Navigating the labyrinth: Iranian mainstream EFL teachers’ perceptions and praxis of action research

Abstract

This study examines how Iranian mainstream English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers perceive and practice action research within their mandated professional development responsibilities. Using a sequential monomethod multistrand (QUAL → QUAL) design and thematic analysis, the study identified a persistent duality in teachers’ engagement with action research. Four interrelated themes emerged, namely External Systemic Factors, Cognitive Divergence, The Paradox of Agency and Identity, and A Truncated Action Research Cycle. Findings revealed two contrasting enactments: action research as a Performative Façade, reduced to a bureaucratic requirement for evaluation and promotion, and action research as Subversive Praxis, characterized by covert, small-scale inquiries supported by informal digital networks. The study argued that imposing idealized action research models without structural, cultural, and epistemic support fosters superficial compliance and professional disillusionment.