Prelims

Action Learning and Action Research: Genres and Approaches

ISBN: 978-1-78769-538-2, eISBN: 978-1-78769-537-5

Publication date: 11 March 2019

Citation

(2019), "Prelims", Zuber-Skerritt, O. and Wood, L. (Ed.) Action Learning and Action Research: Genres and Approaches, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. i-xxvii. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78769-537-520191001

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Editorial matter and selection Editors, individual chapters their respective authors.


Half Title Page

Action Learning and Action Research

Title Page

Action Learning and Action Research: Genres and Approaches

Edited by

Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt

Griffith University, Australia and North-West University, South Africa

and

Lesley Wood

North-West University, South Africa

United Kingdom – North America – Japan India – Malaysia – China

Copyright Page

Emerald Publishing Limited

Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1WA, UK

First edition 2019

Editorial matter and selection © Editors, individual chapters © their respective authors.

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No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying issued in the UK by The Copyright Licensing Agency and in the USA by The Copyright Clearance Center. Any opinions expressed in the chapters are those of the authors. Whilst Emerald makes every effort to ensure the quality and accuracy of its content, Emerald makes no representation implied or otherwise, as to the chapters’ suitability and application and disclaims any warranties, express or implied, to their use.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-78769-538-2 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-78769-537-5 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-78769-539-9 (Epub)

Contents

Foreword by Mary Brydon-Miller vii
Acknowledgments ix
Reviewers’ Comments xi
About the Authors xv
List of Acronyms xxi
List of Tables xxv
List of Figures xxvii
Introduction
Chapter 1 Introduction to Action Learning and Action Research: Genres and Approaches
Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt and Lesley Wood
3
Part I: Action Learning
Chapter 2 Action Learning: Past, Present and Future
Robin R. Hurst and Michael Marquardt
19
Chapter 3 Lifelong Action Learning: Principles and Case Studies
Richard Teare
35
Chapter 4 Action Learning and Mindfulness for Mental Health in the Workplace
Ron Passfield
53
Chapter 5 Integrating Action Learning with Action Research (ALAR)
Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt
69
Part II: Action Research
Chapter 6 Demystifying Action Research
David Coghlan
83
Chapter 7 Action Research for Self-study and Living-Educational-Theories
Jack Whitehead
97
Chapter 8 Educational Action Research
Franz Rauch, Stefan Zehetmeier and Peter Posch
111
Chapter 9 Designing and Facilitating Systemic Action Research at Scale
Danny Burns
127
Chapter 10 Action Science
Bob Dick
143
Chapter 11 Appreciative Inquiry: Positive Action Research
Diana Whitney, Amanda Trosten-Bloom and Maria Giovanna Vianello
163
Chapter 12 Critical Participatory Action Research
Stephen Kemmis, Robin McTaggart and Rhonda Nixon
179
Chapter 13 PALAR: Participatory Action Learning and Action Research for Community Engagement
Lesley Wood
193
Conclusion
Chapter 14 Reflections and Conclusions
Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt and Lesley Wood
209
Author Index 223
Subject Index 229

Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank three groups of people. One is the authors of this book for their collaboration, cooperation and excellent contributions to this volume. Another is our critical friends who kindly read and commented on the first draft chapters of this book, providing us with constructive critique and suggestions for improvement: from Austria, Stephan Laske; from Colombia, Doris Santos; from Israel, Victor Friedman; from New Zealand, Jan Robertson; from Singapore, Hairon Salleh; from South Africa, Annette Wilkinson and useful suggestions from Rod Waddington, Ansurie Pillay, Bruce Damons, Ansie Kitching, Corne Kruger, Elsabe Wessels, Marinda Neetlingh, Karen Venter and Akpovire Oduaran; from the United Kingdom, Mary McAteer and Mike Pedler; and from the United States, Davydd Greenwood and Margaret Riel. The third group is our ALARA friends in Brisbane, in particular Bob Dick and Ron Passfield.

We also acknowledge the helpful comments and suggestions for improving the quality of our work from Maureen Todhunter, our friend and professional copy-editor; and the assistance we received from proof-reader, Jo Anne Pomfrett; and from graphic designer, Anna Ng. Thanks also to the production team of Emerald who have provided excellent technical and editorial support.

The writing of this book was enabled by funding from the National Research Fund in South Africa (NRF: 93316). Any statements, conclusions and findings contained therein are those of the authors; and the NRF cannot be held responsible thereto.

Reviewers’ Comments

This edited collection takes on the valuable but difficult task of identifying the non-negotiable or defining characteristics of action learning (AL) and action research (AR). The task is difficult because the ‘action’ approach values multiple perspectives and worldviews and encourages participants to own and create their knowledge. This results in a family of approaches as AL/AR evolves to serve practitioners in their learning process. As editors, Zuber-Skerritt and Wood have invited a wide range of perspectives from AL/AR advocates/scholars who have contributed to the evolution of the now many genres. They close with embracing their goal of deepening understanding AL/AR as philosophy, methodology, theory of learning and process for community engagement. This book does an excellent job of challenging action researchers to critically think through their traditions in contrast to other approaches. The chapters provide a solid foundation for AL and AR approaches to create understandings and knowledge based on values and worldviews that uphold inclusion and will further develop the quality of social sciences and our democratic world.

Margaret Riel, PhD, Director, Center for Collaborative Action Research, Pepperdine University, Los Angeles, CA, USA

The author list for this edited book reads like a ‘who’s who’ in action learning (AL) and action research (AR). These authors are leaders in the field internationally, bringing years of research and theoretical and professional experience to their writing. Many of these authors influenced my own action research PhD in coaching leadership over two decades ago and I wish such a text had been available then. It offers extensive perspectives on the subject, with strong validation of research methodologies. AR has been generally misunderstood in universities and not highly regarded as a research paradigm. Supervision of action research postgraduate studies can be problematic, and for the AL/AR scholar/researcher may feel murky and difficult to negotiate. But this complexity typically matches the wicked problems, often those of justice, social relationships and environmental sustainability, that ALAR seeks to address. In this way, the paradigm is true to its early beginnings in Kurt Lewin’s work – in pursuit of social justice.

This is a text for leaders of organizations, schools and community groups, who want to engage the people who are affected by problems in the creation of the solutions. It offers readers inclusivity of perspectives and will be a beneficial read for beginning action researchers and their supervisors, more experienced action researchers wanting further critical perspectives and challenge, and for leaders in the field wanting to engage in participatory AL/AR.

Jan Robertson, PhD, Adjunct Professor, Griffith University; Academic Leadership Consultant and Author of Coaching Leadership: Building Educational Leadership Capacity Through Partnership, New Zealand.

In bringing together an impressive range of authors and perspectives from across the globe, Zuber-Skerritt and Wood have produced a text that celebrates the rich diversity and multi-perspective nature of action learning (AL) and action research (AR), while demonstrating the coherent framework in which these approaches operate. This important book will make a real contribution to the understanding and work of practitioners from a range of disciplines and contexts. It is clearly and coherently structured, with chapters that are accessible to novice AL/AR practitioners, yet offer critical challenge to those who are more experienced.

As a typology of these approaches, it is comprehensive and cogent. Presenting a critical discussion of each approach, it offers readers an opportunity to ‘see inside’ the practice and theory of these approaches in a range of contexts, each with its own complexity and challenges. Topics for discussion and reflection at the end of each chapter help the reader develop deeper understanding of the topic concerned, and more importantly, address the issue of values underpinning our actions, learnings and research. In this way, the book becomes more than the sum of its parts, clearly illustrating the power and potency of (and indeed great need for) such approaches in our contemporary world.

Mary McAteer, PhD, Director of Professional Learning Programs, Edge Hill University, Lancashire, UK.

This fine publication addresses a real need among followers (and critics) of action research, by clarifying and demystifying the most common genres of and approaches to action learning and action research (AL/AR). It filters and illustrates, and explains what AL/AR is and what it is not. The book re-establishes AL/AR as practical, collaborative, emancipatory, interpretive and critical – a philosophy, methodology and approach to learning and development for addressing complex global challenges.

In structuring the publication, the editors effectively weave together the rich voices of leading scholars of AL/AR. The result is a coherent assembly of diverse ideas and experiences that produce a wealth of distinctive, informative nuances.

This work can become an important reference on the shelves of researchers, authors and other practitioners. It has the potential to motivate and empower a wide readership to study, acknowledge, adopt and adapt AL/AR – further establishing its rightful place as a research paradigm suitable for bringing true social change in our times.

Annette Wilkinson, PhD, Professor, University of the Free State, South Africa.

I have learned that whenever Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt publishes something, it is worth paying attention. Zuber-Skerritt and Lesley Wood have put together an edited collection that is unusual in being integrated around a principled overview of the fields of action research (AR) and action learning (AL). The overview distinguishes usefully between action learning and action research, and makes a case for their synergies and differences in ways that enhanced my understandings greatly. This is accomplished by the editors’ having recruited the principal exponents of the genres that are the topics of each chapter and asked them to reflect synthetically on their particular areas of work. The result is both a panoramic view of AL and AR and a deep dive into many of the varieties of practice. The writing is clear, pedagogically adept, and analytically cogent. The editors and the contributors deserve great credit for having put together such a useful and thoughtful overview of these fields.

Davydd Greenwood, PhD, Goldwin Smith Professor of Anthropology, Cornell University, USA.

Forty years ago I applied for a Chair in Management and Business Education. In my application lecture I discussed the potential of Action Learning (AL) and Action Research (AR). Obviously, I do not remember any details of my speech. But still today I can recall that several colleagues on the appointment committee strongly questioned the value and the scientific character of AL and AR. Today, 40 years later we can find a large and differentiated body of research and practical experiences, and a broad range of contexts where AL and AR have proven their theoretical and empirical strengths. No longer are there serious doubts about the scientific relevance of these approaches.

This book is of great merit to its editors, Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt, the Australian Doyenne of AL and AR, and her colleague Lesley Wood, having collected contributions from outstanding scholars and experienced practitioners in the field of AL & AR from all over the world. This is not just a collection of articles. Presented within a well substantiated framework, the chapters reveal the evolution of this participatory, transformational paradigm, unfolding the great utility, diversity and richness of the various genres of AL and AR, and thus offering a very useful, comprehensive guide. Readers will benefit greatly from the didactic of every chapter – not only illustrating the what, why, and how of each genre, but also offering topics for further discussion and reflection, and tips for further reading. This rich collection on AL and AR can be very useful for not only emerging scholars and other newcomer practitioners but also for more experienced scholars, looking for their own way of adapting this approach creatively and constructively – at this time when AL and AR have such methodological relevance for resolving small and large scale difficulties in our complex world.

Stephan Laske, PhD, Emeritus Professor, University of Innsbruck, Austria.

This book brings together a collection of interesting works from established scholars to bring to light various genres and approaches in the fields of action learning and action research. From the conceptual discussions and practical exemplars, readers of this book who are new to action learning and action research will gain a clearer understanding of the what, how and why of action learning and action research. Readers with greater familiarity and experience in the field will gain a deeper appreciation of the field’s traditions as well as new curiosity – or wondering into the future – about how action learning and action research can be relevant and integrated to new genres and approaches. This book is also a timely reminder of how the participatory paradigm can be a forceful counter response to the growing neoliberalism of the twenty-first century.

Hairon Salleh, PhD, Associate Professor, Policy and Leadership Studies, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

This book presents the self-reflective process of a group of Action Learning (AL) and Action Research (AR) practitioners and advocates. Readers are invited to become involved in this self-reflective process as the authors analyse the origins and development of most of the main genres of AL and AR through their own experiences while seeking to address global and local problems in complex contemporary times. Each chapter illustrates the diversity of ways to think and act collaboratively to address difficult situations through the various types of AL and AR. Together the chapters serve to demystify AL and AR and how they can be used or adapted to create conceptual and practical knowledge for, and while achieving, sustainable social change.

Professor Doris Santos, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá DC, Colombia, South America.

I welcome the appearance of this new survey of action learning and action research, compiled by leading scholars from Australia, USA, UK, Ireland, South Africa and Austria. This book promises some interesting excursions into intriguing aspects of action learning and action research practice in a difficult field of work.

Professor Mike Pedler, Emeritus Professor of Action Learning at Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK.

About the Authors

Mary Brydon-Miller, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation, and Organizational Development in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Louisville, USA. She also holds the honorary title of Extraordinary Professor in the research entity of Community-based Educational Research at North-West University, South Africa. She is a participatory action researcher who conducts work in both school and community settings. Her current research focuses on research ethics in educational and community settings. She is the Editor, with David Coghlan, of the SAGE Encyclopedia of Action Research and has recently completed work on a book on ethical challenges in the context of participatory research with her colleague Sarah Banks from Durham University, UK. Her next major project focuses on working with middle-school students from around the world to engage as citizen scientists to better understand the impacts of global climate change.

Danny Burns, PhD, is a Professor of International Development at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, UK. He was formerly Professor of Social and Organizational Learning at the University of the West of England where he co-directed the SOLAR action research centre with Susan Weil. Danny has written extensively on action research, including two books: Systemic Action Research: A strategy for whole system change (2007) and Navigating Complexity in International Development: Facilitating sustainable change at scale (2015). He has directed more than 25 action research projects and teaches a successful short course on action research with Joanna Howard at IDS.

David Coghlan, PhD, is a Professor Emeritus and Fellow Emeritus at Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. He specializes in organization development and action research and is active in both communities internationally. He has published over 170 articles and book chapters. Recent books include Conducting Action Research (Sage, 2018); Inside Organizations (Sage, 2016); Organizational Change and Strategy (Routledge, 2016); Doing Action Research in Your Own Organization (4th ed., Sage, 2014); and Collaborative Strategic Improvement through Network Action Learning (Edward Elgar, 2011). He is co-editor of The Sage Encyclopedia of Action Research (2014) and of the four-volume sets, Fundamentals of Organization Development (Sage, 2010) and Action Research in Business and Management (Sage, 2016). He serves on the editorial advisory boards of Journal of Applied Behavioral Science; Action Research; Action Learning: Research and Practice; Systemic Practice and Action Research; and The OD Practitioner, among others.

Bob Dick, DLitt, is an Independent Scholar, an occasional academic, a coach and mentor and a consultant in community and organizational change. He has been a practitioner and an academic for almost a half century, and continues to work in both fields. In both he uses concepts and processes from action research, action learning, action science, narrative and community and organization development to help people (including himself), organizations and communities to improve their work, learning and life. The single most important book he read as a practitioner was Theory in Practice, the 1974 book in which Argyris and Schön introduced the foundational elements of action science to the world. Since then, action science has been a core influence on his work. It influences much of what he does and how he does it. Bob resides in Brisbane’s leafy western suburbs with the love of his life, Camilla.

Robin R. Hurst, EdD, SPHR, is an Assistant Professor of Adult Learning and Human Resource Development in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Richmond, USA. She came to VCU after more than 20 years of experience in human resource management, and training and organizational development, with both multinational and domestic organizations. Robin has consulted with numerous organizations in organizational development, leadership development using action learning, ethical decision-making and continuous improvement. Robin holds an MA in Human Resource Development and an EdD in Human and Organizational Learning from the George Washington University. She has presented at both national and international conferences in the areas of action learning in graduate education, organizational culture development in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, organizational identity, transformational learning in student study abroad programs and moving training evaluation to a higher level. She has published her work in international journals, and has served as an Associate Editor for Organizational Culture: An International Journal.

Stephen Kemmis, PhD, is a Professor Emeritus in the School of Education, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia. He is co-author with Wilfred Carr, of Becoming Critical: Education, knowledge and action research (Falmer, 1986); with Jane Wilkinson, Christine Edwards-Groves, Ian Hardy, Peter Grootenboer and Laurette Bristol, of Changing Practices, Changing Education (Springer, 2014); with Robin McTaggart and Rhonda Nixon, of The Action Research Planner: Doing Critical Participatory Action Research (Springer, 2014); and, with Christine Edwards-Groves, of Understanding Education: History, Politics and Practice (Springer, 2018).

Michael Marquardt, EdD, is a Professor Emeritus of Human and Organizational Learning and International Affairs at George Washington University, USA. He was the co-founder and first President of the World Institute for Action Learning (WIAL), and now serves as Chair of the WIAL Global Advisory Committee. Mike is the author of 26 books and over 100 professional articles in the fields of leadership, learning, globalization and organizational change including Action Learning for Developing Leaders and Organizations; Optimizing the Power of Action Learning; Leading with Questions; Building the Learning Organization (selected as Book of the Year by the Academy of HRD); The Global Advantage; Action Learning in Action; Global Leaders for the 21st Century; Global Human Resource Development; Technology-based Learning; and Global Teams. Over one million copies of his publications have been sold in nearly a dozen languages worldwide. Mike also served as the Editor of the UNESCO Encyclopedia volume on Human Resources and is an editor and/or advisor for several leading professional journals around the world. He has been a keynote speaker at international conferences in Australia, Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, South Africa, Singapore and India as well as throughout North America.

Robin McTaggart, BSc, MEd Melbourne; PhD Illinois, is an Adjunct Professor in the Griffith Institute of Educational Research. He is co-author, with Stephen Kemmis and Rhonda Nixon, of The Action Research Planner: Doing Critical Participatory Action Research (Springer). He has published widely in the field of action research and taught the theory and practice of action research and program evaluation in several countries, fields and cultures. Originally a Victorian high school chemistry and biology teacher, he was Professor of Education and Head of the School of Administration and Curriculum Studies at Deakin University, Geelong, Australia and also Adjunct Professor in Management at the University of South Australia. Subsequently he was Dean of Education and Pro Vice Chancellor for Quality Assurance at James Cook University and an Australian Universities Quality Agency Auditor.

Rhonda Nixon, PhD, is an Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Teacher Professional Learning, in a medium-sized school district in Alberta, Canada and she is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Alberta. She is a critical participatory action researcher who continues to conduct such research in her field. In her previous jurisdiction and work as a PhD student at the University of Alberta, and later, as a Professor at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, she provided school stories of critical participatory action research within the book by Kemmis, McTaggart and Nixon (2014) The Action Research Planner: Doing Critical Participatory Action Research. She continues to work on teacher professional learning from a critical participatory action research stance. Her goal is to ensure that teachers’ and leaders’ practices are about improving life chances of students locally and globally.

Ron Passfield, PhD, is an Emeritus Professor with the Australian Institute of Business, Adelaide, Australia. He was a Founding Executive Member (1991) of the Action Learning, Action Research Association (ALARA) and President for five years. He has used action learning and action research in multiple contexts for more than 40 years. Over the past decade, Ron and his colleague, Julie Cork, have conducted more than 50 longitudinal action learning programs ranging from four to six months for managers in multiple roles and locations. The program is focused on people management and is designed to help managers to create a workplace culture that is conducive to mental health. Participants covered many managerial roles within public services such as police, doctors, nurses, engineers, accountants and scientists. Ron is the author of the mindfulness blog: www.growmindfulness.com.

Peter Posch, PhD, is a retired Professor of Education and an Associate Member of the Institute of Instructional and School Development at the University of Klagenfurt, Austria. He holds a teaching degree in English and Geography, a PhD in Education and a venia docendi in Education. He has been involved in several research and development projects based on action research nationally and internationally, for example, the International Environment and School Initiatives Project. He still serves on the Editorial Boards of Educational Action Research and International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies. Recent publications on action research include the co-authored book Teachers Investigate Their Work: An Introduction to Action Research across the Professions (3rd ed., Routledge, 2018).

Franz Rauch, PhD, is an Associate Professor (tenured) and the Head of the Institute of Instructional and School Development at the University of Klagenfurt, Austria. He holds a master’s degree in Natural Sciences (teaching certification), a PhD in Education and a venia docendi in Education. He has been involved in research and development projects based on action research nationally (e.g., University Courses for Teachers, Program IMST and Network ECO-Schools) and internationally (e.g., EC Projects PROFILES, PARRISE and ARTIST) for many years. He is one of the editors of the Educational Action Research journal and serves on editorial boards of other journals (such as The Journal of Environmental Education). Recent publications on action research include Networking for Education for Sustainable Development in Austria: The Austrian ECOLOG-schools program (Educational Action Research, 2016, 1). He is co-editor of Action Research, Innovation and Change (Routledge, 2014) and Promoting Change through Action Research: International Case Studies in Education, Social Work, Health Care and Community Development (Sense, 2014). His further research and development areas are education for sustainable development/environmental education, networks in education, school development, science education and continuing education for teachers.

Richard Teare, PhD, is Co-founder and President, Global University for Lifelong Learning (GULL), a non-profit international network movement that works with other organizations to facilitate self-help in communities and the workplace. Earlier, he held professorships at four UK universities and he is currently an Adjunct Professor, Caribbean Maritime University, Jamaica. Richard has been an Emerald journal editor for more than 30 years and his academic publications include 23 authored, co-authored and edited books on aspects of community development, service management and organizational learning. Among these, he is the author of Lifelong Action Learning: A Journey of Discovery and Celebration at Work and in the Community (Amazon, 2018) and co-author of Lifelong Action Learning for Community Development (Sense, 2013) and Designing Inclusive Pathways with Young Adults (Sense, 2015) the first and second in a series of books about GULL’s work with communities.

Amanda Trosten-Bloom, MSc, Principal, Corporation for Positive Change, USA, is a widely acclaimed Appreciative Inquiry Consultant specializing in high-engagement whole system change. Her award-winning work has included community-based action research and strategic planning. Her publications include The Power of Appreciative Inquiry; Appreciative Leadership; Appreciative Team Building; The Encyclopedia of Positive Questions; and numerous articles.

Maria Giovanna Vianello, MBA, MSc, is an Organizational Development Professional and an International Coach Federation (ICF) Executive Coach working for Novartis, based in Singapore. With two decades of experience in the design and delivery of Learning, Organizational and Leadership Development initiatives, she has a demonstrated track record driving innovative science-based solutions for complex organizational issues at Fortune 100 companies in the global market, thoroughly applying Appreciative Inquiry principles within multiple different business contexts. Awarded 2013 and 2015 “Most Influential HR Leader in Asia,” Maria Giovanna progressively experienced a combination of international and local business partnering, supporting the development of organizations across Asia, South America, USA, Europe and Africa. Maria Giovanna develops, executes and customizes extremely innovative Change Management, Organizational Development, Talent Acquisition and Talent Development strategies. She considers simplicity, data analysis and cost efficiency as key success factors in every initiative she has implemented, achieving huge consensus among key stakeholders within the academic and corporate environment. In her role as ICF Executive Coach, Maria Giovanna supports leaders in improving emotional intelligence and influencing skills through her extensive experience in nonverbal communication.

Jack Whitehead, PhD, is a Visiting Professor in Education at the University of Cumbria in the UK. He is a former President of the British Educational Research Association and Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Westminster College, Utah, USA. He is a Visiting Professor at Ningxia University in China and a member of the editorial board of the Educational Journal of Living Theories (EJOLTS http://ejolts.net/node/80). Since 1973 his research program in Higher Education has focused on the creation of the living-educational-theories that individuals use to improve their practice and to explain their educational influences in their workplaces. His website can be accessed at http://www.actionresearch.net.

Diana Whitney, PhD, a leading figure in the fields of Appreciative Inquiry and Large Scale Change, has been at the forefront of positive change theory and practice in the USA and worldwide for three decades. She founded the international consultancy, Corporation for Positive Change, and co-founded the social constructionist think tank, the Taos Institute. Her work – designing and facilitating strategic culture transformation, merger integration and leadership development with Fortune 100 companies – has gained her a worldwide following. She is a prolific and award-winning author of dozens of chapters and articles and 20 books, including The Power of Appreciative Inquiry; Appreciative Leadership; Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change; and Positive Approaches to Peacebuilding.

Lesley Wood, DEd, is a Research Professor in the Faculty of Education and Director of the research niche area, Community-based Educational Research at North-West University, South Africa. She is a National Research Foundation rated researcher whose interests lie in researching participatory ways to facilitate psycho-social wellness within various educational communities. She has received international recognition for her work in action research and HIV and AIDS, having been awarded an Honorary Doctorate in 2014 by Moravian College, Pennsylvania, USA. She has published over 80 articles, chapters and books, and has received several internationally funded grants for her projects.

Stefan Zehetmeier, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the University of Klagenfurt, Austria. He has experience with action research in diverse contexts for more than 15 years. As researcher and teacher educator, he was involved in several Austrian large-scale teacher professional development programs based on action research Moreover, he was involved in national and international research and development projects based on action research. His further research interests include mathematics and science teacher education, school development, evaluation and impact analysis of teacher professional development programs.

Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt, PhD, is an Adjunct Professor at Griffith University, Australia; Honorary Research Fellow at North-West University, South Africa; and Pro Chancellor, Global University for Lifelong Learning (GULL), USA. After her undergraduate and postgraduate education in German universities, she obtained four doctoral degrees while living in Australia: PhD in Literature and Applied Linguistics (University of Queensland, 1976), PhD in Higher Education (Deakin University, 1986), DLitt in Management Education (International Management Centres, UK, 1992) and an Honorary Doctorate in Professional Studies (GULL, USA, 2008). Ortrun has published 42 books, over 70 book chapters, over 60 refereed journal articles and more than 100 professional and conference papers, and has produced over 50 educational video programs. She has been awarded over $1.2 million in competitive R&D grants and has led action research and leadership development programs in many universities in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Sweden, Holland, Austria, Germany, England, the United States, Canada, Fiji, South America and South Africa. In 2018 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, a prestigious national honour for “distinguished service to tertiary education in the field of action research and learning as an academic, author and mentor, and to professional bodies.”

List of Acronyms

ACT

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

AERA

American Educational Research Association

AI

Appreciative Inquiry

AI 4-D cycle

Discovery, Dream, Design and Destiny (Destiny, aka Delivery)

AIDS

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

AL

Action Learning

ALAR

Action Learning and Action Research

ALARA

Action Learning and Action Research Association

ALARPM

Action Learning, Action Research and Process Management

ALS

Action Learning Set

AR

Action Research

ARNA

Action Research Network of the Americas

BBP

Basic Business Philosophy

BRC

British Red Cross

BSc

Bachelor of Science

BTU

British Thermal Unit

CARN

Collaborative Action Research Network

CCM

Church and Community Mobilization

CEO

Chief Executive Officer

COMBER

Community-Based Educational Research

CPAR

Critical Participatory Action Research

CPM

Confident People Management Program

DBA

Doctor of Business Administration

DEd

Doctor of Education

DFID

Department for International Development (UK)

DLitt

Doctor of Letters

EAR

Educational Action Research

EC

European Community

EdD

Doctor of Education

EJOLTS

Educational Journal of Living Theories

ENSI

International Environment and School Initiatives Project

GCWAL

Global Centre for Work-Applied Learning

GLE

Granada Learning Experience

GM

General Manager

GULL

Global University for Lifelong Learning

HDI

Human Development Institute

HDWFD

Hunter Douglas Window Fashions Division

HIC

Hospital International Communications

HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus

HR

Human Resources

HRD

Human Resource Development

HRO

High Reliability Organization

ICF

International Coaching Federation

IDP

Internally Displaced People

IDS

Institute of Development Studies

IFAL

International Federation of Action Learning

IFR

International Financial Review

IMCA

International Management Centres Association

IMST

Innovations Make Schools Top Program

INGO

International Non-governmental Organization

IUS

Institut für Unterrichts- und Schulentwicklung (Institute for Instructional and School Development)

JWCS

Joy to the World Community Services

LAL

Lifelong Action Learning

LfT

Learning for Transformation

LL

Lifelong Learning

MA

Master of Arts

MAPP

Mindfulness All-Party Parliamentary Group

MARC

Mindful Awareness Research Center

MASA

Mindfulness, Action Learning, Self-Awareness, Agency Model

MBA

Master of Business Administration

MBSR

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

MEd

Master of Education

MHCD

Mental Health Centre of Denver

MPhil

Master of Philosophy

MSc

Master of Science

MTSF

Medium Term Strategic Framework

NEARI

Network Educational Action Research Ireland

NGO

Non-governmental Organization

NRF

National Research Foundation

OD

Organizational Development

PALAR

Participatory Action Learning and Action Research

PAR

Participatory Action Research

PASA

People Against Sexual Abuse (renamed Positive Attitudes, Solutions and Actions)

PFL

Pädagogik und Fachdidaktik für Lehkräfte (Teacher Education in Subject Areas)

PhD

Doctor of Philosophy

PM

Process Management

PNG

Papua New Guinea

PRIA

Participatory Research in Asia

ProFil

Professionalität im Lehrberuf (Professionalism in the Teaching Profession)

PV

Personal Viability

RANIR

Refugee Action Network for IDP [Internally Displaced People] and Refugees

R&D

Research and Development

SAAGG

South Asian Academy for Good Governance

SAR

Systemic Action Research

S-ART

Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation and Self-Transcendence Model

Seven Cs

Communication, Collaboration, Commitment, Coaching, Critical and self-critical attitude, Competence, Character

SOS

Sense of Self

SPHR

Senior Professional in Human Resources

SPIRAL

Systemic Participatory Inquiry Research and Action Learning

Three Es

Emancipation, Empowerment, Emergence

Three Rs

Relationships, Reflection, Recognition

TSR

Training, Service and Revenue

TUC

Trade Union Council

UK

United Kingdom

UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

US

United States

USA

United States of America

USAID

US Agency for International Development

USIP

United States Institute of Peace

VCU

Virginia Commonwealth University [USA]

VSO

Voluntary Service Overseas

WIAL

World Institute for Action Learning

WV

World Vision

WVI

World Vision International

WVL

World Vision Lebanon

WVSL

World Vision Sri Lanka

WVM

World Vision Mongolia

List of Tables

Table 3.1: Example Applications: Business-led Development 39
Table 3.2: Example Benefits: Business-led Development 40
Table 3.3: Example Applications: People-focused Development 40
Table 3.4: Example Benefits: People-focused Development 41
Table 3.5: Example Applications: Organization-led Development 42
Table 3.6: Example Benefits: Organization-led Development 42
Table 3.7: Example Applications: Cause-led Development 43
Table 3.8: Example Benefits: Cause-led Development 44
Table 3.9: Example Applications: Young Adult Development 44
Table 3.10: Example Benefits: Young Adult Development 45
Table 3.11: Example Applications: NGO-led Development 46
Table 3.12: Example Benefits: NGO-led Development 46
Table 3.13: Example Applications: Poverty Alleviation 47
Table 3.14: Example Benefits: Poverty Alleviation 48
Table 6.1: Generative Insights and the General Empirical Method across Action Modalities 91
Table 10.1: A Partial Two-column Case Analysis 152
Table 13.1: An Example of a Template to Guide Critical Reflection on the PALAR Process 202
Table 14.1: Main Features of ALAR Genres 212

List of Figures

Fig. 1.1: Structure of This Book 14
Fig. 3.1: Creating Self-sustaining Networks for Inclusive LAL 50
Fig. 4.1: The MASA Model 55
Fig. 10.1: Single-loop and Double-loop Learning 150
Fig. 10.2: A Partial Mapping of Alice’s and Bill’s Interaction 153
Fig. 11.1: The AI 4-D Cycle 164
Fig. 13.1: PALAR Process 200
Fig. 14.1: AL/AR Paradigm, Main Principles and Processes 218