Student participation in teachers’ action research: teachers’ and students’ engagement in social learning

Abstract

In the literature on professional learning communities, students are rarely considered participants. Research indicates that student participation is primarily designated as a ‘data source’, with students having limited involvement in decision making. However, some studies suggest that an agentic approach to teachers’ professional development (such as action research) may foster student agency. This article aims at deepening the knowledge of student participation in teachers’ action research. Drawing on data from 14 teachers’ action research in a Swedish upper secondary school, the findings show that student participation occurs most in the data collection phase, intended to obtain students’ experiences with classroom interventions. Employing a social learning framework, the extent of student participation is suggested as involving issues of accountability and teachers’ prior learning experiences. This article argues that while teachers are responsible for both the classroom instruction and the development work, viewing students as partners in social learning offers opportunities for increased student participation in the development of classroom practices.