Anyone and anywhere should research their own practices, activities and behaviours. Research is about offering explanations to those, that is, personal theories of practice that are grounded in the practice itself.
If your research need to be seen as a legitimate form of research it has to demonstrate its potential for knowledge and theory generation.
Work research is about evaluating a concept or practice to check whether it is as good as you would like it to be, identifying areas that need improving and action the improvements. Research also improve the quality of our thinking as well as our relations with others.
We always need to be aware of what we need to research, action it, and then describing on what was done and why. This way we are creating our theory.
We do research when we want to find out something that we do not know already. We also often test the validity of findings against the critical feedback of others.
Knowledge
When doing research we need to explore our current knowledge and create a new one. This is to contribute to the existing knowledge of a particular topic.
There are also many ways of doing research, but all of them will include discovering new knowledge, testing the knowledge, creating theory and finally, sharing it with others.
1. Discovering new knowledge
Research is about finding something that is already known and than creation of new knowledge when you invent something to develop new way of working or behaviour.
Making knowledge claims is serious because it involves reassuring others of your integrity.
You want to create original knowledge and explain its value. Knowledge claims also need to be kept in context. Sometimes we make definite statements as they are true for all. It is always wisest to hold your knowledge lightly as it might fe true for some and not for others.
Our personal knowledge, however, is the foundation of everything we do.
2. Testing the knowledge
Testing knowledge can be problematic as it becomes your responsibility to provide evidence to test the validity of your claim. If you cannot do this, you should not expect people to believe you. Validation of your claims is part of responsible research.
3. Creating new theory
Demonstrating the credibility of a knowledge claim means offering an explanation. We all have many, many theories. There are different types and forms of theory too. The most known is the conceptual (abstract) theory. Most valued by academics and universities. We know that learning is achieved by applying theory to practice:"if you do this, this will happen". We create meaning to something by interaction, try them. They might work or not.
4. Sharing
Research and creating theories should always be done for others as well to create mutual benefit. Making your research public can be very important. This is because others learn with you and from you and shows that you are capable of speaking for yourself.
Methodology
Methodology encompasses theory and the analysis on how to address it in the form of methods. Doing research is therefore a way of investigating the activities, behaviours and practices of everyday life.
Generally, research is performed in some systematic way. We first identify the research issue, goals and questions. Than we gather data and identify criteria by which we analyse the information. We than generate evidence associated with the analysis then make a provisional knowledge claim.
We should then test and validate the information and create new theory and modify the practice to finally disseminate findings.
Identifying a research issue would involve hypothesis or idea to be explored. Than we, of course formulate the research question. We should state the purpose of our research. We might adopt the position of outsider research by observing others or get involved as an insider position.
When designing the research the rationale on why research is performed should be designed as well as a plan on how it should be conducted.
The seeding also may consists of the idea about the testing of the knowledge claims. Ethical considerations and intended use of research are also to be considered.
We than take the action. In professional research an experiment is generally performed. It may involve manipulating the variables to show the results.
Research should involve notes, monitoring of progress and keeping records.
We can than judge the quality of the research. It is generally done y defining relevant quality criteria. Generally in research these will involve the repeatability and generalisability, or the archived outcome.
We than can make a claim to knowledge. This is normally done by showing how the knowledge was generated, tested of accepted. You can ask yourself a question whether your claim is believable. People may apply the knowledge and receive the same results, this could be one example of obtaining the validity. This can also be observed, when others achieve the meaning of the research and find it useful.
You may also expose the claim to the critique of others. You may check whether you sound sincere and whether it is looking truthful.
We also need to express the significance of the claim and how it can benefit ourselves and others. This is fully expressed with creating a theory. "Theory" is an explanation grounded on what and how something is known.
We may also include the showing the potential of improvement by addressing and using the new theory. You may be able to explain how something become improved and how the claim validity has been tested.
Why research is important?
Research is a commitment to reflection, knowledge generation and transformation. It plays an important role in problem solving. It is generating improvement in behaviour, activity or practice. It also improves learning even when something need fixing, but things do not need to be faulty to improve.
Some would say it is about trying to reach the end point when it eventually will be perfect. It comes from general assumption that answer can be found to anything. We must understand that people have the choice to learn by themselves and do not have to be influenced by you.
Anyone, however, regardless of status can understand themselves as educators. Anyone can be a researcher, regardless of age, status or social profession. Research motivates us to improve oneself with the creation of new knowledge or practice. It, therefore, allows to take responsibility for ourselves. Sustaining ourselves. It allows for deconstruction of our thinking and thinking of others. It allows to question our assumptions and take actions to substantiate them.
References:
Jean McNiff, 2016, You and your action Research Project,
Taylor and Francis Research Group
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