Inukshuk - Traditional meaning "You are on the right path". http://www.inukshukgallery.com/inukshuk.html
Mentoring is “both a relationship and a process” (Kwan & Lopez, 2005, p. 276) and developed through conversations between mentors and protégés. As a tool for engaging learning conversations, action research has the potential to nurture inquiry and co-learning for both members of the mentoring relationship. A pertinent mentorship is between the supervisor and graduate student. Graduate students require resources, experienced mentors’ guidance, a critical friend, and an encouraging learning community when conducting and publishing participatory research. CAARE aims to inspire, educate, recruit, and promote the active engagement and critical inquiry of mentorship and change educational practices. At CAARE, we value the ongoing mentorship and practice improvements through the inquisitive, yet ambiguous, reflective, collaborative, and conversational nature of action research. To support the professional development and improvement practices for educators, researchers, and graduate students, who are interested in action research, our goal is to offer the following: recommend resources, such as local, national and international journals and conferences; educational opportunities; learning community forum for discussion, and connection with like-minded seasoned mentors, practitioners, critical friends, and novice action researchers.
Kwan, T., & Lopez-Real, F. (2005). Mentors’ perceptions of their roles in mentoring student teachers. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 33(3), 275–287.
Current Special Events
Symposium Roundtable: Graduate Student Engagement with Action Research Roundtables
Wednesday, June 5, 2019 at 8:15 AM - 9:30 AM (Session 22.2)
Neville Scarfe Building (SCRF) Room 203
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Chairs: Kelly Kilgour and Sunny Man Chu Lau (Bishop's)
Abstract: The value and legitimacy of action research (AR) has slowly grown and the literature acknowledges its increased usage for doctoral dissertations and leadership development for graduate students (Gibbs et al., 2017; Osterman et al., 2014). However, methodological support and mentorship meagrely exists for graduate students who conduct and publish AR. Graduate students would benefit from further mentorship opportunities within the Canadian Association of Action Research in Education (CAARE) community. This roundtable session aims to: a) provide a supportive opportunity and space for graduate students to share their AR projects with the community of action researchers and receive constructive feedback; and b) promote graduate students’ reflections and further engagements with AR as a way to build theory through practice. Students may present their ongoing or completed AR projects or an AR design at its initial proposal stage. The roundtable format encourages constructive peer feedback as well as further collective discussions regarding different AR initiatives. In sum, this session aims to foster a learning community for mentorship and exchange as well as provide a valuable resource and supportive network among graduate students and action researchers. Finally, it will promote greater dialogue and learning among the community of researchers within CAARE and CSSE.
