A handbook for Exploratory Action Research

Desire for new action
It is also possible that, based on your new understanding
of the situation, you will feel the need to change something, 
in other words implement a teaching idea that you think will 
help. If you then collect data and analyse it to see what 
change actually occurs, you will be engaging in action 
research (and not just ‘new action’). 
Since you have already explored the existing situation
in some depth, it can both be satisfying and relatively 
straightforward to analyse differences between the 
situation ‘before’ and ‘after’ you try to bring about change. 
In the next chapter (Chapter Eight), we will consider further 
how to make this kind of before vs. after comparison (and 
how to plan to gather data to help you with the 
comparison). Here (in Chapter Seven), we’ll continue to try 
to help you identify what to change. 
So, we’ll assume both in the rest of this and in the next 
chapter that your new understanding of a situation leads 
you to want to change something about it. which will lead 
you into ‘action research’. 
A. Plan
to explore
B. Explore
C. Analyse 
and reflect
1. Plan
(to change)
2. Act
3. Observe
4. Reflect
?
exploration
action

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What shall I change? | 
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Remember, action research is like this: 
Do you, then, feel a need to change anything in your 
practice – a different way of teaching, organising your 
class, supporting your learners, etc? If so, what exactly
do you want to change? 
Having carried out your exploratory research, do you think 
you might need and/or want to move into action research? 
If you do, read on!