Implementing collaborative problem-solving in primary school mathematics: action research

In the setting of the transformation of our societies to become multicultural ones, we intend in this paper to examine situations in a mathematics classroom where respect for, and exclusion of, the ‘different’ co-exist. Conducting an instrumental case study, we follow two Grade 4 groups while they are solving a mathematics generalization task. We examine how the interaction that took place between the members of the teams mirrors the two faces of the same coin (i.e. the culture of the classroom) and at the same time reflects the change in the primary classroom that necessitates openness and genuine respect for the ‘different’. On the one hand, we will demonstrate the dynamic of the harmony that was apparent between the members of one of the groups since the ‘different’ was not a barrier but a source of mathematical ideas that contributed to the solution. On the other hand, the lack of openness in the other group resulted in good opportunities for ‘doing mathematics’ being missed and put the self-confidence of one of its members at risk. Keywords: classroom diversity and conflict, multicultural mathematics classroom, collaborative problem-solving

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on the concept of action by addressing actions and roles in the practice of action research, illustrated by dilemmas in an action research project on information systems development in public sector. The main ambition with action research is being able to solve organisational problems through intervention and to contribute to scientific knowledge. The main emphasis has so far been on the “research part”. Here the authors focus on the “action part” of action research to generate rigorous research, to solve local problems and to deal with evident dilemmas in action research. Design/methodology/approach This is a qualitative case study. The empirical illustrations of this paper originate from an action research project that focused the two e-service development initiatives analysed below. The analysis is structured using key aspects and phases proposed by Avison et al. (2001). As a result of the analysis, the concept of action is elaborated. The action elements action, actor, motive, space and time are analysed together with different roles. This goes beyond the existing action research literature. Findings The conclusions show that there is a need to understand actions and roles within action research projects – not separating action from research. Research is also seen as action. The practice of action research is also discussed as context-bounded interactive social action: action research as a recurrent, interactive and dynamic activity. It is also identified that the understanding of roles, actions and interaction can help handle dilemmas in action research. Research Limitations/implications The authors contribute to the body of knowledge concerning action research in the information systems research field and in general by exploring the need to study the concept of action (e.g. situations and elements), to be explicit concerning the different phases, roles and responsibilities and management of different dilemmas in action research. A limitation of this study is that the inter-organisational development character in this study adds an extra dimension into the practice of actions research only partially highlighted. Another limitation is focus on public agencies. However, this is not critical for the results on action elements and the action research dilemmas that are studied. Practical Implications The understanding of roles, actions and interaction can solve the dilemmas and challenges linked to the practice of action research in the information systems field, but such understanding can help discover and handle dilemmas in action research. Originality/value The originality in this research is an illustration of and a perspective of action research as a context-bounded interactive social action: action research as a recurrent, interactive and dynamic activity. The value is that this knowledge can help handle dilemmas in action research.

This paper draws on the authors' experiences of nursing in general and of action research projects. Parallels will be drawn between, on the one hand, the relationship between the practice and theory of nursing and, on the other band, the relationship between the practice and theory of action research. Difficulties common to nursing and action research will be identified (e.g. between the implementation of the theory of nursing and of action research). Over- simplification, non-specificity of issues and gaps in theory are frequent but inevitable problems that hinder theoretical applications. Similarly, comparisons will be made between the problems associated with the translation of nursing practice into theory and the difficulties in transposing the experience of research into theory. The complexities of practice, whether nursing or research, and the evolutionary nature of experience inescapably give rise to dilemmas when analysing theory and practice. The concepts of theory and practice when conceived as a dichotomy present a useful overview of issues. We argue that, through a discussion of the core themes of action research, including 'knowledge in action' and 'self and group reflection', consideration should also be given to a symbiotic and complementary analysis of theory and practice. We observe that many contradictions exist within the theory and practice of action research and of nursing, and that these need to be addressed to promote theoretical and practical advances. Action research offers theoretical and practical insights that contribute to the current debate on the reciprocal relationship between theory and practice.

The main objective of this study was to investigate English language trainers perception and practice of action research with reference to the Graduate preparation, training, and development department in Basra. The qualitative method was used to conduct the study. The subjects of the study were 21, out of which 6 were English Language trainers, 4 were Research and Publication Committee (RPC) members, the Head of the department, and 10 were purposively selected English majoring trainees. Two data collection tools were used, namely, interviews and focus group discussions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six trainers, four RPC members, and a head to examine the perception of English Language trainers about action research, to analyze the extent to which perception affects their practice of action research, and to probe other non-perceptual factors that affect English Language trainers practice of action research. Whereas, focus group discussions were held with English-majoring trainees to assess how trainers assist trainees in action research on practicum courses. To that end, the findings reveal that First, English language trainers saw the value of action research in improving their teaching practice, resolving students' academic and non-academic difficulties, developing teamwork and mutual support among teacher educators, providing opportunities for them to enhance their academic writing skills, and evolving their personal and professional lives. Second, the less in the practice of action research by the trainers was not attributed to their perception but to other external factors such as the laissez-faire administration of the Department, lack of emphasis by the RPC, trainers’ dual role as teachers and researchers, lack of resources like time, budget, and materials, lack of initiation, and recognition by the trainers themselves. Third, English language trainers’ provision of professional advice to trainees on action research was not satisfactory. They did not properly assist their trainees in the action research that trainees conduct during the final practicum course as a requirement for graduation. It was said that the lack of incentives for research advisors was to blame for the trainers' lack of motivation, encouragement, and hard work.

Purpose This article aims to examine a community initiative in Tamil Nadu, India, which uses heirloom seeds to promote climate resilience. The authors, involved in the initiative as action researchers, aim to illustrate how their experiences can be integrated into the curriculum and practice of “Adaptive Innovation”, a model rooted in action research and reflective practice. The article highlights the importance of participatory action research (PAR) in bridging the gap between theory and practice, challenging traditional hierarchies between universities and communities. The authors argue that PAR allows for a more inclusive and equitable approach to knowledge production and climate action, giving a voice to marginalised communities and fostering social and environmental regeneration. Design/methodology/approach This article explores a community-based initiative developed in Tamil Nadu, India that promotes climate resilience through the use of heirloom seeds. The initiative was developed in collaboration with graduate students and the faculty of the Centre for Livelihoods and Social Innovation at Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai, India in the Hooga Seed Keepers’ Collective (social enterprise run by alumni) as part of an international network of universities. The initiative uses PAR principles to revert traditional hierarchies between universities and communities, positioning community members as researchers and agents of transformation processes. The article further explores how the action research team encountered diverse knowledge systems and livelihood practices, highlighting essential learning instances across university-community divides, divides of power and privilege within communities, generational divides and the human and non-human worlds. Ultimately, the paper reflects on how these experiences are translated into the curriculum, pedagogy, research and practice of Adaptive Innovation, a model rooted in action research and reflective practice. Findings The findings of this article are that PAR can bridge the traditional divides between universities and marginalised communities, leading to more equitable and effective climate action. They found that using a posthumanist lens in their PAR methodology helped to reveal the interconnectedness of human and non-human actors, like heirloom seeds, in building climate resilience. They also argue that the sharing of knowledge between academics and community members through PAR can lead to the co-creation of practical climate adaptation strategies, such as seed saving and promoting traditional ecological knowledge. Research limitations/implications Their work suggests that embracing PAR can lead to more inclusive and equitable climate action. They have seen firsthand how this approach helps bridge the divide between universities and marginalised communities by positioning communities as active knowledge producers. By working directly with community members, they can ensure that climate action programmes are grounded in their lived experiences and expertise, leading to more relevant and sustainable interventions. Integrating PAR into higher education curricula is crucial for equipping students with the skills and experience to address complex social and environmental issues. Practical implications Their research with the Hooga Seed Keepers’ Collective reveals that embracing and promoting indigenous and local knowledge, such as seed saving and sharing, can lead to more resilient and sustainable agricultural practices in the face of climate change. Supporting and empowering marginalised communities, particularly women and landless labourers who are disproportionately affected by climate change, is crucial for equitable climate action. This can be achieved by promoting fair wages, ensuring access to resources like water and creating opportunities for them to participate in decision-making processes. By acknowledging and respecting the agency of both human and non-human actors, like heirloom seeds, they can foster a more balanced and reciprocal relationship with the natural world, contributing to a more sustainable future. Social implications They believe that tackling social inequalities, particularly those related to caste and gender, is crucial for achieving meaningful and lasting climate action. Their research has revealed that marginalised groups, such as women and landless labourers, are disproportionately affected by climate change due to existing power imbalances and discriminatory practices. Addressing these social injustices should be central to any climate action programme, ensuring that the voices and needs of the most vulnerable are heard and addressed. By working to dismantle these systemic barriers, they can create a more just and equitable society that is better equipped to face the challenges of a changing climate. Originality/value This article showcases how integrating a posthumanist perspective into PAR can challenge traditional hierarchies in knowledge production and create more equitable and effective climate action with marginalised communities. Drawing on their experiences with the Hooga Seed Keepers’ Collective in Tamil Nadu, India, they illustrate how PAR, combined with posthumanist methodologies, can reveal the interconnectedness of human and non-human actors, such as heirloom seeds, in building climate resilience. By examining this collaborative project, the article provides one of the way forward for universities to bridge the theory-practice divide, emphasising the importance of indigenous and local knowledge in addressing the complex challenges of climate change.

The fast pace of development of ICT often results in primary teachers being expected to integrate new technologies effectively prior to the emergence of research findings that provide exemplars of best practice. This discussion paper explores contemporary research into ICT and primary school mathematics, and the issues that arise in relation to mobile technologies such as computer tablets in primary school classrooms. Although studies are beginning to emerge, this paper presents the argument that further research that would assist teachers in being prepared to teach mathematics with any technological tool would be more beneficial than working retrospectively to explore the use of specific devices that have already emerged in primary classrooms.

Kenya's higher education institutions are struggling to adopt Student-Centered Learning (SCL) approaches due to limited pedagogical knowledge and traditional beliefs held by university managers. These managers often view SCL as synonymous with Western educational practices and question its applicability in Kenya due to perceived resource constraints. They also hold traditional views that prioritize teacher expertise over student involvement, making them resistant to change and slow to adopt innovative pedagogies. The impact of university managers' pedagogical knowledge and beliefs on SCL implementation is significant. Managers with a deep understanding of SCL principles and a belief in their effectiveness are more likely to support and promote SCL practices, recognizing the need for change and fostering an environment that values student learning and faculty development. To address these challenges and promote effective SCL implementation, Kenyan universities can employ various strategies, such as providing professional development and training opportunities, establishing mentorship and coaching programs, encouraging action research and reflective practice, fostering communities of practice, and developing institutional policies and support systems aligned with SCL principles. By implementing these multifaceted approaches, Kenyan higher education institutions can enhance their pedagogical knowledge and beliefs, fostering a supportive environment for successful SCL implementation and improving teaching and learning quality.

Two concepts that have captured the imagination of the educational community in the last 60 years have been those of ‘reflective practice’ and ‘action research’. Both, in their various forms, are considered to be critical dimensions of the professional development of teachers. However, whilst both were receiving academic attention during the 1930s and 1940s (Lewin, 1934, cited in Adelman, 1993; Lewin, 1946; Dewey, 1933), it was not until Stenhouse's (1975) notion of the teacher-as-researcher that the two came most compellingly into relationship and educational action research as a process, which held at its centre different kinds of reflection, began to be reformulated in Britain (Carr, 1993). This article considers the important part played in teachers' development by different kinds of action research. Its central thesis is that, although action research has a critical role to play not least as a means of building the capacity of teachers as researchers of their own practice, there has been insufficient attention given to both the nature of reflection in the action research process, and its relationship to the purposes, processes and outcomes. The article challenges the rational, cognitive models of reflection that are implicit in much of the action research literature. It suggests that more attention needs to be given to the importance of the role of emotion in understanding and developing the capacities for reflection which facilitates personal, professional and ultimately system change

Action research and integral futures studies: A path to embodied foresight

This article discusses the use of drama activities in teaching German to various groups of students at Cork Institute of Technology in the academic year 2003/2004. The findings are based on action research and reflective practice. It describes the outcomes of the use of drama activities in the first-year classroom, and analyses what might have been done differently in order to achieve a more positive result. It also describes the more successful outcomes of the enactment of two dramatic activities by a second-year German class, and the use of a third drama activity with both second- and third-year students. The latter activity was created in collaboration with a colleague, and the latter’s participation and observations, as well as the students’ observations, formed an integral part of the analysis. The concluding part of the article makes suggestions for further research, and offers some advice to third-level teachers or lecturers who are interested in using drama in similar language classroom environments. This article discusses the use of drama activities in teaching German to various groups of students at Cork Institute of Technology in the academic year 2003/2004. The findings are based on action research and reflective practice. It describes the outcomes of the use of drama activities in the first-year classroom, and analyses what might have been done differently in order to achieve a more positive result. It also describes the more successful outcomes of the enactment of two dramatic activities by a second-year German class, and the use of a third drama activity with both second- and third-year students. The latter activity was created in collaboration with a colleague, and the latter’s participation and observations, as well as the students’ observations, formed an integral part of the analysis. The concluding part of the article makes suggestions for further research, and offers some advice to third-level teachers or lecturers who are interested in using drama in similar language classroom environments.

Reflection and reflective practices are important to develop professionalism. The importance of those practices has been highly emphasised in teaching, learning, and teachers’ professional development. With this backdrop, the study aims to investigate the English teachers’ reflective practices and examine their role in their professional development. I used narrative inquiry as a research design where the sample was selected using purposive sampling. An in-depth interview was used as a research tool to collect information and the interviews were conducted using interview guidelines. The collected data was recorded, transcribed, coded, categorised, and thematically analyzed. The study found that the English language teachers used action research, case studies, diary writing, reflective journals, and students’ feedback as reflective practices. Moreover, the study has uncovered that reflective practices are important for teachers to have self-analysis, find strengths and weaknesses of the learners and self, plan, act, and further plan the lesson, empower the learners, solve critical incidents, to have the active engagement of learners in teaching-learning activities, and to grow as a professional person. The study implies that every teacher should have a reflection on their practices for the betterment of teaching, learning, and growing professionally.

The present study explored the extent to which action research is practiced by English language teachers and the factors that affect action research implementation in the Omani ELT context. Additionally, it sought to identify different solutions that could be implemented to strengthen action research practices from the point of view of English language teachers. Data was collected through a questionnaire that was distributed among 366 English language teachers, followed by semi-structured interviews with 8 English language teachers who were actively engaged in conducting action research. There was a low level of practice of action research among English language teachers in the Omani public schools. The study also showed that insufficient time, heavy workload, lack of colleagues’ assistance and support, and lack of motivation were the main factors that hindered action research practices in the Omani ELT context. Participants suggested that providing training, support and incentives as well as encouraging collaboration with experts and publications could strengthen the practice of action research in ELT.

A 195 page text in two parts, the first section deals with the need to evolve evidence-based practice to incorporate reflective research (or reflection on action), while the second part deals with philosophical and practical aspects of this evolution.

Action research has long adopted an integrative approach to research as incorporating three inquiries and voices: the first-person voice of individuals inquiring into their own thinking and learning, the second- person inquiry into the collaborative engagements between the actors as co-researchers and the third-person contribution to knowledge for a wider audience. Third-person theory seeks to integrate among the first- and second-person practices, linking the subjective dynamics of action and inquiry (within the first-person), the intersubjective collaborative dynamics of action and inquiry (between second-persons engaged with one another) and the outcome of actionable knowledge (among a collection of third-persons-and-things at a distance from and often anonymous-to-one another). Drawing on Peirce’s articulation of abductive reasoning this article explores how abductive reasoning serves as the integrating mechanism between first-, second- and third-person practice and informs both the theory of how theory is generated through first- and second-person practices.

While health promotion practitioners are engaging increasingly in research, there has been little examination of the practical dilemmas theymay face in negotiating and collaborating with academics and community members in action research projects.This paper analyses how the practice of health promotion can interact with action research, and considers issues that arise for organizationally based health promotion practitioners and professional researchers. The ¢rst section charts types of action research along three dimensions (power, goals/values, resources). The second section examines some of the issues and practical dilemmas which arise in negotiating and researching collaborative projects in community health promotion. The discussion includes the diiering perspectives of: practitioners (managerial and frontline), community members and academic researchers. The ¢nal section outlines a hybrid model of action research, developed in our work with community members, organizationally based health promoters and academy-based researchers. It combines the re£ective practice of practice-based action research with the community participation and control of participatory research. The model is called community re£ective action research.