Action research

Contents: introduction · origins · the decline and rediscovery of action research · conclusion · further reading · how to cite this article. see, also: research for practice. In the literature, discussion of action research tends to fall into two distinctive camps. The British tradition – especially that linked to education – tends to view action research as research oriented toward the enhancement of direct practice. Action research is simply a form of self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants in social situations in order to improve the rationality and justice of their own practices, their understanding of these practices, and the situations in which the practices are carried out (Carr and Kemmis 1986: 162). Many people are drawn to this understanding of action research because it is firmly located in the realm of the practitioner – it is tied to self-reflection. Origins Kurt Lewin is generally credited as the person who coined the term ‘action research': (Stringer 1999: 9-10)

About Action Learning About Action Learning Action Learning is an accelerated learning tool which can be applied to any number of different workplace (and personal) issues and challenges. In Action Learning groups or 'sets' we meet regularly with others in order to explore solutions to real problems and decide on the action we wish to take. When doing this in the set, the stages include: 1. Describing the problem as we see it 2. Receiving contributions from others in the form of questions 3. Action learning was described and promoted by Reg Revans, who was a physicist and the later the first professor of industrial management. Sets are often used in workplaces, to discuss work-related issues. Sets are often used as part of management and leadership development programmes. Some Sets are external and made up of people from different organisations. The Set agrees how time will be used; normally each member has a turn every meeting. Depending on Set size, meetings may be from half a day to one day duration.

Action learning and action research (For a Polish translation by Kate Osipova, see here.) Contents Action learning and action research are closely related processes. This brief document sets out one way of using the terms, and also relates them to experiential learning and change. The terms have been defined in a variety of ways. Action learning Action learning can be defined as a process in which a group of people come together more or less regularly to help each other to learn from their experience. As Reg Revans used and described it, it was mostly used _across_ different organisations. The current practice more often now is to set up an action learning program within one organisation. There may or may not be a facilitator for the learning groups which are formed. Action research Action research is a process by which change and understanding can be pursued at the one time. It is commonly done by a group of people, though sometimes individuals use it to improve their practice. A comparison Experiential learning

Center for Collaborative Action Research Understanding Action Research Margaret Riel Action research is not a single approach but rather represents a tension between a number of forces that lead to personal, professional and social change. I think of action research is a process of deep inquiry into one's practices in service of moving towards an envisioned future, aligned with values. Action research, can be seen as a systematic, reflective study of one's actions, and the effects of these actions, in a workplace or organizational context. There are a range of modifiers that people use for action research and many different dimensions which can be highlighted in different ways to create what some have called a family of approaches to action research(Noffke and Somekh, 2009; McNiff, 2013; Rowell, Polush, Riel and Bruewer, 2015; Rowell, Riel & Polush, 2016). Action researchers examine their interactions and relationships in social setting seeking opportunities for improvement. Figure 1: The iterative process of action research A.

What is Action Learning? Action Learning Associates “The end of learning is action, not knowledge” Peter Honey Definition of action learning Action learning is a process which involves working on real challenges, using the knowledge and skills of a small group of people combined with skilled questioning, to re-interpret old and familiar concepts and produce fresh ideas. Action learning gives you; a simple yet powerful tool for personal and professional development the opportunity to work on real problems and implement solutions – management development which is learning by doing a powerful way for leaders to learn from other leaders What the action learning process can offer you; An action learning set can be in-house with peers from your organisation or a cross sector set for leaders which bring together top level staff from different sectors and professional backgrounds. Free Taster Workshop