WGU C224-Research Foundations Modules 6-10 of 15 || Already
Graded A+.
Identify the purpose of action research
(Action Research) correct answers Action research is focused on addressing and solving specific
problems that educational professionals face in their local schools and communities.
Action research sometimes uses only quantitative approaches and sometimes only qualitative
approaches; however, action research often relies on multiple or mixed methods. What makes
action research distinct is that it is always focused on producing change in workplaces and
communities.
It starts
with the goal of generating local (not national) knowledge, and it often results in changes to
established practices. It is often used to experiment and try out new strategies and practices, with
the researcher carefully measuring and observing the outcomes and consequences in his or her
workplace.
Describe the origin of action research
(Action Research) correct answers There is no perfect starting point for the origin or founding of
action research, but most action research historians consider Kurt Lewin (1890-1947) to be the
founder. This is because Lewin first coined the term action research and he practiced applied
social research during the 1930s and 1940s until his untimely death in 1947. Kurt Lewin was
also a well-known social psychologist. He is often considered the father of academic social
psychology in the United States. Lewin tried to link theory with action, and he spent his career
attempting to solve social problems. He wanted to connect national problems with local
problems, such as racism, sexism and poverty.
Know Lewin's Change Theory
,(Action Research) correct answers According to his force field theory, where we are right now
and what we routinely do in our lives tends not to change very much. Why? We are in what
Lewin called a quasi-stationary equilibrium that is the result of forces for change (driving forces)
and forces against change (restraining forces) being about equal.
Quasi-stationary equilibrium- that is the result of forces for change
Driving forces
Three phases
Unfreezing - Changing - Refreezing
(Action Research) correct answers Action researchers often conduct a force field analysis to
identify the forces that are pushing for change (such as a vision for something better than the
status quo) and the forces that are resisting change to the status quo (e.g., tradition, politics,
power, custom).
3 phases to Lewin's change theory:
1. unfreezing-identifying and removing resisting forces
2. changing-creating an imbalance of forces such that driving forces are greater relative to
resisting forces
3. refreezing-reaching a new equilibrium state
John Dewey's approach to inquiry
(Action Research) correct answers Another major influence on action research, especially in
education, was the work of John Dewey (1859-1952). Dewey was an educator, a philosopher,
and a psychologist. In the late 19th century, he critiqued stimulus-response (S-R) psychology that
viewed human behavior as merely the result of stimuli and responses pairings (and punishment
and reinforcement). Instead, Dewey in 1896 was the earliest advocate for S-O-R (Stimulus-
Organism-Response) psychology. He inserted the thinking and acting organism (O) into the
observed stimulus response relationship.
, Dewey also was one of the original American philosophical pragmatists who said that humans:
observe the consequences of their actions
determine what works in what situations
act in ways to produce what we value and improve our world
Transactional inquiry
(Action Research) correct answers transactional theory, we are not separate from, but rather are
part of, our environments. Our environments affect us and we affect our environments,
continuously. Dewey argued that humans are adaptive organisms, continuously trying to improve
their world.
Deweyan inquiry process:
1. something's wrong
2. the problem seems to be
3. maybe what i should do is..
4. doing that would mean
5. let's try this and see what happens
9 components of Action Research correct answers 1. purpose
2. research questions
3. assumptions
4. sampling methods
5. data collection methods
6. research methods
7. quality criteria
Graded A+.
Identify the purpose of action research
(Action Research) correct answers Action research is focused on addressing and solving specific
problems that educational professionals face in their local schools and communities.
Action research sometimes uses only quantitative approaches and sometimes only qualitative
approaches; however, action research often relies on multiple or mixed methods. What makes
action research distinct is that it is always focused on producing change in workplaces and
communities.
It starts
with the goal of generating local (not national) knowledge, and it often results in changes to
established practices. It is often used to experiment and try out new strategies and practices, with
the researcher carefully measuring and observing the outcomes and consequences in his or her
workplace.
Describe the origin of action research
(Action Research) correct answers There is no perfect starting point for the origin or founding of
action research, but most action research historians consider Kurt Lewin (1890-1947) to be the
founder. This is because Lewin first coined the term action research and he practiced applied
social research during the 1930s and 1940s until his untimely death in 1947. Kurt Lewin was
also a well-known social psychologist. He is often considered the father of academic social
psychology in the United States. Lewin tried to link theory with action, and he spent his career
attempting to solve social problems. He wanted to connect national problems with local
problems, such as racism, sexism and poverty.
Know Lewin's Change Theory
,(Action Research) correct answers According to his force field theory, where we are right now
and what we routinely do in our lives tends not to change very much. Why? We are in what
Lewin called a quasi-stationary equilibrium that is the result of forces for change (driving forces)
and forces against change (restraining forces) being about equal.
Quasi-stationary equilibrium- that is the result of forces for change
Driving forces
Three phases
Unfreezing - Changing - Refreezing
(Action Research) correct answers Action researchers often conduct a force field analysis to
identify the forces that are pushing for change (such as a vision for something better than the
status quo) and the forces that are resisting change to the status quo (e.g., tradition, politics,
power, custom).
3 phases to Lewin's change theory:
1. unfreezing-identifying and removing resisting forces
2. changing-creating an imbalance of forces such that driving forces are greater relative to
resisting forces
3. refreezing-reaching a new equilibrium state
John Dewey's approach to inquiry
(Action Research) correct answers Another major influence on action research, especially in
education, was the work of John Dewey (1859-1952). Dewey was an educator, a philosopher,
and a psychologist. In the late 19th century, he critiqued stimulus-response (S-R) psychology that
viewed human behavior as merely the result of stimuli and responses pairings (and punishment
and reinforcement). Instead, Dewey in 1896 was the earliest advocate for S-O-R (Stimulus-
Organism-Response) psychology. He inserted the thinking and acting organism (O) into the
observed stimulus response relationship.
, Dewey also was one of the original American philosophical pragmatists who said that humans:
observe the consequences of their actions
determine what works in what situations
act in ways to produce what we value and improve our world
Transactional inquiry
(Action Research) correct answers transactional theory, we are not separate from, but rather are
part of, our environments. Our environments affect us and we affect our environments,
continuously. Dewey argued that humans are adaptive organisms, continuously trying to improve
their world.
Deweyan inquiry process:
1. something's wrong
2. the problem seems to be
3. maybe what i should do is..
4. doing that would mean
5. let's try this and see what happens
9 components of Action Research correct answers 1. purpose
2. research questions
3. assumptions
4. sampling methods
5. data collection methods
6. research methods
7. quality criteria
