What are the best practices and tools for action research or practitioner inquiry?

1 Define your focus

The first step of any action research or practitioner inquiry is to identify and define your focus. This means clarifying what you want to investigate, why it matters, and what you hope to achieve. Your focus should be relevant, realistic, and responsive to your own practice and context. You can use various methods to define your focus, such as reflecting on your experiences, reviewing existing literature, consulting with colleagues or stakeholders, or conducting a needs assessment. You should also formulate a clear and specific research question or aim that guides your inquiry.

2 Plan your action

The next step is to plan your action, which means deciding how you will implement and evaluate your inquiry. This involves choosing an appropriate research design, methods, and tools that suit your focus, context, and resources. You should also consider the ethical implications of your inquiry, such as obtaining consent, protecting confidentiality, and ensuring validity and reliability. You should develop a detailed and feasible action plan that outlines your goals, activities, timelines, roles, and responsibilities.

4 Reflect and act

The final step is to reflect and act, which means making sense of your findings and taking action based on them. You should communicate and share your results with your intended audience, such as your colleagues, students, parents, or administrators. You should also discuss the implications, limitations, and recommendations of your inquiry, and identify the next steps for improvement or further research. You should evaluate the impact and value of your inquiry, and celebrate your achievements and learning.

5 Use online tools

One way to enhance your action research or practitioner inquiry is to use online tools that can help you with various aspects of your process. For example, you can use online platforms, such as Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, or Qualtrics, to create and distribute surveys, quizzes, or feedback forms. You can also use online software, such as NVivo, Atlas.ti, or Dedoose, to manage and analyze qualitative data, such as transcripts, documents, or images. You can also use online resources, such as Action Research Network, Practitioner Inquiry Hub, or The Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, to access examples, guides, journals, or networks related to action research or practitioner inquiry.

6 Learn from others

Another way to improve your action research or practitioner inquiry is to learn from others who have conducted similar or relevant inquiries in their own contexts. You can read and review published articles, books, or reports that showcase action research or practitioner inquiry projects in various educational settings and topics. You can also participate in online or face-to-face communities of practice, workshops, or conferences that offer opportunities to exchange ideas, feedback, or support with other researchers or practitioners. You can also collaborate with mentors, peers, or partners who can provide guidance, advice, or assistance throughout your inquiry.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?