Action Research

Pre-requisites: Student should have his own educational practice or the possibility to conduct the first steps of research in the particular educational practice (kindergarten, school, etc.)

Course objectives: Introducing students into the specific characteristics, principles and procedures of action research in practical-technical and methodological-epistemological aspect.

Course description: Origin and basic characteristics of action research: practice as the subject of action research: the relation between theory and practice, action and learning: differences in regard to other approaches in educational research. Action research method: spiral cycle of planning-action-monitoring-evaluation. Types of reflection, self-evaluation and professional criticism. Types of action research and their epistemological frames: the role of researcher/facilitator. Action research as a way of curriculum development, transformation of educational institutions into learning communities and practitioners’ professional development towards the reflexive practitioners’ community. Practical course: Field research.

Learning Outcomes: Student is familiar with the characteristics and the method of action research and understands the difference in regard to other types of research; understands the epistemological standpoints and the ranges of different types of action research; is able to apply techniques for collecting and analysing the data as a foundation for the reflection.

Literature/Reading:

• Atweh, B., Kemmis, S., Weeks., P., 1998, Action Research in Practice, London, Routledge
• Carr, W., Kemmis, S., 1986, Becoming Critical
• Elliott, J., 1985, "Facilitating action research in schools: Some dilemmas", u: R. Burges, ed: Field Methods in the Study od Education, London, The Falmer Press
• Elliott, J., 1991, Action Research for Educational Change, Buckingham, Open University Press ((43-90);
• Elliott, J., 1998, The Curriculum Experiment, Buckingham, Open University Press. (178 -190);
• Kemmis, S, & McTaggart, R., 1988, The Action Research Planner, Geelong, Victoria, Deakin University Press
• Pešić, M., 1989, "Programiranje vaspitno-obrazovnog rada po oblastima: jedno akciono istraživanje", Predškolsko dete, vol. 19, br. 2
• Pešić, M., 1998, "Alternativne epistemologije pedagoških istraživanja" i "Akciono istraživanje i kritička teorija vaspitanja", u: Pešić i sar., Pedagogija u akciji, Beograd, IPA