Knowledge Integration and Inter-Disciplinary Communication in Action Research
In a plenary talk at WMSCI 2012 entitled "Planning for Action Research: Looking at Practice through a Different Lens," this author asserted that behavioral science practitioners, often "back into" action research – they start out doing a process improvement or intervention and di...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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International Institute of Informatics and Cybernetics
2014-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics |
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| Online Access: | http://www.iiisci.org/Journal/CV$/sci/pdfs/SA900TS14.pdf
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| _version_ | 1818855129513721856 |
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| author | Hahn Heidi Ann |
| author_facet | Hahn Heidi Ann |
| author_sort | Hahn Heidi Ann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In a plenary talk at WMSCI 2012 entitled "Planning for Action Research: Looking at Practice through a Different Lens," this author asserted that behavioral science practitioners, often "back into" action research – they start out doing a process improvement or intervention and discover something along the way, i.e., generalizable knowledge, that seems worthwhile to share with their community of practice. It was further asserted that, had the efforts been conceived of as research from the outset, the contributions to the body of knowledge would be more robust and the utility of the projects would improve as well. This paper continues on that theme.<br><br> Action research and process improvement methods are briefly described and compared. A comparison of two Los Alamos National Laboratory engineering ethics training projects – one developed using a process improvement framework, the other using an action research framework – is put forth to provide evidence that use of a research "lens" can enhance behavioral science interventions and the knowledge that may result from them. The linkage between the Specifying Learning and Diagnosing stages of the Action Research Cycle provides one mechanism for integrating the knowledge gained into the product or process being studied and should provide a reinforcing loop that leads to continual improvement.<br><br> The collaborative relationships among researchers and the individual, group, or organization that is the subject of the imp rovement op p ortunity (the "client"), who are likely from very different backgrounds, and the interpretive epistemology that are among the hallmarks of action research also contribute to the quality of the knowledge gained. This paper closes with a discussion of how Inter-Disciplinary Communication is embedded within the action research paradigm and how this likely also enriches the knowledge gained. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T08:03:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-516c852f10734eff97f8b80c308812c6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1690-4524 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T08:03:42Z |
| publishDate | 2014-08-01 |
| publisher | International Institute of Informatics and Cybernetics |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics |
| spelling | doaj.art-516c852f10734eff97f8b80c308812c62022-12-21T20:29:48ZengInternational Institute of Informatics and CyberneticsJournal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics1690-45242014-08-011256067Knowledge Integration and Inter-Disciplinary Communication in Action ResearchHahn Heidi Ann0 In a plenary talk at WMSCI 2012 entitled "Planning for Action Research: Looking at Practice through a Different Lens," this author asserted that behavioral science practitioners, often "back into" action research – they start out doing a process improvement or intervention and discover something along the way, i.e., generalizable knowledge, that seems worthwhile to share with their community of practice. It was further asserted that, had the efforts been conceived of as research from the outset, the contributions to the body of knowledge would be more robust and the utility of the projects would improve as well. This paper continues on that theme.<br><br> Action research and process improvement methods are briefly described and compared. A comparison of two Los Alamos National Laboratory engineering ethics training projects – one developed using a process improvement framework, the other using an action research framework – is put forth to provide evidence that use of a research "lens" can enhance behavioral science interventions and the knowledge that may result from them. The linkage between the Specifying Learning and Diagnosing stages of the Action Research Cycle provides one mechanism for integrating the knowledge gained into the product or process being studied and should provide a reinforcing loop that leads to continual improvement.<br><br> The collaborative relationships among researchers and the individual, group, or organization that is the subject of the imp rovement op p ortunity (the "client"), who are likely from very different backgrounds, and the interpretive epistemology that are among the hallmarks of action research also contribute to the quality of the knowledge gained. This paper closes with a discussion of how Inter-Disciplinary Communication is embedded within the action research paradigm and how this likely also enriches the knowledge gained.http://www.iiisci.org/Journal/CV$/sci/pdfs/SA900TS14.pdf Case MethodsEngineering EthicsProcess ImprovementAction Research |
| spellingShingle | Hahn Heidi Ann Knowledge Integration and Inter-Disciplinary Communication in Action Research Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics Case Methods Engineering Ethics Process Improvement Action Research |
| title | Knowledge Integration and Inter-Disciplinary Communication in Action Research |
| title_full | Knowledge Integration and Inter-Disciplinary Communication in Action Research |
| title_fullStr | Knowledge Integration and Inter-Disciplinary Communication in Action Research |
| title_full_unstemmed | Knowledge Integration and Inter-Disciplinary Communication in Action Research |
| title_short | Knowledge Integration and Inter-Disciplinary Communication in Action Research |
| title_sort | knowledge integration and inter disciplinary communication in action research |
| topic | Case Methods Engineering Ethics Process Improvement Action Research |
| url | http://www.iiisci.org/Journal/CV$/sci/pdfs/SA900TS14.pdf
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| work_keys_str_mv | AT hahnheidiann knowledgeintegrationandinterdisciplinarycommunicationinactionresearch |