ACTION RESEARCH: THE ART OF AN EDUCATIONAL INQUIRER


This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Bath for the degree of Master of Education


Peggy (Kok) Leong


ABSTRACT

This dissertation traces my journey, as a teacher researcher, to the core of the Living Education Theory approach to action research in order that I may be able to embark confidently on action research activities based on this approach in future.

By the time I started on this dissertation, I had completed two assignments in the Action Research modules 1 and 2 over two terms. The first three chapters of this dissertation concentrate on my search for knowledge relating to the nature of educational theory, educational research and the reasons for the displacement of traditional methods of educational research by action research as the way forward in the education of teachers.

In the last section of Chapter three, I give in detail an account of my action research inquiry to show how action research based on the Living Educational Theory approach is carried out and from there I analysed the philosophy behind this approach in Chapter 4.

Chapter 5 is a discussion on the concern with the validity of action research accounts and four criteria of judgments proposed by me.

Chapter 6, the last chapter would have been an analysis of a few case-studies of action research inquiries to determine the validity of their claims and whether they have been carried out in a systematic and rigorous way. But this was not the case as an unexpected discovery along my journey rendered this plan unnecessary and instead directed me to pursue another ending to this dissertation concerned with the art of education.

The pages within these covers contain not just thoughts and the ability to analyse and synthesise. There is originality as well, for no one else has been through the same educational experience, let alone write an account in exactly the same way.


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