Introduction
It is a common belief that acquiring
knowledge can empower an individual for the notion of facts and truths guides a
person on how to proceed on things that must be attended to. In every decision
an individual makes, comprehension and weighing of information play a vital
role on what and how certain actions and attitudes will be conceptualized and
performed.
When the complexity of the nature,
source and limit of a particular knowledge is exposed in terms of the
perspective used by a person, conflict on what point of view to follow along
with the beliefs and values a person holds, most often than not determines the
behavior, given that the person is aware of the possible principles and truths he
or she could consider. Resolving the conflict of different truths presents the
various kinds of knowledge and its numerous sources and dynamics resulting to
different studies that tried to answer and give light on the confusion brought
about by the bulk of information available.
In designer’s discipline, it is notable
the relevance of development and progress not just of knowledge that governs
the field but most importantly of the application and benefits of the
implementation as well as sharing of a particular body of thought. The designing
profession is considered greatly in terms of professional development since the
future of all other professions is very much dependent on the efficiency and
effectiveness of the people in the academic discipline in their responsibility
to impart knowledge. Professional development helps me eliminates the
discrepancy between the current design practice programs and strategies
employed in the academic community, and the ideal setting of being able to
achieve and benefit from the set goals and objectives which are most ideal for
the improvement of the design practice.
The design practice is at present being
confronted with development issues that call for immediate attention and
deliberation of people in the organizations. As in indicated in my RP model, the
traditional techniques of designing practices are being challenged in terms of
its efficiency and effectiveness of research stages for the improvement of issues.
Assessment and evaluation of design
processes not just in the perspective of the instructors but also of the
students will help clarify the development issues that beset the designing
profession and likewise enumerate the benefits and advantages of implementing
current design guidelines in the academic community. Validity and reliability
measures of these new designing strategies should be highly thought of by
academicians so as to improve and achieve the objectives of shaping better
learned individuals for the future of the society.
Action
Research Defined
The term action research characterizes the scientific inquiry of
professionals in investigating the environment and conditions of their working
environment in their goal to achieve professional excellence (Welch, 1998).
This is an alternative research methodological approach in which an individual
looks into his or her own situation and the context of the surroundings in
which he or she is in so as to derive knowledge and information that will best
fit the needs of the members of the discipline. This particular type of
systematic investigation deviates from the common or the popular notion and use
of the word research (Welch, 1998).
Contrary to the empirical
characterization of scholastic researching wherein statistics and other
empirical observations are manipulated, action research highlights the
performance part or the application and implementation of current developments
in a particular field. The course in research may categorize this type of
academic inquiry into the applied research classification in which the investigation
is motivated by the need to provide solutions to current issues and problems
that beset a particular profession. This type of academic research is geared
towards the realization or application of the solutions suggested by the results
and findings of the study (Welch, 1998).
Normally, professionals who engage in
action researches are supported or funded by their academic community or
professional discipline for them to avail of the opportunities to contribute to
their field of expertise. But it is the designing profession that usually
partakes in this type of academic endeavor in the educators’ never-ending quest
to contribute and improve the educational system for the benefit and well-being
of the future members of the society. Action research has long been recognized
in England and Australia and since the year 1990, Canada and the United States
of America have been observe to take some growing interest in the advantages of
this particular research technique and strategic inquiry. This could have been
fuelled by the action-oriented approach of the paradigm.
The processes involved in undertaking
action researches are simple which are primarily directed by its objective to
provide understanding and clarity regarding the current practice and
application of the designing methods in the academe:
1) Usually, the researcher determines first the
focus or primary concern that beset and highly influences the teaching
experience and thereby the designing aptitude of the students.
2) Ways and measures are then explored to find
the most accurate means of addressing the problems and issues being observed in
order to come up with comprehensive solutions.
3) Information and other forms of evidences are
then collected that will help provide answers to the challenges that confronts
the discipline.
4) Finally, validation or confirmations of the
conceptualized solutions are examined for reliability so as to formulate
recommendations and solutions which, if applied, will generate the expected
results and findings (Welch, 1998).
Action research share some
characteristics with the descriptions of the dominant or more popular
qualitative research techniques in their treatment with the vital role of the
researcher as a crucial aspect of the whole research undertaking. The
subjective observations and judgment of the researcher most of the time directs
the whole procedure of the research conduct wherein formality and neutrality
are not central concerns in performing the activity. It usually takes several
weeks or months for a researcher to complete a single action research activity
depending on the scope as well as the expected demonstration or presentation of
the improvement that were generated by utilizing the recommendations of a
particular action research.
Key
to Action Researches
The following presents the keys to
action research as illustrated in the RP model such as: (1) Problem/Idea; (2)
Fact Finding; (3) Plan of Action; (4) Action; (5) Monitor/Evaluate Action; and
(6) Reflection.
Problem/Idea.
In accordance to the Illustrated RP
model, I identified the challenges that confronts the design practice which
consist the need for change in the educational environment and the need for
diversity in attending to the needs of the students, the teachers and the community
as whole.
Fact
Finding. As for the fact
finding, I identified the common problems experienced in these
institutions. Actually, the wide range
and flexible curricula offered by these designing organization makes teaching
and learning somehow problematic due to teaching approaches that are imparted
to the students brought about by the freedom to choose subjects that tends to
the interest of the students.
Plan
of Action. As for the plan
of action, the researcher likewise inquired into the concerns of the design teachers
who play a vital role in the effectiveness and quality of designing they offer
to the students.
Action. With this, I investigated on the
relationships of the designing schools regarding their contributions to the
quality provisions of the communities in which they belong to and the possible
competition it presents to neighboring schools that may deplete or demoralize
the neighboring institutions. This highlights the need to study the school
environment in the context of the community they are situated in so as to
accurately determine the external factors that could have also contributed to
the extents of the problems and issues faced by this particular type of
learning institution.
Monitor/Evaluate
Action. The insights of
the teachers regarding their designing experiences and their expectations
regarding the improvements and development of their profession was also looked
into by the researcher in order to illustrate a more holistic approach of the
research activity.
Reflection. This enable the researcher to collect
information that illustrates the design schools as a unique type of academic
community whose needs are different from the concerns that are addressed in
usual colleges and universities.
Conclusion
This concludes that the available model
for design education was also found to present opportunities to re-examine the
teaching approach they adapted. Design teachers are found to be in need of
structural, organizational and industrial flexible characteristics in order to
answer the skills and knowledge demanded of teaching in design
institutions.
It clears in the procedures undertaken
by the researcher in this particular study that action research is an
advantageous academic technique of investigating the current issues and
problems that overwhelm the design schools. The findings generated by this
academic research contributed to the knowledge base and bank of information
that will facilitate development and improvement in the design profession as
well as in the whole educational system of the country.
Reference:
Welch, M. (1998, Fall Term) Theory and Professional
Practice: Action Research Assignment. Queen's University, Faculty of Education.
Retrieved February 22, 2011, from <http://educ.queensu.ca/~russellt/howteach/arguide.htm>
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