The developing stage of action research consists primarily of taking the results of your data analysis, your interpretations of those results, and the final conclusions drawn from the interpretations and formulating a plan of action for the future.
Action planning is the action part of action research.
Action plans can be informal (e.g., brief statements about the implementation of a new practice or a plan to reflect or share what has been learned) or formal (e.g., a presentation outline or a complete research report).
There are five “typical” outcomes from action research:
developing a greater understanding of an educational situation
discovering a new problem
finding a program to be effective
finding a program to need modification
finding a program to be ineffective
Organization of your action planning can be accomplished through the use of a Steps to Action Chart.
Action planning can occur at the individual, team, school, or district level.
Practicing professional reflection is an important component of the action-planning phase.
Reflect on intended as well as unintended outcomes of the study for the purpose of planning future professional development.
Reflect on the action research study itself, focusing on the research questions and methodology employed.
