Opened Friday 3 June 2005
(From Palm)
1. Greenaway - "plan, do, review" should
be "do, review & plan"
- Have an experience
- Reflect
- Plan - how might improve in future having looked back.
2. Kolb - 4 step model, experience alone is
not sufficient for learning. Ideally should involve thinking, discussing and
the consideration of emotions related to the raw experience [NOTE THE PRESENCE
OF EMOTIONS, COULD BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER]
Step 1 - Concrete experiential which is to have a reflection worthy experience.
Step 2 - Reflection or Reflective Observation. Step back & consider the
experience. Might involve describing the experience giving consideration to
own beliefs which might have influenced the experience PARTICULARLY VIEWS ABOUT
RELATIONSHIPS INVOLVED IN IT.
Step 3 - Abstract Conceptualisation or
interpretation. Step back from the event, consider the views of others and
INTERPRET THE EVENT perhaps using theory relating to the experience. This could
cast new light on what reflections could mean.
Step 4 - Planning or Active Experiential stage. Look at conclusions of previous
steps to work out plan of what might be done diffeaently in the future keeping
yourself at the centre and concentrating on own actions.
Just before going onto Gibbs I see the emotional dimension crops up again. Once more I am curious about emotions, learning, expeaience & memory.
3 - Gibbs' REFLECTIVE CYCLE
Well-used model with steps leading from the original experence to the point
where recommendations can be made should the situation arise again.
Step 1 - Describe the situation or experience.
Step 2 - Look at what you were thinking and feeling at the time of the incident.
Did they influence your behaviour or arise from the situation?
Step 3 - Evaluate the situation - What was good what was bad?
Step 4 - Analyse by going over the last 3 steps. Look at the situation and
try to make sense of it by looking at relationships and understanding them
, cause and effect.
Step 5 - Conclusions - Look at previous 4 steps to decide what could you have
done differentlyor better at the time to improve the situation.
Finally Gibbs wants an action plan sothat if the situation arises again positive
steps can be set out to change the situation for the better. If
the Action Plan is used again then the CYCLE can come into play again to lead
to yet more improvement.
Experience - Reflection
- Outcome
3 stages
There are barriers to reflection. Must acknowledge and work with them.
The great strength of the work of Boud, Keogh and Walker (1985) is that they address emotions.
This comes in a comment on Dewey's thinking. I agree that emotions are important in reflection and learning but do not fully understand why. Perhaps raise this in the community. It certainly is at contrast with the second state of thinking laid out in 'How We Think':
2. An intellectualization of the difficulty or perplexity that has been felt (directly experienced) into a problem to be solved.
Intellectualisation is defined as
n. Psychology 1. The act or process of intellectualizing. 2. An unconscious means of protecting oneself from the emotional stress and anxiety associated with confronting painful personal fears or problems by excessive reasoning.
Which removes the emotional elelment!!
Skills & Qualities:
Tolerance of diversity of ideas.
Curious
Patient - not jumping to conclusions
Open - to absorb what is happening
Honest - with self about doubts etc,
Strategies for reflection:
LEARNING LOGS
DEBRIEFING
CRITICAL INCIDENT ANALYSIS, PROCESS RECORD
WORK PLACEMENT SUPERVISION
ACTION RESEARCH
How to begin to reflect on learning?
think about yourself
what are your aims as a lrnr?
why are these your aims?
how do you view the world (theoretical perspective)
what values are important to you?
Then think about a specific learning situation - what impact did it have on
you? , how are you going to use what you learnt etc.......
Description - What happened?
Feelings - What were u thinking & feeling?
Evaluation - What good & bad about exper?
Analysis - What sense can make of the sit?
Conclusion - What else could have done?
Action plan - If again what would u do?
Timing of the LC is important
1 - Experiencing (immerse in task).
2 - Reflection - step back & review. Requires skills. Influenced by one's
PARADIGM (attitudes, values, beliefs)
see note below
3 - Conceptualisation - interpreting the events & understanding the relationships
among them. (Listen again to why Lydia chose Kolb here -
do you agree with what she has to say, Piers? Possibly not because whilst other
peoples views are important their PARADIGM might not be the same. Is this correct
thinking? I really don't know at this stage. But there again, in a team with
a team paradigm then it would be. I do not think this is suitable for my examination
of critical incidents because I do not have that much opportunity to examine
them with others.)
4 - Planning - predictions & actions to be taken.
The logic is to make many small & incremental changes.
The PARADIGM must also be reviewed to ensure that the assumptions, beliefs, attitudes & values still hold.
See comments here particularly at the bottom of page where weaknesses such as 'insufficient attention to the process of reflection' and 'extravagant claims' for four different learning styles are pointed out. Is it better as an 'excellent' planning framework for teaching rather than reflection?
REFLECTION - IN - ACTION
REFLECTION - ON - ACTION
(Schon 1987)
rIa - v. quick because thinking on feet. Also only one point of view.
rOa - After the event. Should explain & clarify to 3rd party (even though you know yr area).
There is another function to reflection - thinking about & sorting out difficulties problems & errors. (can help overcome them?)
Schön's great contribution has been to bring the notion into the centre of any understanding of what professionals d through the ideas of reflection in and on action. In the case of the former,
The practitioner allows himself to experience surprise, puzzlement, or confusion in a situation which he finds uncertain or unique. He reflects on the phenomenon before him, and on the prior understandings which have been implicit in his behaviour. He carries out an experiment which serves to generate both a new understanding of the phenomenon and a change in the situation. (Schön 1983: 68)
To do this we do not closely follow established ideas and techniques - textbook schemes. We have to think things through, for every case is unique. However, we can draw on what has gone before.
Note - PJM
This comment leads me to wonder whether this is such a good model. Can REFLECTION-IN-ACTION be applied effectively in such a short timeframe?
We can link this with reflection-on-action. This is done later. Workers may write up recordings, talk things thro ugh with a supervisor and so on (more of this in the next chapter). The act of reflecting-on-action enables us to spend time exploring why we acted as we did, what was happening in a group and so on. In so doing we develop sets of questions and ideas about our activities and practice.
This distinction has been the subject of some debate (see Eraut 1994 and Usher et al 1997). Indeed he may well fail to clarify what is involved in the reflective process - and there is a problem, according to Eraut, around time - 'when time is extremely short, decisions have to be rapid and the scope for reflection is extremely limited' (1994: 145). There have been no psychological elaborations of the psychological realities of reflection in action (Russell and Munby 1989).
Detailed Summary of Reflection
This takes us to a link about reflection. Hedefined reflective thought as 'active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends' (Dewey 1933: 118). See notes above in 'Boud'.
Critical Incidents - LM's thoughts
'Incidents happen but critical incidents are produced by the way we look at
a situation : a critical incident is an interpretation of the significance
of an event.'
Tripp's guidelines:
1 - Describe an incident from yr recent professional experience.
2 - Suggest an explanation within the immediate context.
3 - Ask questions which delve deeper into the meanings behind the incident.
4 - What implications does this have for your future practice.
I liked what LM had to say about step 3 - keep asking 'why'.
For LM the final step is about learning from the incident, or rather from
reflecting upon it. These would lead to one of the following:
A need to change or adapt my practice.
An action for the future.
Awareness of a particular strength or weakness.
A training need to be addressed.
Links
http://www.lmu.ac.uk/the_news/research_reflections/mar05/mar11.htm
http://legacywww.coventry.ac.uk/legacy/ched/research/critical.htm. What I like here is that it describes the prupose of Critical Incident Analysis and its application in the and also the description of Action Research!!
http://education-resources.canterbury.ac.uk/cantarnet/enquirer/vol7/critical.htm . - A good article on analysis of critical incidents and the teaching profession.
As we reported the outcomes of the exercise, the power of channelled reflection and analysis was evident and we discovered that the process was helpful not only in influencing the thinking and actions of the individuals concerned but also in raising issues for the whole group to consider.
and
It could be a powerful technique particularly if reinforced by the processes of action research, (data gathering, wider reflection, action and evaluation), in order to develop increased understanding and control over professional judgements.
An excellent example of a critical incident analysis is provided in 'Alice asks a question ...' . N.B. this is Summer '98 and Tripp produced his work in '93 - Tripp, D. (1993) Critical Incidents in Teaching: Developing Professional Judgement, London: Routledge.
http://nt.media.hku.hk/2005backup/tln/pastevents/seminar3.htm - A link to some info about Tripp and his email address.
A question - Did Tripp coin the expression 'Critical Incident' ?
http://www2.fhs.usyd.edu.au/arow/arer/017.htm - by Tripp with examples at top. Re-read as soon as possible. Could even quote one of them in justification for expenses, I feel. Distinguishes Action Inquiry and Action Research.
Another characteristic worth mentioning here is the kind of planning that could be done whilst acting. For me, a key characteristic of action research is the idea that what is planned is innovative in some respect; to plan to do what one usually does generally results in a very limited form of inquiry; so I think that some element of originality is essential in the plan, which is why design might be a better term for the planning moment. Terminology aside, the point is that it is simply not possible to engage in a design process whilst acting, so that is another major difference between thoughtful action and reflective practice.
He does go on to say that it is not impossible to engage in an active inquiry cycle within a moment of an action inquiry cycle. Good point but needs thought. How does this compare with Schon??
Incorporating a reflective journal in action research
Most people keep a reflective journal when engaging in any kind of action inquiry; in reflective practice is it often the only kind of record kept; and in actin research it is merely an adjunct to the research procedures. The critical incident file is one kind of journal that is particularly suited to being more formally incorporated into an action research project, however, as it is not so much a blow by blow account of the project, but a technique for problematising practice in a way that open up the kind of radical innovations that characterise action research projects. I find the best way to represent this is in a matrix (overleaf).
And a very useful quote:
Learning from acting and acting on what's been learned is obviously how things should be, and it seems that in the real world of practice one will often involve the other at some stage. But I think this distinction is important because it allows us to clarify our purposes and to distinguish a special kind of learning.
This supports the reflective cycle and benefits. Careful use required because it is from section on action learning.
Could quote so much more here but then would I be in danger of it becoming a doctrine for me? Look again at Tripp's concluding remarks.
The same site has other useful information that will help with this course. Look again at 'How to keep a research diary' http://www2.fhs.usyd.edu.au/arow/arer/005.htm
A document was available at http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/clt/events/documents/Ramage%20Example%202.doc which details Gibbs' as well as other models for reflection.
Gibbs Reflective Cycle
Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle is fairly straightforward and encourages a clear description of the situation, analysis of feelings, evaluation of the experience, analysis to make sense of the experience, conclusion where other options are considered and reflection upon experience to examine what you would do if the situation arose again. This cycle can be used for your reflective writing, but if you are using it at level 3 or 4 you need to adjust the cycle so that analysis permeates through each stage.
The others are John's and Rolfe et al which are suitable, the document says, for study at levels 3 and 4.
"Reverie is when ideas float in our mind without reflection or
regard of the understanding." ~ John
Locke (1632-1704)
English philosopher
from Essay Concerning Human Understanding, 1690
"When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled
my pocket with coppers. I went directly to a shop where they sold toys for
children; and, being charmed with the sound of a whistle, that I met by the
way in the hands of another boy, I voluntarily offered and gave all my money
for one. I then came home, and went whistling all over the house, much pleased
with my whistle, but disturbing all the family. My brothers, and sisters, and
cousins, understanding the bargain I had made, told me I had given four times
as much for it as it was worth; put me in mind what good things I might have
bought with the rest of the money; and laughed at me so much for my folly,
that I cried with vexation; and the reflection gave me more
chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure. This however was afterwards of use
to me, the impression continuing on my mind; so that often, when I was tempted
to buy some unnecessary thing, I said to myself, "Don't give too much for the
whistle;" and I saved my money." ~ Benjamin
Franklin (1706-1790)
American entrepreneur, statesman, scientist & philosopher
from letter to Madame Brillon, Nov 10, 1779. —The Works of Benjamin Franklin,
ed. J Sparks,183
"If others would but reflect on mathematical truths as deeply and as continuously
as I have, they would make my discoveries." ~ Karl
Friedrich Gauss (1777-1855)
German mathematician, known for theory of electricity & system of magnetic
units: "the gauss"
from J. R. Newman (ed.) The World of Mathematics, New York: Simon and Schuster,
1956. p. 326.
61. "When a wise man is advised of his errors, he will reflect on and improve
his conduct. When his misconduct is pointed out, a foolish man will not only
disregard the advice but rather repeat the same error." ~ Buddha (563-483
BC)
Indian mystic, founder of Buddhism
88. "You may be dead broke and that's a reality, but in spirft may be brimming over with optimism, joy, and energy; the reality of your life may result from many outside factors, none of which you can control. Your attitudes, however, reflect the ways in which you evaluate what is happening." ~ H. Stanley Judd
Link to useful description of 'Reflective Parctice':
http://www.northbristol.nhs.uk/nursing/reflective.asp
Schon's 1987 presentation to the American Educational Research Association:
http://educ.queensu.ca/~russellt/howteach/schon87.htm
Intellectualising reflection. Because emotions and feelings are often
downplayed in educational
settings, it is common for reflection to be treated as if it were an intellectual
exercise—a simple
matter of thinking rigorously. However, reflection is not solely a cognitive
process: emotions
are central to all learning.
Boud and Walker (1998) (See doc in Ultra Mod 2 folder p.4)
This from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/atrisk/at7lk7.htm
The affective dimensions of learning are feelings, emotions, and self-esteem. Caine and Caine (1991) note:
"We do not simply learn. What we learn is influenced and organized by emotions and mind sets based on expectancy, personal biases and prejudices, degree of self-esteem, and the need for social interaction. ... [Emotions] operate on many levels, somewhat like the weather. They are ongoing, and the emotional impact of any lesson or life experience may continue to reverberate long after the specific event." (p. 82
Diane L included a very useful ref in her LA2 :
http://cwis.livjm.ac.uk/lid/ltweb/ldu_14/annex1_11.htm
Which sums up CIs
Lille T is using Van Manen in her reflective work (3 Little Pigs using Tripp but see thread):
A model of reflection proposed by Van Manen (1977) includes three stages of reflection. The first stage, Technical Rationality, includes focusing upon what works in classroom practice; analysis at this level is on the success or failure of strategies used in the classroom. The experience is personal and unproblematic. The second stage of reflection, Reflection as Practical Action, focuses upon the learning experience of the student. At this level the consequences of educational practices are considered and there is a demonstrable commitment to learning theory. The learning situation is seen as problematic. The third level, Critical Reflection, focuses on what knowledge is of value and to whom. This kind of reflection considers the moral and social implications of classroom practice (Furlong & Maynard, 1995). At this level of reflection, teachers ask questions as to what supports or influences their student's learning experience (Collier, 1999). Van Manen's model has also been adapted by a number of researchers including Ziechner & Liston (1987), Pultorak (1993) and Collier (1999) in her study of students in an 8-week field placement. Wellington (1996) follows Van Manen's model in a way that emphasises values; and he argues that people are understood as thinking and writing about what is practical in ways that they recognise and according to their values about education (Wellington, 1996).
http://www.aare.edu.au/02pap/cla02481.htm
Analysis
Analysis
A systematic approach to problem solving. Complex problems are made simpler
by separating them into more understandable elements. This involves the identification
of purposes and facts, the statement of defensible assumptions, and the formulation
of conclusions (taken from http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/evaluation/glossary/glossary_a.htm)
... and from http://www.answers.com/topic/analysis
a·nal·y·sis ( ?-nal ' i-sis )
n. , pl. -ses ( -sez ' ).
I like the definitions in part 1 - they make sense and relate to the meaning I had in mind.
For synthesis I found these definitions from http://www.answers.com/topic/analysis
syn·the·sis ( sin ' thi-sis )
n. , pl. -ses ( -sez ' ).
The explanation of synthesis following the OED definition takes me on to find out what 'thesis' means
One view is that is that the process can be understood by using a method of reasoning that Hegel called the dialectic : one phenomenon (a thesis) works against another (the antithesis) to produce something wholly new (the synthesis). Alternatively, you can start the process by believing that a level of synthesis exists already. All you have to do is become more aware of the existing synthesis. This is described by, for example, the Theravadan Buddhist belief in the Doctrine of Conditioned Arising. The doctrine states that all mental, emotional and physical phenomenon constituting individual existence are interdependent and mutually inclusive.
On the 'synthesis' web journal you are free to define your own process or view of synthesis.
http://www.scenario-planning.com/define.htm
Thesis definition
the·sisn. pl. the·ses 1. A proposition that is maintained by argument. 2. A dissertation advancing an original point of view as a result of research, especially as a requirement for an academic degree. 3. A hypothetical proposition, especially one put forth without proof. 4. The first stage of the Hegelian dialectic process. 5. a. The long or accented part of a metrical foot, especially in quantitative verse. b. The unaccented or short part of a metrical foot, especially in accentual verse. 6. Music The accented section of a measure.
Cronin ( 1985,
viii) rightly pointed out that "there are as many definitions of information
management as there are supporters of the concept... definitions of information
abound (and) definitions of management are many and varied". From http://informationr.net/ir/8-1/paper141.html from
the same: Knowledge, on the other hand, involves "a higher degree of certainty
or validity than information" and "has the characteristic of information
shared and agreed upon within a community" ( Meadow,
et al. 2000, p.38 ). Intelligence, for the previous authors, is a form
of information but it is also "a measure of reasoning capacity" ( p.
39 ). As we can see, many conceptual overlaps exist between all these
terms. Knowledge differs from information in that it is predictive and can
be used to guide action while information merely is data in context. For
example, if the raw data is -10 degrees, then information would be it is
-10 degrees outside, and the knowledge would be that -10 degrees is cold
and one must dress warmly. In other words, knowledge is closer to action
while information could be seen as documentation of any of pieces of knowledge.
The ultimate goal of IM is to ensure that information is stored and retrievable,
while the ultimate purpose of KM is tied more closely to organization outcomes.
For instance, organizations often state their KM goals as to facilitate product
innovation. Those with an inclusive definition of IM might purport that KM
is nothing new, just as, in the past, those with a broad definition of data
management claimed that IM was nothing new. However, with IM came the idea
that organizations can be assessed according to the "information flow" and
analyzed according to the information processes at work. It is our contention
that the focus of KM is not on the distribution nor the dissemination of
knowledge but on its sharing. Although knowledge can be acquired at the individual
level, to be useful it must be shared by a community, often described as
a community of practice. For instance, if there is only one person knowing
organizational rules and procedures, such rules and procedures would be useless
and meaningless. On the other hand, rules and procedures emanate from communities
and exist precisely to regulate group activities. Knowledge sharing is then
crucial when new employees arrive and others quit. The management of information
does not really focus on information sharing and is more oriented toward
the control, preservation, and retention of information. One could also argue
that the usefulness and the meaningfulness of information do not depend as
much on its collective consumption or sharing: its individual consumption
and use could be very effective from an organizational point of view. In
fact, too much distribution of information can lead to information overload
which could paralyze action. 
Figure 1: Conceptual framework: knowledge management
processes An important trend is the development of subject specific portals
via an Intranet. Interestingly, despite the increasing availability of
knowledge management software, none of the technologies used was specifically
designed for knowledge management applications, but were adapted for use
in the initiatives SEE ALSO SUBSEQUENT TABLE
Grounded theory has emerged as one of the most popular and rigorous methods of deriving theories from qualitative data. The authors below provide a guide to handling masses of qualitative data and systematically analyzing them.
References:
Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (1967). The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. Chicago: Aldine.
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Strauss, A, & Corbin, J. (Eds.). (1997). Grounded Theory in Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
http://www.pnc.com.au/~lfell/convers.html
http://www.emtech.net/learning_theories.htm
http://tip.psychology.org/theories.html
http://www.british-learning.com/
We can now see the full quality of praxis . It is not simply action based on reflection. It is action which embodies certain qualities. These include a commitment to human well being and the search for truth, and respect for others. It is the action of people who are free, who are able to act for themselves. Moreover, praxis is always risky. It requires that a person 'makes a wise and prudent practical judgement about how to act in this situation' (Carr and Kemmis 1986: 190).
From http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/guide.html
One crucial step in each cycle consists of critical reflection . The researcher and others involved first recollect and then critique what has already happened. The increased understanding which emerges from the critical reflection is then put to good use in designing the later steps.
The cycle best known in Australia is probably that of Stephen Kemmis and his colleagues at Deakin University. The steps are:
plan --> act --> observe --> reflect (and then --> plan etc.)The reflection leads on to the next stage of planning. The "planning" isn't a separate and prior step; it is embedded in the action and reflection. Short, multiple cycles allow greater rigour to be achieved
From Action Research: Principles and Practice, Second Edition, Jean McNiff p 24
There are many well-known descriptions of action research. Here are two of the most famous.
Description 1
Action research is a form of collective self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants in social situation in order to imporve the rationality and justice of their own social or educational practices, as well as their understanding of these practices and the situation in which these practices are carried out.
(Kemmis and McTaggart, 1988:5; emphasis in original)
And from http://celt.ust.hk/ideas/ar/models.htm we have more desctiptions of the three best known models:
Technical, practical and emancipatory
From http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-lewin.htm
Action research is a form of collective self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants in social situations in order to improve the rationality and justice of their own social or educational practices, as well as their understanding of those practices and the situations in which the practices are carried out… The approach is only action research when it is collaborative, though it is important to realise that action research of the group is achieved through the critically examined action of individual group members. (Kemmis and McTaggart 1988: 5-6) Kemmis, S. and McTaggart, R. (1988) The Action Research Planner , Geelong, Victoria: Deakin University Press.
I do not agree with this view that it has to be collective in all cases. Certainly, following Lewin's social driver then yes, it has to be, but AR can be applied individually.
Just why it must be collective is open to some question and debate (Webb 1996), but there is an important point here concerning the commitments and orientations of those involved in action research. One of the legacies Kurt Lewin left us is the ‘action research spiral' – and with it there is the danger that action research becomes little more than a procedure. It is a mistake, according to McTaggart (1996: 248) to think that following the action research spiral constitutes ‘doing action research'. He continues, ‘Action research is not a ‘method' or a ‘procedure' for research but a series of commitments to observe and problematize through practice a series of principles for conducting social enquiry'.
Oh YEESSSSSSSS! David Tripp to the rescue (struggling at the moment) - take this link to a page already visitied in Mod 1 for some excellent diagrams and definitions http://www2.fhs.usyd.edu.au/arow/arer/017.htm#Distinguishing%20action%20research
http://www.emtech.net/actionresearch.htm
Action research is a systematic form of inquiry that is collective, collaborative, self-reflective, critical, and undertaken by the participants of the inquiry [McCutcheon, G. & Jung, B. (1990). Alternative perspectives on action research. Theory into Practice 29 (3): 144-151]. Action research, sometimes called "practitioner research," is a reflective investigation of a personal interest, problem or challenge. The process begins with the development of questions, which may be answered by the collection of data. Action implies that the practitioner will be acting as the collector of data, the analyst, and the interpreter of results.
Definitions for AR AE and AI abound. Try and distill them to one single definition for the purposes of your assignment.
From http://www.nald.ca/clr/action/p6.htm
Figure 1
Models of Action Research
Kuhne and Quigley (1997) Altrichter, Posch and Somekh (1993) Planning Phase
Step 1 Understanding the Problem
Step 2 Defining the Project
Step 3 Determining the MeasuresFinding a Starting Point and Clarifying the Situation
Step 1 Writing a Research Journal
Step 2 Finding a Starting Point for the Research
Step 3 Clarifying the Starting Point
Step 4 Collecting Data
Step 5 Analyzing DataAction Phase
Step 4 Implementing an Action and Observing the ResultsDeveloping Action Strategies
Step 6 Developing Action Strategies and Putting them into PracticeReflection Phase
Step 5 Evaluating Results
Step 6 Reflecting on ProjectAnalysis and Theory Generation
Step 7 Formulating and Sharing Instructor Knowledge
In both models, successful problem or need identification is the crux of the actual research effort. One of the difficulties of the word “problem” is that it implies that something is wrong. However, in the action research context, a problem is a definition of need for change that helps describe how certain issues can be addressed. Successful problem identification must meet certain criteria: the problem must be important to the person naming them and also significant for the workplace; the problem must be manageable; and problem statements must reveal some fundamental criteria for assessing a solution. In other words, the goal of the action researcher is to define the problem in a way that summarizes various perspectives and takes into account the organization's needs, managerial needs, union needs and membership needs.
and
There are a variety of ways of collecting data from people sources and these include structured or unstructured interviews, focus groups, and survey questionnaires. One of the best data gathering methods in action research is the open-ended interview.
From the University of Bath we have this nice round-up http://www.bath.ac.uk/carpp/ppar.htm#Action
A postgraduate programme leading to Diploma in Action Research, Master or Doctor of Philosophy
We are not able at this stage to announce the date of the next intake. It is unlikely to be before January 2007.
Programme Description
Action research
The University of Bath offers a postgraduate programme which enables professionals to examine issues of effectiveness and good practice through an integration of action and reflection using the methods of action research. The programme, which is normally part time but can be taken on a full time basis, offers an opportunity to explore and develop the practices of action research, studying one's own practice while working with groups, organizations and communities. Action research includes a range of inquiry strategies aimed at developing understanding and action in the context of specific social and organizational issues.
Action research methodologies aim to integrate action and reflection, so that the knowledge developed in the inquiry process is directly relevant to the issues being studied. They help the individual practitioner develop skills of reflective practice; and also help organization members develop a culture of inquiry as part of their work life, to develop learning organizations or communities of inquiry.
Action research has a long history, going back to social scientists' attempts to help solve practical problems in wartime situations in both Europe and America. Over the past ten years there has been a resurgence of interest, and many developments in both theory and practice. The newer approaches to action research place emphasis on a full integration of action and reflection and on increased collaboration between all those involved in the inquiry project. They include, among other approaches, "co-operative inquiry", "participatory action research", and "action science" or "action inquiry".
Action research may start with an intellectual question or with a desire to make a practical contribution. It often involves the practitioner in a self-study of their attempts to improve their professional practice. Action research projects cycle between action and reflection with various degrees of collaboration between researchers and organization members. The Bath programme will explore a range of action research strategies, attending to their broader epistemological and ideological consequences and providing basic methodological and skill training for participants.
The staff involved in this programme have used these methods to explore, amongst other things, issues of effectiveness within business organizations; the development of reflective teaching practice in secondary schools; issues of gender in organizations; organizational cultures; collaboration between general and complementary medical practitioners. Students on the programme are researching decision making in a hospital outpatients, the practice of transformational management, the professional experience of Black managers and social workers, issues of gender facing both women and men in organizations, conflict management, organizational response to the challenge of sustainability, and so on. All these inquiries involve active engagement in organizational and personal life settings.
Bob Dick comment http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/art/arthesis.html#a_art_whatisar
Action research is usually participative. This implies a partnership between you and your clients. You may find this more ethically satisfying. For some purposes it may also be more occupationally relevant.