Editorial: Practitioner Research in Higher Education, 9 (1)

Within the field of Education there are ongoing debates about the value of relatively small-scale practitioner research projects. It is important that researchers build their projects on previous work to develop generative research that contributes to the a robust body of evidence. On the other hand it can be argued that knowledge can be created in the workplace and building a body of focused practitioner research contributes an important distinctive and critical element to the overall evidence base as well as driving change in practice on the ground. In general, there is broad agreement on the value of practitioner research as a form of professional development. However, a significant risk exists in relation to practitioner research because of the Neoliberal agenda that powerfully influences contemporary academic workplaces. In reflecting on the history of action research by teachers Stephen Kemmis expresses concern that such activity may become ‘domesticated’ within managerialist workplace contexts and is critical of action research that 'aims only at improving techniques of teaching...without seeing these as connected to broader questions about the education of students for a better society' (2006: 460).