ABSTRACT
In pursuit of understanding the nature and effect of teacher action research, the story has had much to say. It caused the author to look well beyond the surface understanding one has of the teachers as they come in and out of the lecture room at the beginning and end of the award-seeking days. A concern over whether the research was ‘true’ in an epistemological sense became gradually replaced by a concern over articulating ways in which the research was deemed to be worthwhile. A developmental approach allows greater tolerance of the unique journeys which teacher action researchers make as they develop their action research craft but this may make it difficult to agree and impose common standards. Qualitative standards can offer clarity and guidance to action researchers but they can also be interpreted mechanistically and prescriptively to the point where individuality, divergence, creativity and risk are crushed.
