Trialling mediated action research for development in a remote community in Papua New Guinea

ABSTRACT

This article discusses research on action research for community development in a remote district of Papua New Guinea. The authors taught (during site visits) and supported (by mobile phone) five groups of community members to undertake action research. The article discusses how the visits and mobile telephony were deployed to facilitate their action research. It is concluded that action research, with appropriate face-to-face and mobile phone support, was viable and cost-effective for community development in remote districts. Several strengths and weaknesses of the approach were identified to enable improvements for subsequent action research remote community development projects.

KEYWORDS:

• Aid – Capacity development, Aid effectiveness, Monitoring and Evaluation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Terry Evans is a partner in Nuzami Research and Consulting and an Emeritus Professor at Deakin University, Australia where he was a professor and Associate Dean (research and doctoral studies) in the Faculty of Education. He has published widely on doctoral education, and on open and distance education, and works as a consultant and researcher in Australia and overseas, including in PNG.

Gail Casey works in the areas of teaching and learning where she is passionate in creating active, engaging and authentic learning opportunities. She has published in the areas of teaching and learning, new technologies in education and learning design. She also has interests in developing nations and the Tropics.

Patricia Paraide has been an education researcher for 13 years, researching various education issues including access, retention and quality issues. Some of her research has focused on curriculum development, curriculum implementation, support for teaching and learning, assessment of students’ learning, students’ absenteeism and school withdrawal, distribution of support teaching and learning materials, teachers’ professional development and support. She also has experience in facilitating action research for teachers’ professional learning in PNG, including in remote areas. She is a lecturer and researcher at the Divine Word University in PNG.

ORCID

Terry Evans http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5087-5727

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade [Contract by tender].