Abstract
There are a great deal of action research books already on the educational market and populating the shelves of libraries and digital catalogues of educational publishers. Given this, we might at first ask ourselves the question, ‘why another one?’ or, at least, ‘what does this book contribute to an already well-resourced field?’ In short, if you are a practitioner undertaking an action research enquiry – maybe for a formal qualification or as part of an in-school enquiry – the answer is, read this book and read it now! This relatively small volume is not a ‘how-to’ guide or a greatest hits or check-list approach to doing action research (which have their place and are very useful indeed for first-time researchers) but, rather, this book explores key questions about the very nature of action research itself. In doing so, it raises and explores the (often missed) critical tensions that exist within the action research paradigm, helping those interested in these practices and processes to think and rethink their adoption of action research models and frameworks.
Across nine substantive chapters (and an introduction) and a modest number of pages, this book deals with:
The processes of action research The principles of action research Connecting research and practice Identifying a focus for change Developing a plan for action and research Managing the implementation of change Evaluating action research Concluding action research Reflecting on action research
In presenting ‘change’ as a central tenet of action research and in positioning the approach as research and practice, the book presents a very clear image of this often confused and at times glossed over area of research. In fact, the author does an excellent job of unpacking, as the title suggests, the ‘challenges’ of the approach and the guiding principles subscribed to by many already adopting this approach in the field and in increasingly diverse educational settings.
In terms of the ‘flick-test’ (holding the book open and looking at how accessible the contents are to the interested reader), this book is a wealth of useful issues, themes, models and reflective questions. However, we can go well beyond this simple and rather superficial test – the author has done extremely well to both cover with a genuine scholarship the complexities around action research approaches (deliberately plural) while at the same time writing a relatively small text that will be very accessible to both first-time researchers and those looking for something a little bit more. Its conceptual and practical coverage is huge – all the more impressive given its overall size. While reading the book, at no time was I left feeling rushed through difficult and important debates and at no time did I feel that its size reduced the scholarship on offer. The author’s writing style is highly accessible and speaks with a real authority.
In reading this book, what comes through very clearly is the author’s ability to connect together a critical review of the diverse nature of much action research with an absolute connection to and grounding in practice. The use of contextual case studies is very useful, as are the identification of stages, steps, challenges, difficulties and the opportunities that investment in action research affords. The chapter on managing the implementation of change – so crucial to the spirit of action research – is rather neglected in other books on this topic and as such is a very welcome addition here.
I will be strongly recommending this book to my own trainee teachers and to in-service teacher partners who are undertaking action research. I know they will find it stimulating and very useful indeed.