Action research as a method for growing scholarship

Background: The increasing number of occupational therapy programmes around Australia and concurrent growth in student supervision and research activities amongst clinicians, means that more occupational therapists are... [ view full abstract ]

Background:
The increasing number of occupational therapy programmes around Australia and concurrent growth in student supervision and research activities amongst clinicians, means that more occupational therapists are transitioning from practice to scholarly roles. This role shift, requiring mastery of new teaching and research activities, can be challenging. The typical pathway to academia is through supervised Doctoral research, however many occupational therapists enter with highly regarded clinical knowledge, but less developed skills in teaching and research. Academics in one university occupational therapy department, aspiring to become and be more scholarly, created a community of practice and undertook to research themselves and the group over 12 months through an action research methodology, asking, “Can we grow scholarship differently in this department?”
Method:
The action research process involved regular video-link meetings across two campuses, undertaking joint research projects, blogging about the experience and individual pre and post project autoethnographic narratives. Consistent with the action research process, all members contributed to data analysis through individual and group reflexive activity.
Results:
The group delivered outcomes including research outputs - papers, presentations and projects-in-process - but equally important, all members experienced changes to their sense of identity and belonging as academics.
Conclusion:
This method for becoming and being more scholarly within a supportive and encouraging group has potential for all areas of occupational therapy practice.
Application to Practice:
This paper describes the process the group followed, signposting a method that could be replicated by groups of occupational therapists in other academic and clinical settings.