Action Research and Technology

Action Research and Technology

ARNAConnect: The Web/Wikisite

Margaret Riel, Coordinator, ARNA Web and Technology Development Operations Committee

mmriel@gmail.com

Technology is part of our every-day life. Technology has enhanced our approaches to planning, gathering evidence, and reflecting on experiences, and has expanded knowledge exponentially. Technology facilitates communication and connects people and ideas across and within borders.

The ARNA websites encase the collective spirit of a growing community of action researchers and practitioners across the Americas. We have, at present, five linked websites and are currently developing a sixth with the information for our 2015 conference. Specifically, the sites include:

• ARNAConnect – Home Website in English
• ARNAConnectsp – Home Website in Spanish
• ARNAConf2013 – ARNA 2013 Conference
• ARNAConf2014 – ARNA 2014 Conference
• ARNAConf2015 – ARNA 2015 Conference
• Action Research Stories – Video and Text-Based Stories of Action Research.

Our platform includes both websites (to visitors) and wikisites (to members). Anyone on the web can visit the sites and all of the information is open and free. For members, the sites are highly interactive “wiki” environments that allow members to edit and create pages of content. The content evolves in concert with the growth of ARNA, its members’ needs to respond to emerging issues and aspirations to make a difference and to facilitate change. This enables democratic development that is consistent with the heart of action research and the soul of ARNA.

ARNA is a vibrant and living community of fellows of action research.

The websites serve as the space within which we all learn, grow, share, create, and engage. One of the ARNA’s core principles is multi-vocality. We continue to work on improving the multi-language functionality, with a goal of including English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French at a minimum.