Implementing an action research project: a case study in making decisions and managing challenges

Abstract

This paper examines the challenges involved in implementing an action research project. It discusses a project which uses a series of interventions (unfreezing techniques, cases studies in conjunction with analogical encoding and lecturer input) to encourage students to critically reflect on their approach to career decision-making. This paper discusses the challenges faced when decisions had to be made about targeting interventions at particular (disadvantaged) students; whether or not to constitute experiment and control groups; and the extent to which we should be trying to influence student values.

Keywords:

• action research
• targeting
• control groups
• student values

Acknowledgements

I acknowledge the continued participation of members of the Business School, Careers Service and Teaching and Learning Development Unit at Edge Hill University in this action research project. Particular thanks should also go to the Higher Education Careers Service Unit (HECSU) for funding this project. Finally, I thank the anonymous reviewers of this journal for their constructive comments on earlier versions of this paper.