Action research for curriculum internationalization: education versus commercialization

Abstract

Participatory action research (PAR), more than a research methodology (Carr, 2006), brings people together to reflect and act on their own social practices to make them more coherent, just, rational, informed, satisfying, and sustainable. PAR involves groups of people working together on a thematic concern (Kemmis & McTaggart, 1988) that arises in their practice. Kemmis and McTaggart (2005) described public spheres, where people gather to develop shared understandings about the issues they confront and how to address them. It is not usually research per se that engages people, but working together, changing their practice in informed and responsible ways, developing concepts for discussing their work and collaborating differently with colleagues.