So you think you are doing action research? Indicators of enactment of participatory action research in higher education

Abstract

Action Research is being adopted as a research and project method for the higher education learning and teaching sector. A researcher new to Action Research may need to be scaffolded through the process of validating their research as Action Research, asking the question ‘am I really doing Action Research?’ A multi-disciplinary team of Action Research Enablers, at one metropolitan university, cogenerated a set of indicators of the enactment of Participatory Action Research in learning and teaching projects. This paper introduces the indicators, their development and the associated tool. The role of the indicators in offering systematised project evaluative data is discussed. Indicators are illustrated with qualitative data, drawing upon the reflective narratives of the Action Research Enablers who engaged in regular supported reflection sessions. The need for the continual development of descriptors and the role of metrics to provide quantitative data are presented as ongoing research issues for Action Research projects.