Introduction to Action Research

Action Research (AR) combines the new scholarship of active engagement with social research methods to generate collaborative inquiries, commitment and action. This interdisciplinary graduate course introduces the ways in which researchers and the community and/or industry members collaborate to study actual problems, with the aim to solve them to improve one’s welfare. The major goal is to provide doctoral students with an understanding of useful theories, strategies of AR, an appreciation of advantages and limitations of this research strategy, and skills necessary for conducting AR projects. Towards the end of the course, students will be expected to design an AR project on a topic relevant to them. Previous students’ projects have included cultural heritage management, human resource strategy, museum exhibit creation and youth theatre. The primary course format will reflect the participatory commitment to co-teaching and co-learning. Experts and practitioners will join in the discussions to broaden idea generation.