“A cyclic process can be flexible and responsive. You don’t have to design the research in detail before you start. Instead, you can refine your research design as you learn more about the situation you are researching” (www.aral.com.au, n.d.)
Conquering this idea, a research action plan’s implementation is not final and should be open to changes. As a result and in addition to practicing critical thought, a critical researcher must be agile, flexible, and responsive to potential challenges within their implementation.
In phase three of my first action plan, I planned to alter or develop the UAL EDI module for the industry participants in my ARP activity. It was rejected and I thought that that would be a major barrier in my pursuit of achieving my objective/s. However, within that meeting, an agreement was reached whereby I could use the authentic EDI module for my pilot project, even though I was not allowed to alter the original module.
I was able to justify revisions to my plans, as the changes made to my original strategy could be interpreted as being responsive to research; demonstrating my flexibility in being able to respond to demands within my project. Action research operational plans are susceptible to modifications that could take place in both internal and external contexts, changing possible aims or priorities. The EDI clearances allowed me to focus on qualitative primary research on my colleagues’ experiences in the KE team completing the required staff training, while also drastically reducing my workload.
A journal article states that to satisfy the demands of specific methodical difficulties, researchers must be adaptable (Tugwell and Knottnerus, 2015). As a result, it’s critical to be open to new information and suggestions to accomplish overall objectives. I am always ready for subtleties and differences in my practice and embrace them. Being responsive can frequently, like in this case, be beneficial in lowering pressures, creating new opportunities to obtain primary data (in this case about the KE Team’s experiences), or reducing your workload.
References:
www.aral.com.au. (n.d.). Action learning and action research. [online] Available at: https://www.aral.com.au/resources/aandr.html#a_aar_flexrig [Accessed 10 Jan. 2024].
Knottnerus, J.A. and Tugwell, P. (2015). Responsiveness of researchers is as important as responsiveness of study participants. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 68(12), pp.1385–1387. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2015.10.008.