Daisies in the university meadow

This paper explores the processes and success of an ongoing community of practice involving colleagues in action research at Anglia University in Cambridge and Essex, United Kingdom. In so doing, it builds loosely on Mary Melrose's (2000) image of the daisy model of action research and action learning, set in a complex organisation.

Many colleagues are interested in research evidence based enhancement of the learning of their students, the relationship between this learning and their own teaching, the curriculum, the learning environment and change. This interest frequently takes the form of a continuing cycle of introducing innovation, solving various problems in practice and managing the developmental aspect of curriculum or other change so that students gain an improved learning experience. Much of this work is a mixture of the intuitive, based on experience, and some of it is more rigorous, involving action research strategies in a genuinely collaborative action research cycle and leading to research evidence based enhancement of student learning.

For colleagues at Anglia University in Cambridge and Essex, United Kingdom, some of these developments are supported by the learning groups facilitated from the University Centre for Learning and Teaching. This paper explores ways in which the support for action research among staff engaged in learning, teaching and the support of learning has led to curriculum change, research evidence based enhancement of learning experiences and the development of ongoing communities of practice. The particular example explored is research into the learning of postgraduates and the practice of supervision.