Dear all,
 
This generation of knowledge and understanding is a tricky issue, isn't it?
 
I suppose many practitioners embark on projects because they want to change something. i.e. the principal aim is not the generation of knowledge and understanding as such; rather, it is a practical change that they desire.
 
For instance I might ask, 'how can I improve my teaching?' rather than, 'how can I improve my understanding of how to improve my teaching?'
 
Now, you might argue that answers to the first question imply answers to the second - that I cannot improve my teaching without also improving my understanding of my teaching. 
 
However, when I collect evidence, it will relate primarily to improvement of my teaching, rather than my understanding. And, if you read my account, I might have less difficulty persuading you of the improvements to my teaching - you will encounter 'before, during and after' types of evidence for this. I might have greater difficulty persuading you of improvements to my understanding because, unless I can describe some clear 'Eureka' moments, you might say that I had the necessary understanding already, I merely applied my understanding to the situation of the project. (You might further argue that the 'Eureka' moments were evidence that I had understood something that other people already knew, not that I had generated new knowledge or understanding.)
 
So production of knowledge and understanding might be a concomitant of a participatory project, not its primary aim.
 
What do you think?
 
Best wishes,
 
 
 
Tim
 

From: BERA Practitioner-Researcher [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Brian wakeman
Sent: 28 February 2008 12:14
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: AA Thread 1 07-08 Raising issues, asking questions, and making networking available for practiti

Of Collaborative Studies, Hatch (2002, p33) writes:  " it is possible to do research in collaboration with practitioners but not with the specific intent of changing the the practices of research participants. 
 
Why not?
 
I've had colleagues from HE working with me in school to help me improve practice. They came at my invitation as skilled facilitators, members of the TIQL Project based at Cambridge.
 
Now later in life I'm invited into classrooms to assist colleagues develop understanding and improve practice.
 
 
"Collaborative research here refers to work that is distinguished from action research because its principal aims are the generation of knowledge and understanding. "
 
Another statement that may be challenged.........? 
 
Can't action research have  principal aims of generating understanding and knowledge, and another of improving the quality of learning and teaching ?
 
I heard John Elliott lament at one BERA that ........many AR projects were not generating new knowledge...........but  they are capable of raising hypotheses about how practice might be improved. Many projects involving collaboration do both , don't they?
 
What do colleagues think?
 
Brian
 




----- Original Message ----
From: Barra Hallissey <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Thursday, 28 February, 2008 10:57:18 AM
Subject: Re: AA Thread 1 07-08 Raising issues, asking questions, and making networking available for practiti



Of Collaborative Studies, Hatch (2002, p33) writes:  " it is possible to do research in collaboration with practitioners but not with the specific intent of changing the the practices of research participants.  Collaborative research here refers to work that is distinguished from action research because its principal aims are the generation of knowledge and understanding.  It is assumed in collaborative qualitative research that it is valuable to bring both the insider and outsider perspectives to the analysis of phenomena under investigation.  It is also considered desireable to include research participants as full partners in the research process, thus addressing concerns that researchers sometimes "use" the individuals they are studying, taking more than they are giving in the research bargain.
 
I wonder what others in this Special Interest Group make of Hatch's view.  I would particularly like to know what Jack (Whitehead) makes of it.  Jack of course is free not to respond to issues raised on this listing such as this, but he did he invite debate in the first instance by suggesting this theme and I consider it a poor show to then stay silent ... or perhaps I am mistaken.
 
Pro bono
Barra Hallissey

Think you know your TV, music and film? Try Search Charades!