Stylus Publishing (VA) Using Action Inquiry in Engaged Research: An Organizing Guide (Engaged Research and Practice for Social Justice in Education)

Using Action Inquiry in Engaged Research: A Professional Guide offers higher education and school professionals practical guidance and methods for using the Action Inquiry Model (AIM) in engaged research initiatives and community partnerships. Replete with group exercises and case studies, this guide was originally developed to supplement workshops for faculty, administrators and students working on action initiatives that focused on critical educational issues facing local communities. It provides a useful framework and straightforward techniques for building empowering partnerships.The Action Inquiry Model (AIM) includes four stages:Assessment: Using research and experience to identify critical challenges facing the university with respect to the improvement of educational opportunitiesOrganization: Developing workgroups to collaborate on initiatives that address critical challenges; providing financial support for new initiatives; and providing release time and professional development opportunities for faculty and staff who engage in reform initiativesAction Initiatives: Treating reforms as pilot tests for new strategies, as a means of promoting organizational learning, professional development, and student successEvaluation: Integrating the evaluation of current programs and incorporating new initiatives into the reform process.This guide provides two methods for learning the inquiry process: a step-by-step process for defining tasks for teams of researchers and practitioners working together to use research to inform the educational improvement; and sets of case studies on assessment and action inquiry to inform groups in collectively discussing problems and strategies, an approach that supports the classroom use of the Guide. Review "In Using Action Inquiry in Engaged Research, Edward P. St. John, Kim Callahan Lijana, and Glenda D. Musoba offer readers a guide for organizing and using information for social justice in education. The authors pair a description of the Action Inquiry Method (AIM) with practices for the reader to use in his or her own context. In addition, the authors employ specific cases to explicate the relation of practitioners, institutions, partners, and researchers. Each case is followed by questions for individual or group reflection. The book includes sections written by researchers and practitioners, which models the varied roles and approaches to AIM as well as the benefits and challenges of collaboration in engaged research for social justice. The book...enables and encourages practitioners and researchers as they begin to engage AIM for the first time or collaborate in a new setting. As 'an organizing guide, ' [it] provides specific questions for the reader to use in assessing a situation and organizing a response."--Reflection in Action (9/21/2017 12:00:00 AM)"St. John's book is an essential read for any activist, educator or researcher committed to effecting meaningful social change. It is a clear and critical elaboration on the use of the Action Inquiry Model (AIM) in educational partnerships to identify, assess and address issues relating to gaps in opportunity. St. John uses a range of case studies to demonstrate the power of a structured learning partnership between university, school and non-profit and to re-define organizational boundaries and roles in the process - researcher as learner, educator as researcher, CEO as research student, student as agent of social change. St. John demonstrates that it is through this re-definition of roles and how we understand organizational boundaries that we can bring data to life and use it to change our world."--Cliona Hannon, Director, Trinity Access Programmes "Trinity College (University of) Dublin" (11/1/2016 12:00:00 AM)From the Foreword: "Let Using Action Inquiry in Engaged Research help you better understand your environment, practices and beliefs and to see your students, your strategies and even your organ