Action research to improve the human condition: An insider-outsider and a multi-methodology design for actionable knowledge outcomes

Abstract

"The purpose of this manuscript is to share the development of an action research project that utilized different methodological perspectives for different stages of the project. I begin with a brief overview of the substantive orientations of the project, before concentrating on the particulars of the research process. I focus on, to start, my status as a researcher "insider- outsider" to both the research process and investigated phenomenon. A detailed explication of the action research design follows, drawing attention to the three distinct evolving stages of the project, and my use of both Heideggerian phenomenology and naturalistic inquiry to elicit the rich data required for this action research project. Data is presented from each of the three stages of the study to demonstrate how the generation of actionable knowledge took place. The journey from learning and the creation of local theory, to an action plan and practical, actionable knowledge outcomes is carefully explored. The paper concludes by sharing how actionable knowledge outcomes at the local, individual level can also be used as input to actionable knowledge on a much wider scale with a national study, currently underway in Australia being described – all in the interests of improving the human condition." (author's abstract)