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Section I. An introduction to action research -- 1. Understanding action research -- 2.Theoretical foundations of action research. Section II. Action research practices and processes -- 3. Setting the stage : initiating an action research process -- 4. Look : generating and gathering data -- 5. Think : reflecting and analyzing -- 6. Act : implementing practical solutions. Section III. From local to global--action research for social change -- 7. Reporting : informing stakeholders and other audiences -- 8. Developmental approaches to social and organizational change -- 9. Action research and digital media -- Appendix : Case examples of formal reports.

Action research by social work practitioners provides a particularly direct means of overcoming the often cited practice/research divide within the profession. This article draws from a project within a UK local authority fostering recruitment team that examined aspects of recruitment including the impact of foster carer involvement. Characteristics of the project that contributed to its effectiveness as an action research process are discussed. These include: the important role of 'critical conversations' that shift and define the research direction; the advantages created by an 'insider perspective'; maintaining flexible, but identifiable, research aims and objectives; maximizing the links between action research and practice; maintaining enthusiasm; a supportive organizational context; and the attention to 'diffusing' the research findings through the organization and beyond.

Current literature stresses the significance of networks and network theory in both social as well as technical domains. Not only is the role of networked technologies (such as mobile phones and the internet) in everyday life being scrutinized, but network theory is re-shaping an understanding of how social change and community interaction occurs. In this article, I build on these developments to propose network action research as a methodological variant of the action research family. I propose that network action research is a timely and appropriate research methodology to guide studies that involve people, place and technology and to meet the challenges that stem from the changing nature of community interaction and social formations within a network society. I outline how technology can be used to operationalize and support network action research. Examples from two case studies are used to illustrate key aspects of the methodology.

Lewin proposed three goals for action research: to advance knowledge; to improve a concrete situation; and to improve behavioral science methodology. The three objectives cannot be met by a single mode of dissemination. Innovative dissemination strategies will be necessary. Action researchers should publish substantive articles in technical journals to reach colleagues; applied articles in periodicals read by practitioners and the public; and methodological and reflective articles in associational and professional journals designed to improve the practice of action research.

"AR is not just one more social science "method"; it is a fundamentally
different way of conducting research and social change work together.
Participation in AR is not just a moral value but essential to successful AR
because the complexities of the problems addressed require the knowledge
and experience of a broad and diverse array of stakeholders. I argue that
there is no one ideal form of AR and that what is useful is situationally
dependent which is also why AR cannot respect or operate within the disciplinary
boundaries or departmental structures of academic. For these
reasons, Morten Levin and I prefer to call our work "pragmatic AR". To
complete the paper, I present two cases, one from industry and one from
community development, to show how I practice pragmatic AR in context." (author's abstract)

Intro -- Contents -- Preface -- Chapter 1 -- Exploring the Benefits of Reform Mathematics: Goals in Becoming Mathematically Literate -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Question -- Context -- District Demographics -- School Demographics -- Classroom Demographics -- Reggio-Inspired Learning -- Literature Review -- Late 1800s - Early 1900s -- Development of National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) -- New Math, 1957 -- Agenda for Action, 1980 -- A Nation at Risk, 1983 -- Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics, 1989 -- Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, 2000 -- Principles to Action, 2014 -- Research Design -- Teacher Research -- Qualitative Approach -- Data Collection -- Teacher Journal -- Student Talk -- Student Reflection -- Whole Group Conversations -- Interviews -- Student Work/Artifacts -- Methods for Data Analysis -- Coding -- Triangulation -- Critical Friends -- Member Checking -- Findings -- Goal #1: Students Learn to Value Mathematics -- Goal #2: Students Become Confident in their Ability to do Math -- Goal #3: Students Become Mathematical Problem Solvers -- Goal #4: Students Learn to Communicate Mathematically -- Goal #5: Students Learn to Reason Mathematically -- Becoming Mathematically Literate -- Conclusion -- Future Research -- Final Thoughts -- Appendix -- References -- About the Author -- Chapter 2 -- Literature Circles as Tools for Student Dialogue and Empowerment -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Research Questions -- Review of Literature -- Methodology -- Participants and Settings -- Data Collection -- Phase One: Student Assumptions and Perceptions of Literature Circles -- Phase Two: Defining Effective Dialogue -- Phase Three: Literature Circle Analysis -- Data Analysis -- Findings -- Phase One: Student Assumptions and Perceptions of Literature Circles -- Phase Two: Defining Effective Dialogue

In this prologue to the special issue on theory in action research we provide a context and an introduction for the articles that follow. We begin by sketching in some of our shared ideas on theory in action research and some of the differences between our own approaches. Then, after briefly describing the process of preparing this issue, we provide a succinct pointer to each article in the issue.

Members of the editorial board of Action Research responded to the question, `Why action research?' Based on their responses and the authors' own experiences as action researchers, this article examines common themes and commitments among action researchers as well as exploring areas of disagreement and important avenues for future exploration. We also use this opportunity to welcome readers of this new journal and to introduce them to members of the editorial board.