Methodology
Action Research
Action Research carried out by teachers, support staff and managers in the ICT Test Bed schools and colleges makes two unique contributions to the ICT Test Bed Evaluation:
- As 'insiders' experiencing the ICT Test Bed project in their work on a daily basis, the action researchers provide unique knowledge and insights which would otherwise be inaccessible to the evaluation team.
- The process of carrying out action research provides a powerful incentive to engage more deeply with the work of the ICT Test Bed project, enabling teachers, support staff and managers to explore the purposes of the innovation more fully and try out new approaches with the support of a link researcher from the evaluation team. Involvement in research in this way is well known to be a successful strategy for continuing professional development.
The Action Research Reports have a dual purpose: first as case studies in their own right to be published in the ICT Test Bed Evaluation pages on this site; and second as individual studies in a series of reports available to the evaluation team for cross-case analysis and theory building (Somekh 1993; Yin 1993).
The link researchers in the evaluation team have taken responsibility for building relationships with teachers and other staff, encouraging them to take part in action research, supporting them in undertaking this work which for most was a novel experience, and providing editorial support for their writing.
It has not been easy for teachers and other staff to undertake this work in addition to their other full time responsibilities. Although levels of commitment have been high and the reports bear testimony to the enthusiasm of their authors and the value of their work, the evaluators have needed to adopt a wide range of support strategies, including the action research 'celebration events' held in two of the clusters in June 2004; and the decision to invite those who had completed action research studies in the third cluster to take on the role of research leaders.