computing for the greater good
social and technological action research therefore is "comparative research on the conditions and effects of various technologies and research leading to social and technological action that uses a spiral of steps, including planning, technological intervention, and fact-finding about the result of the action"
There are examples of technological action research surrounding us everywhere. Whether it be intelligent systems for assisted cognition, home health technologies, sensors to support safety, research into understanding the ways people appropriate technologies into their daily lives, and more. We use this appraoch to directly interact with and understand the communities or areas of concern we seek to support. We follow the model set forth in participatory action research communities already:
Essentially Participatory Action Research (PAR) is research which involves all relevant parties in actively examining together current action (which they experience as problematic) in order to change and improve it. They do this by critically reflecting on the historical, political, cultural, economic, geographic and other contexts which make sense of it. … Participatory action research is not just research which is hoped will be followed by action. It is action which is researched, changed and re-researched, within the research process by participants. Nor is it simply an exotic variant of consultation. Instead, it aims to be active co-research, by and for those to be helped. Nor can it be used by one group of people to get another group of people to do what is thought best for them - whether that is to implement a central policy or an organisational or service change. Instead it tries to be a genuinely democratic or non-coercive process whereby those to be helped, determine the purposes and outcomes of their own inquiry." - Wadsworth, Y. (1998)
STAR allows you to follow your passions, work with communities of interest, and develop, use, and understand technologies that can change the world.