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SPIRAL 2008 #9 September-October Newsletter
March 8th, 2009
*Systemic - Participatory - Inquiry - Research - Action - Learning*
SPIRAL — The Victorian Statewide Action Research Network
http://www.spiral-victoria.net/
Some nice SPIRAL offerings this month –
- Our next SPIRAL meeting on 9 October
- A one day Community Research symposium on the 27 October
- An early notice of our final meeting of the year on 20 November
We had a number of responses to our special email regarding the death of Orlando Fals Borda, many thanks. A special memorial photo essay was made for a memorial table for Orlando at the Canberra national Action Learning and Action Research conference. This will be available at the SPIRAL meeting on the 9 October
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Summary of contents of this newsletter:
1. Next SPIRAL meeting - 9 October
And early notice of final SPIRAL meeting of the year - 20 November
2. A one day community research symposium at Victoria University - 27 October
3. Breakfast seminar on ‘Relating’, oases Borderlands at the Augustine - 4 October
4. Introduction to Research Integration for Knowledge and Action course,
Canberra 29-30 October
5. Action learning course, Brisbane - 23-24 October
6. Seminar on Living human systems thinking, University of Melbourne - 28 October
7. Australasian Evaluation Society, Victorian Branch seminar - 16 October
8. New AR books from Sage — through Footprint Books in Australia
9. And some international news - CARN conference, Liverpool 7-9 November
10. And also from Europe - A book from the ALARA 2006 World Congress, The Netherlands
11. Journal and e-list on research practice
12. Workshop Conducting Difficult Conversations, Northcote - 2-3 October
Details
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1. Next SPIRAL meeting on 9 October
5.30-7.00pm.
Seminar Room 410, Centre for Health and Society
4th Floor, 207 Bouverie St, Carlton
University of Melbourne
People who attended the ALARA conference in Canberra will ‘report in’ and discuss issues arising, inspirations and themes. This is a joint ALARA Victorian members-SPIRAL meeting
Also:
Early notice of final SPIRAL meeting of the year on 20 November
This will be a bumper joint meeting with:
ALARA (Action Learning Action Research) Victorian members
ARIA (the Action Research Issues Association) and
SPIRAL (auspiced by ARIA and initiated in 2002 by ALARA with ARIA and the AR Program formerly at Swinburne University)
5.30pm-7.00pm followed by dinner
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2. A one day community research symposium at Victoria University - 27 October
9.00am - 6.00pm
Over 40 Community Research project presentations.
Network & connect with Community Development workers, students & educators from a diverse field of organisations, keynote speaker: Yoland Wadsworth
Lunch & Refreshments
After Party with Live Music & Refreshments
At: VU City Flinders Campus, Level 11/300 Flinders St, Melbourne
RSVP: 20th October 2008
For more details contact Annie Feith, fieldwork co- ordinator
annie[dot]feith[at]vu.edu.au
Ph: 0423 055 840
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3. Breakfast seminar on ‘Relating’, oases Borderlands at the Augustine - 4 October
Lesley Shuttleworth, Jenny Henty, Dimity Fifer and Jacques Boulet
Topic: Can we imagine another way of relating?
9.00am
Booking: Ph 98193239 or 98193502
Cost $20 $12 con.
Venue: Augustine Centre, 2 Minona Street, Hawthorn
www.augustine.org.au Tel 9819 2844
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4. Introduction to Research Integration for Knowledge and Action course - Canberra
29-30 October 2008 (one evening and one full day short course)
At the Australian National University, Canberra
Effectively tackling real-world problems requires a new type of researcher, who can enhance collaboration between various discipline and practice knowledges. Such researchers need a solid foundation in a set of conceptual and methods skills being developed in the emerging discipline of Integration and Implementation Sciences (I2S).
This course provides an introduction to:
- practical frameworks within which to think about integration, and
- the nature of uncertainty, the diverse ways it emerges in cross-disciplinary research, and methods for managing it.
The course will also provide an overview of concepts for problem framing and boundary setting, methods for integrating in cross-disciplinary research, processes for generating fresh thinking on intractable problems and techniques for effective research input into decision making and practice change.
The course leaders will introduce theory and methods to help you understand and meet your particular research integration challenges (see Program Outline in the course description - http://www.anu.edu.au/iisn/activities/courses/RIKA_pro_oct08.pdf). You will have opportunities to consider the application of these tools in your own work and to learn from each other through small and whole group discussions.
Particularly relevant for project or program leaders in:
Cooperative Research Centres, Universities, CSIRO, Federal and State government research agencies, Research and development corporations, Non-government research organisations.
The course builds on research and practice in public health and environmental management, but is relevant to researchers facing the challenges of integration in many public sector fields, including policing and security, education and social welfare. We aim to include participants from a diversity of areas. A Land & Water Australia Innovation Grant assisted the development of this course.
Register online: http://nceph.anu.edu.au
- Registration is limited to 18 participants and is expected to fill quickly.
- Registrations close 10 October 2008.
Course fee is $750 plus GST ($825) and includes dinner on the 29th, morning and afternoon tea and lunch on the 30th and course materials.
For inquiries contact
Caryn Anderson
Integration Research Manager
ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security
National Center for Epidemiology and Population Health
ANU College of Medicine and Health Sciences
The Australian National University
Canberra, ACT 0200
T: 61 2 6125 5621
F: 61 2 6125 0740
E: Caryn[dot]Anderson[at]anu.edu.au
ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security: http://www.ceps.edu.au/
Integration and Implementation Sciences: http://www.anu.edu.au/iisn
CRICOS Provider # 00120C
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5. Action learning course, Brisbane – 23-24 October
ALARA advises….
On Thursday and Friday 23-24 October 2008 Bob Dick is offering a two day skills-oriented workshop “Action learning” in Brisbane.
$594 ($540 + GST). A small number of half price bursaries available.
The workshop treats action learning as a team-based process in which team members work on individual or collective issues or problems. Because learning is experiential and happens “on the job”, transfer of skills to the job is easier to achieve. Action learning can be used for project work, leadership development and organisational improvement, among other applications.
The workshop is intended for people who would like to improve their ability to set up and facilitate action learning teams. It is likely also to be relevant for facilitators and consultants who can use action learning processes and principles in their work. The workshop will help participants enhance their skills and understanding through a mix of theory, instruction, and practice.
Workshop content will be negotiated with participants. However, it is very likely to include the following:
. Creating the learning infrastructure — setting up the action learning program, determining roles, and recruiting participants, mentors, sponsors and facilitators
. Negotiating mutually-beneficial projects with participants
. Setting up the action learning groups
. Facilitating the action learning groups
There will be opportunities for participants to practise the skills in a supportive atmosphere, with helpful feedback. Knowing something of his style you can probably guess that the workshop will be experiential and participative, with theory and practice well integrated.
Anyone interested will find further details at http://uqconnect.net/action_research/wshops/ixws7pbl.html
Or contact Bob via email bd[at]uqconnect.net
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6. Seminar on Living human systems thinking, University of Melbourne - 28 October
Seminar for the McCaughey VicHealth Centre for Mental Health and Community Wellbeing, School of Population Health, University of Melbourne
‘Living systems, epistemology and human relations in dynamic equilibrium’ - Yoland Wadsworth sketches some mental architecture for seeing action research processes as the dynamic of complex living systems at any scale
28 October, 2008
12.30-2.00pm
5th floor, Room 515
Bouverie Street, Carlton
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7.. Australasian Evaluation Society, Victorian Branch seminar – 16 October
A methodological scan of thirty years of evaluation – Where have we been, where are we now, and where are we going?
Thursday 16th October, 2008
5.30pm - 7.00pm
VicHealth Seminar Room, Ground Floor,
15-31 Pelham Street, Carlton South
How has evaluation developed over the past three decades? What trends, themes and changes have we witnessed; what has lasted (or not) and why, and what is emerging now?
This is the first of two seminars that are bringing this year’s theme of ‘a more panoramic view of evaluation’ to a conclusion. The second seminar in November will focus more on where evaluation is going in future (e.g. electronic trends, the limits of control/performance in complex systems, and the implications of climate change as preoccupation with it ripples through business, government and the community services sector).
This October seminar will present the observations of a panel of experienced evaluators who will take the opportunity to step back and reflect on the changes they have seen, to contribute an interesting, stimulating and hopefully provocative smorgasbord of ideas. Together we hope a bigger picture of evaluation’s trajectory will emerge, enriched by audience contributions.
Presenters: Richard Elvins, David Brous, Anona Armstrong AM FAES, Anne Markiewicz, Yoland Wadsworth FAES
Information or RSVP contact: Anthea.Rutter[at]bigpond.com
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8. New AR books from Sage — through Footprint Books in Australia
Handbook of Critical and Indigenous Methodologies – by Norman Denzin, Yvonna S Lincoln and Linda Smith
Built on the foundation of the landmark SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research, the Handbook of Critical and Indigenous Methodologies extends beyond the investigation of qualitative inquiry itself to explore the indigenous and nonindigenous voices that inform research, policy, politics, and social justice. Hbk $185
Utilization-Focused Evaluation 4ed – by Michael Quinn Patton
Both practical and theoretical, the Fourth Edition of the bestselling Utilization-Focused Evaluation shows how to conduct program evaluations and why to conduct them in the manner prescribed. This entirely rewritten edition offers readers a full-fledged evaluation text from identifying primary users of an evaluation to focusing the evaluation, making methods decisions, analysing data, and presenting findings. Pbk $99
Qualitative Methods in Social Work Research 2ed – by Deborah K Padgett
The Second Edition of Qualitative Methods in Social Work Research provides accessible how-to instruction for social work and other practice-based researchers interested in carrying out rigorous and relevant qualitative research. This comprehensive, expanded version offers a sophisticated introduction to qualitative methods based upon six major approaches: ethnography, grounded theory, case study, narrative, phenomenological, and participatory action research. Pbk $75
And from the UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS
Analyzing Animal Societies: Quantitative Methods for Vertebrate Social Analysis – by Hal Whitehead
This presents a conceptual framework for analysing social behaviour and demonstrates how to put this framework into practice by collecting suitable data on the interactions and associations of individuals so that relationships can be described, and, from these, models can be derived. Pbk $58.95
Were you paying attention to that last item? 
No doubt we can look forward, in another 15-20 years, to a handbook of qualitative methods for animal societies too
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9. And some international news. . .
2008 CARN (Collaborative Action Research Network) conference - Liverpool 7-9th November
Conference Theme: Cultural Kaleidoscopes: Exploring Ethics, Contexts and Conceptions
The Conference Team invites professionals interested in action research, practitioner research or insider research. Examples of professions represented at previous conferences include:
Medical - doctors, nurses, counsellors, physical therapists, managers
Education - teachers, assistants, local authority advisers, further and higher education lecturers, professional trainers
Services - social and community workers, police, child protection
The aim of the conference is to explore themes that cross professional boundaries and focus on the research processes and issues arising from ethics, context and culture, most of which are common to action researchers although various perspectives may exist.
KEYNOTES
Varying Conception of Praxis — Marie Brennan, Professor of Education, Division of Arts and Social Sciences, University of South Australia
http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/staff/Homepage.asp?Name=marie.brennan
Cultural contexts for the conduct of action research — Susan Groundwater-Smith, Honorary Professor, Division of Professional Learning, University of Sydney
http://applications.edfac.usyd.edu.au/about/admin/FMPro?-db=EDF_SD_staff&-format=staff_profile_template.html&-lay=web&code=sgro&-Find
Ethics — Brendan McCormack, Professor of Nursing Research, Institute of Nursing Research, University of Ulster
http://www.science.ulster.ac.uk/inr/staff/b.mccormack.html
Diversity, equity and social justice — Susan Noffke, Associate Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, University of Illinois, USA
http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/frp/n/s-noffke
INFORMATION, REGISTRATION & CONTACT
http://www.hope.ac.uk/carn-conference/carn-2008-welcome.html
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10. And also from Europe. . .
A book is soon to be launched comprising an edited selection of papers from the ALARPM (now ALARA) 2006 World Congress held in Groningen, The Netherlands
Ben Boog, Julia Preece, Meindert Slagter, Jacques Zeelen (Eds) 2008
Toward Quality Improvement of Action Research: Developing ethics and standards, Sense Publishers, Netherlands
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11. Journal and e-list on research practice
Bob Dick draws our attention to an open access journal “Journal of research practice” that may interest on the methodological aspects of action research.
There’s also an associated email list “Research practice”.
He reports there have been papers on action research and related topics.
The journal is peer-reviewed, provides very high support to authors, and is pursuing high quality.
You can access it (at no cost) at
http://jrp.icaap.org/
You can join the list by sending an empty email to
Research_Practice-subscribe[at]yahoogroups.com
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12. Late notice (sorry) of a workshop — Conducting Difficult Conversations, Northcote
2-3 October 2008
This workshop focuses on assisting organisational clients to conduct difficult conversations, using the Harvard Negotiation Project model - including the ‘What Happened?’ conversation, the ‘Feelings’ conversation and the ‘Identity’ dialogue. The aim of a difficult conversation is that instead of ONLY wanting to persuade and get your way, you come to understand what has happened from the other person’s point of view, explain your own, share feelings, and try to figure out a way to go forward together.
This workshop is relevant in professional and workplace settings where managers, colleagues, employees or consultants can find it hard to talk frankly about poor performance, contempt, lateness, failure to keep contracts and other untoward organisational behaviour.
Most of the workshop will involve hands on practice and experiences conducted using action methods. Prior to the workshop participants will receive a short booklet to read and some activities to complete. This process will cut down explanation time and increase time for practice and role development.
Participants enter the workshop aware that action methods deal with personal material. Though participants are always in charge of the level of their interactions and self-disclosure, the act of enrolling in itself indicates an applicant’s understanding that action explorations are part of the workshop and may have a significant emotional impact.
Leader — Antony Williams is the most widely published author on action methods in the English language, a qualified Psychodramatist; a Trainer, Educator and Practitioner (TEP) and a Distinguished Member of the Australian and New Zealand Psychodrama Association. Antony is a partner in a small consulting firm in Melbourne.
Dates and Times — Thursday and Friday 2-3 October, 9:30am - 5:00pm
Venue — Northcote Town Hall, 189 High Street, Northcote, Victoria 3070
Fee $650 (deposit of $125)
Training hours: 12
Inquiries — Contact Chris Hosking, College Registrar, Phone 03 9589 6879
Enrolments — Send your name, address, email address, contact phone numbers and the name of the workshop with a deposit of $125 to Jenny Hutt, College Administrator,
P O Box 605, Northcote, Victoria 3070. Cheques are payable to the Australian College of Psychodrama. You can contact Jenny by phone: 03 9489 5733 or email: psychodrama[at]netspace.net.au
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Finally, a message about this SPIRAL message…
With the enforcement of Australia’s SPAM Act from 10 April 2004, we
are obliged to always ask whether you would like us to continue to
contact you by email with SPIRAL sendouts and any other related items.
See at end if you wish to discontinue.
The Privacy legislation also requires us to clarify that we collect
personal contact information for the purposes of providing you with
an opportunity for networking and relevant information provision
through the Victorian state-wide Systemic Participatory Inquiry
Research Action Learning network. This information is shared only by
members of the network (or those assisting us do this) for the
purposes of arranging the send outs. The contact details are not
forwarded to any other parties.
Requests to make contact with or send information through the network
are received by the convenors or/and the organising group. As a
service to the SPIRAL network, we forward to you material we think you
might find of interest. We choose only material central enough to the
cluster of interest that connects SPIRAL members.
Our policy to date has been to send this to you ‘as is’ (sometimes we
might shorten it). We have, to date, not changed the content, partly
because we haven’t felt we should, and partly because we haven’t
wanted to assume we had the knowledge to do so. If there is a strong
response to a forwarded notice, we would advise informing the
originator of the message, or/and send it to us to share with the
network in the next sendout.
SPIRAL does not at this stage have the capacity to run a Bulletin
Board or listserv but recommends ALARA’s at: http://www.alarpm.org.au/
or Bob Dick’s ARlist email: bdick[at]scu.edu.au
We also welcome any other feedback about the operation of the network
and its meetings, AR-related infor mation or notices for circulation
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[dot]inc[at]gmail.com
http://www.spiral-victoria.net/