Synergy between information and communications technologies and educational action research and collaborative construction of our active identities

Abstract

Bridget Somekh’s contributions to the debate on the theory and practice of action research and associated methodologies have often been gained through leadership of innovative action and research with computers in education. A review of her work provides evidence of the journey that starts with an appreciation of the wonders of technology before moving through critical reflection on socio‐cultural processes within and across organisations, and out into twenty‐first‐century knowledge generation. This paper argues that recognition of the construction of individual identities can inform innovation with computers in education. The growing maturity of Bridget’s views required increasingly complex designs for ambitious action research projects that aimed to empower and add the voices of children as researchers to those of teacher‐researchers. Perhaps most importantly, Bridget has helped to uncover the socio‐cultural processes and power relationships to empower new styles of collaborative leadership. In 2009, she applied her ‘art of innovation’ to inform the birth of a new regional network for the Collaborative Action and Research Network, namely the New Zealand Collaborative Action and Research Network.

Keywords:

• information and communications technologies
• action research
• Collaborative Action and Research Network
• agency
• identity

Acknowledgement

Bridget Somekh was Visiting Canterbury Fellow in the University of Canterbury from 23 February to 5 June 2009.

Notes

1. See http://nzcarnresearchsymposium.blogspot.com/2009/05/preface-to-proceedings-of-inaugural.html