Action Research

What is Action Research?

You can ask 20 researchers and academics and you'll get a different answer. 
 

What does IVAR think?

We focus on the real world. Our research starts with a practical issue or problem. We're interested in carrying out research that produces knowledge which is practically useful and usable.
 
We believe in collaboration - with other researchers as well as with practitioners. We'll talk to pretty much anyone if it adds to our understanding of the initial problem.
 
We won't tell you what to do or interfere - your viewpoints, the internal agenda of your group or organisation and the perceptions of whoever we speak to during the research are paramount.
 
However, we will intervene with a view to making change. Our action research is geared towards practical change. This means we want to work with you to develop a response to the original problem - of course - but we also aim to equip you with the skills to deal with future challenges. 

Finally, we want to build and exchange knowledge - we do this by working and talking together. Often there is a cyclical learning process: we build knowledge and understanding by continuously ‘testing’ it against practical experience. We will then apply it to real world situations before going back and refining the knowledge and so on.
 
Freely adapted from: Cairns, B., Harris, M. and Carroll, M. (2006) ‘Action Research: Professional Researchers in the Community’ in Handbook on Community Movements and Local Organizations edited by R. Cnaan and C. Milofsky, Kluwer Books / Plenum Press

What is Action Research anyway?

Ben Cairns - Director of IVAR