Implementing Action Research in EFL/ESL Classrooms: a Systematic Review of Literature 2010–2019

Systemic Practice and Action Research - Action research studies in education often address learners’ needs and empower practitioners to effectively change instructional practices and school...     

Computer Simulation Within Action Research: A Promising Combination for Improving Healthcare Delivery?

Action research (AR) is increasingly being used to study the improvement of healthcare delivery. Ensuring that all the stakeholders in the AR are willing to take action, however, can be difficult. Especially in healthcare contexts, action plans may challenge the autonomy of the healthcare professionals and the positions of the different stakeholder groups. Does the use of computer simulation techniques within the AR promote action taking by all the stakeholders? We performed an AR experiment with computer simulation in a university hospital’s emergency department in the Netherlands. A simulation model was designed that replicated the actual healthcare delivery process in the study setting. Together with representatives from the medical and nursing staff and department management, we used the model to discuss improvement actions. The team designed an improvement scenario that fundamentally rearranged the task division between the physicians and the nurses. The promising projections in the simulation model motivated the team to try the scenario in reality. The implementation was successful, although it generated much concerns and discussion. The new task division successfully improved patient length of stay (LOS) in the ED. The results achieved by the single team turned out to have lasting effects on the other stakeholders in the ED. Our AR experiment with computer simulation promoted action taking by all the stakeholders. Computer simulation within AR is a promising combination for improving healthcare delivery.     

Building Organizational Identity: an Insider Action Research from a Founder’s Viewpoint

This paper features the implementation of an extensive insider action research, exhaustively following the framework of Coghlan and Brannick (2010, 2014). It consisted of two action research projects - the thesis action research and the core action research - which were done in a parallel manner, both following the iterative cycles of constructing, planning, taking, and evaluating action. The thesis action research was aimed at developing a theory on building organizational identity from the viewpoint of an organizational founder. On the other hand, the core action research was focused on promoting the specific identity of the Institute for Integrality, Inc. Quality and rigor were observed in the implementation of the action research cycles. In the fieldwork, there were three main cycles undertaken – understanding organizational identity, fine-tuning the practice of this identity, and designing the integration of this identity in organizational culture. Thereafter, significant learnings were derived from meta-learning in the form of content, process, and premise reflections. Finally, through the critical reflection of the project in the light of the experience and theory, A-Founder’s Integrative Theory of Organizational Identity Building was derived.     

Announcement: World Congress on Action Learning,Action Research and Process Management,Ballarat, Victoria,Australia, September 10–13, 2000

Systemic Practice and Action Research -     

Developing an Entrepreneurship Model to Increase Students’ Entrepreneurial Skills: an Action Research Project in a Higher Education Institution in Indonesia

Systemic Practice and Action Research - The University of Cenderawasih (Uncen) has developed a locally relevant entrepreneurship education model within its curriculum to increase students’...     

The Continuous Improvement Grid: An Empirical Investigation into the Effectiveness of a Systems,and Action Research,Based Continuous Improvement Intervention,for ‘New’ Organisation Development

This paper is a rare example of a large scale (n = 1310), positivist, evaluation of an action research program. It documents how the Royal Navy used the principles of scholarly consulting and pragmatic science to develop, apply and review a systems based tool, and associated ‘new organisation development’ intervention, to help staff explore and share perceptions of working practices, in order to expand their awareness of their current work situation and so uncover opportunities for improvement. Survey results suggest that the majority of individuals found the interventions valuable and participants in the events enjoyed significantly higher levels of understanding of the organisation, and greater collective, and individual, benefit from it. Findings also provide empirical evidence of the importance of involvement to making successful change, especially when dealing with the change averse. Overall the experience, of which the action research based study and associated positivist survey were part, reinforce the importance of what is described as ‘normative realigning pedagogy’—helping people change by facilitating their generation of new forms of understanding.     

To Escape the ‘Finishing the Biology Syllabus Syndrome’: An Action Research Exploratory Study in Explicit Modelling for Malaysian Biology Teacher Training

In this paper an exploratory two phase action research of one teacher educator’s attempt at explicit modelling is portrayed. The first phase elicited opinions of pre-service Biology teachers at the end of a semester. Based on the findings of the first phase, the second phase facilitated the pre-service Biology teacher sample to alleviate their ‘finishing the syllabus syndrome’ which they had picked up from their school days. The explicit modelling planned for the second phase was based upon the modelling theory of Albert Bandura. The study indicates that the explicit modelling endeavoured appeared to have some effect upon the motivation and the symbolising, vicarious, forethought, self-regulation and self-reflection capabilities of the pre-service Biology teachers. The ‘finishing the syllabus mentality’ where the presentation of content was significant, showed signs of weakening at the end of the second phase.     

Correction to: Social Innovation Action Research for Lifestyle Improvement of Child Labour in Tehran (Social Innovation’s Idea on Child Labour Lifestyle)

Systemic Practice and Action Research - A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-021-09566-9