Participatory action research is a recognized form of experimental research that focuses on the effects of the researcher's direct actions of practice within a participatory community. This "learning by doing" approach to research is a cyclical process in which groups of people identify a problem, attempt to resolve it, see how successful their efforts were, and if not satisfied, try again.
Try a variety of terms in addition to participatory action research, such as:
All you need to know about action research by 
Handbook of action research: The concise paperback edition by 
Introduction to action research: Social research for social change by 
Participatory action research by 
Participatory action research international contexts and consequences by 