Action Research RSS feed -- OnlineFirst Articles

External conversations: An unexpected discovery about the critical friend in action research inquiries

Foulger, T. S. — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:08:21 PST

This article is a scholarly reflection of a novice researcher conducting an action research investigation as a professional developer working with a group of elementary teachers. By the third analysis cycle, the researcher-practitioner became overwhelmed due to the amount and variety of qualitative data, and to the additional complexities caused when situational context needed to be considered. When the researcher sought council from a colleague outside the research event, a new function emerged called External Conversations, based on a common action research procedure, the critical friend. The critical friend had knowledge and experiences in common with the professional developer, but did not have exposure to the action research setting. Because of the critical friend's lack of contextual understanding, collaborative dialogue to make sense of the data increased the researcher's ability to see the data within context. The External Conversation strengthened the data analysis because it addressed three dilemmas of action researchers in the field of education as identified by the literature and experienced in practice: isolation, accounting for tacit knowledge, and data overload. Although this process was time consuming, using an External Conversation within an action research investigation may strengthen a study, and could be especially supportive for novice researchers.

Learning through feedback in the field: Reflective learning in a NGO in the Peruvian Amazon

Marquardt Arevalo, K., Ljung, M., Sriskandarajah, N. — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:08:21 PST

The article discusses an action research project conducted in the Upper Amazon region of Peru that focused on the working approach of a NGO partner called PRADERA. In its land management projects PRADERA's working approach was characterized by a close collaboration with farmers. Its emphasis was on grasping the farmers' perspective on agriculture, targeting of local institutions in the villages as natural arenas for learning, and including topics in their analysis such as culture and worldview; this is analyzed through the framework of a reflective learning organization. The organization's capacity for learning is described as consisting of single-, double- and the possibility of triple-loop learning. During our collaboration with PRADERA, though we did not find established internal arrangements that could foster a triple-loop learning process, incipient signs were noted of space and potential which could favor deeper levels of learning. The importance of deeper levels of learning in the work of small highly action oriented NGOs such as PRADERA that act as a bridge between local farmers and the outside world, and how action research methodology can be a tool for developing reflectivity within such an organization, are discussed.

Are We Talking the Walk of Community-Based Research?

Stoecker, R. — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:24:51 PST

When we present ourselves as doing research that is participatory and action oriented, are we meeting either of those goals? An analysis of 232 concept applications sent to the Sociological Initiatives Foundation community-based research funding pool shows that most proposed research emphasized neither participation nor action. Grassroots community members, or organizations controlled by them, were rarely involved at the crucial decision stages of research, and instead limited to participation in collecting data. In addition, most research was proposed to produce papers, presentations or websites, rather than directly support action. The article provides a theoretical analysis of why participation and action are crucial and a set of reommendations for how to move toward research that is more participatory and integrally connected to action.

Action research literature 2006-2008: Themes and trends

Dick, B. — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:05:37 PDT

In this, the third in a series of two-yearly reviews (see also Dick, 2004, and Dick, 2006), I identify some of the action research literature that has appeared in books and edited collections over approximately the past two years. After an overview of the general action research literature I gather together other relevant literature under the following headings: action learning; community-based participatory research; youth work; educational action research; appreciative inquiry; and action science. I conclude the review with a very brief look at action research journals and special issues, other literature of interest, and an attempt to divine present and emergent trends.

What kind of respect is this? Shifting the mindset of teachers regarding cultural perspectives on HIV & AIDS

Wood, L. A. — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:03:49 PDT

In this article I attempt to answer the question, 'How can I influence teachers to be able to contribute to changing social/cultural norms and practices that hamper effective HIV & AIDS education and prevention?' There is a growing realization that HIV & AIDS education and prevention initiatives need to move away from trying to change the sexual behaviour of individuals towards addressing societal and cultural factors which promote rapid transmission of the virus. However, societal and cultural change has to start with helping individuals to imagine alternative ways of thinking and being. Teachers occupy a powerful position when it comes to changing mindsets and challenging norms, but they themselves have been shaped and influenced by their culture and may not, therefore, 'see' the need to question prevailing norms, and/or may be so constrained by these social and cultural forces that they are unable to do so. Following a values-based action research approach, I describe how I adopted emancipatory pedagogies in an attempt to influence teachers to develop their own theories of practice with regard to HIV & AIDS prevention and education in their specific cultures. As validation of my claims to having contributed to the development of educational theories about HIV & AIDS prevention and education, I invite the reader to evaluate my narrative against specific criteria. I also present my educational value of respect as a living standard of judgement.

Multi-site Action Research: Conceptualizing a Variety of Multi-organization Practice

Fuller-Rowell, T. E. — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:03:49 PDT

Classical action research within single organizations has become a well established and differentiated approach since its inception more than six decades ago. More recently, many have built on the foundational principles of action research to develop and implement larger-scale, multi-organization, action research approaches. Multi-organization action research has largely taken the form of coalition-based processes, where diverse stakeholders have come together to explore issues of mutual concern through a centralized action research process. Less frequently, multi-organization initiatives have implemented distinct action research processes, in a coordinated manner, within each of several involved organizations. This article refers to the latter variety as multi-site action research (MSAR). Building on previous work, a conceptual framework for MSAR is developed.

New action research techniques: Using Participatory Theatre with health care workers

Quinlan, E. — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:03:50 PDT

The use of various creative art forms in the research process is reflective of the turn towards interpretative practices that make visible certain aspects of the social world. Theatre, especially, has the capacity to convey meanings that pertain to the flux of social relationships. Reported in this paper is a particular use of theatre that is located in a history and tradition of liberatory social action. In Participatory Theatre, performative enactments are used to investigate the social arrangements that impede progressive change. Participatory Theatre opens up productive spaces for reflexivity and creates knowledge that is grounded in immediate experience and direct experiment. It is accomplished through an iterative process that involves action, reflection and action. In this article the use of Participatory Theatre in an action research project is described for the purposes of establishing its legitimacy as a viable action research technique. The project was motivated and sustained by the needs of a group of health care workers in a western Canadian province to address the problem of workplace bullying. The project confirms that envisioning alternative solutions to the problem of workplace bullying need not be derived in schools of management science; these can come from those on the 'shop-floor'.

Empowerment of individuals and realization of community agency: Applying action research to climate change responses in Australia

Hall, N. L., Taplin, R., Goldstein, W. — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:03:50 PDT

Using Participatory Action Research (PAR), the research presented here sought to resolve the problematic of whether climate group-initiated legislation could stimulate effective policy action on climate change. In late 2006, Australian public concern about the impacts of climate change and the Federal Government's weak response became more pronounced due to increased media coverage and international developments. Locally based citizens' 'climate groups' began to form, including Climate Action Coogee (CAC) in Sydney. CAC wrote their own Australian Climate Protection Bill after being motivated by the UK's grassroots success in developing and promoting the UK Climate Change Bill. This article documents 10 months of the project, from inception to widespread grassroots endorsement and political awareness of the Bill. The use of PAR processes tested and further developed the theory of double-loop learning and its applicability to such a project. These processes allowed CAC coparticipants to experience a transformation in their agency through developing their personal and collective political power. The project contributed to legislative outcomes on climate change. The findings contribute to academic literature by demonstrating the effectiveness of PAR in guiding social movement campaigns.

Constructing transnational action research networks: Reflections on the Citizenship Development Research Centre

Brown, L. D., Gaventa, J. — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:03:49 PDT

This article examines the construction of transnational action research networks that bridge local and global, practice and research, North and South, and many disciplines. Using an 'insider–outsider' approach the article examines the emergence of the Development Research Centre on Citizenship, Participation and Accountability as a network of partners from seven countries concerned with research, capacity building and policy influence. The article examines how this network constructed shared goals and values, developed relationships and trust, and created network architectures to support action research, policy influence and capacity building. It also explores implications of the network's evolution for change processes, bridging leadership, mutual accountability and institutional embeddedness.

Developing a practice-theory model in pre-service teacher education in Greece: The implications of action-research: A case study

Tsafos, V. — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:03:50 PDT

This paper deals with the use of action research in a post-graduate teacher education programme. The first part of the article presents the initial education of secondary teachers in Greece, as well as a postgraduate university programme that could be viewed as an alternative pre-service teacher education (PTE) programme, as implemented in a partnership between a tertiary education institution and certain secondary schools. The second part of the article describes the research I conducted during the programme, as an educator and researcher. It is a case study, aiming at investigating how the school-based PTE programme was experienced by its participants, including the student-teachers and myself, as their supervisor and an educator from a tertiary education institution. Data were collected from questionnaire surveys and interviews administered to the student-teachers, as well as from my personal journal.