I guess the best way for me to describe what I have learned about action research so far is...I'M CONFUSED!!!! Lets start with just research in general. To me if someone wanted to find out more on a subject or why certain process are struggling the intelligent and natural thing to do would be to investigate or "research" into that subject or process and look at the data to develop a better understanding of the current outcomes. #SARCASM
However, apparently there is a difference between research and educational research. And there is also a difference between educational research and action research. I guess whatever the difference is between all of these "types" of research is above my intelligence because I think and have always thought that is what research is. So far I just have not seen what the "major discovery" is in regards to action research. I hope that throughout the remainder of this course some things will start to make sense but as of now there isn't much. The only thing that I have seen any different is action research is being called such because it is completed by someone within the organization as opposed to an outside person that has nothing to do with normal day to day operations doing the research. If that is the only thing that is different, consider me disappointed.
I totally understand your thoughts on there being more than one way to research and how it can be very confusing. The way that I understand it ( I use that term very loosely)is that action research is different in the way that you use collaborative help to pose the question, look at the data, then make your final decision. In education you will have shared governance where all have a say. that is so far what I am getting from it.
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