SPIRAL 2008 #6 - June Newsletter

*Systemic - Participatory - Inquiry - Research - Action - Learning*
SPIRAL — The Victorian Statewide Action Research Network
<http://www.spiral-victoria.net/>

Hi SPIRAL friends,

Notice of our next meeting plus some new items of information and resources.

In effect the John Byrne lecture — at item 3 below — is going to be our ‘June’ meeting (though on 2 July)
We also give notice of our July meeting (31 July) when Gill Fletcher’s previously cancelled session will run.

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Summary of contents of this newsletter:

1. Notice of next SPIRAL meeting 31 July
2. Exciting ALARA conference in Canberra, 11-12 September
3. John Byrne 3rd annual lecture 2 July
4. Learning and Teaching Journal
5. A journal issue’s contents…
6. AES con ference, Perth, 8-12 September 2008
7. Two new AR and philosophy books
8. Linking stories to theory in health, PH workshop 6 July
9. Correction of error re journal editor’s email

More details…
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1. THE NEXT SPIRAL MEETING — Thursday 31 July 2008

5.30 - 7.30 pm
Room 410, 4th floor

207 Bouverie Street, University of Melbourne

Gillian Fletcher — ‘Just tell us what to do’: The challenges of promoting action research within HIV prevention work in Burma.

Gillian works for the Red Cross and is a PhD candidate at the Australian Research Centre for Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University.
Meeting convenor: “Bill Genat” <bgenat[at]unimelb.edu.au>
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2. Exciting ALARA conference in Canberra, 11-12 September
Hello everyone,
As per below, ALARA’s national conference is scheduled for 11 and 12 September 2008, at the Canberra Institute of Technology.
Please contact me on jkavanagh[at]ains.net.au to discuss interest you have in presenting at the conference.  The conference planning committee is also keen to hear from people who are willing to facilitate workshops.
Regards
Jeannette Kavanagh

“The Whole Person:
sustainable futures
in living, learning and working”

ALARA Australian Conference 2008
Canberra, September 11-12

Hosted by the Centre for Education Excellence, Canberra Institute of Technology

Announcing the 2008 Action Learning and Action Research Association Australian Conference and inviting interest:

The conference theme explores the encroachment of economic rationalist approaches to our work and life and its dominance in areas such as health and education particularly. That approach is often pursued at the expense of community development and the wellbeing of individuals and families, not to mention workplaces and our educational institutions.

The central focus of this year’s conference is on sustainability concerns in education (e.g. developing sustainable curricula), community development and health (e.g. designing and developing sustainable communities), and the environment (e.g. sustainable futures and technologies). This is not an exhaustive list, but outlines the intentions behind the theme, to develop the whole person. In this, the whole person requires attention to issues of health and wellbeing, work-life balance, investigation of the worker-learner, education for lifelong learning.

The approach the ALARA/CIT team wishes to take involves a loose conference format enabling open discussion and working of issues and ideas before, during and after the “event”.  Presentations from practitioners in education, community development, health, and environmental science are most welcome.  We’re also looking to enable new and emerging voices in these fields to actively contribute and we seek expressions of interest from first-time delegates and students studying in the areas mentioned above. The conference will feature the use of networked and online technologies to complement the face-to-face offerings.

The Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) is the ACT’s largest public vocational education and training (VET) provider, with three main campuses at Reid, Bruce and Phillip. The CIT services some 30,500 enrolled students and offers a broad range of programs.

ALARA is a non-profit Association whose members practise and/or teach action learning, action research and process design and management. You can visit our website on www.alara.net.au For more information, contact our Australian Vice President, Jeannette Kavanagh on jkavanagh[at]ains.net.au and/or Stephen Darwin, Centre for Education Excellence, CIT Stephen.Darwin[at]cit.act.edu.au

Conference website:
http://www.alara.net.au/Conference2008

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3.John Byrne 3rd annual memorial lecture - ACU 2 July

Hi Everyone,

Please place this event in your diary –

The 3rd Annual John Byrne Memorial Lecture

5.30pm on Wednesday 2nd July 2008
Mercy Lecture Theatre
Australian Catholic University
115 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy
Note: Entrance to theatre from Young Street
Carparking available in Young Street
Melway Ref 44 A6
Entry: $10 optional donation
 
Fr. Peter Hansen is Guest Speaker and there will also be a launch of a report based on John’s PhD research — Support needs of Vietnamese families of drug users. The lecture will be titled:  ‘Memories of an Execution: the death of Nguyen Tuong Van’.
Our active and committed SPIRAL friend John Byrne was working with Fr Peter Hansen at Mary of the Cross Centre on his doctoral work with Vietnamese families of drug users. Fr Hansen con ducted/celebrated John’s funeral as well as that of Van Nguyen.

All Welcome.

Please RSVP to Annette (below) by 25 June 2008
On behalf of the John Byrne Memorial Lecture Team 

Warm regards 

Annette Byrne-Phillips
Secretary, The John Byrne Memorial

Telephone: 03 9740 8438

Fax: 03 9740 9478
Mobile: 0409 516 907
Email: annpet[at]iprimus.com.au

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4. Learning and Teaching - The International Journal of Higher Education in the Social Sciences Journal
 
Davydd Greenwood has let us know about this journal that might be of interest (published by Berghahn) and that it welcomes AR articles. You’ll find more details at
 http://www.journals.berghahnbooks.com/latiss

Here’s a description from the publisher (via Bob Dick)
Learning and Teaching : The International Journal of Higher Education in the Social Sciences (LATISS) is a peer-reviewed  journal that uses the social sciences to reflect critically on learning and teaching in the changing context of higher education.  Designed for practitioners, researchers, and students, the journal draws on a variety of social science disciplines to provide insight into the issues facing educators and students today. These issues are viewed in the light of ongoing educational institution changes, national higher education policies, strategies of international agencies, and developments associated with the so-called international knowledge economy. Recent topics include curriculum innovation, students’ academic writing, PhD research ethics, neo-liberalism and academic identity, and marketisation of higher education.

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5. A journal issue’s contents… just fyi
Contents of the original papers in the latest issue of Systemic Practice & Action Research journal:
Volume 21 Number 3 (2008) now available on the SpringerLink web site at http://springerlink.com
(you can sign up to get these alerts from the same website)

Tease of the Perfect University: Mis/matching Systemic Elements and their Effect on Organisational Dynamics
Author(s) - Blane Després

Janusian Mapping: A Mechanism of Interpretation
Author(s) - E. Isaac Mostovicz, Nada K. Kakabadse, Andrew P. Kakabadse

Systemic Approaches to Managing Across the Gap in the Public Sector: Results of an Action Research Programme
Author(s) - Simon Bell

Reflection-in-and-on-Action in Participatory Action Research: Toward Assessment for Learning
Author(s) - Penny Singh

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6. AES conference 8-12 September, Perth 2008

Conference Registration Now Open — The Australasian Evaluation Society (AES) invites you to register for its International Conference for 2008 to be held in Perth, Australia from 8-12 September.
We are pleased to offer the choice of 14 workshops to be held over the two days of Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th September and the Conference from the 10th -12th September at the Perth Sheraton Hotel.
Please refer to the conference website - www.aes2008.com.au for full details on the workshops, registration costs, accommodation options and social activities available to participants during their stay in Perth.
It is recommended that registrations be completed and forwarded to the Conference Manager - Meeting Masters as soon as possible to avoid not securing your workshop/s of choice as places are limited.

inquiry[at]meetingmasters.com.au
www.aes2008.com.au

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7. Two new AR and philosophy books

I want to use the opportunity to bring your attention to the two books below on action research and philosophy and organization theory respectively.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ways-aristotle-Aristotelian-Philosophy-Weiterbildung/dp/3039114719/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213603046&sr=8-1
and
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Research-Organisation-Bildung-Gesellschaft-Education/dp/3631568886/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213603046&sr=8-2

best regards
Olav

Olav Eikeland, Dr.Philos
Professor / Research director
Akershus University College / Høgskolen i Akershus
Faculty of Technical and Vocational Teacher Education

Mail address: P.O.Box 423, NO-2001 Lillestrøm
Street address: Instituttv. 24, NO-2007 Kjeller
Mobile phone: +4790822463, Office +4764849135
E-mail: olav.eikeland[at]hiak.no / oleik[at]online.no
www.hiak.no

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8. Linking stories to theory in people’s health (just FYI)
Health for all: The People’s Health MovementA joint workshop of the People’s Health Movement (Australia) and the Political Economy of Health and Primary Health Care SIGs of PHAA will focus on the intersection between health and social justice. In keeping with PHM tradition, the workshop will provide opportunities to link stories of struggle with social and economic determinants of people’s health with actions by citizens and activists to improve health. Our aim is to strengthen interest and support for PHM Oz.

When:  6 July 2008
Time:   9.30 am–4.00 pm
Where: The Ship Inn at South Bank, Cnr Stanley and Sidon Streets,
             Southbank Parklands, Brisbane
Cost:    $60.00 ($30.00 for students)
Workshop flyer:    www.phaa.net.au/documents/PHMOzflyer_08.pdf
Registration form: www.phaa.net.au/documents/PHMOzregistration_08.pdf

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9  Correction of error re journal editor’s email

Dear Friends @ SPIRAL/ARIA,

May I report an error in the text of Item #8: May newsletter, re: 8. The Journal of Research Practice
My e-mail ID is misspelt.
It should be:   dpdash[at]ximb.ac.in

Yours sincerely,

DP
–
D. P. Dash, PhD
http://www.ximb.ac.in/~dpdash/
Journal of Research Practice (JRP)
http://jrp.icaap.org/
Editors:
D. P. Dash, PhD
Héctor R. Ponce, PhD

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We also welcome any other feedback about the operation of the network
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and of course new members who want to join.
__________________________

Jill Sanguinetti & Bill Genat
Co-convenors 2008

Newsletter editor: Yoland Wadsworth
Website: Barbara Bok

c/o SPIRAL network sponsor is the
Action Research Issues Association (ARIA)
Inc. # A0016248Z Reg. c/o:
2 Minona Ave
Hawthorn, Vic 3122
aria.inc[at]gmail.com
www.spiral-victoria.net

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