Action research is a process of strategic change, but there are many different understandings of what action research is and how to do it. "Doing Action Research in Early Childhood Studies": a step-by-step guide is a resource and inspiration for people in the early childhood field who wish to do action research but are unsure as to precisely what it means and how to do it. Written in a lively and accessible style, it features extensive case studies of contemporary action research projects in diverse early childhood settings in several contexts and countries; and it advises readers how to design and conduct an action research project that meets their particular needs."Doing Action Research in Early Childhood Studies": a step-by-step guide is written for an international early childhood readership, including academics and students (especially those in Honours and Masters programs), practitioners, managers and trainers, as well as policy-makers, administrators and advocates. Each chapter features various devices in to make its content lively and accessible. These include boxed summaries of key concepts and issues; questions to encourage readers to review and reflect on the issues/methods raised in the chapter; and annotated lists of further reading (in print and on line) about how the chapter's topic applies in the early childhood field and in other, related fields. An accompanying CD-ROM features short interviews with action researchers in the field that illustrate key ideas, themes, practices and debates in particular chapters of the book.

Table of Contents

Phase One: Choosing to Change Introduction to Phase One Step 1 Choose a social practice to change or improve Step 2 Ask a question about your chosen social practice Phase Two: Planning for a Change Introduction to Phase Two Step 3 Learn more about the action research family Step 4 Learn more about your topic from the literature Step 5 Learn more about your ethical responsibilities Step 6 Learn about reflection, critical reflection and practice Step 7 Map the practicalities of researching in your context Step 8 Plan to make your research rigorous and valid Phase Three: Creating Change Introduction to Phase Three Step 9 Form an action research group Step 10 Gather 'base line data Step 11 Create a change and collect data about its effects Step 12 Analyse your data Step 13 Deepen and broaden your data and understandings Step 14 Choose a social practice to change or improve, perhaps guided by a new research question. Phase Four: Sharing the Lessons Introduction to Phase Four Step 15 Draw conclusions from your analysis Step 16 Share the lessons of your project References Index

About the Author

Glenda Mac Naughton is Professor in Early Childhood Studies and Director of the Centre for Equity and Innovation in Early Childhood in the University of Melbourne's Graduate School of Education, Australia. Patrick Hughes is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Equity and Innovation in Early Childhood in the University of Melbourne's Graduate School of Education, Australia.