Action research is generally undertaken by adults as a process of systematic action
planning and enquiry which can lead to improvements in aspects of their professional
practices. This article challenges and extends conventional understanding of action research
to show how young people, between the ages of 10 and 17, can interrogate and improve
their own practices – both individually and collectively. Brief accounts of four case studies
– three British and one South African – are presented, along the lines of a patchwork
narrative. Each ‘patch’ in turn contributes to the later collation of a theme and ideas that
‘stitch’ the studies together
