Making knowledge actionable

2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bjørn Gustavsen
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Working Life ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Simple Process ◽  
Dialogic Relationships

All concepts applied in social research have two sources of meaning: other words and practical experience. Making knowledge (more) actionable implies increasing the emphasis on the practical. This increase, however, is no simple process to be carried through as a turnaround operation. Rather, the shift demands a process consisting of several steps, ranging from establishing dialogic relationships with other people to the development of “regions of meaning” where theory and practice can interact in new ways. The article traces and discusses one such process of development, drawing on experience over two decades from action research in Scandinavian working life.

scholarly journals Sustainability Assessment of Modern High-Rise Timber Buildings

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 8719
Author(s):  
Laura Tupenaite ◽  
Viktorija Zilenaite ◽  
Loreta Kanapeckiene ◽  
Tomas Gecys ◽  
Ineta Geipele
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Economic ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Sustainability Indicators ◽  
Assessment Methods ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Assessment Framework ◽  
Existing Buildings ◽  
High Rise

As woodworking and construction technologies improve, the construction of multi-storey timber buildings is gaining popularity worldwide. There is a need to look at the design of existing buildings and assess their sustainability. The aim of the present study is to assess the sustainability of modern high-rise timber buildings using multi-criteria assessment methods. The paper presents a hierarchical system of sustainability indicators and an assessment framework, developed by the authors. Based on this framework, the tallest timber buildings in different countries, i.e., Mjøstårnet in Norway, Brock Commons in Canada, Treet in Norway, Forte in Australia, Strandparken in Sweden and Stadthaus in UK, were compared across the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, economic/technological, and social). Research has revealed that none of the buildings is leading in all dimensions of sustainability. However, each building is unique and has its own strengths. Overall multi-criteria assessment of the buildings revealed that the Brock Commons building in Canada has received the highest rank in all dimensions of sustainability. The paper contributes to the theory and practice of sustainability assessment and extends the knowledge about high-rise timber buildings. The proposed sustainability assessment framework can be used by both academics and practitioners for assessment of high-rise timber buildings.

scholarly journals Teacher education

2005 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-150
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Teachers Attitudes

05–334Angelides, Panayiotis, Maria Evangelou & James Leigh (Intercollege, Cyprus), Implementing a collaborative model of action research for teacher development. Educational Action Research (Oxford, UK), 13.2 (2005), 275–290.05–335Brock, Cynthia, Lori Helman & Chitlada Patchen (U of Nevada, USA), Learning to conduct teacher research: exploring the development of mediated understandings. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice (Abingdon, UK) 11.1 (2005), 73–94.05–336Burdelski, Matthew (California U, USA; [email protected]), Close- and open-ended narratives of personal experience: weekly meetings among a supervisor and teaching assistants of a ‘Japanese language education practicum’. Linguistics and Education (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) 15.1–2 (2004), 3–32.05–337Dooly, Melinda (U of Barcelona, Spain), How aware are they? Research into teachers' attitudes about linguistic diversity. Language Awareness (Clevedon, UK) 14.2/3 (2005), 97–112.05–338Ezer, Hanna (Levinsky College of Education, Tel-Aviv, Israel; [email protected]) & Tamar Sivan, ‘Good’ academic writing in Hebrew: the perceptions of pre-service teachers and their instructors. Assessing Writing (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) 10.2 (2005), 117–133.05–339Hayes, David (U of Birmingham, UK), Exploring the lives of non-native speaking English educators in Sri Lanka. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice (Abingdon, UK) 11.2 (2005), 169–194.05–340Korthagen, Fred (Utrecht U, the Netherlands) & Angelo Vasalos, Levels in reflection: core reflection as a means to enhance professional growth. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice (Abingdon, UK) 11.1 (2005), 47–71.05–341Lynch, Brian (Portland State U, USA; [email protected]) & Peter Shaw, Portfolios, power, and ethics. TESOL Quarterly (Alexandria, VA, USA) 39.2, 263–298.05–342Roulston, Kathryn, Roy Legette, Monica DeLoach & Celeste Buckhalter Pittman (U of Georgia, USA), What is ‘research’ for teacher-researchers?Educational Action Research (Oxford, UK) 13.2 (2005), 169–190.05–343Santagata, Rossella (California U, USA; [email protected]), ‘Are you joking or are you sleeping?’: cultural beliefs and practices in Italian and U.S. teachers' mistake-handling strategies. Linguistics and Education (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) 15.1–2 (2004), 141–164.05–344Waters, Alan (Lancaster U, UK; [email protected]), Ma. Luz. C. Vilcheseo, Managing innovation in language education: a course for ELT change agents. RELC Journal (Thousand Oaks, CA, USA) 36.2 (2005), 117–136.

Using action research in innovation project management: building legitimacy and organizational learning in an SME during a merger process

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Constance Elizabeth Kampf ◽  
Charlotte J. Brandt ◽  
Christopher G. Kampf
Keyword(s):  
Project Management ◽  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Project

PurposeThe purpose is to explore how the process of action research (AR) can support building legitimacy and organizational learning in innovation project management and portfolio practices in merger contexts.Design/methodology/approachMeta-reflection on method issues in Action Research through an action research case study with an innovation group during an organizational change process. This case demonstrates an example of an action research cycle focused on building practitioner legitimacy rather than problem-solving.FindingsKey findings include (1) demonstrating how AR can be used for building legitimacy through visualizing the innovation process, and embedding those visuals in top management practices of the organization; and (2) demonstrating how AR can work as an organizational learning tool in merger contexts.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focuses on an action research cooperation during a two-and-a-half-year period. Thus, findings offer the depth of a medium term case study. The processes of building legitimacy represent this particular case, and can be investigated in other organizational contexts to see the extent to which these issues can be generalized.Practical implicationsFor researchers, this paper offers an additional type of AR cycle to consider in their research design which can be seen as demonstrating a form of interplay between practitioner action and organizational level legitimacy. For practitioners, this paper demonstrates a connection between legitimacy and organizational learning in innovation contexts. The discussion of how visuals were co-created and used for building legitimacy for an innovation process that differs from the standard stage gate model demonstrates how engaging in AR research can contribute to developing visuals as resources for building legitimacy and organizational learning based on connections between theory and practice.Originality/valueThis case rethinks AR practice for innovation project management contexts to include legitimacy and organizational learning. This focus on legitimacy building from organizational learning and knowledge conversion contributes to our understanding of the soft side of innovation project management. Legitimacy is demonstrated to be a key concern for innovation project management practices.

scholarly journals Recent Technologies to Improving Social and Communication Skills in Children with ASD: Systematization of Approaches and Methods

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albina Nesterova ◽  
Rimma Aysina ◽  
Tatjana Suslova
Keyword(s):  
Social Skills ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Autistic People ◽  
Analytical Work ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

<p>In the article recent technologies of formation and development of social and communication skills in children with autism spectrum disorders are analyzed. A systematic review summarizes the most effective and verified interventions of support to socialization of children with ASD: applied behavior analysis (ABA); cognitive-behavioral training (CBT); social stories method; social skills training (SST). We pay special attention to virtual technologies and video simulations so these methods allow to form social skills in children with ASD more efficiently and psychologically safe. Problems and prospects of using virtual technologies for children with ASD needs are discussed.<strong> </strong>The specificity of Russian practical experience and researches in development of heuristic technologies of development of social communication of persons with ASD is described: animal-assisted therapy, somatosensory correction, author art therapy and folk forms of intervention. On the basis of analytical work it is concluded that the gap between theory and practice needs to be neutralized, when scientifically unfounded practical developments are introduced in helping autistic people and researches of scientists are not always verified in an empirical manner.</p>

scholarly journals Clinical teaching of student nurses by unit managers of selected hospitals in Limpopo Province

Curationis ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
LA Murathi ◽  
M Davhana-Maselesele ◽  
VO Netshandama
Keyword(s):  
Nurse Practitioners ◽  
Clinical Teaching ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Student Nurses ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Major Theme ◽  
Nurse Training

The comprehensive nature of nurse training needs the involvement of almost all health team personnel, including unit managers to gain practical experience and learn to correlate theory and practice. The overall aim of the study was to explore and describe the experiences of unit managers regarding teaching of student nurses in the clinical area and to develop recommendations that will enhance clinical teaching, for the production of competent future nurse practitioners who will render quality care to patients. A qualitative design, which is explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature, was employed, utilizing a phenomenological approach to capture the experiences of unit managers regarding teaching of student nurses at selected hospitals, where students are allocated for their clinical exposure. Ethical measures as well as measures to ensure trustworthiness were adhered to. In-depth phenomenological interviews were conducted with unit managers who shared their experiences regarding clinical teaching of student nurses. Data analysis was done according to Tesch’s (1990) open coding method. One major theme emerged, namely that unit managers experienced problems when doing clinical teaching of student nurses. Based on the findings the following recommendations were made: Colleges should open a two-way communication with unit managers, involvement of unit managers in the activities that take place at the college like courses, seminars and workshops on clinical teaching, learning contracts should be developed for the students and issues of clinical learning should be addressed and unit managers should be included in both summative and formative evaluations.

Youth-Led REP: Building Critical Consciousness for Social Change

2004 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-50
Author(s):  
Jonathan London ◽  
Melissa Chabrán
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Research Evaluation ◽  
Popular Education ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Social Critique ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Empowerment Evaluation ◽  
Community Based Research ◽  
The Social

If knowledge is a form of power, then to lack knowledge is to lack power, and to build knowledge is to build power. This seemingly basic notion is at the source of diverse streams of theory and practice entitled participatory action research, community-based research, counter mapping, popular education and empowerment evaluation. It is from these historical, political and methodological headwaters that a relatively new stream of work, called youth-led action research, evaluation and planning, arises. These practices, while distinct, all represent attempts to build the power and capacity of those at the margins of society to examine, define, and ultimately shape their worlds according to their needs, visions and values. Youth-led action research, evaluation and planning expands the social critique and progressive stance towards breaking the monopolies of power/knowledge to include age-based inequities, along with (and in relationship to) inequities based on race, ethnicity, class gender, sexuality and other markers of difference.

scholarly journals How being appreciative creates change – theory in practice from health and social care in Scotland

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Sharp ◽  
Belinda Dewar ◽  
Karen Barrie ◽  
Julienne Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Change Theory ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Home Life ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Design And Testing

This paper develops understanding of appreciative action research that generates curiosity and motivation as a better platform for collaborative change. Blending theory and practice it draws on the example of the My Home Life leadership programme in Scotland that explores the concepts and approaches of ‘Caring Conversations’ and ‘playful provocation’ in care homes for older people. The paper shows how they expand notions of appreciation and help people to deepen inquiry, explore values, acknowledge and express emotion without dispute or judgement, articulate tacit knowledge and give voice to things previously thought to be ‘unsayable’. We explore how these generative approaches act as a powerful positive ‘disruption’ that brings existing relationships to life, supports a positive attitude to risk-taking and helps to devise new approaches to the local design and testing of approaches to problems. Ultimately these approaches play an important part in developing understanding of how to do appreciative action research to enhance relationships and more strengths or assets-based and collaborative ways of working and so, to develop new possibilities for changing social systems and a more future-making orientation to action research.

scholarly journals Virtual Environments in Higher Education – Immersion as a Key Construct for Learning 4.0

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Janssen ◽  
Christian Tummel ◽  
Anja Richert ◽  
Ingrid Isenhardt
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
User Study ◽  
Working Life ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environments ◽  
Technological Developments

<p class="Abstract"><span lang="EN-US">In light of the increasing technological developments, working life and education is changing and becoming more complex, interconnected and digital. These changed circumstances require new and modified competences of future employees. Education has to respond to the changing requirements in working life. To prepare for this, a technological-oriented teaching and learning process as well as gaining practical experience is crucial for students. In this context, Virtual Reality (VR) technologies provide new opportunities for practical experience in higher education, where they can further intensify the students learning experiences to a more immersive and engaging involvement in the learning process. To evaluate the potential of immersive virtual learning environments (VLE) for higher education and to understand more deeply which kind of experiences students gain while learning in immersive virtual environments (VE) an experimental research study is carried out. The paper describes education in light of industry 4.0 first and gives an overall view of immersive learning and the role of VR Technologies. Then the user study to measure user experience (UX) in immersive VLE is presented. Preliminary results are outlined and discussed with a view of further research.</span></p>

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