Action research to support the integration of social media in the classroom

Abstract

This article discusses and reflects on the action research process used during an investigation in which social and participatory media were integrated into the face-to-face classroom. The action research project concerned pedagogical and curricular changes created, negotiated, reflected upon and documented as new media were incorporated into 13 classes, over an 18-month period, in an Australian public high school. The action research process and its continual cycles of improvement were used to redesign projects that incorporated new media within a contemporary pedagogical approach to schooling young people. The article discusses the change in thinking and mindset for the teacher that came about from this new learning milieu and was undertaken with a view to meet the school demands of a one electronic device per student program. This study supports educators and learning designers in developing curriculum and pedagogy that is more in line with the demands and skills of young people using social and participatory media to engage, interpret and understand their social worlds.