scholarly journals An Ethos and Practice of Appreciation for Transformative Research: Appreciative Inquiry, Care Ethics, and Creative Methods

2021 ◽  
pp. 131-164
Author(s):  
Angela Moriggi
Keyword(s):  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
Care Ethics ◽  
Detailed Account ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Transformative Research ◽  
Five Dimensions ◽  
Production Of Knowledge ◽  
Creative Methods ◽  
Participatory Engagement

AbstractThis chapter departs from the need to pursue transformative research, understood as the co-production of knowledge with and for societal stakeholders aimed at supporting and enabling sustainable change. It explores how Appreciative Inquiry (AI) and its underlying ‘ethos of appreciation’ (after Zandee & Cooperrider, 2008) can complement and enrich care-full and resourceful approaches to transformative research. It presents the five dimensions of an ‘ethos of appreciation’, and lays out their philosophical meaning, their resonance with the care ethics literature, as well as their practical application. It gives a detailed account of how five different creative methods were employed during a participatory action-oriented Ph.D. study in Finland, and in so doing, showcases how an ‘ethos of appreciation’ can be embodied and applied in practice. Finally, it discusses the methodological potentials and limitations of using creative methods, as well as the challenges and outcomes they yield to support transformative research that aims to enable care-full and resourceful participatory engagement processes.

Moving From Practical Application to Expert Craft Practice in Organizational Communication

2018 ◽  
pp. 202-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah J. Tracy ◽  
Matthew C. J. Donovan
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Communication ◽  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
Practical Wisdom ◽  
Communication Competence ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Alternative Approach

This essay reviews practical application activities performed in the field of organizational communication and poses an alternative approach for creating organizations and employees that flourish and can meet the demands of tomorrow. Much of the discipline's practical application efforts have been focused on analyzing problems and focusing on epistemological and conceptual issues—activities that have been appropriate for creating communication competence, but have fallen short in motivating higher levels of proficiency and expertise. This essay creates a case for how the field might valuably move toward other ways of creating transformed practice not through application of organizational communication knowledge, but via an approach that incorporates practical wisdom, critical self-reflexivity, appreciative inquiry, improvisation, sensemaking/breaking/giving and craft practice.

scholarly journals Engaging Through Design Thinking: Catalyzing Integration, Iteration, Innovation, and Implementation

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-113
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Real World ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Wicked Problem ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Pedagogical Strategies ◽  
Collaborative Community ◽  
Community Based Learning ◽  
Classroom Structures ◽  
Participatory Engagement

In response to the challenges presented by traditional university and classroom structures, this article offers a set of hybrid pedagogical strategies for transdisciplinary, collaborative, community-based learning that responds to a “real-world need” in “real time.” These strategies emerge from “Design Thinking to Meet Real World Needs,” a project-based general education undergraduate course that harnesses best practices from research on design thinking, transdisciplinarity, and sustainability science. Seeking to inspire empathetic listening and creative confidence (Kelley & Kelley, 2013), the course begins in partnership and in place, engaging students in collaborative participatory action. Emphasizing integration, iteration, ideation, and implementation, the course encourages students to innovate in order to address a local wicked problem. This article is particularly relevant for educators and administrators hoping to catalyze innovative co-participatory engagement projects that move beyond traditional university structures and thus engage more directly with the needs of the community.

scholarly journals Exploring the Relational Leadership Potential of Appreciative Inquiry: A Case Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-57
Author(s):  
John H. Sim
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Relational Leadership ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Generative Capacity ◽  
Relational Approach ◽  
Leadership Potential ◽  
Collective Imagination

This case explores the potential of Appreciative inquiry (AI) as a process for leadership development. As a relational approach, AI is poised to develop new leadership by encouraging upcoming generations to collectively envision novel and inspiring futures and engage in participatory action. Moreover, generative capacity and collaborative strength are identified as primary developmental variables in AI, the interconnection of which facilitates a concert of leadership and engenders change through collective imagination. To that end, this case draws from data derived from a case study of AI in a military setting to support this claim. Additionally, a basic programme model for AI-based leadership development and implications for future research and practice are presented for consideration.

Combining participatory action research and appreciative inquiry to design, deliver and evaluate an interdisciplinary continuing education program for a regional health workforce

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie-Anne Martyn ◽  
Jackie Scott ◽  
Jasper H. van der Westhuyzen ◽  
Dale Spanhake ◽  
Sally Zanella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Continuing Education ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Regional Health ◽  
Healthcare Workforce

Objective Continuing education (CE) is essential for a healthcare workforce, but in regional areas of Australia there are challenges to providing and accessing relevant, reliable and low-cost opportunities. The aim of the present study was to collaborate with the local regional healthcare workforce to design, deliver and evaluate an interdisciplinary CE (ICE) program. Methods A participatory action research (PAR) model combined with an appreciative inquiry (AI) framework was used to design, deliver and evaluate an ICE program. A focus group of 11 health professionals developed an initial program. Evaluation data from 410 program participants were analysed using AI. Results The ICE program addressed the CE barriers for the regional healthcare workforce because the locally derived content was delivered at a reasonable cost and in a convenient location. Program participants identified that they most valued shared experiences and opportunities enabling them to acquire and confirm relevant knowledge. Conclusion ICE programs enhance interdisciplinary collaboration. However, attendance constraints for regional healthcare workforce include location, cost, workplace and personal factors. Through community engagement, resource sharing and cooperation, a local university and the interdisciplinary focus group members successfully designed and delivered the local education and research nexus program to address a CE problem for a regional healthcare workforce. What is known about the topic? Participation in CE is mandatory for most health professionals. However, various barriers exist for regional health workers to attending CE. Innovative programs, such as webinars and travelling workshops, address some of the issues but create others. Bringing various health workers together for the simultaneous education of multiple disciplines is beneficial. Collectively, this is called ICE. What does this paper add? Using PAR combined with AI to design an ICE program will focus attention on the enablers of the program and meet the diverse educational needs of the healthcare workforce in regional areas. Engaging regional health professionals with a local university to design and deliver CE is one way to increase access to quality, cost-effective education. What are the implications for practitioners? Regional healthcare workers’ CE needs are more likely to be met when education programs are designed by them and developed for them. ICE raises awareness of the roles of multiple healthcare disciplines. Learning together strengthens healthcare networks by bolstering relationships through a greater understanding of each other’s roles. Enriching communication between local health workers has the potential to enhance patient care.

Applying the Process of Appreciative Inquiry in Community Development

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Demeshane ◽  
Hanna Nel
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
South African ◽  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Development Education ◽  
Community Project ◽  
Education And Health ◽  
African Context ◽  
D Model

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is an unconventional method in bringing about change to organisations and communities, and needs to be understood in terms of its principles, perspective and implementation. AI has been implemented in various contexts such as organisational development, education and health. However, more evidence on its application and outcomes in community development is needed. AI, which complies with most of the principles of participatory action research, was used as a research design in this study conducted in Soweto, Gauteng, South Africa. The researchers in collaboration with community members used the 4-D cycle and various tools and activities of AI in a community project. The study yielded positive results about the application and relevance of the AI in community development. There were valuable lessons learnt about the 4-D model in community development. The study adds value regarding the application of AI as a community development model in the South African context.

scholarly journals Researching ‘non-sexualities’ via creative notebooks: epistemology, embodiment and empowerment

2021 ◽  
pp. 146879412199901
Author(s):  
Karen Cuthbert
Keyword(s):  
Research Design ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Power Dynamics ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Critical Scholarship ◽  
Creative Methods ◽  
Good For

This article contributes to and extends critical scholarship on the philosophy and practical application of creative methods. I suggest that claims commonly made regarding the ‘potential’ of creative methods can be (re)organised as claims relating to (1) epistemology, (2) embodiment and (3) empowering participants. I evaluate these claims through the contextual lens of a research project on ‘non-sexualities’ wherein I incorporated a creative element (creative notebooks) into the research design. Through analysis of research artefacts and observations of the research process, I reflect upon how the notebooks were particularly good for ‘getting at’ embodiment and had a clear epistemological value in facilitating expressions of complexity, contradictions and ambiguities. However, I also discuss my scepticism with regard to claims made about the empowering potential of creative methods, as the notebooks potentially worked to reproduce certain power dynamics rather than eliminate them. I argue that class in particular needs to be given more attention in critical accounts of creative methods.

Participatory and Appreciative Action and Reflection in Adult Learning

2010 ◽  
pp. 723-739
Author(s):  
Simona Marchi
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learning ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Approach To Learning ◽  
Specific Approach ◽  
Learning Framework ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Self Learning

Participatory and Appreciative Action and Reflection (PAAR) is a specific approach to learning, reflection and change. In this chapter we are going to identify the characteristics of PAAR approach within the adult learning context. Starting from the relationship between types of learning and types of reflection, we will analyze in particular the differences between critical and appreciative reflection and transformative and generative learning. Then we will explain some theoretical and methodological origins of PAAR approach: Appreciative Inquiry (AI) and Participatory Action Research (PAR) highlighting, in particular, four important shifts that characterize this approach: from deficit-based to strengths based discourses; from self-learning to collective learning; from a one way of knowing to a more pluralistic one; from cycles and spirals of reflection to reflective learning framework with specific intentions of learning, action and change. Finally, we will consider a possible coexistence of critical and appreciative reflection, generally considered antithetical, or difficult to put in practice, in PAAR approach.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document