Critical action research and environmental education conceptual congruencies an imperatives in practice

In this chapter, we examine the use of action research or participatory (action) research approaches to environmental education. We begin by offering a conceptualization of our critical view of action research by identifying what we consider its key characteristics. We then use these characteristics to analyze the ways in which it can be viewed as different from other research genres and to argue the conceptual congruency between critical action research and a critical orientation to nvironmental education. Three case studies then follow of the use of action research in environmental education projects in Australia, Europe, and an Australia-South Africa partnership. Finally, drawing from these case studies, we identify four imperatives for action research in environmental education: those of authentic active participation (beginning with agenda setting), contextual connections, relational practice, and individual, interpersonal and institutional capacity building.