Abstract
Action research involves practioners in attempting to improve their own teaching through cycles of planning, acting, observing and reflecting. Educational practices are regarded as social practices to be changed through collaborative action. Action research has become quite well accepted in schools and teacher education but has not been widely promoted in higher education. This article discusses reasons why it could be effective as a method of staff development for improving teaching and learning at the tertiary level. A brief description is given of a number of action research projects which were supported by the authors, acting as critical friends. Critical reflections on these activities lead to discussion of: the difficulties of promoting projects without imposing directions; the need for group activity; the extent to which participants can influence others; and the viability of supporting action research projects for staff of educational development units.
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Kember, D., Gow, L. Action research as a form of staff development in higher education. High Educ 23, 297–310 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00145018
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00145018