You can get an overview of the nature and scope of action research from two short video clips offered from the now defunct Teachers TV:

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/wie/courses/pro/lee/film/

These offer a rose tinted view of action research and underplay the tensions which many action researchers experience in negotiating institutional barriers, developing collaboration and balancing both commitment and a critical perspective. However they do convey the potential of action research and its capacity to engage the practitioner and in doing so lift the spirits.

We have in the deparment a great many examples of educational action research undertaken by local practitioners, many of which are focused on specific aspects of improving teaching; for example:

How can I teach this topic / this group better?

How can I improve engagement?

How can I develop my whole class teaching?

How can I use outside practitioners in my teaching?

How can I provide better CPD opportunities?

How can I develop the learning platform in my department?

These are not made available over the web, but you can contact Michael Hammond for examples where permission has been granted.

A vast number of action research projects carried out and reported, for that matter a simple web search will uncover many sites dedicated to supporting action research. Some recent examples include

Hunt, M., Barnes, A. And Redford, J. (2009) MFL homework in Year 9 French: rising to the challenge, The Language Learning Journal, 37, 1, 35-49.

[Here colleagues at Warwick worked with local MFL department to address concerns about homework and this is a good example of unpretentious reporting of action research enquiry]

Burkett, E. (2008) A new way of looking?’ Reflections upon one teacher’s experience of supporting learners using handheld computers, Educational Action Research, 16, 4, 481-493.

[Educational action research publishes practitioner accounts (though not as many as you would expect). This is an example focused on the use of new technology, it generally creates a critical response amongst our colleagues - critical being a good thing]

Johnston, S. (1994) Is action research a ‘natural’ Process for teachers?, Educational Action Research, 2, 1, 39-48.

[This is not so new and some of the discussion needs to be understood in the context of the critical action research approach taken at the time in Australia. However this still succeeds in asking the a really important question]

Hammond M (2006) 'The participants' experience of taking a post-degree qualification: the importance of relevance', Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 15 (1), 125 - 137 [article]

[This is not such an indepth piece but confirmed for me the vlaue of writing in the action research process]

Spreading the net wider there are many accounts of action research in the areas of community development, professional leaning, and product design. These include:

Frey and Cross (2011) who attempt to promote educational rights among young people living in extreme poverty in Argentina:

Frey, A. and Cross, C. (2011) ‘Overcoming poor youth stigmatization and invisibility through art: A participatory action research experience in Greater Buenos Aires’, Action Research, 9, 1: 65-82.

Ferguson-Patrick (2007) developing writing amongst learners in a school in Australia:

Ferguson‐Patrick, K. (2007) ‘Writers develop skills through collaboration: an action research approach’, Educational Action Research, 15, 2: 159-180.

Raelin and Coghlan (2006) who discuss the contribution of action learning in workplace contexts:

Raelin, J. and Coghlan, D. (2006) ‘Developing managers as learners and researchers: Using action learning and action research’, Journal of Management Education, 30, 5: 670-689.

Foth and Axup (2006) who discuss the links between participatory design and action research in creating technological artefacts:

Foth, M. and Axup, J. (2006) ‘Participatory design and action research: Identical twins or synergetic pair?’, in Jacucci, G., Kensing, F., Wagner, I. and Blomberg, J. (Eds) Proceedings Participatory Design Conference 2006 Expanding boundaries in design 2 , Trento Italy.

Finally if you are carrying out your own doctrate action research you need to see past work, in WIE this includes

Espinoza, R. (2011) Can Information, Communication technologies (ICT) support a shift in the work of doctoral students towards a more networked and engaged model of conducting a doctorate? PhD University of Warwick.

Hu, Jie (2009) An investigation into designing online learning materials. PhD University of Warwick

A general comment that there is not as much reporting of action research by practitioners as you might imagine. It is easy to see why. Action research has often been carried out for internal reasons and practitioners may not have the time or energy to engage in writing for academic audiences. Academics themselves are put into an ambiguous position in regard to writing about action research as the enquires they write about are often those carried out by others, much academic reporting then discusses the more theoretical issues, such as models of action learning, concepts of collaboration, rather than direct reporting of events. Get writing!