Action research as a methodology that brings together value-based and evidence based approaches

The Tavistock Institute of Human Relations

Action research as a methodology that
brings together value-based and
evidence based approaches

Dr. Milena Stateva
Lisbon
May 2012

This presentation

• Exploring the tensions and possible links between value-
based and evidence-based research and evaluation
approaches;

• Discussing the relevance of action research to policy
making;

• Evaluating the ability of action research to bring together
these two perspectives through a case study.

The diversity in value relevancies
in contemporary research

• Value-neutral or value-laden research (Hammersley,
2008).

• Value-based medicine: overlooking genuine value conflicts
and their importance, undermining the value of 'value' and
leaving the practitioner with a reduced ability to discern and
negotiate conflicts of value (see Fulford, 2006; Gascoigne,
2008; Cox, Campbell and Fullford, 2007).

• Evaluation research: a vacuum in judging the value of
available options deriving from the inadequacy of „rational‟
procedures to support judgments of the value of policies,
programs, or the agencies responsible for them (Julnes,
2010).

What is action research?

• Action research emerged as a distinctive mode of
social science theory and practice in the times of re-
building the Post-World War II world (see Lewin, 1946)
and has continuily shown its relevance to bringing
change whilst studying this change as it unfolds – a
process of co-creation with the research participants.

• It can be viewed as ‘practical science’ with a distinctive
iterative cycle of problem identification, diagnosis,
intervention, evaluation and problem re-statement
(Checkland, 1991) while offering the potential for
citizen participation policy in the construction of
knowledge (Stringer, 1999).

The value base of action research

Action research ’cannot but be a political activity, [because]
professional status, despite the claims often made for it,
does not place the practitioner beyond the realm of values’
(Miller, 1993:3).

Values, logics and practice are mutually influencing hence
they are deeply linked with issues of ontology,
epistemology, methodology and intent - a dynamic, self-
recreating constellation of forms that are also influenced by
context (McNiff and Whitehead, 2011:10).

The evidence base of action research

Action research allows for bringing together qualitative and
quantiative methodologies which is a leading trend today.

How empirical data is used to validate and defend an
interpretation: quantitative and qualitative methodologies
form a continuum rather than standing in opposition.

Bringing them together: developing a picture of an empirical
world, asking questions and turning them into researchable
problems, finding the best means of doing so, developing
and using concepts, and serving policy ends and ‘user’
interests (Alasuutari, Bickman and Brannen, 2008).

Action research and policy making

• Action research within policy making has a long
tradition, in particular for addressing needs and complex
problems as it is about using research to influence and
directly change policy and practice (see DoH, 2001).

• It is a style of research rather than a specific method with
three key elements: its participatory character; its
democratic impulse; and its simultaneous contribution to
social science and social change (Meyer, 2000).

TIHR Trauma Stream of work
• The stream aims to provide support to organisations and
systems working with or going through traumatic
experiences as well as those wanting to build their
resilience.

• The support takes the form of training, multi-disciplinary
research-based consultancy and consultancy-based
research to feed into theory development as a means for
better understanding and policy enhancement.

• The objective is to contribute to efforts to a) prevent
traumatic events and trauma (building resilience); and b)
improve interventions in the process of a traumatic event/s
taking place as well as in its aftermath (including crisis
intervention, long-term and short-term consequences).

Case study: evaluative action research
of the Nottinghamshire County Council
Fostering Futures Therapeutic Service
• To examine the significance of the background, experience
and specialist knowledge of the foster carers;

• To examine the effectiveness of the team’s therapeutic
foundation and the particular effect of various techniques;

• To provide a longitudinal view of the impact of the fostering
service on the children it cares for;

• To develop Fostering Futures’ internal capacities by
embedding within its structures and processes a
sustainable research component;

• To enable staff and users to influence practice and policy.


Research support team/originators of the
study
Ian Tabberer, Team manager, Fostering Futures TF Service
Dr Mannie Sher, TIHR Principal Researcher/Consultant
Dr Milena Stateva, TIHR Senior Researcher/Consultant
Laura Stock, TIHR Researcher/Consultant

• Applying Theory of Change and its principles of using
multiple data sources to triangulate data capturing the
processes and mechanisms through which goals are (not)
met.
• Grounding the research in the carers’ and young people’s
voices and experiences: the goal is to open a space in
which their perspective matters and is taken into account.
• Employing an action research framework based on
principles of participation and collaboration: the goal is to
achieve deeper understanding of the processes
surrounding foster care and to leave behind a research
capacity that will bring to a qualitatively higher level the
existing mechanisms of learning from experience.


• Does young people’s wellbeing improve since
joining the scheme: a) is there a line of evidence that
symptoms are reduced and b) is there a line of
evidence based on positive indicators of
development and wellbeing?

It is most likely that the various inputs from the system’s
layers interact in a non-linear and complex manner with
individual factors stemming from the young people’s history
and personality structure on one hand and with other
contributory factors from the environment, on the other
hand.

• The components of each of these factors are themselves in a
dynamic interaction (e.g. the background, experience and
specialist knowledge of the foster carers interweaves with the
team’s therapeutic foundation and the effectiveness of various
techniques).
• All of them most probably depend on the culture, availability of
service components, conceptual frameworks, structures and
mechanisms of the fostering organisation as well as its
resources, management, policies, regulations and relationship
with other services that can complement the care for the
young people.
• The fostering organisation will be affected in turn by its
immediate and wider environment.


Systems’ interaction from a socio-technical perspective

National policy Policy makers
Political system
Nottinghamshire County Councilors
Council System of governance

Placement Services Managers
System of management
Fostering Futures Social workers
Therapeutic Fostering
System of care
Service
Foster carers
System of intimacy
Foster families
Children and young people


• Theory of change model
• Information from key stakeholders
• Focus group discussions and use of creative methods
• Questionnaires

of the Nottingham County Council

Planning

Reflecting
Acting

Observing/
Evaluating
The Action Research Spiral (from DoH, 2001)

of the Nottinghamshite County Council

Whose values?

Putting the young people using Fostering Futures at the
centre of the research.

Involving in the research as researchers foster carers and
social workers.

Fostering forums for communication between all
stakeholders: training workshops, regular meetings, joint/
discussion papers, etc

In conclusion

• Learning from experience is a psychodynamic concept and
practice derived from Kurt Lewin's model of informal
learning that lies at the basis of our contemporary
understanding of action research as a research method
directed toward the solving of social problems (Lewin,
1948).
• Lewin's approach has been oversimplified into a
mechanistic three-step process: 'Unfreeze - Change -
Refreeze'. In reality, it is a complex mental model of
interwoven psychological, organisational and social
processes of analysing actions within a systematic and
feedback driven framework (Rosh, 2002).
• Bringing together evaluative and action research allows for
efficient, co-created and democratic practice development
and policy making.

Thank you for your attention.

m.stateva@tavinstitute.org

I am looking forward to an interesting
discussion with you!

Action research as a methodology that brings together value-based and evidence based approaches

More Related Content

What's hot (19)

Viewers also liked (12)

Similar to Action research as a methodology that brings together value-based and evidence based approaches (20)

More from The Tavistock Institute of Human Relations (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

Action research as a methodology that brings together value-based and evidence based approaches