Collaborative Research Process Research Articles

Practice and performance: changing perspectives of teachers through collaborative enquiry

BackgroundThis paper considers the role of collaborative enquiry as a means of developing equity in education. The context was a collaborative project in which a university was supporting local schools in carrying out enquiry into their practice, with the purpose of moving the practice towards greater equity.PurposeThe research question addressed is as follows: What characterises and explains teachers’ different and changing perspectives in a process of enquiry directed towards more equitable schooling?SampleParticipants were teachers involved in a systematic process of collaborative action research in the north-west of England.Design and methodsDuring an 11-month period, spanning a school year, the authors engaged with teachers, supporting enquiry processes. Teachers’ perspectives were explored as they participated in this enquiry network. The study design was ethnographic, with tools introduced to generate systematic data within the process. In particular, five months into the process, 16 of the teachers were invited to participate in an activity based on Q-sort methodology. They were asked to rank, and comment on, statements which described how they might be thinking about, and responding to, the enquiry process.ResultsAnalysis of the ways that teachers sorted the cards led to identification of four groups of participants: (1) those focused on practice, (2) research, (3) collaboration and (4) those feeling themselves to be outsiders to the process. As the two dominant perspectives were ‘practice’ and ‘research’ (groups 1 and 2), two contrasting case studies were then developed in order to explore the perspectives in more detail. While the initial questions generated by the participants arose out of their existing development plans, and both aimed to contribute to equity in the school, analysis showed that the processes in the two schools differed and suggested that teachers’ experience of enquiry in the two case studies was also different, both in terms of the ways they were empowered to consider their own work critically, and the contexts in which they worked.ConclusionsEnquiry can work as a tool, offering teachers a way of tackling a problem. But, in addition, enquiry can change the way teachers see themselves, overall leading to a deepening of teacher professional identity.

A critical reflexive perspective on othering in collaborative knowledge production

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to show power mechanisms of in- and exclusion in moments where certain participants appeared to be othered in two collaborative research and development projects in a healthcare setting.Design/methodology/approachThe paper contributes to critical-reflexive analyses of reflexive processes within collaborative knowledge production. The authors use an analytical framework combining Bakhtin and Foucault to investigate processes of inclusion and exclusion in the interplay between dominant and subordinated voices in a moment-by-moment analysis of two incidents from interdisciplinary workshops.FindingsThe analysis illuminates how differences between voices challenge participants’ reflexive awareness and lead to the reproduction of contextual power and knowledge hierarchies and the concomitant silencing of particular participants. Thus, the findings draw attention to the complex and ethical nature of collaborative knowledge production.Practical implicationsTo invite researchers to be reflexive about the complex, situated and emergent character of reflexive processes and consider ethics to be a critical stance that encourages continuous reflection and critique of collaborative knowledge production.Originality/valueTo show the importance of not sweeping incidents in which participants are othered “under the carpet” in collaborative research. To present an analytical framework for analysing the contextual and emergent nature of collaborative research processes and discuss the ethical conundrums, which arise in the research process.

Designing for culturally-diverse communities. The role of collaborative, interdisciplinary design-led research

<p>Successful design for culturally-diverse communities hinges on a nuanced understanding of the cultural environment; building trusting relationships and fostering a respectful approach to community. This paper discusses the application of design-led research with a participatory mind-set and maintains that while a collaborative, interdisciplinary participatory design process is essential, a design-led research approach is particularly valuable. Blurring the boundaries between disciplines brings the users to the forefront of design as active co-creators, sharing ideas, tools and methods. It examines two projects – a Tokelau / Pasifika cultural museum exhibition involving museum curators, architects, interior designers, photographers and local community members; and a Māori landscape regeneration project in the Wairarapa region of Wellington – wherein the designers (in this case the students) took the role of facilitator rather than providing a hierarchical and potentially adversarial approach to community design decision-making. The research project was framed around three critical stages: design analysis (holistic context), design exploration and testing (exploring design scenarios), and design synthesis (agreed plan or direction). It finds that participatory design when performed correctly can increase the capacity for community engagement; provide substantial benefits to the design outcomes; and beneficially exploit the process of design-led research. In addition to the community benefits, this interdisciplinary and collaborative research process can create new opportunities for architectural design education as it educates students as world citizens. As such it has the potential to transform architectural practice.</p>

If you don't measure it, you won't improve it: The advancement of recreational therapy through collaborative research

The purpose of this article is to describe the impact collaboration between recreational therapy (RT) researchers and practitioners can have on clinical outcomes and evidence-based practice. Although collaboration is not a new concept, few individuals develop partnerships designed to measure the clinical outcomes associated with RT. The primary reason collaborations are not developed is due to misconceptions from both the researcher and the practitioner on how the collaborative research process impacts direct client care. Furthermore, budget cuts, lack of time, and limited resources can make it challenging for successful collaborations to develop. This article will define collaboration, identify how collaborative partnerships advance the development of clinical outcomes, describe common challenges associated with successful collaborations between practitioners and researchers, and provide the seven steps used to accomplish a successful collaboration.

Web-based tools for collaborative research

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to profile various types of Web-based tools to facilitate research collaboration within and across institutions.Design/methodology/approachVarious Web-based tools were tested by the author. Additionally, tutorial videos and guides were reviewed.FindingsThere are various free and low-cost tools available to assist in the collaborative research process, and librarians are well-positioned to facilitate their usage.Practical implicationsLibrarians and researchers will learn about various types of tools available at free or at low cost to fulfill needs of the collaborative research process.Social implicationsAs the tools highlighted are either free or of low cost, they are also valuable to start-ups and can be recommended for entrepreneurs.Originality/valueAs the realm of Web-based collaborative tools continues to evolve, the options must be continually revisited and reviewed for currency.

Collaborative inquiry and the shared workspace of professional learning communities

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore educator collaborative inquiry in the shared workspace in professional learning communities (PLCs). Specifically, this investigation was part of an ongoing investigation of well-established PLC collaborative interactions and self-directed learning of educators as part of the shared workspace as a component of school improvement.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative design was used for this investigation. Participants were purposefully selected to provide qualitative data on existent, well-established PLCs and their practice as educators in the shared workspace. Qualitative data were collected about participant perception. Data were collected from each participant by conducting semi-structured interviews, observations, and the collection of document and artifacts.FindingsFindings from this ongoing investigation point to positive collaborative physical interactions and intellectual discourse that lead to educator learning through the collaborative inquiry process.Originality/valueTheories on PLCs and educator job-embedded professional learning are unique in this paper. The concepts of PLCs and the collaborative inquiry process have been well developed but not in the context of the shared workspace. Recent literature on effective collaborative inquiry educators undergo in PLCs as a continuing professional development model provides a foundation for the work done in this ongoing case study. Sustained collaboration and continued professional development of teaching innovations as a product of the collaborative inquiry process in the shared workspace are underdeveloped as yet but further developed in this paper.

Preparing teachers to mentor beginning teachers: an Australian case study

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to present an Australian mentor preparation program designed to prepare experienced teachers to mentor beginning teachers and second, to identify and discuss mentor teachers’ personal and professional outcomes and the wider contextual implications emerging from the Mentoring Beginning Teachers (MBT) mentor preparation program.Design/methodology/approachThis case study, situated within Queensland, Australia, draws on qualitative data collected via interviews and focus groups with mentor teachers who participated in a large-scale systemic mentor preparation program. The program positions mentoring as supportive, based on a process of collaborative inquiry and encouraging critically reflexive praxis with the mentor professional learning focusing on reflection, dialog and criticality.FindingsInitial findings show the outcomes of the mentor preparation program include building a common language and shared understanding around the role of mentor, consolidating a collaborative inquiry approach to mentoring and providing opportunity for self-reflection and critique around mentoring approaches and practices. Some findings, such as a greater self-awareness and validation of mentors’ own teaching performance, have confirmed previous research. However, the originality of this research lies in the personal and professional impacts for mentor teachers and the wider contextual impacts that have emerged from the study.Practical implicationsThe study highlights the impact of the mentor preparation program on the professional learning of teacher-mentors and contributes to the current lack of empirical research that identifies the personal and professional impacts for mentors and the wider contextual factors that impact effective mentoring in schools.Originality/valueThe originality of this research lies in the personal and professional impacts for mentor teachers and the wider contextual impacts more broadly that have emerged from the study.

Theorizing with managers: how to achieve both academic rigor and practical relevance?

PurposeThe aim of the paper is to address the widening theory-praxis gap in marketing. The authors propose that one viable solution to this challenge is involving practitioners in research processes as active, reflective and empowered participants. Most extant discussions addressing the inclusion of managers as partners in theorizing restrain themselves to an “if” question, arguing whether or not it is possible to create sufficiently rigorous knowledge in collaboration with practitioners. This leaves the “how” question unanswered, i.e. how should such gap-bridging research be conducted in practice.Design/methodology/approachBased on a literature review of collaborative theorizing processes, the authors develop a conceptual framework highlighting the main research design decisions when theorizing with managers. The use of the framework is illustrated with four research program examples.FindingsMost accounts of theorizing with managers use – explicitly or implicitly – abduction as the main mode of inference. In addition to this philosophical commonality, our literature review identified 12 themes that should be considered when designing collaborative research processes. The four illustrative examples indicate that theorizing with managers is an effective way of producing and socializing both academically sound and managerially relevant knowledge. On the other hand, collaborative theorizing processes are time-consuming and studies using abductive reasoning may be more challenging to publish in top-tier journals.Originality/valueThis paper makes two contributions. First, the authors go beyond the extensive academic literature which provides a plethora of explanations and ideas for potential remedies for bridging the theory-praxis gap by offering a detailed description how one particular solution, theorizing with managers, unfolds in practice. Second, the authors ground collaborative theorizing processes in the philosophy of science and put abduction forward as a common nominator for such studies.

Improving Hospital at Home for frail older people: insights from a quality improvement project to achieve change across regional health and social care sectors

BackgroundAgainst a background of rising numbers of frail older people, there is a need to improve quality and safety of services whilst containing costs. Improving patient outcomes requires change across hospital and community systems. Our objective was to change practice in order to deliver a Hospital at Home programme (admission avoidance and early supported discharge) for frail older people across a regional commissioning area. The programme, undertaken within the Northern, Eastern & Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) sub-localities of Exeter (population 120,000) and Woodbury, Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton (towns with populations of around 10,000), involved reconfiguration of existing services rather than being a stand-alone intervention.MethodsQuality Improvement methodology, with hospital and community staff using Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to implement and test service changes. Outcome measures: 1) Discharge destination; 2) Length of stay; 3) Acute Community Team referrals.ResultsAgainst a backdrop of intense financial pressures, significant community bed closures, and difficult relations between hospital and community services, outcomes remained stable (discharge destination, length of hospital stay, and number of referrals to the community team).ConclusionPDSA cycles enabled stakeholders across acute and community services to be involved, promoted a process of collaborative inquiry and ownership of findings, and improved motivation to act on results and produce change. Practitioners and managers seeking to improve the delivery of complex, cross-cutting services in other areas can learn from the experience of applying Quality Improvement methods reported here.

Examining the long-term impact of participating in a professional development community of music teacher educators in the USA: An anchor through turbulent transitions

Peer mentoring and participating in professional development communities (PDCs) have been documented as supporting individuals through the transition into the teacher educator profession. However, Gallagher, Griffin, Parker, Kitchen, and Figg (2011) suggested future researchers examine the lasting impact of participating in PDCs. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the long-term impact of participating in a PDC of music teacher educators. We, as four participant-researchers and one participant, were five early-career women music teacher educators in tenure-track positions at different institutions, reflecting back on our PDC and collaborative research experiences. We used a social constructivist framework to examine how we made sense of our experiences. Data included individual interviews, paired interviews, reflective journals, and a Facebook group. Findings included: (a) feeling empowered through a sense of community and support; (b) coming to new understandings of ourselves as music teacher educators; (c) experiencing benefits and challenges of our collaborative research process; and (d) still learning/becoming. The sense of community and support, benefits from collaborating on research, and opportunities to “play” with our developing identities had lasting professional and personal implications, which helped us successfully navigate the transitions and provided an anchor during the turbulent process of becoming music teacher educators.

Barriers and facilitators to using digital technologies in the Cooperative Learning model in physical education

ABSTRACTBackground: The influence of technology on children’s everyday lives is significant in today’s society, with children described as digital natives and/or the iGeneration. There are also a range of digital technologies available for use in education and a number of pedagogical approaches reported to support technology integration and pupil learning in physical education contexts. The use of technology by practitioners at present, however, is far from omnipresent. Consequently, the mechanisms that can support practitioners to use digital technologies to help pupils learn optimally in physical education requires further attention.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers and facilitators to purposeful technology integration when using the Cooperative Learning model in physical education.Research design: Data are presented from an action research project that focussed on how a teacher-researcher used iPads (tablet personal computers) within the Cooperative Learning model to support pupil learning. An athletics (track and field) unit was taught to 2 separate classes (36 pupils in total) using the key features of the Cooperative Learning model. The teacher-researcher used action research as a professional learning mechanism to refine her practice through gathering data from focus groups interviews with pupils, teacher-researcher reflections and a colleague’s observation.Data analysis: Data analysis was ongoing throughout the athletics units as part of the action research design. Following the unit, data were analysed through inductive analysis and constant comparison and the authors engaged in a peer examination process.Findings: Unfamiliarity with technology and poor group cooperation were identified as initial barriers to pupil learning when integrating technology. Action research, however, and the process of reflection and collaborative inquiry acted as key facilitators for the teacher-researcher to learn how to use digital technology to support learning.Conclusion: Findings challenge existing literature which position the ‘digital natives’ or iGeneration of today’s society as competent and able to use digital technologies to learn in formal educational contexts. Moreover, this study shows that selecting a well-defined pedagogical approach that has been previously reported to support technology use, such as Cooperative Learning, will not automatically result in positive learning experiences for pupils. If practitioners are to purposefully integrate digital technologies into physical education and ensure technology can help students to learn optimally, practitioners should engage with a reflexive process of learning, such as action research, to refine and develop their practices.

Return Migration after Natural Disasters

This special issue features policy priorities, public perceptions, and policy options for addressing post-disaster return migration in the United States, Japan, and a couple of Asian countries. It includes a series of case studies in these countries, which are based on a sustained dialogue among scholars and policymakers about whether and how to incentivize the return of displaced persons, considering social, economic, and environmental concerns. The research team, composed of researchers from Indonesia, Japan, Sri Lanka, and the United States, undertook a collaborative and interdisciplinary research process to improve understanding about how to respond to the needs of those displaced by natural disasters and to develop policy approaches for addressing post-disaster return. The research focused on the following three key issues: objectives of return migration (whether to return, in what configuration, etc.), priorities and perceptions that influence evacuees’ decision-making regarding return, and policies and practices that are used to pursue return objectives. This special issue includes ten articles on the following disaster cases: the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the Great Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, and the Great Sumatra Island Earthquake in 2009. Important lessons for the future were secured out of these case studies, covering the entire phase of return, namely planning, implementation, and monitoring.

Developing the early warning system for identification of students at risk of dropping out using a collaborative action research process

The paper presents findings of collaborative action research aimed at exploring and describing the process of the development of the early warning system for identification of students at risk of dropping (EWS). The study has been conducted in collaboration between practitioners from five vocational agriculture and food science schools and research team with expertise in the field of educational psychology. Study employed one cycle of collaborative action research including planning, acting, observing, reflecting and revising phase. During the planning and action phase, Instrument for identification of students at risk of dropping out has been developed and implemented on the sample of 485 first grade students. The collected data has been used to highlight the students who are beginning to exhibit warning signs that could become obstacles to graduation, as well as to craft meaningful prevention and intervention measures. Observations regarding the implementation of proposed methodology and reflections on collected data and ongoing processes have been systematically recorded through regular monthly meetings between researchers and practitioners. Analysis of 73 documents, collected during observation and reflection phase, resulted in 18 categories, grouped into two broad themes: pitfalls and strengths of EWS. Based on the findings, the methodology for identification of students at risk was revised to fit the needs and strengths of the specific school. The study offers valuable lessons regarding development of EWS through researchers-practitioners collaboration.

Using our whole selves: our experiences with reflexivity while researching a community arts-based leisure program

ABSTRACTAlthough reflexivity is commonly used in qualitative research, how it is used is rarely acknowledged. Multiple definitions and approaches result in a lack of clarity regarding reflexivity. We actively engaged in a reflexive process as we explored the transition of an arts-based leisure program from public to private service provision. We journaled about our positions, thoughts, and emotions throughout the research process. We analyzed our journals through initial and focused coding. Emerging themes included the impact of our positions on the research, the impact of our experiences with the program on our research, role negotiation, emotions related to role blending, and challenges with reflexivity. We report our experiences with reflexivity and explore how it affected our collaborative research process. We offer several recommendations for researchers to consider when embarking on their own reflexive processes.

Design Science method and theory in a construction and engineering context: “a phronetic tale of research”

ABSTRACTDesign Science as a research method offers the researcher a viable way of improving the outcome of research for both the researcher and the researched. In Construction and Engineering there is almost always the intention to better understand and then improve processes, materials or outcomes. Using two case studies of research adopting Design Science, one in Engineering and one in Construction, the advantages of the use of Design Science as the research method are highlighted. The desire to improve construction and engineering through a better understanding of “practical wisdom” or domain expertise through use of the concept of phronesis enables the researcher to build solutions that reflect the practices and processes practitioners actually need, enhancing their own knowledge through the collaborative research process and enabling the researcher to better reflect on what the research produced.

The Socio-Economic Evaluation of a European Project: The DIYLab Case

This paper builds on the results of a 3-year long European project, the main aim of which was to deeply and sustainably transform teaching and learning practice in primary and secondary schools and higher education, by introducing Do it Yourself (DIY) philosophy in order to expand digital competence and foster students’ agency and collaborative learning. Three universities and three primary and secondary schools have been involved in a Collaborative Action Research (CAR) process in order to analyse their current institutional context and perceive needs, strengths and weaknesses; to undertake professional development activities and the design of DIYLabs; implement DIYLabs in the selected courses; and reflect upon ways of improving the institution’s performance. This paper offers a global vision of the research and implementation processes and the results achieved, from the perspective of the socio-economic dimensions involved in a project aiming to make a difference in teaching and learning to meet the challenges of a society highly permeated by digital technology (DT).

Knowledge dialogue through Indigenous tourism product design: a collaborative research process with the Lacandon of Chiapas, Mexico

ABSTRACT This research analyzes an innovative process employed by Indigenous entrepreneurs and employees to design new and imaginative products closely related to their cultural, social and natural heritage, values and resources. In the State of Chiapas, with over one million Indigenous inhabitants, where poverty has persisted for decades, government and international agencies have promoted the development of many Indigenous tourism initiatives. However, the employment of top-down strategies focused predominantly towards the provision of tourist facilities failed to recognize the crucial role of tourism products and activities, thus sustaining and promoting stereotyped ideas of Indigenous peoples. This paper focuses on the benefits of collaborative research and knowledge dialogue between scientific and traditional wisdom to overcome some of these limitations through the application of an Indigenous Tourism Product Development Model. Using Participatory Action Research processes, university researchers worked with the management and staff of four Indigenous (Lacandon) owned and operated companies located in the communities of Lacanjá Chansayab and Nahá (Lacandon Jungle) in Mexico, to create a series of new cultural and heritage-related products. The paper explores the capacity of this process to revitalize culture while fostering feelings of accomplishment, participation, cultural pride and creative confidence among the co-researchers.

Exploring the Benefits of a Collaborative Inquiry Team in Education (CITE) Initiative to Develop a Research Community and Enhance Student Engagement

This study examined a collaborative inquiry process, facilitated by university faculty in an elementary school, intended to develop a research community, foster knowledge mobilization, and enhance student engagement. The Collaborative Inquiry Team in Education (CITE) initiative consisted of five school-based sessions that included videos, discussions, and the completion of a research action plan. Data collection and analysis involved sessions’ transcripts, feedback from participants, documents such as brainstorming charts, and student artifacts. Findings indicate that the collaborative inquiry process with enablers of time, flexibility, and support from university faculty increased educators’ research acumen and student engagement in classrooms. The CITE initiative is an effective example of applied education research and knowledge mobilization with the inclusion of faculty and technological support, innovative resources, and the co-construction of new understandings.

Engagement practices that join scientific methods with community wisdom: designing a patient-centered, randomized control trial with a Pacific Islander community.

This article illustrates how a collaborative research process can successfully engage an underserved minority community to address health disparities. Pacific Islanders, including the Marshallese, are one of the fastest growing US populations. They face significant health disparities, including extremely high rates of type 2 diabetes. This article describes the engagement process of designing patient-centered outcomes research with Marshallese stakeholders, highlighting the specific influences of their input on a randomized control trial to address diabetes. Over 18months, an interdisciplinary research team used community-based participatory principles to conduct patient-engaged outcomes research that involved 31 stakeholders in all aspects of research design, from defining the research question to making decisions about budgets and staffing. This required academic researcher flexibility, but yielded a design linking scientific methodology with community wisdom.

Distinguishing collaboration from contribution in environmental research

In this paper, we distinguish contributory from collaborative approaches to interdisciplinary environmental research. A characteristic feature of the collaborative approach is that emphasis is placed on the process of collaborative problem formulation. Rather than responding to a pre-described problem by supplementing disciplinary perspectives and methodologies as needed, a collaborative research process entails attending to the characterization of the problem itself as a necessary object of interdisciplinary research. We suggest that clearly distinguishing collaborative from contributory models of interdisciplinary environmental research, and explicitly practicing collaborative research, will help foster a culture of robust interdisciplinary engagement well suited to addressing many of today’s complex environmental problems.