Action Research

Practitioner inquiry or also known as action research is a method of research that solves a problem or provokes change. This method is beneficial for administrators as well as teachers. It allows the practitioner to play a major role in the entire process, not just execution of a solution. Traditional methods, such as process- product and qualitative or interpretive studies, mainly have researchers outside of your school or district doing all the work. They don’t know what problems your individual school has. They are providing answers to a generalized situation and have no idea what is actually being done or going on in the school. Therefore action research plans provide the school or district with more relevant information.
I am a health and physical education teacher. I can use action research right in my own department. Over the past few years, our department has tried to incorporate some new fitness activities and techniques that are non-traditional. We have been curious to know if they are actually working or if we need to go back to more traditional exercises. I can conduct a research plan by using standardized fitness tests. I have collected data in previous years for my own inquisition. I can use that data and compare it with the data I collect from this year. Therefore I would be comparing the results of students with traditional exercises and those with non-traditional activities.