Evaluation and Action Research

Description

Today's societies require research approaches that are creative, sensitive to cultural and contextual diversity, rooted in engagement and critical dispositions, and situated within local contexts. This book explores the potential of integrating action research and evaluation frameworks to encourage knowledge democracy, data literacy, and ethical practices. Working from the belief that knowledge is created constantly in our world by those in real-world settings and practical contexts, Evaluation and Action Research provides practitioners with an accessible guide to better inform practice and decision making.

• Presents new framework that integrates action research and evaluation
• Emphasizes stakeholder inclusion so that leaders and practitioners in different settings can adequately investiage problems in their organization
• Develops an approach and framework designed to encourage ethical practices and knowledge democracy

About the Author(s)

Linnea L. Rademaker, Professor, School of Educational Leadership, Abilene Christian University, and Elena Y. Polush, Adjunct Professor, School of Educational Leadership, Abilene Christian University

Linnea L. Rademaker is Professor in the School of Educational Leadership at Abilene Christian University. She currently leads educational leadership doctoral students towards completed dissertations and has designed and taught courses in qualitative and action research, as well as organizational evaluation and assessment. Elena Y. Polush is a Lecturer in the School of Educational at Iowa State University. She has been active in teaching research methods, evaluation, and assessment courses since 2009, and she has also conducted extensive evaluation work on the federal and state level.

Table of Contents

Preface
Chapter 1. Evaluation/Action Research Integrated Framework: Participative and Collaborative
Chapter 2. Determining a Purpose and a Focus
Chapter 3. Getting Down to the Design: Determining Our Examination Main Questions and Appropriate Designs
Chapter 4. Qualitative Data Collection/Quantitative Data Collection; Mixed-Methods Considerations
Chapter 5. Ethical Challenges in Action Research and Evaluation: Reflecting on Tensions
Interlude: Preface to Data Analysis and Informing Data Literacy
Chapter 6. Qualitative Data Analysis
Chapter 7. Quantitative Data Analysis
Chapter 8. Mixed-Methods: Integrating Data Analyses to Gain Comprehensive Understanding of Problems, Contexts, and Stakeholder Needs
Chapter 9. Revisiting Our Integrated Model: Focus on Facilitating Social Justice and Equitable Societies
Glossary
References