La desigualdad como determinante del gasto social

Identifying initial idea

Revise general idea

Revise general idea Implement action steps 1 Implement next action steps Implement next action steps Monitor implementation and effects 'Reconnaissance' (fact finding and analysis) Monitor implementation and effects Monitor implementation and effects Action Steps 1 Action Steps 2 Action Steps 3 General Plan Action Steps 1 Action Steps 2 Action Steps 3 Amended plan 'Reconnaissance'

(explain any failure to implement, and effects) Action Steps 1 Action Steps 2 Action Steps 3 Amended plan 'Reconnaissance'

(explain any failure to implement, and effects)

'Reconnaissance' (explain any failure to implement, and effects)

Source: Hopkins 1985, p36/37 Fig 2.4 Elliott’s visualisation of the action research progression.

...to think of it as comprising of a series of successive cycles, each incorporating the possibility for the feedback of information within and between cycles. Such a description is not nearly so neat as conceiving of the process as a spiral, neither does it lend itself quite so tidily to a diagrammatic representation. In my view the idealised process of educational action research can be more appropriately represented like... (see Fig 2.5)

Figure 2.5 Ebbutt's model of the action research process.

Reconnaissance! either Action 1 Action 2 etc General idea Action 2 etc Overall plan Action 2 etc Reconnaissance Amend general idea Amended general idea Revise overall plan Revised

overall plan Newoverall plan

Monitoring and

reconnaissance

Source: Hopkins (1985), p38

Whichever of these models one holds as being the best representation of action research it is apparent that the central route through a programme of action research is not linear and must develop over an extended period of time because of the cyclical nature of the progression through the programme. In addition, it is unlikely that the stages in the cycles are clearly defined, the reflective phase of one cycle will frequently merge with the target identification and planning for the next. The cycles themselves may be short-term projects designed to quickly gather information and then return to the field with fresh initiatives or may be fully integrated

within the overall action plan. Both of these alternatives will allow feedback to the main stem of the research. The former need not be a sequential approach and may in some ways prove to be more flexible by permitting the researcher to investigate further the salient points of the projects as revealed during the evaluation stages.

It was specified at the outset of this research that the work should not in any way interfere with either the teachers' teaching or the students' learning and that all the outcomes would be channelled into attempting to make the science courses in the school more suitable for our students. It was intended that ultimately we would, by virtue of developing improved techniques, resources and contexts, help to make all our students more receptive to science.

It seemed, therefore, essential that the investigations in this research were allowed to develop freely rather than adhering to a rigid and prescriptive model. With this freedom the professional demands of the teachers need not be compromised and the freedom of response of the students may be maximised. Hopkins (1985) made the following comments in relation to the process-led models of action research:

...the tight specification of process steps and cycles may trap teachers within a framework which they may come to depend on and which will consequently inhibit independent action. The original purpose of teacher research was to free teachers from the constraints of prespecified research designs. (p40)

Hopkins did not intend these comments to indicate a complete lack of structure and proposed:

It is useful to have a guide for action, my concern is when it becomes, or appears to become, prescriptive. (p40)

The students, as the consumers, are the ones who can indicate those areas of school science and science teaching which are causing them to 'turn off; the research mechanism should be fluid enough to be able to pick up these pointers and then use them to identify the problems and develop ways to counteract them.

The Action Research Programme

This programme identified its aims on quite a broad base initially, but as the action cycles produced evidence and information these became more refined. Figure 2.6 records the chronology of the Research Tasks with a brief explanation of each task. Figure 2.7, (the Research Log) identifies the input/feedback relationships which link the Research Tasks and Areas. It soon became apparent that the students were frequently viewing their experiences in science lessons in a very different way to which we, the teachers, had intended. Consequently the research became finely focussed on the attitudes of the students and considered some ways in which these could be assessed and changed. Only then could we begin to consider attempting to improve techniques, resources and contexts.

I gave a great deal of thought to the way in which the action research in this programme should be approached. Hopkins (1985) counselled that the model for action research should not be so rigid that it would prevent the researcher picking up the cues and clues given by the students. If this spontaneity of approach were not permitted then it is unlikely that a true understanding of the issues creating the problem could be reached.

Hopkins does, however, specify the following five criteria which should influence the conception of the action research plan. He firstly proposed that the research should not interfere with the fundamental role of the teacher, and by implication, should not interfere with the learning processes of the students. This had already been specified as an integral part of this development. He suggested that the research problem should not only be one to which the teacher was committed but should also show a careful regard for ethical and professional procedure. His final criteria were that the methodology used for the research should be reliable and that the methods of data collection should not be too demanding of the teacher's time, this final point is a natural consequence of the first.

Figure 2.6 The chronology of the Research Tasks carried out in Phases One and Two of the research.

TASK 1. June 1987 - visits to junior schools to carry out work based on APU