Supporting the Teaching of Action Research ARNA-STAR-C spring Newsletter 2025

EDITORS: TERI MARCOS, LINDA PURRINGTON, & CLOTILDE LOMELI AGRUEL

For Spanish

This is the spring 2025 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. We have also launched a blog to encourage more discussion around topics. Please join us at: https://actionresearchteaching.home.blog/

This edition features three articles from members of the ARNA STAR Community. Pedro Navareño's article, Sowing the Future in Times of Uncertainty: Reflections for the Research Community, explores the role of the research community in a global context characterized by political uncertainty, economic pressures, and increasing skepticism about the social value of science. From a critical and engaged perspective, five strategic guidelines are proposed: strengthening research networks, promoting ethical integrity, diversifying funding sources, fostering science communication, and advancing action-oriented higher education. Grounded in international literature and action-research approaches, these proposals aim to serve as a roadmap for institutions and individuals committed to strengthening knowledge in service of the common good.

Teri Marcos's article, A History and Evolution of Action Research in Academia: A 50-Year Chronicle of Key Political Challenges Across Decades (1974-2025), explores action research over a five decade window of time. In an era where academic research continues to shape our understanding of education and society, the timeline in the article reveals the relationship between university professors, their action research students, Institutions of Higher Education (IHE), and key political influences upon their work across five decades of political change. This article reveals how shifting political landscapes have influenced research parameters, funding mechanisms, and academic freedom. It further provides strategies as to how some professors of action research are successfully navigating local and global political challenges while maintaining academic support from their institutions.

Katheryne T. Leigh-Osroosh's article, Reflexivity as Hope, is inspired by her belief that action research is key to sustaining the school counseling profession. It empowers both new and veteran school counselors to develop high-quality, responsive curricula that lead to lasting positive changing within schools and across the broader community. Katy shares her experiences integrating reflexivity via action research into two of her courses: Social Justice Advocacy within Schools and School Counseling Leadership and Evaluation.

In addition to the three featured articles, this newsletter edition shares new publications, additional resources, and upcoming action research conferences.

Sowing the Future in Times of Uncertainty: Reflections for the Research Community

Pedro Navareño, Member of the STAR Community, Spain

Abstract: In a global context marked by political instability, economic uncertainty, and growing skepticism about the social value of science, this article proposes five strategic directions for the research community, with special emphasis on strengthening networks, ethical integrity, financial diversification, science communication, and a critical pedagogy oriented toward action research. These proposals, grounded in scientific literature and the accumulated experience of action research, seek to offer a framework for navigating with hope and effectiveness the contemporary challenges faced by universities and scientific institutions worldwide.

Keywords: Scientific research; academic ethics; international networks; science communication; higher education; uncertainty.

1. Introduction. We find ourselves—especially in contexts like that of the United States—at a moment when stability and support for scientific work are threatened by fluctuating political dynamics. Rhetoric from certain sectors of power raises concerns about crucial issues such as research funding, university autonomy, academic freedom, and the very legitimacy of academic work. This sense of vulnerability, though currently more pronounced in certain settings, is part of a historical cycle affecting the evolution of science and knowledge institutions worldwide. In such circumstances, uncertainty should not paralyze us but instead call us to deep and strategic reflection. These crises challenge us to strengthen our cohesion as a research community, to reaffirm our ethical commitment, and to lucidly project alternatives that ensure the continuity of a critical, rigorous, and socially relevant science for sustainability and the common good. The university has been—and must continue to be—a space of free thought, intellectual creativity, and social transformation. However, current political and economic tensions put their essential function at risk. This article proposes a set of practical guidelines, grounded in ethics and with a transformative vocation, aimed at confronting these challenges through the shared responsibility of the global scientific community.

2. Cross-Border and Interdisciplinary Collaboration Networks. Science is, by nature, a collaborative and global endeavor. In times of political uncertainty or national budget restrictions, international networks become even more crucial. Evidence shows that transnational collaborative projects often have greater impact, access diverse funding sources, and foster richer perspectives (National Science Board, 2020; OECD, 2021). Interdisciplinarity, meanwhile, is essential for addressing the complex problems of the 21st century (climate change, pandemics, social inequalities) that cannot be solved from a single disciplinary standpoint. Proposal: Promote international mobility, support consortia and virtual collaboration platforms, and encourage interdisciplinary projects through internal university policies.

3. Intellectual Resilience and Ethical Integrity. Political or economic pressures may attempt to skew research agendas or results. History teaches us that ethical capitulation or self-censorship undermines the credibility of science in the long term (Oreskes & Conway, 2010, Merchants of Doubt). Intellectual resilience means the ability to uphold methodological rigor, objectivity, and commitment to truth—even under pressure. Proposal: Strengthen institutional cultures of critical debate, bolster ethical mentorship for early-career researchers, and reinforce active protections for research freedom.

4. Strategic Diversification of Funding. Excessive dependence on government funding can make scientific projects vulnerable. Diversifying funding sources through alliances with the private sector, philanthropic foundations, or multilateral programs enhances institutional sustainability (Geuna & Muscio, 2009). Proposal: Broaden the funding spectrum through international cooperation, patronage mechanisms or crowdfunding, and empower university offices focused on technology transfer and entrepreneurship.

5. Strategic Dissemination of Knowledge. In an era of “post-truth” and misinformation, it is more crucial than ever for the scientific community to actively communicate the value and findings of its work to the general public and policymakers. Research on science communication shows that effective outreach can increase public trust in science and foster a scientific culture (Fischhoff & Scheufele, 2013). Proposal: Train researchers in science communication, integrate outreach into academic evaluation criteria, and build active ties with local communities through participatory projects.

6. Promote Critical Pedagogy and Action Research in Training New Generations. Higher education should not only transmit knowledge but also form critical, reflective citizens capable of acting to transform their realities. Action research—our area of expertise—has amply demonstrated how engaging students in identifying and solving real-world problems in their environments enhances learning, civic engagement, and agency (Kemmis, McTaggart & Nixon, 2014). Proposal: Integrate these methodologies into university curricula, encourage critical thinking about power structures, and empower students as active agents of change.

7. Conclusion. Crises, by their nature, are temporary. What remains is the solidity of the method, the integrity of purpose, and the transformative power of a committed scientific community. In times of uncertainty, knowledge can either retreat or become a driving force for innovation, cooperation, and ethical reaffirmation. Faced with volatile and sometimes adverse scenarios, the research community is called not only to resist but to respond with creative intelligence, critical rigor, and a strategic vision oriented towards the common good. The university, as a public institution serving society, must be consolidated as a guarantor of free thought, cognitive justice, and sustainable development. The proposals presented here are not closed formulas but seeds of transformation. Their value lies in their potential to be cultivated by academic communities who, through dialogue, evidence, and commitment, strive for a living, socially useful, and profoundly human science. Let us embrace this time with the clarity of those who understand that knowledge is the brightest good in the face of the darkness of ignorance and dogmatism. May our actions—no matter how small—be guided by the conviction that a more just, inclusive, and hopeful future is possible. To sow today, with ethical purpose and long-term vision, is our greatest act of responsibility. Because the future of science and humanity is not decreed—it is built collectively, step by step, with active hope and evidence in hand.

References

Fischhoff, B., & Scheufele, D. A. (2013). The science of science communication. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(Supplement 3), 14031–14032.

Geuna, A., & Muscio, A. (2009). The governance of university knowledge transfer: A critical review of literature. Minerva, 47(1), 93–114.

S., McTaggart, R., & Nixon, R. (2014). The action research planner: Doing critical participatory action research. Springer.

National Science Board. (2020). Science and Engineering Indicators 2020. NSB-2020-1. National Science Foundation.

OECD. (2021). Science, Technology, and Innovation Outlook 2021: Times of Crisis and Opportunity. OECD Publishing.

Oreskes, N., & Conway, E. M. (2010). Merchants of Doubt. Bloomsbury Pres

A History and Evolution of Action Research in Academia: A 50-Year Chronicle of Key Political Challenges Across Decades (1974-2025)

By Teri Marcos, Ed.D.

In an era where academic research continues to shape our understanding of education and society, the following timeline reveals the relationship between university professors, their action research students, Institutions of Higher Education (IHE), and key political influences upon their work across five decades of political change. This article reveals how shifting political landscapes have influenced research parameters, funding mechanisms, and academic freedom. It further provides strategies as to how some professors of action research are successfully navigating local and global political challenges while maintaining academic support from their institutions.

While the above 50-year timeline provides an overview of key political challenges by decade as related to action research methodologies and educational history, it also emphasizes the interplay between political changes and academic research. Given the above chronology, following is a more specific address noting how professors of action research currently navigate local and global governmental political challenges while maintaining academic support from their institutions.

Navigating Current Action Research Political Challenges, Funding, and Academic Support

In recent years, university professors worldwide have faced unprecedented challenges in supporting their action research students amid rapidly evolving political landscapes. The current global political climate has significantly impacted how action research is conducted within universities. Professors must navigate complex relationships between institutional requirements, governmental regulations, and the need for academic freedom.

In 2025, many prestigious U.S. Institutes of Higher Education reported increasing scrutiny over research funding and methodologies, particularly in socially sensitive areas. For example, recent events at Harvard University highlight the intricate relationship between institutional leadership, donor relations, and academic freedom. The resignation of Harvard’s President, Dr. Claudine Gay, brought attention to donor influence on research priorities, academic freedom concerns, institutional governance challenges, and research funding allocation methods.

While we know that the political climate significantly impacts research funding and support mechanisms we learned during the Biden administration there was an increased emphasis on climate change research, social justice initiatives, and public health studies. This may, or may not have, marked a shift from both previous and current administration priorities, potentially affecting how professors guide their students' areas of research focus. Currently, federal funding patterns reveal that: NIH budget adjustments are affecting biomedical research, National Science Foundation (NSF) grant competition is experiencing intensification, Department of Education research priorities are changing, and shifts in DARPA funding focuses are underway.

Given these trends professors of action research must additionally make sponsored research considerations as they carefully balance corporate sponsorship requirements, academic independence, student research interests, and institutional compliance measures.

As we support the teaching of action research within our Institutes of Higher Education the following four areas outline the key challenges we face moving forward:

Producing Pearls

Although the landscape of action research in higher education has become increasingly complex, influenced by political transitions, funding allocations, and institutional priorities, professors of action research are developing innovative approaches to navigating these challenges while maintaining academic integrity and research quality with key support strategies and adaptations alongside their action research students. Some of these supports and strategies include:

1. Digital Collaboration Platforms

• Virtual research communities
• Flexible research frameworks
• Secure data sharing protocols
• Cross-institutional partnerships
• Remote mentoring systems

2. Alternative Funding Sources

• Private sector collaborations
• Clear funding guidelines
• International research grants
• Crowdfunding initiatives
• Maintain political neutrality
• Alumni network support

3. Methodological Innovations

• Mixed-method approaches
• Diverse research methodologies
• Participatory action research
• Digital ethnography
• Community-based research designs

Although the political landscape continues to evolve while necessitating ongoing adjustments for IHE to best support their professors and students of action research, it is particularly encouraged that readers of this article verify current policies and funding situations at their institutions.

References

Anderson, J. & Smith, K. (2024). "Political Influences on Academic Research." Journal of Higher Education, 45(2), 112-128. Routledge Publishers.

Anderson, M. (2024). "Higher Education Research in Political Transitions." Journal of Academic Leadership, 15(1), 23-45. Cambridge University Press.

Bennett, R., & Thompson, K. (2024). "Action Research Methodology in Modern Academia." Research Methods Quarterly, 28(2), 112-134. Oxford Academic Publishing.

Chen, L., & Williams, P. (2024). "Global Perspectives on Research Support Systems." International Journal of Higher Education, 42(1), 67-89. Springer Publishing.

Chen, W. (2024). "Global Perspectives on Action Research." International Review of Education, 78(1), 23-41. Springer Publishing.

Davis, J. (2024). "Federal Funding Patterns in Academic Research." Policy Studies Review, 19(3), 178-195. Routledge.

Davis, M. (2024). "Funding Challenges in Contemporary Academia." Research Management Quarterly, 15(4), 67-82. Oxford University Press.

Harris, S., & Miller, T. (2024). "Institutional Governance and Research Support." Academic Management Review, 31(2), 245-267. Sage Publications.

Johnson, E. (2024). "Political Influence on Academic Research." Higher Education Today, 25(1), 89-112. Wiley Academic Press.

Johnson, P. et al. (2024). "Academic Freedom in Political Transitions." Higher Education Review, 92(3), 201-218. Cambridge University Press.

Martinez, R. (2024). "Action Research in Contemporary Academia." Educational Research Quarterly, 37(4), 156-178. Elsevier.

Martinez, R. (2024). "Supporting Student Researchers in Challenging Times." Educational Research Journal, 55(2), 145-163. SAGE Publications.

Peterson, K., & Lee, S. (2024). "Supporting Student Researchers in Political Climates." Teaching in Higher Education, 22(2), 90-113. Taylor & Francis.

Phillips, T. & Wong, Y. (2024). "Digital Adaptations in Action Research." Technology in Education, 33(1), 78-95. Wiley Publishing.

Roberts, A. (2024). "Institutional Responses to Political Pressure." Academic Leadership Journal, 28(4), 167-184. Emerald Publishing.

Smith, A., & Brown, D. (2024). "Research Funding Challenges in Higher Education." Academic Affairs Review, 16(3), 201-224. SAGE Publications.

Thompson, E. (2024). "Research Methodology Adaptations." Action Research Quarterly, 41(2), 89-106. SAGE Publications.

Wilson, B. & Brown, C. (2024). "Cross-border Research Challenges." International Journal of Research Methods, 19(3), 234-251. Taylor & Francis.

Wilson, M. (2024). "Contemporary Challenges in Academic Research Support." Journal of Research Administration, 45(1), 34-56. Research Management Press.

Zhang, L. (2024). "Innovation in Research Support Systems." Educational Innovation Review, 67(1), 45-62. Elsevier Publishing.

Reflexivity as Hope

Katheryne T. Leigh-Osroosh, PhD

Department of Counseling, Educational, and School Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo

Author Note

There is no conflict of interest to disclose.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Katheryne T. Leigh-Osroosh, Email: kosroosh@buffalo.edu

We are experiencing multiple crises in K-12 education, but the most urgent is the shortage of teachers, counselors, and administration, crippling the ability of schools to meet students ‘social-emotional, academic, and career needs. This shortage is compounded by the increased attacks on educators and school-based mental health providers (e.g. school counselors, social workers, school psychologists), even as the demand for academic and social-emotional supports continue to grow in response to the lasting impacts of COVID 19. Although the decline in new educators entering the fields is not a new phenomenon, the current times have created a vacuum: veteran educators, admin, and school counselors are leaving the field in increasing numbers, while college students are increasingly turning away from education as a career path (Huynh, 2024).

As a professor of Counselor Education and Supervision, it is my passion to recruit, train, and mentor new school counselors entering the field. Over the last five years I have witnessed a growing concern among my students about the significant barriers to creating and implementing preventive, evidence-based, student-centered, school counseling curricula. These challenges are especially acute in schools experiencing crisis and lacking consistent, effective leadership, conditions that hinder efforts to support the academic, social-emotional, and career development needs of K-12 students.

Such conditions have made it increasingly difficult for school counselors in training to recognize the value of their work and the positive impact it can still have, even amidst current adversities. This paradox leaves me navigating how to best encourage and prepare counselors-in-training to meet the immediate needs of K-12 schools while also equipping them with the skills necessary to allow them to thrive in these precarious times.

I believe that action research is key to sustaining the school counseling profession. It empowers both new and veteran school counselors to develop high-quality, responsive curricula that lead to lasting positive changing within schools and across the broader community.

Action Research is Essential to the Futurity of School Counseling

School counseling is unique profession that integrates an educator-counselor identity (Levy & Lemberger-Truelove, 2021), emphasizing the development and implementation of multi-tiered evidence-based interventions designed to meet the needs of all students within a school setting (Dimmit et al., 2007; Zyromski & Dimmitt, 2022). Like community-health workers in public health, school counselors operate within a prevention-focused framework (Kim et al., 2024). However, when schools face increasing levels of academic and social-emotional challenges, school counselors are often compelled to shift their focus towards more responsive, acute interventions.

Although the past two decades have seen increased attention of the development of evidence-based curriculum, what remains lacking is a community-driven lens necessary for developing sustainable transformative interventions. Training school counselors in action research equips them with the tools to co-create interventions in partnership with their school communities, addressing immediate concerns while also fostering long-term, sustainable change aligned with the resources and capacities of each unique school environment. Overall, action research provides the road map to meet the needs of the evolving landscape of school counseling and counselor education (Trott et al., 2024).

Integrating Reflexivity into Coursework

I joined STAR in Fall 2024 with the goal of improving the integration of action research into two of my courses: Social Justice Advocacy within Schools and School Counseling Leadership and Evaluation. This was my second year teaching the advocacy course, and I had been struggling to help students understand the connection between evidence-based school counseling interventions and action research.

In the course, students were tasked with researching current systemic needs and developing an advocacy plan in response. Working in teams, they were introduced to a new step of the action research process each week, using Wallerstein et al.'s (2018) model as a framework. By the end of the semester, each team presented their data, root cause analysis, power map, student focus group findings, and intervention plan.

While I initially felt the course had gone well—based on the quality of students’ final projects and their apparent grasp of the process—course evaluations told a different story. Students expressed frustration, particularly around understanding how action research applied to their role as school counselors. Although the feedback was difficult to hear, it proved valuable.

I shared these reflections with the STAR community and received thoughtful suggestions. One key recommendation was to incorporate a specific assignment that engaged students in reflexivity through audio journals. These journals could then be explicitly tied to the action research process, helping students make connections between their day-to-day roles and the broader research framework. Later, I implemented this idea in the spring version of the course, and it proved to be quite successful. The following section describes the assignment, student responses, and implications for future courses.

The Process

Students were tasked with recording a three-to-five-minute audio reflection each day they attended their school-based internship, approximately three times per week. In each recording, they were asked to describe a "win"—something that went well—a challenge they encountered, and a plan to address that challenge during their next visit.

I was initially uncertain about how the students would respond to the assignment, especially since this was their final semester in the program—a time when engagement tends to wane as they begin to focus on post-graduation employment. Additionally, this was the same cohort that had previously struggled with the action research component of the advocacy course.

To my surprise, the audio journals were well received. Several students cited them in their course evaluations as one of the most meaningful assignments they had completed in the program. As the instructor, I was also pleasantly surprised by how much I valued the assignment. Listening to their reflections and offering feedback became a powerful tool for supporting their professional growth.

Initial Result: Emerging Self-Efficacy

One of the most significant learning outcomes of the assignment was the noticeable increase in students’ self-efficacy. During the first three weeks of the semester, I observed a shift in how students spoke about their roles within the school setting. Initially, they narrated their experiences from an observer’s perspective. Over time, however, their reflections evolved to include themselves as active participants in the school environment, and eventually as emerging leaders who were taking initiative in their roles.

Students found the audio recording format particularly useful—a technique many expressed interest in continuing in their professional practice. As one student noted in the course evaluation, “my favorite part of this course was recording the reflective journal audios. I found this format much more meaningful than writing a paper, as it allowed me to express my thoughts more authentically and clearly.”

I also observed that students were identifying more pathways to support their student clients than I had seen in prior courses such as the internship and advocacy classes. In addition, many students reported that the reflexive practice helped them feel more prepared for job applications and interviews.

This growth was especially promising, as one of the primary goals of the course is to help students develop the skills necessary to establish social and organizational legitimacy within a school—building the trust required to lead an effective school counseling program. We also aim for students to leave their final semester feeling equipped to begin full-time work in schools, with a deeper self-awareness and a clear understanding of the tools they’ve developed to support students’ social, emotional, academic, and career development.

It was a fascinating evolution to witness: students not only began to adopt their professional identities as school counselors but also came to recognize and embrace the skills and expertise they had cultivated over the course of their two-year program.

Future Direction: Measuring Hope

I plan to continue this assignment in the fall curriculum course and extend it into the spring advocacy course. By integrating it across both semesters, I aim to equip students with the necessary tools to enhance their self-efficacy throughout the academic year and support the successful implementation of their action research projects in the spring Advocacy in Schools course.

Additionally, I am interested in exploring how this reflexive process may influence the development of hope. Hope is a critical factor in the retention of school counselors, as it offers pathways for addressing complex challenges while acknowledging progress—regardless of its scale. This is especially important in the current climate, where our profession faces increasing scrutiny for advocacy efforts, support of diverse student populations, and commitment to evidence-based and community-driven practices.

As part of the plan, students will complete a hope inventory at the beginning and end of the semester to assess any changes. I also intend to include open-ended, phenomenological questions to explore their experiences with reflexive journaling and its role in shaping their professional identity.

Ultimately, the goal is to help students adopt reflexive practices that support both their professional identity development and overall well-being—contributing to greater retention in the field. I look forward to sharing the outcomes with STAR and encouraging my counselor educator colleagues to integrate action research into their training curricula.

References

Dimmitt, C., Carey, J. C., & Hatch, T. (2007). Evidence-based school counseling: Making a difference with data-driven practices. Corwin.

Huynh, L.N. (September, 2024). The decline of the teaching profession. Beyond BLS. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2024/beyond-bls/the-decline-of-the-teaching-profession.htm

Kim, H., Molina, C. E., Watkinson, J. S., Leigh-Osroosh, K. T., & Li, D. (2024). Theory-informed school counseling: Increasing efficacy through prevention-focused practice and outcome research. Journal of Counseling & Development, 102(2), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcad.12507

Levy, I. P., & Lemberger-Truelove, M. E. (2021). Educator–Counselor: A Nondual Identity for School Counselors. Professional School Counseling, 24(1b), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X211007630

Trott, A., Suri, T., & Chávez, T. A. (2024). A CBPR approach to multicultural and socially just counseling research. Counselor Education and Supervision, 63(4), 379–391. https://doi.org/10.1002/ceas.12305

Wallerstein, N., Duran, B., Oetzel, J. G., & Minkler, M. (Eds.). (2018). Community-based participatory research for health: Advancing social and health equity (3rd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Books, Articles, and Other Publications to Explore

Books

1. Call-Cummings, M., Dazzo, G.P., & Hauber-Özer. (2023). Critical Participatory Inquiry: An Interdisciplinary Guide. Sage Publications Incorporated.

Winner of the 2025 Outstanding Book Award from the American Educational Research Association Qualitative Research SIG!

Critical Participatory Inquiry: An Interdisciplinary Guide brings to life key principles of this collaborative research method for students, practitioners, and research collectives. The authors encourage readers to uncover new possibilities in research guided by the emancipatory roots of CPI to deconstruct inequitable conditions and practices. Weaving together theoretical perspectives, a variety of tools for data collection and analysis, and numerous practical examples, the authors offer a complete picture of the research process from start to finish. This thoughtful and thorough book prepares readers to co-create knowledge effectively and ethically. By addressing the underlying principles common to a variety of action and participatory research methods, readers learn to design and carry out research with, not on, communities. With examples from public health, social work, psychology, education, criminal justice, conflict resolution, and more, the text is suited to a wide variety of graduate-level courses and better reflects the interdisciplinary nature of participatory research with collectives of all sizes and compositions.

2. Maxwell, Joseph. (2024). Mixed methods research: Outside the box. Sage Publications Inc.

In Mixed Methods Research Outside the Box, Joseph A. Maxwell shows readers how to carry out unconventional, yet effective, mixed methods research. Providing a new way to think about and combine qualitative and quantitative research, this readable text takes a broad view of mixed methods, revealing the largely unrecognized early history of mixed methods research and its current diversity across disciplines. Maxwell brings together work on combining qualitative and quantitative methods from a variety of disciplines and puts them in conversation with one another. He identifies mixed methods’ philosophical bases, presenting an “interactive” model of design that more closely integrates qualitative and quantitative elements and emphasizes the complementarity of qualitative and quantitative methods for understanding causation and generalization. Drawing from recent works on causation, integration, and philosophy of science, this text promotes innovations in mixed methods, such as process tracing in political science and design-based research in education. This groundbreaking book provides readers with a new way of thinking about, developing, and conducting mixed methods research.

Articles

1. Anderson, A. J., & Sankofa, N. (2025). Preparing for participatory action research: professional development to support education doctoral students’ critical reflexivity. Educational Action Research, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2025.2495684

2. Anderson, K. M., & Christens, B. D. (2025). Navigating inherent challenges of locally focused action research in graduate education. Educational Action Research, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2025.2499532

3. Tobin, B., Farren, M., & Crotty, Y. (2024). Impacting teaching and learning through collaborative reflective practice. Educational Action Research, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2024.2394933

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. SCRA 2025-Biennial-20th Anniversary-Hosted by Michigan State University, June 17-20

https://scra27.org/biennial-2025/

2. 5th iEarn Latina Conference in Guatemala, July 16-19, 2025

https://www.iearnlatina.org/encuentros/5%C2%BA-encuentro-julio-2025

3. 1ST INTERNATIONAL ACTION RESEARCH in TVET CONFERENCE July 23, 2025

https://sites.google.com/polimas.edu.my/iartc/home

4. 11th Action Learning Action Research and 15tg Participatory Action Research-World Congress-September 2025-Putting Global Collaboration at the Heart of Action Research

https://www.alarassociation.org/events/world-congresses/alara-world-congress-2025

5. Action Research Network of the Americas Hybrid Annual Conference-Brazil-May 2026-Check website in future for more information.

https://arnawebsite.org/conferences/