I think the intrinsic connection between the two -- variously related--
traditions is the chat
principle that the iron test of theory is in practice, Kevin. That linkage
can be made in various
ways, of course, and is. But it provides a natural bridge.
mike
On 1/13/07, Kevin Rocap <Kevin.Rocap@liu.edu> wrote:
>
> Dear friends,
>
> Hi! A brief comment on some of Michael's good remarks and on Mike's,
> below...
>
> Michael Glassman wrote:
> > I don't know an enormous amount about action research, but I do think
> that Argylis and Schon were very much inspired by Dewey and the idea of
> experiential learning. ... - making the argument that those actually
> engaged in the problem solving have a much better understanding of the
> relationship between Argylis and Schon at least seem to be working from the
> same perspective - at least from what I can see - that members of an
> organization have a better understanding of the problem solving than any
> outsiders, and therefore a better chance of changing themselves when
> researching how they actually do solve problems.
> >
>
> You may be right about the inspiration Michael. From my, admittedly
> now-a-bit-dated experience with Argyris's work, the actual evaluation,
> assessment and change process involved in learning to distinguish
> espoused theories from theories-in-use and to move from Model I to Model
> II behavior relies heavily on external consultants (that's what Chris
> was trying to train us to be ;-)).
>
> Granted the success of the change process ideally entails the
> organizational participants themselves becoming better at openly
> monitoring, questioning and responding to their own and each others' own
> practices from within an action science framework (note action science
> is not self-identical with action research, though part of what we're
> doing here, I believe, is trying to instructively cull out the
> similarities/differences, if any).
>
> At that point of change in the consulting process, it is interesting to
> consider whether folks have simply changed their practices and so are
> not really engaged in "research" per se, just in new behaviors. But
> then I guess that brings us around to reflective practice, action
> science and learning organizations in general. If one is an actively
> participating member of a "learning organization" responsible for
> ongoing and continuous inquiry, reflection and change is that
> participation de facto a type of action research? Perhaps that leads us
> to the cultural-historical pathway and associations with "research" with
> its perhaps dominantly academic and/or scientific and/or social science
> activity trajectories and baggage, no? How important is it to put
> specific boundaries around research practice? And what should those
> be? Would those include defining as research ongoing participation in
> learning organizations?
>
> Regarding Mike's remarks on CHAT being useful for and sometimes utilized
> in action research. Definitely, I agree - I included a bullet about the
> usefulness of CHAT for action research for that reason (and your point
> Mike that it not only lends itself to action research but that it has
> been explicitly used for action research is a good one). My only point
> is that I don't think there is anything to suggest that making use of a
> CHAT framework equals or automatically implies being engaged in action
> research. CHAT has been used plenty to engage in external research of
> others' activities and actions, no? And your comment Mike seemed to me
> even a bit more nuanced in that by looking through the lens of activity
> theory and related CHAT theories and concepts you could simultaneously
> be studying activity outside of your own practice AND your own practice
> as a researcher (if I'm not reading into your comment too much). This
> would be yet another combination/hybrid kind of research, imho.
>
> In Peace,
> K.
>
>
>
>
>
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