Research has shown that quality teacher-student interactions far outweigh all other considerations to produce positive learning outcomes. Although this may be inherently obvious, few teacher preparation programs dedicate much time to training teachers how to create positive interactive, constructivist learning environments. Much can be learned…

This paper provides an introduction to this symposium issue on participatory action research in geographic teaching, learning and research. It introduces the themes of the symposium and contributions from the participating authors, and also offers additional discussion of the attendant benefits and challenges of using participatory action research…

Students calling themselves the Las Vegas Activist Crew shut down the city's famed Strip on May 1, 2006, with an immigrant rights protest that was one of the largest demonstrations in Nevada's history. This research analyzes the ways that students engage in activism to improve their own social conditions and those of their communities. The…

In this qualitative pilot study, the authors report on curriculum field trials within a personal learning environment (PLE) designed by a collaboration of academic researchers and nonprofit volunteers working together in the virtual world of Second Life. The purpose of the PLE is to provide learners less likely to have access to educational…

O'Connor and Penuel (2010) argue that viewing research in education as a human science requires explicit attention to social, cultural, historical, and institutional dimensions of human activity, to the agency of participants in learning research, and to the importance of incorporating "emic" perspectives that shift the voice of the…

In this mixed methodology study, the researcher became the research practitioner through Educational Action Research. His personal practice of training adult Bible teachers was examined by measuring the self-perceived changes of a group of adult Bible teachers as they were trained to change from their traditional mode of primarily teaching the…

This article discusses a participatory action research (PAR) project carried out with three transnational Latina youth in northern California and how the university researcher incorporated Chicana feminist strategies in the study. PAR and Chicana feminism place at the heart of research the knowledge that ordinary people produce, referring to this…

An action research approach called soft systems methodology (SSM) was used to foster organisational learning in a school regarding the role of the learning support department within the school and its relation with the normal teaching-learning activities. From an initial situation of lack of coordination as well as mutual misunderstanding and…

This article reports on the experiences and perceptions of K-12 teachers as they engaged in a participatory action research (PAR) project, "Science Across the Curriculum." Although the experiences and professional learning of two of the project participants are highlighted, the challenges that all participants experienced as they conceptualized…

This action research study sought to understand what contributed to the success of two adult learners who had previously been left behind by the educational system. The findings revealed the importance of supportive educators, as well as a personal support system. In addition, their participation in this study was an empowering experience for the…

The public educational system in the United States fails to proficiently educate a majority of African American, Latino/a, and students from low-income backgrounds. Test score statistics show an average scaled score gap of twenty-six points between African American and White students (National Center for Education Statistics, 2007). The term…

Having implemented and evaluated over 35 mlearning projects in a variety of contexts in higher education over the past 6 years the researcher is ready to share the untold secret: not all mlearning projects succeed! This article critiques three of the researcher's mlearning projects that can be classed as "failures" and compares them to successful…

Geographical, economic, social and cultural barriers to accessing services in rural areas are widely reported. Less widely discussed are dilemmas posed by individual and community reluctance to address sensitive health issues. This article, focusing on the highly sensitive area of mental health, and employing a participatory action approach,…

In this paper we describe a UK-based participatory action research project that looks beyond the discourse of tolerance to investigate and challenge heteronormative processes in primary schools through reflective action research. This 28-month ESRC-funded project supports 15 primary teachers working in schools in three regions of the UK to develop…

This study explored perspectives of therapist's role in care coordination between early intervention (EI) and medical services, and identified strategies for improving service delivery. Fifty adults participated in one of six focus groups. Participants included parents, pediatricians, and therapists working in hospital and EI programs. Structured…