Action Research

Action Research: Inquiry to Inform and Transform
Spring Brown Bag Series
Real world problems are transdisciplinary and complex. Action research is a practice of inquiry that systematically builds knowledge and creates opportunities for transformation in both the inquirers and the arenas in which they seek to create informed change.

Come join your colleagues interested in action research for the continuation of this series of brown bag sessions on Friday, February 13th and Friday, April 10th.

Please join us for informal conversations and presentations on action research. Hosted by Annalisa Raymer afalr@uaa.alaska.edu and Andrew Page andrew@uaa.alaska.edu.

Sponsored by CAFE, The Center for Community Engagement & Learning, and The College of Education.

AR is a form of research that generates knowledge claims for the express purpose of taking action to promote social change and social analysis. But the social change we refer to is not just any kind of social change. AR aims to increase the ability of the involved community or organization members to control their own destinies more effectively and to keep improving their capacity to do so. Levin & Greenwood Introduction to Action Research 1998, p. 6

	Fall 2008
	Spring 2009
Date, Location, Time	Topic
Friday, Feb. 13, GHH 105 11:30am - 1:00pm	Action Research case presentation: “Engaging Inupiaq values in land management for health through an action research appreciative inquiry process.” Carl Hild, Alaska Pacific University, Health Services Administration & Business Administration Carl will discuss an ongoing community-based research project that began with a request from the Maniilaq Association in 1999 and continues today. With collaborators from the Maniilaq Tribal Doctors, NANA Regional Elders’ Council, the Shishmaref IRA, and the National Parks Conservation Association, the project has received numerous recognitions and evolved through interesting developments. Hild’s dissertation, “Engaging Inupiaq values in land management for health through an action research appreciative inquiry process,” stems from this inquiry.
Friday, April 10 GHH 105 11:30am - 1:00pm	Action Research Brownbag: Increasing math teacher collaboration through professional learning communities with a focus on technology based interactions through a common wiki, or, in math terms, t(w+p)=c (where t=teachers, w=wiki, p=professional learning communities and c = collaboration) Jessica Graziano, Anchorage School District, Middle School Math Specialist Come hear about this action learning project to increase teacher collaboration through professional learning communities and contributions to a common wiki. The group consisted of 60-70 middle school math teachers that met face to face three times throughout the year and periodically used the wiki to share resources..
Date, Time, Location	Topic
11:30 - 1:00 p.m. Friday, September 12 GHH 105	Action Research in Alaska Roundtable. Come share and hear examples of action research, past and present, in various settings (schools, communities, healthcare studies…) here in Alaska. Convened by John Lewis, CTC, History, Eagle River. Want to let John know you’d like to share a brief description of your AR inquiry? Contact him at afjsl@uaa.alaska.edu (or just show up).
11:30 - 1:00 p.m. Friday, October 10, GHH 105	Participatory Action Research and Technology (PART). Technological innovations have opened up new applications in action research. This session looks at ways educational technology can serve action inquiry. Convened by Andy Page, COE, Teaching and Learning, with colleagues from the Anchorage City School District. For more information contact Andy at afgap1@uaa.alaska.edu.
11:30 - 1:00 p.m. Friday, November 14, GHH 105	Nothing so practical as a good theory. This session looks at types of theory and ways of articulating theory in action research. Convened by Annalisa Raymer, Civic Engagement, CHSW. Featured also is an advance notice for an upcoming special issue on theory in Action Research Journal. For more information contact Annalisa at afalr@uaa.alaska.edu.
11:30 - 1:00 p.m. Friday, December 12, GHH 105	Reflections & discussion. An intentional pause for the reflective researcher to take time to do just that--reflect. Here’s an opportunity to close out the semester with a moment to take stock and capture insights. “…how critical it is for us to create and sustain spaces in universities and training institutes through which we support, nurture and challenge action researchers.” M. Brydon-Miller, et.al., Why Action Research? ARJ 2003, 1(1)