Action Research -v- Action Learning

I've participated in action research before, but was new to the term action learning.  Action research aims to produce change/improvement (action) and new understanding (research) and has been defined as "a form of collective, self-reflective inquiry undertaken by participants to improve their own social or educational practices, their understanding of these practices and the situations in which these practices are carried out".  Action learning is similar but doesn't rely on making an original contribution to knowledge, which is implied by the creation of new understanding in the term research.

Both action research and action learning are collaborative, with teachers working together on projects to set goals, make decisions and judge the success or otherwise of the project.  Often the projects involve inquiry cycles (planning, acting, observing and reflecting).

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