Lecture 16 - Action research

Question 1

(!) Describe action research in general, its role & its critique

Answer 1

General:
- Solve concrete problem within & with client organisation
- Challenge status quo: Well-established thinking pattern & actions
- Contribute to both practice & theory
- Research in action > Research about action
- Basis for practice-oriented research: ABC, BSC, BB

Two roles of helping:
- General: External helper to client
- Research as expert or doctor: Provide prescript
- Researcher as process consulting: Action researcher

Other:
- Trust equation: (Credibility + reliability + intimacy) / Self-orientation = Trustworthiness
- Trustworthiness = Intimacy = Personal relation to client.

Critique:
- Consulting dressed as research

Question 2

(!) Describe the action research cycle

Answer 2

General:
- Learning until problem solved
- Done by both researcher, change agent & stakeholder
- Change agents & stakeholder has wide knowledge
- Always multiple action-research cycles simultaneously
- Ongoing process

Step 1:
- Researcher engage with change agents & stakeholder
- Construct & diagnose specific issue needed addressed

Step 2:
- Plan action to issues
- Eg. Resistance

Step 3:
- Actions taken to implement conceived interventions

Step 4:
- Evaluate intended & unintended results
- New cycles initiated until solved

Question 3

(!) Compare positivistic science & action research

Answer 3

,

Question 4

(!) How does consulting differ from action research?

Answer 4

Different rigor:
- AR more rigorous in inquiry & documentation
- AR explain & provide evidence instead of just solving problem

Different justifications:
- Researcher require theoretical justifications
- Consultants require empirical justifications

Different constraints:
- Consultants has tighter time & budget constraints
- AR take more time

Different process:
- Consultation often linear: Engage, analyse, act & disengage
- AR is cyclical: Gather data, feedback to those concerned, analyze data, plan action, take action & evaluate, further data gathering

Question 5

Describe action researchs two interlinked projects

Answer 5

Meta cycle in AR for thesis:

Content reflection:
- First form
- What happens w. studied phenomenon
- What & why did previous AR work & what was learned

Process reflection:
- Second form
- How things are done
- What worked

Premise reflection
- Final form
- Criticize underlying assumptions & perspectives

Question 6

Describe the three voices, audiences & practices

Answer 6

Question 7

(!) Describe criterias for testing AR quality

Answer 7

General:
- Not same as positivistic science: Instead vigorous, reflective & relevance

Participation:
- Close cooperation between researcher & participant

Real-world problem:
- Continuous & iterative reflection on real-world problems & practice outcomes

Workable solution:
- AR project deliver significant, workable & sustainable outcomes

Joint meaning construction:
- Researcher & participants collaborate to interpret & reflect & understand jointly
- Process guided by Mezirow’s (1990) Content, process & premise reflection