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Ernie, Thank you for your advice. Regards Brian Brian E. WakemanFree-lance Educational Consultant ________________________________ From: Ernie Stringer <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Fri, 7 May, 2010 23:55:47 Subject: Re: Education and Learning Virtual Networking Stream for ALARA's 8th World Congress Brian, For most people I work with the "participatory" term is redundant as it is assumed that the process must be participatory or it is not action research. Having said that, there have always been people who see action research as something they can do "on" people, rather than "with" people. However, if you wish to make sure that people are clear about your position then you should certainly adhere to the PAR label. In some circles PAR is also seen as taking a particularly activist approach to inquiry. This comes from its history in South America where Fals Borda has been a leading exponent of PAR. Ernie ________________________________ Date: Fri, 7 May 2010 15:13:07 +0000 From: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Education and Learning Virtual Networking Stream for ALARA's 8th World Congress To: [log in to unmask] Correct me if I am wrong..But I take PAR to be an AR when done in participation/collaboration with someone ... what do you do when the problem is your own....and no one to share with?!? when it is a question 'How do I improve what I am doing?' ....I agree that with Winter's point concerning 'Collaborative Resource'. In that everybody involved has a voice. Like my work with the village children and their teachers..it is democratic and we work together.. but the problem is mine How do I improve ..it concerns the contradiction I see .. my educational values not being lived fully as they could.... I believe it is AR and not PAR. Swaroop ________________________________ Date: Fri, 7 May 2010 12:45:50 +0000 From: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Education and Learning Virtual Networking Stream for ALARA's 8th World Congress To: [log in to unmask] Ernie, I agree that we all want things to get done. However, do we emphasize product or process. Maybe we should do both. I believe that investing in participation is likely to be more sustainable than simple action. From the Chinese proverb "Give me a fish and I will eat one day, teach me how to fish and I will always eat." I have worked with disaffected young people in New York for fifteen years. One way I was able to help some of them was by inviting them into finding solutions to their problems. Best, Nathalis ----- Original Message ----- From: Ernie Stringer Date: Friday, May 7, 2010 4:31 am Subject: Re: Education and Learning Virtual Networking Stream for ALARA's 8th World Congress To: [log in to unmask] > > Nathalis, > > > > Its not only capitalists that want to get things done. Today I > met with a community group very concerned about the effect of > drugs on the youth of their community, and they were very > insistant on the need to get things done. Action research > processes provide them with one way of doing this. > > > > Regards, > > > > Ernie > > > > Date: Fri, 7 May 2010 02:30:37 +0000 > From: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Education and Learning Virtual Networking Stream > for ALARA's 8th World Congress > To: [log in to unmask] > > Susan, Margaret, Ernie, > > You are right on the money. I never studied AR in college. I > read a book by Fals Orlando Borda and Anisur Rahman that had a > profound impact on me. The terminology was participatory > action research. It is later that I introduced myself to > action research. Familiarizing myself with AR, I came to > realize that it is being done in countries where the cult of > efficiency is still the norm. Capitalism is about getting > things done. > > AR as a tool of the capitalistic economy structure cannot be > ignored. We have to be very careful that we do not use > knowledge that oppresses us. Marja Swantz and Budd Hall who > worked in Tanzania and coined the term participatory research > worked in communities where people embraced participation as > the way to move toward action. > > Swantz and Hall works speak to me being from the Democratic > Republic of Congo. We talk about African socialism. You are > probably aware of the Bantu proverb that says "It takes a > village to raise a child." > > Fals Borda was asked to define Participatory Action Research. > He says it is action research that incorporates participation > and it is participatory research that leads to action. > > Best, > > Nathalis > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Susan Goff > Date: Thursday, May 6, 2010 8:25 pm > Subject: Re: Education and Learning Virtual Networking Stream > for ALARA's 8th World Congress > To: [log in to unmask] > > > This would make for a very rich and encouraging map and also > > lead us to > > that perennial question of what constitutes ³AR² - and within > > that difficult > > place of ambiguity versus/within orthodoxy. > > > > We may also encounter the tensions between the industrialised > worldıs> managerial use of AL (as in Revans, and IMCs) and the > so called > > developingworld use of AL for emancipatory interests which can > > sometimes see > > industrialisation as the primary cause of their oppression... > > > > Always worth revisiting... > > Maps are such useful artefacts > > > > Susan > > > > > > > > On 7/05/10 10:15 AM, "ernie stringer" > > wrote: > > > > > One of the issues we face here is that AR is really a family > > of related > > > approaches--participatory action research, action inquiry, > > action science, > > > etc. that often are included under AR as a generic heading. > I > > think we should > > > be open to including all parts of the family, using AR as > the > > generic term. > > > Those who would like to differentiate particular approaches > > might choose to be > > > included in the generic map, but have a link that takes > people to > > > organizations with their particular flavour. > > > > > > Ernie > > > > > > > > > Date: Fri, 7 May 2010 10:06:45 +1000 > > > From: [log in to unmask] > > > Subject: Re: Education and Learning Virtual Networking > Stream > > for ALARA's 8th > > > World Congress > > > To: [log in to unmask] > > > > > > Re: Education and Learning Virtual Networking Stream for > > ALARA's 8th World > > > Congress Hello Margaret and everyone > > > I have forwarded this link onto our ALARA members to see if > we > > can add some > > > flags to the map. > > > We know that there are activities in South Africa, NZ, > > Singapore and India for > > > example but need to confirm with our academic members. > > > > > > Coming from an ALARA point of view, I am interested to know > > views of members > > > of this network about Action Learning? > > > In my experience, within ALARA there are divergences of opinion: > > > That AL is the same as AR > > > That AL is a core capability of AR but not the same > > > > > > Any thoughts? > > > And should we add AL centres to the map? > > > Susan > > > > > > > > > > > > On 6/05/10 3:03 PM, "Margaret Riel" > > > > wrote: > > > > > >> Hi all, > > >> > > >> While I know that is not a solution to the problems that we > > are framing, one > > >> of the things we can do is show how many centers or > > university there are > > >> where action research is taking place. As part of the Amer. > > Ed. Research > > >> Assoc Sp Interest Group in Action research, (mouthful!) we > > have created a map > > >> of the Action Research Worl > > >> > > world-map> d. > > >> It is a visual representation and as such might be one step > > in building our > > >> community as there is power in numbers. And it gives > > newcomers a map to > > >> begin searching for action research that is related to > their work. > > >> > > >> Margaret > > >> > > >> On Wed, May 5, 2010 at 5:14 PM, Susan Goff > > > > wrote: > > >>> Hello Marian > > >>> In my own practice, yes - I have this experience too. Much > > of my PAR work > > >>> has been involved with establishing a dialectic between > lay > > and professional > > >>> knowledge around a specific issue related to social and > > environmental>>> sustainability (I work to a social ecology > > framework in areas such as DV, > > >>> early intervention, crime prevention, catchment management > > and stormwater > > >>> education for example). In most cases the lay participants > > are drawn from > > >>> those who experience marginalisation in the mainstream, > and > > I have always > > >>> found that sharing theories of practice and supporting > their > > practice>>> development so they become PAR facilitators, is > > entirely understandable and > > >>> aligned with them. In many instances I think this is > because > > the so called > > >>> marginalised have not been "successful" in formal > education, > > and while they > > >>> suffer in terms of losing the rewards of such education > that > > the mainstream > > >>> economy and culture offers, in some ways they escape > > unscathed from the > > >>> brutalisation for formal education, grounded as it remains > > in positivist > > >>> assumptions, passive learning, and competitive notions of > > knowledge. We work > > >>> through the language of philosophies of science such as > > epistemology,>>> ontology, and then the windows open onto the > > deep understanding of how the > > >>> world ticks. Their activism is generally powerful as what > > the suspected is > > >>> realised to be true (my experience too) and PAR practice > > offers a way to > > >>> fundamentally change the assumptions of power in what > > knowledge is (its > > >>> architecture), what it contains (information) and how it > is > > used (for > > >>> ongoing oppression and exploitation or otherwise). > > >>> Working with academically trained professionals, on the > > other hand, has > > >>> often been about addressing the barrier of accredited > > knowledge and > > >>> expertism which is so firmly tied to the unconsciously > held > > objectivist>>> ontology, which when we offer alternative > > ontologies and epistemologies is > > >>> often met with derision and other forms of alienation. > Much > > of my life has > > >>> been about working my practice into these very difficult > > relational spaces, > > >>> to try to hold to the simple concept that the kind of > > knowledge we create > > >>> and believe has such a profound effect on the world in > which > > we live --- > > >>> further, that our global crisis regarding social and ecological > > >>> sustainability is a direct consequence of ontology and > > epistemology.>>> I believe that it is a human right for > everyone > > to have a voice about > > >>> ontology - and in PAR approaches, we can create > environment > > for this to > > >>> happen. > > >>> But, also as my note says - working in the spaces between > > the disciplines is > > >>> a very hard space to find as most commissions are already > > embedded in > > >>> disciplinary structures replicated in managerial and > policy > > structures>>> (silos) - so for underfunded and rare PAR > projects > > to get in there, then > > >>> take several steps backwards - not only revealing > > assumptions, but also > > >>> introducing the utter irrelevance of philosophy - before > we > > can move > > >>> forwards makes it very, very challenging work! > > >>> > > >>> I welcome your practice reflections on how you are as > > living theorist in > > >>> this space... If we have the time, could we raise some > case > > reflections>>> perhaps - some theories in the sense of Bohm's > > use of the word - "a view" of > > >>> what we do as living theorists in the spaces between > > ontologies of certainty > > >>> and possibility? > > >>> > > >>> Susan > > >>> > > >>> > > >>> On 6/05/10 2:00 AM, "Marian Naidoo" > > >>> > wrote: > > >>> > > >>>> > Dear Susan and all, > > >>>> > > > >>>> > I have been following the conversations over the past > > couple of months > > >>>> > with great interest and have wanted to respond on many > > occasions but > > >>>> > time and work pressures have prevented me making a > > contribution. It > > >>>> > is the content of my/our current work that has prompted > > me to make > > >>>> > space and make a contribution as so much of what you > talk > > about Susan > > >>>> > is reflected in our experience at the moment. We are > > undertaking an > > >>>> > evaluation of the impact of Ladder to the Moon (a > theatre > > company) on > > >>>> > both the staff development and improved quality of life > > of people > > >>>> > living with dementia in care homes. Shaun and I are > both > > Living>>>> > Theory Action Researchers and we are undertaking > > the evaluation in > > >>>> > partnership with a researcher from The London School of > > Economics - > > >>>> > you may imagine that this partnership of opposites will > > create some > > >>>> > difficulty. In fact the opposite is true - where we are > > experiencing>>>> > challenges is in the expectations of the > > Commissioners and providers > > >>>> > of Services mainly in their search for absolutes - even > > in the > > >>>> > proposal ! Much of our time has been spent (and is > still > > being spent) > > >>>> > on dealing with this paradox and managing expectations > in > > this context > > >>>> > is a struggle - but one which we are confident we will > > achieve as we > > >>>> > strive to pursue our both and approach. > > >>>> > > > >>>> > Love to all, > > >>>> > > > >>>> > > > >>>> > Marian > > >>>> > > > >>>> > Dr Marian Naidoo FRSA > > >>>> > Naidoo & Associates > > >>>> > > > >>>> > Visiting Research Fellow > > >>>> > University of Bath > > >>>> > Mob: 07810822820 > > >>>> > Tel: 01666 840991 > > >>>> > Fax: 01666 841463 > > >>>> > [log in to unmask] > > >>>> > > > >>>> > > > >>>> > > > >>>> > > > >>>> > > > >>>> > > > >>>> > > > >>>> > > > >>>> > On 5 May 2010, at 16:34, Jack Whitehead wrote: > > >>>> > > > >>>>> >> Begin forwarded message: > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> From: Susan Goff > > >>>>> > > > >>>>> >> Date: 5 May 2010 01:32:19 GMT+01:00 > > >>>>> >> To: Jack Whitehead > > >>>>> >, > > > > > >>>>> >> Subject: Re: Strengthening action research networks > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> Hello Jack and everyone > > >>>>> >> And thank you so very much for keeping this > discussion > > flowing. I > > >>>>> >> greatly look forward to the significant contributions > > this network > > >>>>> >> is making being heard across the many streams that > the > > Congress is > > >>>>> >> ³pooling². > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> From ALARAıs point of view, we are aware that the > > fields of action > > >>>>> >> learning and action research are widely used across > the > > world, and > > >>>>> >> have for decades been hybridising to fit disciplines > > (like adaptive > > >>>>> >> management in environmental management environments), > > cultures (like > > >>>>> >> ³yarning² to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait > > Islander ways of > > >>>>> >> knowing), and sectors (like continuous improvement > > process to work > > >>>>> >> with corporate systems and values). > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> There are a few problems that this inevitable > situation > > creates,>>>>> >> which may be good practice development > material > > for this network to > > >>>>> >> contribute to, particularly with the living theory > > construct in our > > >>>>> >> hearts, minds and hands. > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> First, often in these adaptations, the founding > > theories, wisdoms > > >>>>> >> and strengths (like Revanıs Action Learning Set > > practice, Agyris and > > >>>>> >> Schonıs action science etc) are lost to obscurity and > > with them the > > >>>>> >> link to action learning and action research. > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> For example, a colleague raised the relationship > > between adaptive > > >>>>> >> management and action research in an environmental > > educators network > > >>>>> >> the other day they had never heard of AR and were > not very > > >>>>> >> interested in the connection. It felt like a social science > > >>>>> >> practice which was too far away from an environmental > science> >>>>> >> background. > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> Somehow we need to reach across these epistemological > > and sectoral > > >>>>> >> gaps to let people see their connections with the > > extraordinary>>>>> >> origins and developments taking place in > > AR and AL, developments > > >>>>> >> which could so profoundly contribute to the work they > > are doing and > > >>>>> >> essentially save time (perhaps our shortest resource). > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> How can living theory contribute to the practices of > > reaching across > > >>>>> >> such gaps to instil good founding theory and quality > > hybridisation?>>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> Second, as well as losing the wisdom of theoretical > > innovation that > > >>>>> >> the AR and AL fields develop, there are psychological and > > >>>>> >> relational costs. A cynicism and lethargy can enter > the > > fields (both > > >>>>> >> in the AR and AL fields, and the fields of > > ³application²) as the > > >>>>> >> distinguishing characteristics are smoothed away in > the > > inability to > > >>>>> >> address the cultural challenges of keeping good > theory > > evident in > > >>>>> >> practice environments. The temptation is to revert to > simple,> >>>>> >> pragmatic tools and language - in a belief > that > > theory is only for > > >>>>> >> academics and not related to practical realities. But > > tools tend to > > >>>>> >> kill off the creativity of thought that theory generates. > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> An example of this cynicism can be found in our > > Australian education > > >>>>> >> sectors. One of our tertiary education sectors, the > > Vocational>>>>> >> Education and Training sector (VET) uses > > learning from experience as > > >>>>> >> its primary mode of education, however ³Action > > Learning² is buried > > >>>>> >> in diploma level management certificates and then, > only > > as one > > >>>>> >> performance criteria for a whole page of about 30 > such > > criteria for > > >>>>> >> the one aspect of the qualification. And, the actual > > form of Action > > >>>>> >> Learning is not specified. > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> In this sector as well as the academic tertiary > > education sector (I > > >>>>> >> work and study in both) the idea of action learning > is > > embedded in > > >>>>> >> the pedagogy but teachers are rarely trained in it, > and > > its explicit > > >>>>> >> use is considered only relevant to higher tertiary > education> >>>>> >> students such as diploma or post graduate > level. If > > learning is seen > > >>>>> >> as a human right, this reification of AR and AL is > just > > wrong.>>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> How can living theory change this misconstruction of > AL > > and AR when > > >>>>> >> they become systemised (trapped in the development > > state they were > > >>>>> >> in when they were systemised, vulnerable to > hierarchies > > of access) > > >>>>> >> so that the innovations in AL and AR practice can be > > continually>>>>> >> incorporated at a systemic level and its > > explicit presence enjoyed > > >>>>> >> by all? > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> Third, another reaction to the loss of theory within > > our AR and AL > > >>>>> >> field that I have seen is for theorisers to ghetto > > ourselves into a > > >>>>> >> kind of specialisation, even though we preach > democracy > > with generic > > >>>>> >> practices we become specialists of non- > specialisation > > a problem > > >>>>> >> I have been trying to get my head around for years! > > What I have seen > > >>>>> >> develop is a rift between those who focus on AR and > AL > > theory and > > >>>>> >> those who focus on the community or organisational > > development>>>>> >> outcomes that such theory can create. In > > reality we are deeply > > >>>>> >> complementary (perhaps even co-dependent) in our > preferences.> >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> How can living theory help us to relate more > > effectively with each > > >>>>> >> other within our AR and AL streams of variation? > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> The systemic costs of loss of theory and resulting > > losses to > > >>>>> >> language and relationship need to be appreciated for > > these questions > > >>>>> >> to be seen: loss of time in the face of our global > > pressures perhaps > > >>>>> >> being the most significant. > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> So my hope is that this strengthening of action > > research networks > > >>>>> >> throughout the world through the significant > engagement > > that you, > > >>>>> >> the other Chairs of the Congress Streams and all > those > > participating>>>>> >> in them offer, will help us recognise > good > > practice across our > > >>>>> >> differences and reach towards each other with > > appreciation and > > >>>>> >> strength. I hope that we will be able to find/create > > the languages > > >>>>> >> and the relationships of respect and egalitarian > > interest in each > > >>>>> >> other as this network has long exemplified in this > > ³third space², so > > >>>>> >> we can join together to bring the great richness of > > diversity back > > >>>>> >> into broad action research and action learning fields. > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> With kind regards, appreciation and much respect > > >>>>> >> > > >>>>> >> Susan Goff > > >>>>> >> (President, ALARA). > > >>>>> >> > > >> > > >> > > > > > > > > > The New Busy think 9 to 5 is a cute idea. Combine multiple > > calendars with > > > Hotmail. Get busy. > > > > > 26::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_5> > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Hotmail has tools for the New Busy. 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