Supporting the Teaching of Action Research ARNA-STAR-C Winter Newsletter 2026

Editors: Linda Purrington and Teri Marcos

For Spanish

This is the winter 2026 newsletter of one of the Action Research Communities (ARCs) of the Action Research Network of the Americas (ARNA). Our ARC is Supporting the Teaching of Action Research (STAR-c). A group of professors who teach action research have met between ARNA conferences over the last few years to think about strategies, issues, and resources to support the teaching of action research. We created a website (star-arna-arc.org) as a forum for our Learning Circle discussions (onlinelearningcircles.org) around our own teaching of action research. The website provides resources to help support the teaching of action research including supportive topics, syllabi, examples of how action research fits in different programs, and both teacher and student resources. We invite you to join the STAR community and welcome your contributions to the ARNA-STAR Newsletter. Please submit short essays on any issue in the teaching of action research, your feedback on what you would like to see in the newsletter, or books, conferences, or resources you would like us to add. Please send your submissions to the STAR-ARC website at star-arna-arc.org and an editor will be in touch. This edition includes two articles. In the first article, Christine Lechner and Margaret Riel share the history of the formation of the Collaborative Action Research Network (CARN) and its connections to the Action Research Network of the Americas (ARNA) .

The second article, by Christine Lechner and Ingibjörg Ósk Sigurðardóttir, gives an overview of the 2025 CARN Conference that took place at the University of Klagenfurt in Austria and showcases the following exciting presentations: 1. Action research: Past - Present - New Future. A team from the German-language CARN Network -Franz , CARN DACH offered a workshop on the functions of networks drawing on a publication from the German language network. 2. A Challenging Lack of Professional Knowledge: Establishment of a Professional Learning Community in Preschool, A paper by Ásta Möller Sívertsen and Ingibjörg Ósk Sigurðardóttir, presented an ongoing action research in one newly established Icelandic preschool for children under the age of three. 3. Action Research Communities for Language Teachers -Marjan Asgari, Angela Gallagher-Brett, Christine Lechner, Nejla Kalajdžisalihović, Larisa Kasumagić Kafedžić,nd Jane O’Toole. This ARC Community presented a poster for their upcoming publication, Action Research Communities for Language Teachers: Diverse European Contexts-Common Educational Challenges. They also led a symposium featuring five papers, which reported on the project itself on Communities of Practice and Teacher-Researcher Collaborations in Italy, Engaging and supporting learners through action research approaches in the language classroom, on Pedagogical and Linguistic Research in Action Research Reflections from Sarajevo and finally on An Overview of the ARC ECML Webinar ‘Exploring the potential of action research in language education: Opportunities and challenges in local and global contexts’. 4. Voices in Motion: Walking Interviews as Tools for Empowerment and Inclusion in Poverty Research illustrated how participatory action research can address social inequities. The project explored innovative and digital methods that place marginalized voices at the center of every phase of the research process. The session was co-led by Christine Loignon, Full Professor and health sociologist, and Isabelle Wilson, research assistant, both from the University of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. 5. Cowan Community Center in Austria: Reflections on Community Presence, Partnership, and Action Research. Valerie Horn, Executive Director at Cowan Community Action Group, reflects about her presentation with Dr. Brydon-Miller. Guiding questions that shaped the presentation and framed the reflections focused on trust, power-sharing, long-term partnership, and the ethical responsibilities of collaborative research. In addition to the featured articles, this edition explores action research publications, resources, and upcoming conferences.

The Collaborative Action Research Network (CARN) and the Action Research Network of the Americas (ARNA)

 

Christine Lechner and Margaret Riel

CARN Overview

The Collaborative Action Research Network https://www.carn.org.uk/ is one of ARNA’s global partners and the two networks convene and collaborate in different ways. CARN was originally founded in the UK in 1976 as the “Class Room Action Research Network” and during the early years the network was driven by grass-roots activities to bring about changes in classrooms. It has since become a global network, which encourages and supports individual action researchers and project groups to make their contribution to action research theory and methodology. To this end and amongst other activities, CARN holds annual conferences either in the UK or in mainland Europe. This year the conference took place at the University of Klagenfurt, Austria.   In the 1980’s the “Classroom Action Research Network” became the “Collaborative Action Research Network” and today CARN is a shining example of how a sustainable network can endure for over 40 years. In the words of Ruth Balogh “CARN has always defined itself as a network as opposed to an organization” (cited from Schuster, Rauch, Lechner 2023), which may explain how the network succeeded overcoming the challenges of a changing world. Today CARN is a global network and has developed from the original focus on education, currently drawing its members from educational, health, social care, commercial, and public services settings.

CARN Inspired a New Action Research Network in the Americas

The Collaborative Action Research Network (CARN) inspired the creation of the Action Research Network of the Americas (ARNA) in 2012 to connect action researchers across North and South America. ARNA’s formation aimed to foster equitable, practice-focused collaboration while navigating unique challenges, including epistemological imbalances, linguistic diversity, geopolitical obstacles, economic disparities, logistical complexities, and role ambiguity among researchers. The strong relationship between ARNA and CARN continues to support knowledge sharing and professional development through joint events and scholarly partnerships.   The Action Research Network of the Americas (ARNA) was officially established in November 2012 by five "network initiators" to unite action researchers across the Western Hemisphere. The idea for ARNA arose from discussions at the University of San Diego Action Research Conference in May 2012. A team of five organizers—Lonnie Rowell, Joseph Shosh, Margaret Riel, Eduardo Flores-Kastanis, and Cathy Bruce—recognized a need for a professional space that connected North and South American practitioners, who were often geographically isolated from global networks. The goal was to create a collegial, practice-oriented space for students and faculty across the Americas to share initiatives and strengthen participatory research. The process began with establishing a website and planning for the inaugural Conference, held in May 2013 at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco.

ARNA's Relationship to CARN

ARNA describes CARN as its "Big Sister" organization. CARN was established in the UK in 1976 and served as a primary model and mentor for ARNA’s development. Several ARNA founders were longtime CARN members. During the early planning stages, initiators discussed creating a CARN affiliate but decided to form an independent network to better focus on unique South-North dialogue within the Americas. Mary McAteer, a prominent member of the Collaborative Action Research Network (CARN) and a distinguished figure in the field of action, played a critical role in the development of ARNA. She worked to strengthen international connections, disseminate knowledge, and support the growth of transatlantic collaborations. Her involvement helped ensure that the values of equity, collegiality, and participatory practice remain central to both networks. Mary McAteer's work includes organizing conferences, facilitating study days, and publishing influential scholarship in the field, all of which contribute meaningfully to the vibrant exchange between CARN and ARNA.   A hallmark of their collaboration is the CARN Study Days, which are held in conjunction with ARNA's international conferences. A CARN study day is an organized visit to local schools or community sites where action research is practiced. In addition to this link, the ARNA Coordinating Group included an official CARN representative to ensure ongoing cooperation and knowledge sharing between the two networks. Finally, the Educational Action Research Journal, originally an outgrowth of CARN, partners with ARNA to publish special issues and support the network’s scholarly output.   Creating trans-American and trans-Atlantic action research networks involves navigating deep-seated structural, cultural, and logistical barriers to achieve equitable collaboration between the Global North and Global South. The connections between ARNA and CARN have helped both organizations address these challenges. Both organizations are dedicated to taking action locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally to promote action research conducted with a commitment to honesty, integrity, inclusiveness, multi-vocality, engagement, and achievement within sustainable democratic societies.    

The 2025 CARN Conference

Christine Lechner and Ingibjörg Ósk Sigurðardóttir (with help from five teams of presenters from CARN '25)

The 2025 CARN was organized by the Department of Instructional and School Development, University of Klagenfurt and took place from the 13th to the 15th November 2025. This was the 49th CARN Conference.   The conference was in line with CARN principles being open to action researchers from the fields of education, health and social areas and brought together approximately 150 participants from many European Countries such as Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, UK as well as from Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Kazakstan, Liberia, South Africa, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand, Brazil, Canada and the USA. Each conference adopts a specific theme, which takes on current challenges. The motto for the 2025 Conference was “Digitalization, Social Justice and Transforming Societies” and those submitting to the conference were asked to take the motto into consideration, although the themes were not exclusive.   The opening keynote by Julia Wittmayer was entitled “The Whole Family Approach - Multiplier Effects and Action Research”; Mohammed Anwar Shaheen delivered the second keynote closing the second day on “Addressing Challenges - Collective Problem-Solving” and the closing keynote was held by Allan Feldman covered "Long and Serious Conversations to Build Trust in Online Action Research Settings”.  All keynotes are available on the conference website: https://conference3.aau.at/event/106/page/107-keynotes   The conference was not only diverse in that participants came from many parts of the globe, but also in the range of themes presented during paper sessions, symposia, workshops and poster sessions. A defining feature of the conference was the thread linking research to practice.   The finalized website including the Book of Abstracts with all contributions is available at: https://conference3.aau.at/event/106/   Overall, 80 papers, workshops, symposia and poster presentations were held and STAR-C members Ingibjörg Ósk Sigurðardóttir and Christine Lechner were among the presenters.  

Contribuciones Seleccionadas de la Conferencia CARN 2025 en Foco

1) Investigación-acción: Pasado - Presente - Nuevo Futuro-Franz Rauch, Angela Schuster and Christine Lechner Un equipo de la red de habla alemana CARN, CARN DACH, ofreció un taller sobre las funciones de las redes basándose en una publicación de la red de habla alemana titulada Investigación-acción: Pasado - Presente - Nuevo Futuro. Los líderes del taller fueron Franz Rauch, Angela Schuster y Christine Lechner, y el taller se abrió planteando la pregunta: ● ¿Es el “networking” una palabra de moda o puede ser algo más? Se mostraron marcos para redes, características de calidad para redes y las funciones de redes de Per Dalin como base para la discusión, llevando a ejemplos específicos de redes. En el centro estaba el propio CARN, un ejemplo destacado de una red sostenible. Otro ejemplo fue el de las redes iniciadas a través de cursos de posgrado basados en la acción-investigación de dos años, impartidos durante un período de cuarenta años por la Universidad de Klagenfurt. Por razones de políticas educativas nacionales y dificultades de financiamiento, los cursos finalizaron en 2018 y, por lo tanto, el contacto con las redes que se habían desarrollado se volvió difícil. Sin embargo, en muchos casos, las redes continuaron tanto de manera informal como como base para colaboraciones profesionales dentro del sistema educativo austriaco. El tercer ejemplo fue el de las comunidades de investigación-acción para docentes de idiomas, una red en curso a través de Europa con estructura flexible. La fase final del taller consistió en una discusión en torno a estas preguntas a la luz de nuestros ejemplos y experiencias de los participantes del taller: ● ¿Cómo puede la investigación-acción apoyar a las redes? ● ¿Cuáles son los factores que favorecen? ● ¿Cuáles son los factores que obstaculizan? Se reconocieron similitudes en los factores que apoyan y los que obstaculizan, y hubo un acuerdo general en que la investigación-acción puede apoyar a las redes, aunque también surgió que la sostenibilidad de las redes es un desafío común.   2. Una desafiante falta de conocimiento profesional: Establecimiento de una comunidad de aprendizaje profesional en la educación preescolar. Ásta Möller Sívertsen e Ingibjörg Ósk Sigurðardóttir Un artículo de Ásta Möller Sívertsen e Ingibjörg Ósk Sigurðardóttir que presenta una investigación-acción en curso en un jardín de infancia islandés recién establecido para niños menores de tres años. El enfoque se centró en cultivar el profesionalismo y apoyar la práctica de calidad en el preescolar. El estudio forma parte del proyecto de doctorado de Ásta y el papel de Ingibjörg consiste en ser la amiga crítica de Ásta en este estudio y su segunda supervisora en todo el proyecto de doctorado. Los datos para este estudio consistieron en registros del diario de investigación, actas de reuniones y entrevistas con los directores de los jardines de infancia. Se emplearon la investigación narrativa, el análisis del discurso y reflexiones con una amiga crítica para extraer historias de los datos y comprender las experiencias y situaciones que describieron. Los hallazgos señalan los desafíos profesionales cotidianos que enfrentan los directores al equilibrar la gestión en la guardería y al mismo tiempo enfatizar la calidad y el profesionalismo en la práctica. Una idea para enfrentar este desafío fue encontrar formas de crear un entendimiento compartido sobre los valores de la guardería y crear una comunidad de aprendizaje profesional dentro de la misma. Como resultado, en colaboración con los directores y con los maestros principales como líderes profesionales que enfatizan las reflexiones colaborativas entre los educadores, ahora se están desarrollando directrices. Las directrices están destinadas a apoyar la creación de una comunidad de aprendizaje dentro de la guardería, lo que promoverá un entendimiento compartido y mayor calidad y profesionalismo en la práctica. Finalmente, este trabajo de desarrollo profesional influirá en el aprendizaje y bienestar de los niños. La investigación-acción todavía está en curso y será interesante estudiar cómo se desarrollará la comunidad de aprendizaje y si las directrices serán de apoyo en ese proceso, y de qué manera.

3) Action Research Communities for Language Teachers -Marjan Asgari, Angela Gallagher-Brett, Christine Lechner, Nejla Kalajdžisalihović, Larisa Kasumagić Kafedžić,nd Jane O’Toole Action Research Communities for Language Teachers was well represented at the CARN ‘25 Conference with team members Marjan Asgari (Italy), Angela Gallagher-Brett (UK), Christine Lechner (Austria), Nejla Kalajdžisalihović & Larisa Kasumagić Kafedžić (both Bosnia-Herzegovina) and Jane O’Toole (Ireland) attending the conference. On the one hand, we presented our upcoming publication as a poster.

 As a project ARC has been funded by the European Centre for Modern Languages since 2016 with the first phase being dedicated to the development of action research tools for teachers of languages and since 2020 to the running of action research workshops across Europe. To date we have held 16 workshops in 12 different countries and are planning upcoming events. We also took up the call to run symposia entitled “Action Research Communities for Language Teachers: A Global Response to Global Challenges”. Symposia at CARN allow research groups to present their work in much greater detail than a paper would permit and to showcase different aspects of ongoing research. The format also functions as a type of public research group discussion and following the presentations a discussant is invited to summarize and provide further perspectives.   They presented a poster of an upcoming publication titled, Action Research Communities for Language Teachers: Diverse European Contexts-Common Educational Challenges, and led a symposium featuring five papers, which reported on the project itself on, which reported on the project itself on Communities of Practice and Teacher-Researcher Collaborations in Italy, Engaging and supporting learners through action research approaches in the language classroom, on Pedagogical and Linguistic Research in Action Research Reflections from Sarajevo and finally on An Overview of the ARC ECML Webinar ‘Exploring the potential of action research in language education: Opportunities and challenges in local and global contexts’. Our discussant was Tara Deakin-Webster.

4) Voices in Motion: Walking interview as Tools for Empowerment and Inclusion in Poverty Research- Christine Loignon, Isabelle Wilson This presentation illustrated how participatory action research can address social inequities. The project explored innovative and digital methods that place marginalized voices at the center of every phase of the research process. The session was co-led by Christine Loignon, Full Professor and health sociologist, and Isabelle Wilson, research assistant, both from the University of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. The session opened with a moment of reflexivity. Christine Loignon shared how her personal and professional experiences, such as growing up in a privileged family and facing gender and disability challenges, as well as engaging with sociological theories of agency and social action, have shaped her approach to participatory action research. This exercise prompted participants to consider how acknowledging one’s position and privileges can transform relationships with communities. Building on this foundation, the presenters moved into the broader context that gave rise to the project. In Quebec, literacy is a recognized determinant of health, yet nearly half the population faces literacy challenges that are rarely considered in healthcare delivery. In response, two academic researchers partnered with two community workers from literacy organizations and eight community members with lived experience to co-create a project with two aims: to explore and experiment with the walking interview as an innovative method for including marginalized populations in research, and to actively involve them in the knowledge transfer process through the use of adapted digital tools. The presentation then brought participants into the heart of the project: the walking interviews themselves, while also reflecting on what it means to foster a truly co-constructive project with marginalized populations. Walking alongside community members through their neighborhoods allowed conversations to flow more freely, often sparked by places rich in personal meaning. These shared walks created space for emotions and memories, providing deeper insight into life with literacy challenges. Community workers facilitated storytelling in a safe and supportive environment, fostering understanding among all involved and, at times, guiding conversations. The co-constructive approach continued into the analysis phase, where community members created visual boards to capture what mattered most from their walks, collectively reflecting on their experiences and identifying key themes. This process illustrated how walking interviews can foster spaces for expression and exchange—spaces that require flexibility, trust, and a willingness to be guided by those most concerned. Drawing directly from this collective analysis, the presenters shared the most striking findings. Community members’ stories revealed how literacy challenges, combined with poverty and poorly adapted healthcare communication and practices, significantly limit access to care and deepen inequities. Navigating the healthcare system was described as extremely difficult since the pandemic, as appointment booking increasingly moved online, requiring digital access and skills that many people lack.  Medical information was often delivered quickly and in complex language, with little consideration for people’s lived realities. Poverty further compounded these barriers, at times forcing individuals to choose between buying food and seeking medical care. Attention then turned to the importance of sharing findings in ways that center community voices, inspire action, and reflect the team’s participatory approach. To this end, the team co-created an interactive web platform using plain language that brings the walking interview experience to life. Visitors can explore locations, view photographs, and hear community members tell their own stories, gaining a vivid understanding of life with literacy challenges. When used in presentations, the platform enabled community members to play an active role; revisiting their walks often sparked new shared reflections, deepening their engagement in dialogues with audiences about concrete actions to improve access to care. The session concluded by widening the lens. Participants reflected on how these findings resonate with access-to-care challenges in their own countries and expressed interest in experiencing walking interviews. They acknowledged the commitment required for a truly co-constructed project and agreed that involving community members in knowledge transfer strengthens awareness-raising and amplifies essential voices for social change. You can explore the web platform here. For more information on research approaches that foster engagement with marginalized communities, visit engageplus.org. Isabelle Wilson et Christine Loignon Professionnelles de recherche Centre de recherche Charles-Le Moyne Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé Université de Sherbrooke

5) Cowan Community Center in Austria: Reflections on Community Presence, Partnership, and Action Research- Valerie Horn I am the Executive Director of the Cowan Community Action Group. This reflection grew out of my participation in the Collaborative Action Research Network (CARN) Conference at the University of Klagenfurt, where I represented Cowan Community Center (Cowan Community Action Group, Inc.) alongside Dr. Mary Brydon-Miller of the University of Louisville. I am deeply grateful to Mary for her insistence that community partners be present in these spaces—not as examples or case studies, but as contributors to the collective work of action research.

In advance of the conference, Dr. Brydon-Miller posed a set of guiding questions that shaped our presentation and framed my reflections. These questions—focused on trust, power-sharing, long-term partnership, and the ethical responsibilities of collaborative research—were ones many participants in Klagenfurt were already grappling with in their own work. Rather than presenting a conventional paper, our session was intentionally structured as a reflective response to those questions, grounded in Cowan’s lived experience as a community-based organization engaged in sustained university partnerships. What I offered was not a model to be replicated, but a practice shaped by context. I spoke about trust built over time; about listening before acting; about recognizing lived experience as a form of expertise equal to academic knowledge; and about the importance of showing up beyond funded projects—attending community events, celebrating small successes, and staying engaged even when formal research cycles end. I also named tensions that many participants immediately recognized: misaligned timelines, communication breakdowns, and moments when communities feel instrumentalized rather than respected.

When the question of “outsiders” arose, I shared a perspective rooted in Cowan’s experience: being an outsider is not the issue—entering without humility is. Outsiders who take time to learn the rhythms of a place, who listen more than they speak, and who show up consistently often move from being visitors to being trusted collaborators. Action research, at its core, is relational work. Although action research was a shared language among conference participants, my reflections were grounded in practice rather than theory. Cowan Community Center has long engaged in iterative cycles of reflection, action, and adaptation—well before we named this work as action research. The experience of traveling to Austria also shaped my understanding of presence and participation. Despite preparation and support from colleagues, navigating international travel brought moments of uncertainty and vulnerability. At 60 years old, traveling alone across borders was not insignificant. For a woman from a small Appalachian town, arriving in Austria to present alongside scholars and practitioners from around the world carried both weight and meaning. The train journey from Vienna to Klagenfurt became an unexpected site of learning. As we traveled through landscapes that felt peaceful and familiar to me, Dr. Miriam Raider-Roth shared her experience as a first-generation Holocaust survivor. Later visits to the Stolpersteine in Vienna reinforced the ethical responsibility to attend to histories that may not be immediately visible but remain deeply present. There were also moments of comfort that made the unfamiliar more navigable. The food—hearty, familiar, and generous—offered grounding after long days of discussion and reflection.

Perhaps most importantly, the experience in Klagenfurt clarified new possibilities for Cowan Community Center. The conversations and relationships formed strengthened my belief that Cowan could intentionally name itself as an Action Research Center—not as a departure from our work, but as a way to more clearly articulate, document, and share the community-driven learning we already practice. On a personal level, the experience affirmed that community practitioners belong in these spaces—not as guests, but as colleagues. Looking beyond our own borders revealed how deeply interconnected our work truly is. In closing, I extend my sincere appreciation to my CARN colleagues for the hospitality, kindness, and inclusivity that characterized our time together in Klagenfurt. The welcoming spirit of the conference made space for genuine connection, thoughtful dialogue, and shared learning across disciplines, roles, and borders. It was an honor to be part of a community committed to collaborative work grounded in respect and care. I carry these conversations forward with gratitude and invite you, in turn, to continue them with us in Appalachian Kentucky. You would be warmly welcomed in Whitesburg, where community-centered action, shared meals, and ongoing dialogue remain at the heart of our work.

CARN ‘25 Participant Experiences

In the spirit of ongoing action research, CARN '25 Participants were invited to respond to a series of questions related to their CARN '25 Conference experience for a collective reflection and to plan future actions. For the purposes of this newsletter, a few participants who are acquainted with this article's authors and/or contributors volunteered to have their responses shared in this newsletter. Ásta Möller Sívertsen, Adjunct Lecturer and PhD Student, School of Education, University of Iceland How did you experience CARN ’25? What were your main takeaways? The importance of critical reflection and being humble towards yourself, coworkers and students.  What will be your enduring memories? Just as with my past CARN, there was a welcoming atmosphere and sincerity among participants, which is important for all of us, and I will treasure it.  What surprised you? There was nothing that surprised me during this CARN. What was just as expected? The warm and welcoming atmosphere, together with good organisation overall. Where do you think CARN should go next? When I first attended CARN in 2023, I attended a workshop with Jack Whitehead and his colleagues. I was hesitant, as an emerging researcher and a doctoral student. But, given that I was welcomed and engaged in a discussion with such an experienced researcher, I wonder whether workshops specifically for doctoral students/emerging researchers, led by an experienced researcher in the field, would be worth considering. Tell us a little about your own presentation/poster/workshop I gave a presentation on a chosen part of my doctoral project with my supervisor. The audience was very welcoming. The discussion sparked deeper reflection on my part and the relevant next steps in my doctoral research. Marie-Claude Tremblay, Professeure titulaire, Faculté de médecine,Département de médecine familiale et de médecine d’urgence Université Laval How did you experience CARN ’25? This was my second time attending the CARN conference, and like last time, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The conference brings together a small community of researchers with whom I share many things, not from a disciplinary point of view, but rather on an axiological and epistemological basis. In this sense, I find this conference particularly relevant to my work, as it feeds into the very foundation of my research.  What were your main takeaways? Julia Wittmayer's keynote presentation provided interesting insights for my work. It introduced me to new approaches and examples to promote institutionalization of transformative research within the academic system, which is one of the cross-cutting goals of my research program. Through my participation in several workshops, I also became familiar with new techniques for facilitating participatory action research and leveling power relations within it. My colleagues' presentations also introduced me to new methodologies and techniques, such as walking interviews and journey mapping. What will be your enduring memories?  I have fond memories of the evening at Schloss Maria-Loretto, where I met and socialized with Austrian colleagues, which gave me a better understanding of the research ecosystem in that country.  Where do you think CARN should go next? Why not in North America? Or somewhere warmer 😉 Tell us a little about your own presentation/poster/workshop.  My presentation reported on the results of a community-based participatory project aimed at strengthening collaborations between communities and universities to improve the teaching of social determinants of health in health sciences programs. Unfortunately, as there were many other events happening at the same time, attendance was low.

Conclusion

  Working together on this Newsletter has been a lovely way to rekindle memories of CARN 2025 on the banks of the Wörther See in the south of Austria, to reflect on the organization processes, to bring to mind the different journeys and approaches that brought action researchers together and to gain fresh insights into the way the conference was experienced.   For many of us involved in CARN over the years and attending the annual conferences, the meeting in Austria was a reunion that once more made us strongly aware of the joy of meeting in person for deep academic discussions after the pandemic years of distance. And we were thrilled to welcome newcomers to CARN and participants with just one previous experience.   In Klagenfurt, as at past conferences in different European countries, it became clear how action research unites professionals from a range of fields of action from across the globe. Our contexts may be very different, but we share our striving to make our professional actions more effective and better.   On the one hand, some pieces in this Newsletter stand as examples for action research carried out in teams and built on the experience of decades. On the other hand, the Newsletter also includes pieces from newcomers to CARN demonstrating how CARN strives to be welcoming and to show appreciation for each other’s work. Furthermore, there are examples of how experienced action researchers share their knowledge to support and encourage others. The divergence in approaches to holding sessions is fascinating.   Responses from participants informed us as organizers that many things worked well and the careful preparation was appreciated. However, where there is action, there is room for improvement. One of the great challenges for action research conference organizers is to ensure that professionals have the opportunity to share their work and enter into meaningful discussions. As it becomes more and more difficult for people to take time to attend a  conference, conferences must be held within a limited timeframe. However, this can mean that there are too many parallel sessions leaving some speakers with a very small audience, which can be disappointing. This is a dilemma, to which the next CARN organizers will hopefully get closer to finding the solution. https://www.carn.org.uk/events/conferences/   Finally, the STAR-C team would like to extend hearty thanks to all contributors to this Newsletter. There would be no January 2026 Newsletter without your voices!   References   Gallagher, A., & Lechner, C. (2026 forthcoming), “Action Research Communities for Language Teachers”. Bloomsbury. Schuster, A., Rauch, F., Lechner, C. et al. (2023) “Aktionsforschung - Vergangenheit - Gegenwart - neue Zukunft”. Praesens Verlag.  

Books, Articles, Journals, and Websites to Explore

Books

The Artificial Intelligence Playbook: Time-Saving Tools for Teachers that Make Learning More Engaging by Meghan Hargrave, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey. Second Edition

Teaching Students to USE AI Ethically and Responsibly: Exploring AI with intentionality, curiosity and care by Salman Khan, Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, James Marshall, and Meghan Hargrave.

Action Research Communities for Language Teachers: Diverse European Contexts-Common Educational Challenges by Angela Gallagher-Brett and Christine Lechner

Articles

Vol. 21, No. 2-2025IJAR – International Journal of Action Research

 https://doi.org/10.3224/ijar.v21i2

Journals

• Inquiry in education—A primary, peer-reviewed, open-access journal devoted to practitioner research, published by The Center for Practitioner Research at National Louis University
• Action Research—A primary, peer reviewed, international, interdisciplinary journal, part of the Sage Journals.
• Educational Action Research—A primary, peer-reviewed, international journal “concerned with exploring the dialogue between research and practice in educational settings.” Published by Routledge.
• International Journal of Action Research

Websites

ARNA STAR Community Bi Monthly CHAT Climate Change and Youth Participatory Action Research Our 19th  STAR-C-Chat was held on January 7, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. PT.  Guest Speakers: Carlos Chui, Director of Colegio de Ciencias in Huanuco, Peru; Gerson Rosas, a university student and student presenter at COP Conference  Our Chat leader, Carlos Chui, leads the STAR-C theme on Youth Action Research on our website. He has helped students from Peru participate in several global climate change projects. In 2018, his students were part of a 13-country student delegation to the 2018 Cities IPCC Cities and Climate Change Science Conference, a three-day event held March 5-7 in Edmonton, Canada, that features presentations and workshops to highlight and inspire research on climate change and cities. The paper they presented, the International Youth White Paper on Climate Change, shared work from over 4,000 students from 13 countries, in partnership with The Centre for Global Education, C40, the Government of Alberta, TakingITGlobal, Louis Berger, and the Berger Charitable Foundation. Each year, he both attends and helps students attend the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Joining us for the chat is Gerson Rosas, now a university student, who was one of the Secondary school students who attended COP in Dubai. Gerson provided a description of his experience as an Introduction to the presentation by Carlos. Caros Chiu has been leading students in participatory action research for many years. You can follow some of his earlier projects, including student videos here: https://iearnactionresearch.org/chiu

Open Global Rights-an independent platform for analysis and opinion on international human rights issues: -Business and Human Rights -Climate and Environment -Conflict and Justice -Democracy -Economic Inequality -Gender and Sexuality -Health -Migration -Race and Ethnicity -Technology and AI -Youth You will find many insightful articles that deal with many of the issues that trouble our world from social justice to health and environmental stewardship.

Additional Resources for Action Research

Center for Collaborative Action Research

The Center for Collaborative Action Research (CCAR) links together educators, researchers, and community organizers. The Center's aim is to create deep understanding of important social problems in a range of different contexts including, but not limited to schools, and to encourage evidence-based reasoning to solve these problems. The Center shares collaborative action research projects and supports the development of "knowledge-building" communities making use of innovative technology tools. The goal is to share what others are doing to reinvigorate their workplace with the capacity to reflect and adapt to evolving needs.

We see action researcher as a fulfilling way to live life. It is a way to invite those we work with to be a part of a process of continual innovative change. Developed workplace practices lead to efficiencies, but often at the cost of intellectual boredom. We can develop these practices to free up our minds to tackle the important unsolved problems that are part of our social fabric. Change is constant. With change comes new struggles and with them new voices to blend into strategies that give life to our shared values. We invite you to join with us and make action research your dominant habit of mind.

Action Research Tutorials

We have developed the Action Research Tutorials as a free resource to help practitioners learn how to do action research. Action research helps you to become a more powerful version of yourself, able to engage in, and engage others in a process of continual learning and change. The course is comprised of 12 Tutorials each with a short video to watch, a set of activities to complete (with linked writing templates that can be downloaded individually or can be accessed in the Action Research Activity Workbook), and resources to support the completion of the activities. The goal of creating these materials is to "flip the classroom" so that learning about action research is done outside of the collaborative learning space so that valuable collaborative time can be used to support the action research ideas of each person in the group or class.

Please join our linked Action Research Tutorials Facebook group.

If you teach action research, you might want to join STAR-C Supporting the Teaching of Action Research Community.

Upcoming Conferences

1. World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2026. January 13-15, 2026. Focus: Renewable energy, clean tech, sustainability, part of Abu Dhabi by Sustainability Week (ADSW). World Future Energy Summit | ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi

2. ARNA 2026. Action Research Network of the Americas (ARNA) Hybrid Annual Conference-Brazil-May 2026-Check website in future for more information. https://arnawebsite.org/conferences/

3. UNFCCC COP 31. The 2026 UN Climate Change Conference will convene from 9-20 November in Antalya, Türkiye. The meeting will consist of the 31st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 31) to the UNFCCC, the 21st meeting of the COP serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 21), and the eighth meeting of the COP serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 8), as well as the 65th sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 65) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 65).

4. CDP COP 17: The 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will convene in October 2026. The 12th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CP-MOP-12) and the sixth MOP to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of the Benefits Arising from their Utilization (NP-MOP-6) will also convene.

5. Adaptation Canada 2026: Acting today for our shared tomorrow. Toronto. September 22-24. https://icleicanada.org/project/adaptation-canada-2026/

6. The Annual American Education Research Association: April 8–12, 2026 The 2026 Annual Meeting, with the theme "Unforgetting Histories and Imagining Futures: Constructing a New Vision for Education Research," will take place in Los Angeles, CA.