Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2005 07:24
Reply-To: Jack Whitehead
Subject: Re: Fwd: "non-inclusionality"/inclusionality

On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 08:43:34 +0100, Sarah Fletcher wrote:
I'd like want to raise three questions about practitioner research:
>
> 1) How far is it useful to equate practitioner research and action research?
> 2) How far are we evolving forms of practitioner research beyond self-study?
> 3) What can we learn from practitioner research which preceeded or coincides
> with the current move towards self study action research to improve practice?

I've included, 'inclusionality' in my subject heading because I'm working with Alan
Rayner's idea of inclusionality as the expression of an awareness of space and
boundaries that is connective, reflexive and co-creative. Many of Alan's writings can
be accessed at: http://www.bath.ac.uk/~bssadmr/inclusionality/

Responding to Sarah's questions with a focus on the theme of the seminar:
THE NATURE OF EDUCATIONAL THEORIES. WHAT COUNTS AS EVIDENCE OF
EDUCATIONAL INFLUENCES IN LEARNING?

1) How far is it useful to equate practitioner research and action research?

I like the way the relationship is described in the description and aims of the BERA
Practitioner-researcher SIG at: http://www.jackwhitehead.com/monday/berapc.htm

Because I see action research as necessarily involving practitioner-researcher,
while practitioner-research need not be action research, I don't find it useful to
equate practitioner-research and action research in exploring the nature of
educational theories and what counts as evidence of educational influences in
learning. I focus on my understanding of educational theory:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/writings/livtheory.html
and what counts as evidence of educational influences in learning:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/writings/evid.htm

2) How far are we evolving forms of practitioner research beyond self-study?

In this seminar I am responding to the question in relation to the creation and testing
of educational theory and what counts as evidence of educational influences in
learning.

I see educational theories as being created by practitioner-researchers to explain
their educational influence in their own learning, in the learning of others and in the
learning of social formations. I see self-study to be a necessary but not sufficient
condition for the generation of the educational theories of practitioner-researchers.

Because I see self-study action research as one form of practitioner-research I don't
see the relationship as evolving forms of practitioner-research beyond self-study. For
me practitioner-researcher was a natural extension of my commitment to
teacher-research in 1972 as I began to work with professionals in the police and
health services, commerce and industry. I like the idea of seeing self-study as a
necessary part of practitioner-research. In relation to the generation and testing of
educational theories that can explain the educational influences of
practitioner-researchers in learning I think the ideas of others are also necessary. I'm
not sure of the value of the above question in relation to the generation and testing
of educational theory because for me practitioner-research preceded my focus on
self-study and because I see practitioner-research as including self-study. Hence I
don't yet see the significance of asking and answering a question about evolving
practitioner-research beyond self-study. So, it would be good for my learning to see
evidence of its relevance in relation to the creation and testing of educational theory.
Hence my interest in questions like:

What evidence is there that practitioner-researchers have generated educational
theories that can explain their educational influences in learning?

3) What can we learn from practitioner research which preceeded or coincides
with the current move towards self study action research to improve practice?

The AERA Self-Study of Teacher Education Practices SIG was established in 1992.

I've set out an understanding of educational theory in my learning between
1973-1993 from practitioner research that preceded the current move towards
self-study action research to improve practice, and the evidence in explanations of
educational influence in learning at:
http://www.bath.ac.uk/%7Eedsajw/bk93/geki.htm

Love Jack.