Apologies for cross posting.
The latest SOLAR news update is now available to those interested. Please
contact us for a copy by post or see http://www.nene.ac.uk/solar for details
under the relevant sections. You'll find an overview of SOLAR's work below
that includes notice of our Collaborative Learning Forums, the PhD programme
and our research and consultancy partnerships. Finally you'll find an
invitation to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.
What is SOLAR?
SOLAR is a postgraduate and interdisciplinary research and development
centre concerned with social and organisational learning and change.
Particularly, we are concerned with the development of new participative
research methodologies. These are based on notions of research being
carried out with, not on, people, and of research as a process that itself
changes those involved along with the systems and practices of which they
are a part.
Influences on SOLAR's Work
We are influenced and inspired by a multiplicity of disciplinary and
research based ideas. On the one hand, these come from the edges of
sociology, the culture-contexts approach to cognitive science, participatory
action research, critical systems thinking, experiential learning and
reflective practice, critical social theory, continental social pedagogy,
and interpretative organisational theory and research. On the other, we are
as powerfully influenced by insights being generated by the science of
complexity, developments in neuroscience, postmodernism, cultural studies,
feminist research practice, new forms of ethnography, 'music and the mind'
research, and participatory theatre.
These influences remain grounded in commitments to 'real world' research
that take account of paradox, complexity, contradiction, ambiguity, mess and
power, in ways that generate 'grounded' and wider 'systemic' insights. In
other words, the knowing generated has meaning and impact in the real time
of people's lives and the human activity systems in which they are involved.
At the same time, these participative inquiry approaches generate systemic
insights, such as into what might be entailed in social policy
implementation within a dynamic and complex system of relationships. Many
of our associates work in or with health, education, local government,
social services and voluntary organisations.
Collaborative Learning Forums
SOLAR's forums provide a place where contributors can 'puzzle aloud' with
others on issues that have emerged from their own work. This has been
welcomed by many of our associates who seek this 'creative space' as a venue
to use their expertise in alternative ways, as they are often compelled to
'perform' rather than 'inquire'. These forums are becoming integral to the
development of thinking and practice, amongst SOLAR associates, related to
social and organisational learning and change as inquiry itself. (These
forums are run as not for profit ventures to encourage participation. Fees
£40-£65)
Titles and further information of this series of Collaborative Learning
Forums, as well as biodata about our guests, can be found at
http://www.nene.ac.uk/solar/calendar99.htm
PhD's at SOLAR
Our PhD programme is part-time, and cohort based, and begins with a two year
structured collaborative learning programme. This is available to
experienced middle/senior level professionals and practitioners. Our second
cohort begins this autumn, with interviews taking place in June. We
currently have 8 members in SOLAR1, our first cohort, which includes
academics from other universities, working in areas such as:
* Social auditing as social learning
* Multi-professional primary care practice
* Inquiry practices in the 'disempowered professions'
* Living new meanings of 'user involvement' in secondary care health
services
* Innovation in management faculties
* How health policy research does and does not get at 'what really matters'
* Interdisciplinary communities/centres of practice and innovation in
universities
Details of SOLAR PhD Programme can be found at
http://www.nene.ac.uk/solar/postgrad.htm
Research and Consultancy Partnerships
We are currently developing our research approaches through a diverse range
of national and international partnerships. These include, for example:
* multi-agency approaches to reducing unemployment;
* integrating service, development and workforce planning in the NHS;
* sustaining innovation in higher education;
* generating new understandings of primary care development, participative
strategy development within NHS Trusts,
* and linking service, professional and organisational learning and
development in a major national voluntary organisation.
Details of these and other research and consultancy projects can be found at
http://www.nene.ac.uk/solar/resecons.htm
An Invitation
If you'd like to find out more about any of the activities we are involved
in, or explore ideas for partnership in bidding for project funds, or
academic writing, do feel free to email us directly - contact
[log in to unmask] in the first instance. Staff currently comprise
Professor Susan Weil (Director of SOLAR), Dr. Lynn Ashburner (who joined us
as a Senior Research Fellow in March from the University of Keele), Barry
Percy Smith (Research Fellow) and Karen Hedges (Research Assistant) both who
also work in partnership with the Centre for Children and Youth, Annette
Karseras, (R & D Co-ordinator) and Eileen Hajjar, (Administrative/Finance
Assistant).
Finally, please note that our institution has recently changed its name to
University College Northampton. A change to the email and website addresses
will take place at the end of April to reflect this - with ".nene.ac.uk"
being replaced by "northampton.ac.uk". Please note this for future
reference.
We look forward to hearing from you, and perhaps seeing you at one of our
Forums.
Annette Karseras
SOLAR R&D Coordinator.
[log in to unmask]
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|
