Action Learning Research Research Articles

Action learning and action research to alleviate poverty

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this paper is to examine the role played by action learning in a collaborative action research project to alleviate poverty in a city region in the UK. Researchers from two universities worked with 12 large anchor organisations to investigate procurement and employment practices that positively impacted inclusive growth within the city region, and therefore had a positive effect on poverty, and spread those practices more widely. A core group of representatives from the 12 participating organisations met in action learning sets to share the results of their investigations, to design a model of good practice, and to develop and support action plans. The paper summarises the results of the project, examines the different methodologies that were employed, and reviews the contribution made by action learning.

The transformative potential of action learning in community-based research for social action

ABSTRACTAction learning within community-based research is a powerful capacitator of social action. Here, we consider three aspects of action learning that are vital to enable this: (i) developing self-directed and lifelong action learning; (ii) generating local and theoretical knowledge through action research and reflection on learning; and (iii) identifying the key principles and processes of action learning as an integrated concept within the participatory action learning and action research (PALAR) paradigm. We argue that action learning has to be developed in a systematic, educational way to enable people to take responsibility for improving their life circumstances. Examples from university partnerships with communities in South Africa and Australia demonstrate how action learning, within a PALAR process, can inspire and enable individuals and whole communities to learn and develop skills, attitudes, values, and understandings to engage in social action most effective for their particular needs and contexts. In this way, people become self-directed learners, creators of knowledge and activists able to challenge and disrupt dominant power relationships and traditional ways of conducting research. These case examples illustrate how action learning, as part of a PALAR process, enables the university to partner with community for social action towards a more just society.

Corporate Lean Programs: Practical Insights and Implications for Learning and Continuous Improvement

Since Lean Production was popularized in the 1990s, many manufacturers have developed and deployed corporate lean programs across their global factory networks. However, research reports that up to 90% of lean programs fail to succeed. Drawing on practical insights gained from the deployment of one such program spanning multiple locations of a Norwegian multinational organization that has achieved quantifiable improvement over a five year period, this paper provides guidelines that may foster the sustainable deployment of corporate lean programs across an organization’s international operations. We frame the investigation through the lens of Action Learning Research, making reflections around the implications for learning and continuous improvement in such an approach to lean deployment.

Connecting the Classroom to the Business World: Evolvement of a PALAR Journey in a Disciplinary Environment

There is an increasing demand for skilled graduates who can integrate and apply theoretical knowledge in a real-world context. As a means of enhancing students' employability skills in an exit-level strategic marketing module, two lecturers embarked on a PALAR (participatory action learning action research) journey over a period of three years to design a skills-centred curriculum with corresponding assessments centred upon partnerships between educators, students, and businesses. In order to attain the desired level of practical learning, the partners formed part of the entire assessment process. This included the businesses' (local, national, and international) involvement in the pro cess of identifying real-life problems that served as the foundation of the assessments. Furthermore, the business partners also formed part of the feedback system, empowering the students with practical, industry-specific feedback while, in turn, enhancing the businesses' idea generation process with insight obtained from the students' thinking. During this process, the lecturers redesigned assessments until strategic alignment was attained between the partners' needs and the module's exit-level outcomes. The results reveal that the partnerships between educators, students, and businesses added value to the students' learning experience and enhanced their perceived employability skills. This article thereby contributes to extant literature by explaining how the PALAR approach can be practically applied in the field of business management and marketing. The practical details provided can easily be utilised by educators in the same and other similar fields. Furthermore, an established set of reflective questions and a summary framework have been included, which can aid a lecturer in evolving a PALAR journey. This personal PALAR journey, and the reflection thereon, proved not to be rigid in nature but, instead, fluid and highly adaptable. Each recursive PALAR cycle (plan-act-evaluate/observe-reflect) is needed and cannot be completed without the others. In conclusion, the way one addresses each cycle will be unique to one's teaching style and discipline-specific needs. This article provides educators in similar positions with insight into how they can use a PALAR process when designing their modules and assessments to foster employable graduates.

DEMOCRACY EDUCATION THE DIALOGOS WAY: THE CASE OF UKRAINEAN TEACHER EDUCATION

This paper takes its point of departure in action learning- and research carried out with teacher educators from six universities within the project Democracy Education in Ukraine, Norway and Palestine. The teacher educators received training in accordance with the Dialogos approach to dialogical philosophizing, and tried out the approach with colleagues and/or with students in their own teaching practices. However, the main concern of the article is the discussion the potential of action learning and action research in teacher education when it comes to the development of phronesis or practical wisdom as an element in democracy education. Democracy Education the Dialogos Way is part of the project Democracy Education in Ukraine, Norway and Palestine. The author stresses that the results of the project can be studied from many perspectives. In accordance to the author’s point of view, it is relevant to see the project as a new step in the bigger action research project work to justify and show the relevance of the Dialogos approach, regarding the enhancement of democratic ways of living together in a shared world. Important in this respect, is that edification towards wisdom and prudence cannot be taught directly. It requires active participation from the student, a will to wisdom and a willingness to put his or her horizon of understanding into play in the educational situation. It requires teacher educators who are willing to do the same. The teacher educators and the students are in the philosophical dialogues as well as in the action research together. The author describes how she let Socrates speak through the written dialogue of Plato’s Republic. The author concluded that according to Socrates the faculty of sight already exists in the human being. It needs only to be re-awakened. Key words

Improving teamworking competence through action learning. Experiences in operations management education

ABSTRACTTeamworking competence is essential in many operations management environments and can be developed through formal education and practice-based experiences. The main objective of this paper is to describe and to reflect on how to facilitate students in their development in teamworking competence through action learning in Operations Management education. The research design is built around action learning research undertaken by faculty members enquiring into student action learning cycles. What emerges is an understanding of a contingent connection between the classic Tuckman teamworking stages and educator interventions where the nature and timing of the interventions differ as the team evolves.These new practice-based insights illustrate the co-development of students’ teamworking competence and educators’ capability to facilitate learning in action about teamworking. They can be used as a guide for educators and practitioners involved in the development of teamworking competence to design and implement an action learning-based educational initiative.

Key aspects for the sustainable coordination of a process to facilitate holistic well-being in South African schools

A holistic well-being approach, understood as an approach that pays attention to the promotion of individual, relational and collective well-being in a particular context, is proposed as a way to address the fragmented nature in which mental health and well-being programmes are implemented in school communities in South Africa. The goal of this paper is to indicate key aspects for sustainable coordination of a process to facilitate holistic well-being in South African schools. Research was conducted in six South African schools with the aim of developing an integrated, multilevel process to facilitate holistic well-being in these contexts. A participatory action learning and action research approach was applied. As part of this research, key aspects that could contribute to the sustainable coordination of holistic well-being were identified. The research comprised a cross-case analysis of the data gathered, as well as a focus group that was held with the coordinators who facilitated the development of the process in each school. In addition, the school principals completed a semi-structured questionnaire, and Skype interviews were conducted with four international experts. The five aspects identified as key to the sustainable coordination of well-being are: that ownership and responsibility should reside in the school context; that there should be a clear vision for the promotion of holistic well-being; that the connections between all involved should be deepened; that all efforts to promote holistic well-being should be integrated, and that the complexity of the process should be acknowledged.

Class Room Action Research in English Language Learning

Research activities is common for a lecturer because it is a compoulsary term. Research in English Language or English learning is a scientific activity that aims at investigating the rules that work in the process of English learning. Research activities in English learning cover four steps: observing, describing, analyzing, and explaining. The way of each step is done depends on the nature of the data and the objective of the research. Classroom Action Research (CAR) for English Learning aims at developing a certain instructional strategy to solve practical instructional problems in English classrooms. Each English learner is basically able to learn English provided that he or she is given the appropriate help as each learner has his or her own style and strategy of learning. CAR for English Learning aims at discovering learning-teaching strategies that match learners’ style and strategies in learning English. CAR is done in several cyles each of which is repeated in the following cycle if the result is not satisfactory yet with the better revised lesson plan. Each cycle begins with lesson planning, implementing the plan, observing the implementation, and reflecing or evaluating the process and the result of the implementation. The result of the reflection determines the following cycle.

Norton, L. (2019). Action research in learning and teaching: A practical guide to conducting pedagogical research in universities

Norton, L. (2019). <i><b>Action research in learning and teaching: A practical guide to conducting pedagogical research in universities</b></i>

Fostering teachers’ experiences of well-being: A participatory action learning and action research approach

Teachers, specifically those who work in under-resourced contexts, face many challenges within their workplace that negatively affect their experiences of well-being. Although research indicates that if teacher well-being improves, a more enabling climate for teaching and learning is created, little support is available for teachers in this regard. The aim of this study was to work collaboratively with teachers to help them find ways to improve their experiences of well-being. Following a participatory action learning and action research (PALAR) design, 6 teachers in a rural primary school met as an action learning set over a period of 6 weeks to reflect on their learning about how to improve their experiences of well-being. The findings indicate that frequent, informal social contact with colleagues, coupled with explicit action to focus on positive emotions, could improve teachers’ experiences of well-being. The PALAR design afforded the structure for this to happen. This study offers insight into how a collaborative action learning process could help to enhance teachers’ ability to improve and sustain their experiences of well-being. Keywords: action learning; flourishing; positive psychology; teacher well-being; wellness

The object of learning in action research and learning study

ABSTRACTThe Learning study and the Educational Action Research approaches to educational research are compared, not from a third, neutral point of view, but from the perspective of the former. Hence, the comparison is carried out in terms of how the main point of departure of the Learning study (LS), the question of ‘What is to be learned?’, is addressed in the two approaches. Both represent critical stances to Educational objectives, the frequently taken-for-granted answer to the question. Educational objectives communicate, however, what the students are expected to become able to do, but not what they need to learn in order to get there. Hence, what is to be learned cannot be stated in advance, prior to the teacher learning what her students need to learn. The two approaches to educational research agree on the principle that what is to be learned has to be found in the interaction between students and teachers; however, there is an important difference between the two concerning the very point of departure. Educational objectives are too wide and imprecise according to LS, the teachers have to find the critical aspects (necessary to appropriate, but not appropriated as yet by the students) of the object of learning. According to Action research, as formulated by Lawrence Stenhouse, educational objectives are too narrow, too limited and limiting. We shall start looking for what is to be learned amongst inherent aspects of the content itself.

A collaboratively constructed action leadership framework for sustainable learner support in contexts of adversity

ABSTRACTTeachers working in under-resourced contexts struggle to provide psychosocial support to learners. In this article, we focus on 10 teacher participants’ reflections of how a transformative action research process enhanced their collective capacity for initiating sustainable learner support. A linked participatory action learning and action research (PALAR)-life design (LD) process initiated at their school with an LD counsellor, assisted them to provide sustainable support at the school. LD enabled teacher participants to build on personal and professional narratives as a foundation for embarking on the PALAR process to attain positive change. LD deepened their psychological understanding of the link between their past and present, which remained a sustainable motivation throughout the PALAR process. Data generated from transcriptions of action learning group discussions and teacher reflections during the project were thematically analysed. Findings suggest that the PALAR-LD process is suitable to enable the sustained addressing of contextual challenges, through the development of action leadership in teachers. Although the LD process has to be initiated together with an LD counsellor, teachers can then sustain the PALAR process on their own, making it both cost-effective and feasible. The framework has value for enhancing learner support in contexts of social and economic adversity.

Screening fitness to drive by occupational therapists in Gauteng Public Healthcare - an Action Learning Action Research outcome

INTRODUCTION: In South Africa, public healthcare users equate the ability to drive a motor vehicle to employability and access to essential services. When injury or illness threatens the ability to drive, the multi-professional medical team usually refer the problem to the occupational therapist who will make decisions about patients' fitness to drive a motor vehicle. METHOD: Over the course of five years, a collaborative task team applied multiple Action Learning Action Research (ALAR) cycles to address the problem. Qualitative data collected included field notes, reflective journaling, meeting minutes and a survey. RESULTS: ALAR cycles resulted in a user manual and tool to screen driver fitness for occupational therapists. A follow-up survey indicated that despite a low user ratio, clinicians were of the opinion that the screening tool was user-friendly and contextually relevant to their practices CONCLUSION: ALAR was effective in addressing a practice problem and empowering clinicians to develop a structured approach to screen fitness to drive in patients accessing public healthcare. Screening, as a first step within the field of driving rehabilitation, is now available in Gauteng public healthcare. Key words: Driving rehabilitation, driving screening, public healthcare, action research action learning.

Mind-shifts for enhancing the engagement of educational psychologists in the promotion of holistic school wellbeing

AimThe study explores the mind-shifts that educational psychologist have to facilitate to engage in the promotion of holistic school wellbeing.RationaleEducational psychologists employed in the South African education system, due to limited human resources, work mainly with individual children who experience serious problems. The implication of the current situation is that educational psychologists are marginalised in interventions aimed at the transformation of schools into enabling, inclusive environments. The rational of this article is to address this marginalised position of educational psychologists in the South African context.MethodIn the research conducted to develop an integrated, multi-level process to facilitate holistic wellbeing in six South African schools, a Participatory Action Learning and Action Research (PALAR) methodology has been applied. The methodology integrates action learning and action research with participatory action research in a holistic way. The data for this specific article was obtained by reflecting on the data gathered during my involvement as an educational psychologist in the development of this process over a period of three years.FindingsFive mind-shifts that school communities have to make in order for educational psychologists to effectively engage in the promotion of holistic school wellbeing were identified. Firstly, the role of educational psychologists should not be perceived as experts who address problems prevailing in schools but as external agents of change who need to work in collaboration with all stakeholders. Secondly, educational psychologists should not be expected to focus only on individual interventions but also on universal, multi-level interventions aimed at supporting all members of school communities. Thirdly, the promotion of wellbeing should no longer be perceived as an additional function of schooling but as an integral part of function of school communities. Fourthly, the fragmented implementation of initiatives to promote wellbeing should be replaced by a holistic, integrative approach to the promotion of school wellbeing. Fifthly, instead of adopting a linear, causal approach to understanding human behaviour, the complex interactive dynamic nature of human behaviour should be embraced.ConclusionThe role of educational psychologist in the promotion of holistic school wellbeing is essential if they intend to become active agents of social change and transformation in the South African educational context. The optimisation of this role necessitates a broader public understanding of the role of educational psychologists as professionals who co-construct enabling environments with the members of school communities in a pro-active manner with insight into the complexity of human behaviour.

What can be learned from action learning coaching? Learnings of novice action learners and their coach

ABSTRACTAction learning coaching (ALC), a form of action learning that integrates leadership coaching, is suggested as a method and ethos to build future capacity, specifically in novice HRD practitioners. The purpose of this article is to offer an account of learning from the perspectives of novice action learners, who were new to the field of human resource development (HRD) and to the concept of ALC, as well as their similarly noviced coach. Data from budding practitioners and their coach, participants in an action learning action research (ALAR) study, are analyzed to show how they used action and generative learning through ambiguity to apply learning to their new roles. Action learning coaching elevated participants’ skills, self-concept, efficaciousness, professionalism, commitment to action, and capacity for learning and growth. Participants changed themselves, their practice, and ultimately the way they approached human resource development as novices.

The Role of a Learning Approach in Building an Interorganizational Network Aiming for Collaborative Innovation

Collaboration has become a common way for organizational actors to engage in problem solving and innovation. Yet shifting from strategic interactions (driven by reduction of transaction costs) to transformational interaction (driven by collaborative transorganizational development) appears to be difficult to achieve in practice in a network setting. This article argues that such a shift can be enhanced by adopting an action learning approach, which entails working on real-life problems without clear solutions and collectively working to resolve them. Based on an action learning research process, this article therefore explores ways to support collective knowledge creation within an interorganizational network setting. It provides rich illustrations of how the interactions in the network changed through the process, and the participants moved from a space of territorial protection to a space for collaborative exploration. From this case, the article outlines a model for learning in interorganizational networks and discusses related challenges.

Reconsidering postgraduate ‘supervision’ from a participatory action learning and action research approach

Postgraduate supervision is most often perceived as a one-to-one relationship between an expert and a novice researcher. Even when working in groups, an instructional approach tends to dominate, where the supervisor(s) prescribe(s) the content and process, with a narrow focus on the outcome of degree completion, rather than a more holistic approach to the development of postgraduate scholars. At a time when curriculum transformation is high on the agenda of Higher Education, we problematise this traditional conceptualisation of postgraduate supervision and argue for a more participatory action learning and action research (PALAR) approach to postgraduate learning and development. PALAR creates a relational and reflective space for dialogical conversations, equalizing traditional power relations and democratising knowledge creation. This opens up the possibility for postgraduate candidates to perceive themselves as self-directed lifelong learners and collaborative action leaders, rather than just ‘students’. Using a case example of a postgraduate PALAR retreat, we thematically analyse the data generated from participant reflections, presented over three days in visual, oral and other creative forms. Findings reveal that this approach to postgraduate learning and development enhances critical thinking and promotes collaboration rather than competition. Participants are thus able to see themselves as developing scholars and action leaders within their specific fields of influence. Such outcomes are likely to provide a solid foundation for developing future academics or other professionals, able to model a holistic, participatory approach to knowledge creation in their own practice.

Continuing professional development designed as second-order action research: work-in-progress

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this article is to describe how Lesson Study as second-order action research can be applied and how we planned to evaluate and improve course design, learners’ progress, team members’ roles and learning objectives of a 2-year university course for English as a Second Language teachers. The article describes the concept of a Lesson Study conducted in a course for teachers with a minimum of 3 years of teaching experience, rather than for students or undergraduates as in traditional concepts of the Lesson Study approach. PFL (‘Pedagogy and Subject Didactics Programme’) is a 2-year programme consisting of three seminars and five groups meetings in which the participants focus on the reflection of their professional practice in their specific school situation. All participants are required to plan, carry out and document their own action research project. The team provides input on action research and current topics in language teaching and learning, and advises participants. The methodology follows a mixed-method approach based on action research methodologies including questionnaires, interviews and observations. Analyses are conducted qualitatively and quantitatively. The article presents the concept of the project but not yet findings at this stage due to curriculum development and approval issues.

Facilitating a participatory action learning action research process in a higher educational context

Researchers facilitated a participatory action learning action research process with second year Social Sciences students at a University in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. This paper focusses on the facilitation of a participatory action learning action research process and the contribution of this to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning of the researchers. A social constructivist theoretical framework was employed. The significance of this research is that it adds to the understanding and implementation of participatory action learning action research, the evolving perception of participation as well as ownership within a participatory action learning action research process within the relatively less studied context of sub-Saharan African and South Africa more specifically. This paper demonstrates how utilising participatory action learning action research contributed to the researchers own “lifelong learning”, particularly with regard to scholarship and collaborations in the process of knowledge production. The researchers’ critical reflections and learning throughout this process could be of assistance to other researchers who are interested in embarking upon similar participatory research projects in higher education.

Mentoring communities of practice: what’s in it for the mentor?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address the critique of researchers, who question the effectiveness and sustainability of mentoring as a continuing professional development and learning (CPDL) process. Where a lack of awareness exists surrounding the potential benefits of mentoring for the mentor, this paper investigates whether engaging in and with mentoring through a mentoring community of practice (M-CoP) assists mentors to accrue and realise the benefits of engagement. A relationship will be drawn between the community of practice (CoP) dimensions as outlined by Wenger-Trayner and Wenger-Trayner (2015): domain, practice and community, and the perceived benefits accrued for mentors will be reported.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach was taken, using a participatory action learning action research strategy. In total, 12 mentors came together to form a developing M-CoP. They attended four M-CoP workshops where they grew as mentors, through the three dimensions of a CoP: domain, practice and community. Workshops were audio visually recorded and observed. Further data were gathered through an M-CoP questionnaire, pre-workshop questions, M-CoP artefacts, stimulus recall, reflective journals, reflective journey plans and extended focus group discussions. Respondent validation, inter-rater and intra-observer reliability were used. Data were coded manually and using NVivo-10 software.FindingsMany of the benefits reported were directly linked to participants’ engagement in and with the three M-CoP dimensions: domain, practice and community. Such benefits related to mentor identity, support and solidarity, engagement and interaction, sharing “for” and learning “from” other mentors, and knowledge expansion and boundary spanning. Participants reported that engaging in and with mentor education through an M-CoP was an effective CPDL process, which was beneficial for them as developing mentors.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample size was limited, based in one country and focussed upon one subject specialism. Such reported benefits need to be disseminated in order to raise the awareness of policy makers, teacher education institution managers and teacher educators, teachers and school leaders of the benefits of engaging in mentoring CPDL through the process of M-CoP engagement.Practical implicationsThe findings from this study can be used to inform policies related to the continuum of teacher education. A recommendation is made for policy makers, teacher education institution managers, school leaders and CPDL service providers to facilitate the development of M-CoPs and to support their growth. It is also suggested that government departments of education and professional standards bodies account for the resourcing of such work in the design and implementation phase of school placement developments.Originality/valueThis paper closes the following gaps in the literature: CPDL benefits of engaging in and with an M-CoP for the mentor, the relationship between CPDL benefits and CoP dimensions and the development of M-CoPs in the given socio-cultural, historical and economic context of Ireland’s teacher education system and those of similar contexts.