Reflection-on-action in qualitative research: A critical self-appraisal rubric for deconstructing research

Martin Stynes
Dublin City University, Ireland
Timothy Murphy
University of Limerick, Ireland
Gerry McNamara and Joe O'Hara
Dublin City University, Ireland

In this paper, four critical friends meet to discuss qualitative research practices. Together they put one of their own case studies under the knife and deconstruct it to investigate the possibilities that knowledge work is complicated not only by the dynamics of socially constructed enterprises and the actors involved therein, but by the positioning of the researcher. The case describes an evaluative study of a university program where students engaged in directed experiential learning in group-integrated learning settings. The researcher was also the course lead-tutor and this gave rise to some concern, on later reflection and in discussions among critical friends, when issues of researcher positioning were considered. Together, through questioning the topic, the literature, the research experience and the role of the researcher, we developed a reflection-on-action rubric. In a research arena where subjective, interpretative and messy examples abound, as they should, this paper offers an example of our own work, an honest self-appraisal, a rubric for readers' consideration and a discussion that adds to the perpetual flux of knowledge work.
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Authors: Dr Martin Stynes is Principal of Scoil Fhursa Kilmore, West Dublin 5, and a Senior Research Fellow with the Centre for Evaluation, Quality and Inspection at Dublin City University. His research interests are primarily in the fields of leadership, evaluation and research methods. Email: mstynes62@gmail.com Dr Timothy R. N. Murphy (corresponding author) is a lecturer in Educational Research and Policy, School of Education, University of Limerick, Ireland. His research interests include education policy and reform, teacher well-being and pedagogy and research methodologies. Email: timothy.murphy@ul.ie Professor Gerry McNamara is Professor of Educational Evaluation at the School of Policy and Practice, Dublin City University Institute of Education. He is Co-Director of the Centre for Evaluation, Quality and Inspection at DCU and is program leader for the Doctorate of Education in Leadership and Evaluation. His research interests include evaluation, inspection, quality assurance and research methods. Email: gerry.mcnamara@dcu.ie Professor Joe O'Hara is Professor of Education at the School of Policy and Practice, Dublin City University Institute of Education. He is Co-Director of the Centre for Evaluation, Quality and Inspection and a member of CREA at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. His research interests include culturally responsive evaluation, school inspection, initial teacher education and gifted education. Email: joe.ohara@dcu.ie Please cite as: Stynes, M., Murphy, T., McNamara, G. & O'Hara, J. (2018). Reflection-on-action in qualitative research: A critical self-appraisal rubric for deconstructing research. Issues in Educational Research, 28(1), 153-167. http://www.iier.org.au/iier28/stynes.pdf