Introduction to Action Research & Innovation: 19 MCQs with answers

Kurt Lewin

The source states that Kurt Lewin first coined the term 'action research', and his basic principles are still in use today.

The social sciences

The source explicitly states that action research is generally applied in the social sciences.

Transformative change

The source states that action research seeks transformative change through the simultaneous process of taking action and doing research.

Critical reflection

The source states that action and research are linked together by critical reflection.

Action research

She is studying her own teaching context while taking action to improve it — this is action research.

Their own teaching and their students

The source states action research is done by teachers to understand their own teaching and also to understand students.

True

**Kurt Lewin** first coined the term "action research", and the basic principles he described are still in use today.

Knowledge directly applicable to the teacher's own context

The source states action research is more interested in gaining knowledge that can be directly applied to the teacher's own teaching context.

Methodology

The source describes action research as a philosophy and methodology of research.

It is valid and useful in the context that generated it

The source explains that knowledge from action research is situated — valid and useful in the context that generated it.

Deliberate, systematic, reflective inquiry

The source states that action research differs from everyday teaching because of deliberate, systematic inquiry.

Action and research become two disconnected activities

The source states that skipping reflection leaves action and research as two disconnected activities.

The understanding must feed back into changed practice

Action research seeks transformative change — the understanding has to feed back into changed practice, not stop at understanding.

Standardized testing

The three strands are taking action, doing research, and critical reflection. Standardized testing is not one of them.

Findings are produced in practice, in the classroom itself

The source states findings do not need translation from theory into practice because they are produced in practice.

Action, research, and reflection run at the same time

The source describes action, research, and reflection as running simultaneously, not as separate sequential stages.

It connects action and research, ensuring they inform each other.

Critical reflection is essential because it links action and research, ensuring that the insights gained from the action inform future practices and research, thus completing the cycle.

It overlooks the importance of critical reflection in the process.

The flaw in the statement is that it overlooks the importance of critical reflection, which transforms ordinary teaching into action research by ensuring that the teacher systematically studies their practice with the intent to gain knowledge and improve.

Taking action, which is crucial for initiating the research process.

The teacher is primarily engaging in 'taking action', which is significant because it initiates the research process and allows for the collection of data that will inform future reflection and adjustments, embodying the simultaneous nature of action research.