Children Becoming Researchers Through Collaborative Action Research

• In Event: Youth-Led Participatory Action Research: A Research Approach to Bring About Productive Change

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of three cycles of an action research study which explored how primary (elementary) school students (5-12 years olds) could take on the role of researchers. This was part of a three-year study, funded by the European Union, which employed collaborative action research processes. Building on earlier research carried out with secondary schools, the findings reported here are based on work carried out in 30 primary schools in five countries, where children became researchers in their schools. It was found that collaborative action research approaches involving children as researchers in schools can increase students’ confidence, make them more engaged in lessons and facilitate stronger relationships with their teachers.

Author

• Kyriaki Messiou, University of Southampton