Action research is a systematic form of inquiry that is collective, collaborative, self-reflective,

critical, and undertaken by the participants of the inquiry [McCutcheon, G. & Jung, B. (1990).
Alternative perspectives on action research. Theory into Practice 29 (3): 144-151].  Action
research, sometimes called "practitioner research," is a reflective investigation of a personal
interest, problem or challenge.  The process begins with the development of questions, which
may be answered by the collection of data. Action implies that the practitioner will be acting as
the collector of data, the analyst, and the interpreter of results.

Action research is a reflective process of progressive problem solving led by individuals working with

others in teams or as part of a "community of practice" to improve the way they address issues and solve
problems. Action research is done simply by action, hence the name. Action research can also be
undertaken by larger organizations or institutions, assisted or guided by professional researchers, with the
aim of improving their strategies, practices, and knowledge of the environments within which they
practice. As designers and stakeholders, researchers work with others to propose a new course of action
to help their community improve its work practices (Center for Collaborative Action Research). Kurt Lewin,
then a professor at MIT, first coined the term “action research” in about 1944. In his 1946 paper “Action
Research and Minority Problems” he described action research as “a comparative research on the
conditions and effects of various forms of social action and research leading to social action” that uses “a
spiral of steps, each of which is composed of a circle of planning, action, and fact-finding about the result
of the action”.

Action research is inquiry or research in the context of focused efforts to improve the
quality of an organization and its performance. It typically is designed and conducted
by practitioners who analyze the data to improve their own practice. Action research
can be done by individuals or by teams of colleagues. The team approach is
called collaborative inquiry.

Action research has the potential to generate genuine and sustained improvements in
schools. It gives educators new opportunities to reflect on and assess their teaching; to
explore and test new ideas, methods, and materials; to assess how effective the new
approaches were; to share feedback with fellow team members; and to make decisions
about which new approaches to include in the team's curriculum, instruction, and
assessment plans.