Areol, action research and evaluation
on line, as a web-based program

  

 

There is a 15-week email-based version of areol, offered twice each year beginning in February and July.  An accompanying discussion list provides an opportunity to offer comments and ask questions, and to interact with other participants.

To subscribe to it, contact Bob Dick and ask for a subscription form.

Areol, action research and evaluation on line, is available in two formats, both free.   The 15-week public email course is offered twice a year as a public service by ALARA, the Action Learning Action Research Association Inc.   As an alternative, many of the materials from that course are also available on the web, though in older versions -- the links below will take you to them.

The web version below is less often revised, and lacks some of the resource materials of the email version.  Also, it doesn't offer the email interaction you can have with other participants in the email version.  In other respects it's a similar program, and you can work through it in your own time.  You don't need a subscription to access the web version.

The material for both web and email versions was developed by Bob Dick, who also facilitates the email version.

Individual sessions are briefly described below.  (For a more detailed description see the fourth orientation file: click here)

There are four orientation sessions.  The first will give you some idea of the commitment in time that it may take to engage properly in the program.  The second overviews the program.  The third discusses the setting up of learning groups as an associated activity. The fourth lists the sessions and identifies the relevant resource files for each

Introduction 1: required commitment

Introduction 2: orientation

Introduction 3: forming learning groups

Introduction 4: program overview

Sessions 1 and 2 provide some context.  Session 1 gives an overview of action research, and describes some processes which illustrate some of the features of action research and similar activities. Session 2 describes the overall change process

Session 1: Examples of action-research-like processes

Session 2: The change process and action research

Some action research is done more for the action than the research. Sessions 3 to 5 cover issues especially relevant here.  They address the important issues to do with entry and contracting, and participation and involvement

Session 3: Entry and contracting

Session 4: Participation and involvement

Session 5: Achieving participation

Session 6 addresses the issue which is relevant to the research aspects of action research, especially those issues that are most important in research-oriented action research

Session 6: Achieving rigour

Sessions 7 to 9 introduce the topic of process design.  They illustrate it through a variety of processes which can be used for collecting and analysing data

Session 7: Collecting and analysing data

Session 8: Convergent interviewing

Session 9: Focus groups

Sessions 10 to 12 deal specifically with an action research style of evaluation, using the Snyder evaluation process as a vehicle

Session 10: Evaluation as action research

Session 11: The Snyder evaluation process

Session 12: The Snyder process (2)

Session 13 examines a different action research methodology, one which makes the systems-thinking aspects of action research more explicit

Session 13: Soft systems methodology

In conclusion, Session 14 suggests some further reading and activities suitable for follow up

Session 14: Where now?