Action Learning and Action Research: Genres and Approaches - Paperback

by Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt (Editor), Lesley Wood (Editor)

Action Research (AR) is an ideal methodology to enable practical and emancipatory outcomes, as well as to generate relevant and authentic theory. Consequently, it has gained popularity worldwide. However, this emerging paradigm of AR in the Social Sciences has been widely misunderstood and misused by researchers, educators and practitioners.

The integration of Action Learning with Action Research deepens understanding and contributes to new knowledge about the theory, practice and processes of Action Learning (AL) and Action Research (AR). It clarifies what constitutes AL/AR in its many forms and what it is not. AL and AR enable participants to effectively approach increasingly complex global challenges confronting humankind in this twenty-first century, collectively achieve practical, emancipatory and sustainable outcomes and generate relevant, authentic theory. This book, written by internationally renowned experts, is the first to provide a comprehensive overview of the main genres and approaches of AL/AR. They explain the genre of their expertise, reflect on their rich experiences with it, and consider both the common features shared across the AL/AR paradigm and what is distinctive about the particular genre they overview. This book discusses the what, why and how of their particular approach and will prove invaluable for researchers and practitioners alike.

Author Biography

Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt, PhD, is an Adjunct Professor at Griffith University, Australia and Honorary Research Fellow at North-West University, 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.

Lesley Wood, DEd, is a Research Professor in the Faculty of Education at North-West University, South Africa; Director of the research niche area, Community-Based Educational Research (COMBER). She is a National Research Foundation (NRF) rated researcher and has published over 70 articles, chapters and books, and has received several internationally funded grants for her projects.