Complete thesis - Murdoch University

unspoken agendas of groups within the organisation.Educational Action Research places the researcher in the dual position of producer ofeducation theory/policy and user of that theory through practice• it is interventionist – the change in existing practice implicit in Action Research requiresthe researcher to act as agent of change while acknowledging that the changes thatoccur are not solely due to the actions taken. However, as an insider the researcheris more likely to know about the behaviours and attitudes of individuals within theorganisation/group and has confirmation from others over years. The researcher is ina position to reasonably predict responses by individuals, which is useful for the nextpoint• it is flexible enough to adopt any methods that satisfy its raison d’être. With thepotential to provide feedback holistically, the research ideas are allowed to evolve andemerge as part of an ongoing learning and reflection process. Again the researcher asdeep insider is able to shape the research dynamically to check predictions made andtrack changes.In an environment that attempts to address the disparity between formal education in a disciplineand practitioners’ expectations of it, these characteristics of Action Research provideleverage.9.3.1 Criteria for qualityAlternative frameworks are suggested as needed to support Action Research as rigorous andhigh quality, without sacrificing its relevance. Criteria for the evaluation of interpretiveresearch were described in Chapter 4 – Table 9.4 provides a summary. These criteria havebeen borne in mind throughout the research. The rest of this section provides some examples,drawn from the thesis, to illustrate what evidence exists to address them.Outcome Did it solve the problem? This criterion requires that action emerging from thestudy leads towards resolution of the problem (and can be applied to subsequent researchcycles). The dynamic nature of the discipline (and of a learning environment thataddresses the needs of a discipline) suggest the problem cannot be ’solved’. However,closer alignment between the two allows for a ‘satisficing’ 2 . In terms of the researchitself, each subsequent cycle has been informed by the previous. Thus issues raised in2 a term introduced by Simon (1956) to indicate a decision to pursue a course of action that will satisfythe minimum requirements necessary to enable a particular goal to be achieved401