Book release: Action Research and New Media. Concepts, Methods and
Cases (Hampton Press, 2009) Retail price: $67.50 US
Dr June Lennie (June Lennie Research and Evaluation, Brisbane, Australia)
Authors: Greg Hearn, Jo Tacchi and Marcus Foth (Queensland
University of Technology, Brisbane) and June Lennie
In this new book, we argue that action research is especially
appropriate in new media research, where innovation and change are
continual, and where processes and outcomes are usually not
predictable and often involve fuzzy and subjective human elements.
Our book offers a systematic, in-depth academic overview of the
application of action research methods to the field of new media. It
is the first publication of its kind in what is a new but rapidly
growing field and represents the culmination of many years of work
applying action research to new media projects by the authors.
We demonstrate the numerous ways in which new media can be used as
an integral, innovative and effective component of action research
projects for purposes such as networking and collaboration, and
developing creative content. Action research is positioned as a
methodology, a meta-process for managing inquiry, and a research
culture that can result in ongoing change and improvements to new
media initiatives in ways that better meet the diverse needs and
goals of organisations, community members and others.
The first section of the book describes the underlying principles,
processes, questions, methods, and tools that are relevant to an
action research approach to new media inquiry. This is followed by a
deeper explanation of three advanced, innovative approaches to
action research and new media: ethnographic, network, and
anticipatory action research. The final section presents four case
studies of the application of action research in different new media contexts:
Alleviating Poverty through ICTs in South and Southeast Asia
Creative Engagement through Local Content Creation
A Community Portal for Residents in an Inner-City Development
Evaluating New Media in Rural and Outback Areas.
Throughout this book we show how action research can overcome many
of the problems inherent in using traditional methodologies for
media and communication research by producing continuous learning,
insight and actionable knowledge.
http://www.hamptonpress.com
http://eprints.qut.edu.au/14077/
Associate Professor Jo Tacchi
ARC Centre Fellow ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries
and Innovation
Creative Industries Faculty
Queensland University of Technology The Hub Z6 503, Musk Avenue
Kelvin Grove 4059, Australia phone +61 (0)7 3138 8178
fax +61 (0)7 3138 8195
mobile +61 (0)410421960 email (j.tacchi /at/ qut.edu.au) web http://www.cci.edu.au
http://eprints.qut.edu.au/view/person/Tacchi,_Jo.html
CRICOS No 00213J
