The utility of educational action research for emancipatory change

Much has been written about the potential of action research (AR) to advance social justice and emancipatory change. However, since its original promulgation in the 1940s and despite its increasing popularity and acceptance in many academic fields, AR in general, and educational AR in particular, appear to have fallen short of significantly advancing these ends, particularly in the industrialized world. In fact, to the dismay of many of its most ardent advocates, AR has more often been used as a technical tool to facilitate the use of particular teaching techniques; increase practical professional efficacy; and implement government policies. This may in part be due to the primacy advocates give to its meeting key theoretical and practical university-based considerations. While there has been increasing discussion and advocacy for particular forms of AR as best suited to produce emancipatory consciousness and work, it is here asserted that each form has its own unique emancipatory potential and challenges. It is also asserted that too little attention has been paid to the practical outcomes of much educational AR, suggesting the need to rethink the esoteric nature and narrow range of criteria used to determine what counts as emancipatory AR.