Action research of Kurt Lewin Kurt Lewin, a social psychologist and educator whose work on action research was

developed throughout the 1940s, is the first one who advocated the use of action research to improve the daily practice of researchers interacting with the context. Action research involves a spiral of steps, each of which is composed of a circle of planning, action and fact-finding about the result of the action (Lewin, 1948, p.206). As described by Lewin (ibid, p.205) the first step starts with the identification of an initial idea which is followed by the step of finding the relevant facts. These facts are used to develop "an overall plan" upon which the first step of action is to be taken "to reach the objective". Once the initial plan is developed, the research comes into the planning-action-evaluation cycles as shown by the following diagram. The end of each cycle can be the beginning of the next cycle or the end of the research, depending on the objectives of the research.

Evaluation Fact finding Evaluation

Next cycle or end of research

Identify an idea

Action Action Planning

Planning

Figure XXX : The spiral nature of the planning-action-evaluation cycles of action research. Lewin (1948) believed that social problems should be served by social inquiry. He was 'credited with coining the term "action research" to describe work that did not separate the investigation from the action needed to solve the problem' (McFarland & Stansell, 1993, p.14). He disagreed on the separation of research from action and research personnel from active players. He stated the importance of including teachers being researched in all phases of the research. 'It seems to be crucial for the progress of social science that the practitioner understand that through social sciences and only through

them can he gain the power necessary to do a good job' (Lewin 1948, p. 213). The action researchers address issues which persist in their own practice and bridge the gap between research and practice (Somekh, 1995). It allows the researchers to move thinking forward (Somekh, 1995) by involving themselves and the participants throughout the research process until improvement of the work is reached.