Collecting Data

According to Sagor (2005) action research, whether descriptive or quasi-experimental, “views data collection through the anthropologists’ lens”; this is to say, that you as teacher - researcher “observe, document, and try to understand” what happens within the classroom on the light of your research question and objectives. Therefore, the researcher should understand the following:

• “Why the target was hit or missed,
• How various elements of the theory of action contributed to success or failure, &
• What could be learned from this undertaking that might help illuminate other related aspects”

In addition to understanding the nature of action research, the researcher needs to take into account how s/he will achieve validity of his/her project. According to Pelto & Pelto as cited by Mills (1999), validity “refers to the degree to which scientific observations actually measure or record what they purport to measure”.


Triangulation becomes then the “best known way of checking for validity. The aim of triangulation is to gather multiple perspectives on the situation being studied”. (Burns, 1999)

Keeping the above points in mind, below you will find a table containing the data collection techniques to be used during this research project.

References:

Burns, A. (1999). Collaborative action research for English language teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Mills, G. (1999). Action Research: A guide for the Teacher Researcher. Prentice Hall.

Sagor, R. (2005). The Action Research Guidebook. USA: Corwin Press.

 

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