Abstract
Action research in China during late 1970s and 1980s was influenced by positivist scientific research, believing the purpose of doing action research is to explore the general law of education. It was carried out through educational experimentations emphasizing the control of the experimental conditions. Starting from 1990s, action research in China followed the positivist model of hypothesis verification on the one hand, while on the other hand, it introduced the notion of hermeneutics: finding and solving problems in real teaching situations and thereby understanding the real situation. Entering the new millennium, action research in China has further followed hermeneutics, accompanied by the emergence of “grassroots” action research.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chen, L. (1984). Xingdong yanjiu [Action research]. Waiguo xinlixue. Journal of Psychology in Foreign Country, 4(3), 2–5.
Chen, G. S. (Ed.). (2000). Dao zhongxiaoxue qu yanjiu jiaoyu—Jiaoyu xingdong yanjiu de changshi [Studying education in elementary and secondary schools: Doing action research]. Shanghai: East China Normal University Press.
Gao, Y. P. (2008). Jiaohu baiban cujin xuesheng xuexi fangshi biange, tigao xuesheng siwei pinzhi de xingdong yanjiu [Action research for changing students’ learning style and improving student’s thinking]. Zhongxiaoxue xinxi jishu jiaoyu [Elementary and Secondary School Information Technology Education], 7(7–8), 114–117.
Gu, L. Y., Zheng, R. Z., & Li, X. L. (1999). Qinpu shiyan qish lu [Qingpu experiment]. Shanghai: Shanghai Educational Press.
Li, P., & Laidlaw, M. (2006). Collaborative enquiry, action research, and curriculum development in rural China. Action Research, 4(3), 333–350.
Liu, L. H. (2002). Xiaoben xingdong yanjiu [School-based action research]. Chengdu: Sichuan Publisher Group, Sichuan Educational Press.
Niu, R. X. (2006). Weishime xingdong yanjiu geqian le [Why has action research come to a Deadlock?]. Kecheng jiaocai jiaofa [Curriculum, Teaching Material and Method], 26(2), 69–73.
Pei, D. N. (1999). Lun xiandai zhongguo jiaoyu shiyanguan de gengben zhuanbian [The changing of the conceptions about educational experiment in China]. Jiaoyu yanjiu [Educational Research], 20(7), 19–21.
Polanyi, M. (1958). Personal knowledge: Towards a post-critical philosophy. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Schon, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner. New York: Basic Books.
Schon, D. A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Sheng, J. L. (2006). Jiaoxue fansi yu xingdong yanjiu—jiaoshi fazhan zhi lu” [Reflective teaching and action: An approach for teacher professional development]. Beijing: Beijing Normal University Press.
Sun, Y. T. (2006). Cong zhuochong xiaoying yu wo xiangying shuo xia qu—guanyu daxue yu zhongxiaoxue hezuo yanjiu de lilun fenxi [Getting bugs and got shock—the cooperative action research between Universities and schools]. Shanghai jiaoyu keyan [Shanghai Research Education], 22(12), 8–10.
Tang, Y. (1995). Kuayue jiaoyu lilun yu shijian de honggou—guanyu jiaoshi jiqi xingdong lilun de sikao. [From educational theory to practice: Teachers and action research]. Shanghai: East China Normal University (Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation).
Wang, J. H. (1987). Xiang youjiao keyan gongzuozhe tuijian xingdong yanjiu fa [Recommending action research to scholars in preschool education] Jiaoyu yanjiu [Educational Research], 17(1), 68–70.
Wang, Q. (2001). Xingdong yanjiu kecheng yu juyou chuangxin jingsheng de yanjiuxing waiyu jiaoshi de peiyang [Action research course and preparing creative researcher teachers]. Guowai waiyu jiaoxue [Foreign Language Teaching Abroad], 23(1), 1–7.
Wang, Q. (2002). Yingyu jiaoshi xingdong yanjiu [Action research for english teachers]. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.
Wang, Y. M. (2008). Xiaoxue gaonianji yingyu duihua jiaoxue de xingdong yanjiu [Action research for teaching oral english class in upper grade in elementary school]. Xiaoxue jiaoxue sheji [Instructional Design for Elementary Schools], (9), 4–6.
Wang, Q (2009). Zai xingdong zhong gaishan ketang jiaoxue, zai yanjiu zhong cujin zhuanye chengzhang [Improving teaching through action and developing through research]. Keynote speech in the project finished meeting of doing action research in classroom teaching and enhancing senior high school English teachers’ professional developments. Beiing, May, 2009.
Wang, M. S., & Hu, H. M. (2008). Jiaoyu xingdong yanjiu zhong de hezuo: weihe yu hewei. [On cooperation in educational action research: Why and how]. Jiaoyu fazhan yanjiu [Research in Educational Development], 28(2), 30–34.
Whitehead, J. (1989). Creating a living educational theory from questions of the kind, ‘How do I improve my practice?’ Cambridge Journal of Education, 19(1), 41–52.
Whitehead, J. (2009). Generating living theory and understanding in action research studies. Action Research, 7(1), 85–99.
Yang, Z. H. (1991) Shilun jiaoyu shiyan de xingdong yanjiu quxiang [Educational experiments and action research]. Jiaoyu yanjiu yu shiyan [Educational research and experiment], 10 (4), 54–58.
Ye, L. (1999a). Jiaoyu yanjiu fangfa chutan. [Educational research method]. Shanghai: Shanghai Educational Press.
Ye, L. (1999b). Xin jichu jiaoyu tansuoxing yanjiu baogao ji [New basic education exploring research]. Shanghai: Shanghai Sanlian Press.
Zhang, B. Q. (2009). Jiaoxue you kunhuo, keyan zhao chulu: Huangyan zhongxue yingyu zu xiaoben keyan wu xuenian ceji [5 years Action Research in Department of English of Huangyan Middle School]. Zhongxuesheng yingyu [English for Middle School Students], (4), 43–46.
Zheng, J. W. (1988) Jiaoyu shiyan ruogan wenti de tantao [Problems in educational experiments]. Jiaoyu yanjiu yu shiyan [Educational Research and Experiment], 7(2), 61–65.
Zhong, Q. Q. (2004). Xuexi chang de shengcheng yu jiaoshi juese [Creating learning environment and teachers’ role]. Shanghai jiaoyu keyan [Shanghai Research Education], 20(9), 4–8.
Zhou, D. S., Liang, M. Y. (1999). Xiaoxue xinli jiankang jiaoyu xingdong yanjiu [Action Research on Elementary Mental Health Education]. Guangzhou: Guangdong Educational Press.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by one of the 2010 programs of Beijing Municipal Educational Scientific “Eleventh Five-Year” Plan, “Experienced Teachers’ Professional Development based on Action Research”.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhou, J., Liu, K.Y. Development of action research in China: review and reflection. Asia Pacific Educ. Rev. 12, 271–277 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-010-9137-6
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-010-9137-6