clarifying reason, focus and scope of a project
Ethics of being an insider researcher

Research skills

Research methods
Gathering and recording data
Anticipating challenges, issues, pitfalls
Informed consent

The participants conduct initial cycles of Action Research

Review and strategy development

Collating, analysing and interpreting data gathered
Draw out conclusions, make recommendations for action and implementation

Assessment is linked to the delivery of an organisation presentation or report and individual reflections on being an insider researcher.