Action research PhDGerry Roberts
ACTION RESEARCHING MY PRACTICE AS A FACILITATOR OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING WITH PASTORALIST FARMERS IN CENTRAL WEST QUEENSLAND
Gerard Michael O’Brien RobertsB.App.Sc. (Rur. Tech) (Hons); M.Sc. (Wool and An. Sc.)
Doctor of Philosophy
Agriculture and Rural Development
The School of Agriculture and Rural Development
University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury
Richmond, NSW, Australia
December 1997
This thesis is original work submitted to the University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury. None of it has been submitted to another institution for a higher degree.
Gerard Michael O’Brien Roberts
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you to the members of the Westland and MTT groups for your time and commitment while we were involved in the project. I am hopeful that the learning outcomes, that seem apparent now, flowed sufficiently in your direction to offer value to you as it has to me.
I owe much to my supervisory panel members, Bob Macadam as chairman, and Bob Dick and Richard Bawden. My approach to learning at the start of this project can at best be described as less sophisticated. In different ways you each made it possible for me to begin learning how to learn. Furthermore, you each provided the guidance, support and academic rigour to enable me to reach the submission stage of my study. Thank you very much.
Throughout my time doing this project the Department of Primary Industries has supported me with funding and their belief in the value of research into extension practice. In particular, Warren Hoey and John Childs have given me the space to combine my project and my DPI work. It is my fervent hope that the spin-off from my study is the continuing advancement of DPI extension. It is also my hope that Departmental support for such research continues. Additionally, I would like to thank the wool industry as it was they who provided the initial operating funds for the project.
The staff of the DPI Library have been invaluable in providing resources for my research needs. When other sources failed, they delivered. I cannot remember a request that they have not answered for me. Robin Galagher has been my particular contact but I know that many others have contributed to delivering a library service that is very effective.
My wife Lenore has supported, assisted and encouraged me throughout the six years of study. I know my involvement with the project has limited us in doing some of our favourite activities and I know that she does not begrudge the loss of even one of the activities my work stopped us doing. Thank you Lenore for being you.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AcknowledgementsChapter 1. The arguments, structure and background of my thesis
1.1 Introduction1.2 The two arguments of my thesis
1.3 The structure of the thesis
1.4 The agricultural extension situation of central west Queensland
1.5 The background to my project
1.6 Summary
Chapter 2. Methodology and methods
2.1 My methodology2.1.1 Determining a methodology2.1.2 Action research as a methodology
2.1.3 Diagrammatic representations of my action research methodology
2.2 The methods of my project
2.2.1 Action research2.2.2 Experiential learning
2.2.3 Action learning.
2.3 Summary
Chapter 3. An overview of the events, issues arising and concepts explored in the three cycles of action research
3.1 Introduction3.2 The time relationships between the action research cycles of the project
3.3 The lead-up to the project
3.4 The first action research cycle of my project
3.5 The second action research cycle of my project
3.6 The third action research cycle of the project
3.7 Summary
Chapter 4. My engagement with propositional knowledge in the literature of learning
4.1 Introduction4.2 Learning how to learn and its link to self-directedness in inquiry
4.3 Levels of learning
4.4 The desirability of higher level learning for agricultural change and the usefulness of experiential learning in creating higher level learning
4.5 Cognitive development and higher level learning
4.6 Reflection as a part of experiential learning
4.6.1 Defining reflection and identifying types of reflection4.6.2 Positioning reflection in experiential learning and linking it to higher level learning
4.6.3 Critical reflection
4.6.4 Critical reflection and an individual’s epistemic organisation
4.7 The requirement for authentic information in communication
4.8 Summary
Chapter 5. Introducing the skills of experiential learning to pastoralist farmers
5.1 Introduction5.2 My context for experiential learning in pastoral agricultural extension
5.3 The issues examined in this chapter
5.4 My initial concept of experiential learning and its possible influence on pastoralists’ understanding of learning outcomes
5.4.1 Considering my initial and later interpretation of experiential learning I in relation to learning outcomes for pastoralists5.5 My current understanding of the concept of experiential learning
5.5.1 Implementing future experiential learning activities - my active experimentation5.6 The link between experiential learning and action researching and the emergence of a modified version of an action researching system
5.6.1 Providing an explanation of the model5.7 Learning explicitly about problematic situations
5.7.1 Examples of learning Level I5.7.2 Examples at learning Level II
5.7.3 Examples at learning Level III
5.8 Learning about group relationships
5.9 Summary
Chapter 6. My engagement with propositional knowledge in the literature of facilitation
6.1 Introduction6.2 Learning at a higher level without facilitation
6.2.1 Learning through crisis or tension6.2.2 The value of awareness of how learning is occurring
6.3 Facilitation and the opportunity for enhanced experiential learning
6.4 Developing congruency of action theories of facilitation
6.4.1 Approaches to examining congruency of theories of action of facilitation6.4.2 The relationship between congruency of action theories and epistemic positions of facilitation
6.4.3 Linking underlying assumptions about facilitation and reflection-in-action
6.5 Summary
Chapter 7. Concerning new conceptualisations and their action outcomes for pastoralists and the impact of my facilitation on these aspects of developing the experiential learning skills of pastoralists
7.1 Introduction7.2 Reflecting on my facilitation of the development of new conceptualisations by pastoralists through experiential learning
7.2.1 Identifying and interpreting my initial process of facilitation of new concept development7.3 New conceptualisations generated by pastoralists and their action outcomes
7.3.1 New conceptualisations leading to action outcomes by pastoralists7.3.2 New conceptualisations not acted on by pastoralists
7.3.3 Exploring the meaning of action outcomes not occurring
7.3.4 Project examples of how previous experience can be interpreted as having influenced an outcome of no action in this work
7.3.5 Examining the influence of my facilitation on ‘action taking’ by pastoralists
7.3.6 ‘Taking action’ after the formal completion of action research
7.4 Considering the effect of congruency of my action theories on my facilitation of experiential learning
7.4.1 Step 1 - Assessing my espoused action theories of facilitation of experiential learning activities with pastoralists7.4.2 Step 2 - Description of selected project experiences
7.4.3 Step 3 - Assessing my facilitation of Experience 1 in terms of Model I and Model II behaviours
7.4.4 Action I took in response to reflections on Experience 1
7.4.5 Experience 2 and its impact on my transparency in facilitation for collaboration
7.4.6 Reflections on Experience 2
7.4.7 Action I took in response to my initial reflections about Experience 2
7.5 Summary
Chapter 8. Conclusion
8.1 My action researching from an emergent perspective8.2 The underlying rationale for my concluding chapter
8.3 The cautious expansion of action research outcomes
8.3.1 Having a learning focus to relationships in group situations8.3.2 Reflecting on individual extension officer practice
8.3.3 Seeking disconfirming evidence
8.4 Future directions for my collaborative action researching
8.4.1 Dialogue8.4.2 Personality types
8.4.3 Action learning
8.5 My thesis as a self-reflective document
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Three Key Definitions
Experiential Learning
Kolb (1984) describes experiential learning as a process involving four adaptive learning modes. These are concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation and active experimentation. In his model the four modes occupy two dimensions on which dialectically opposed orientations are positioned. Learning emerges from transactions to resolve dialectic tensions between the modes. The dialectically opposed orientations are concrete experience (apprehension) and abstract conceptualisation (comprehension), and reflective observation (intention) and active experimentation (extension).
Critical Learning System
A critical learning system incorporates the concepts of experiential learning, and systemic and critical thinking. It recognises that individuals experience the world differently and use different metacognitive processes and epistemologies in deriving meaning from their experience. It involves individuals in coherent interactions that cross paradigmatic boundaries as they collaborate to reach common understanding of problematic situations and act to improve them.
The Hawkesbury Approach
The Hawkesbury Approach referred to in this document is the facilitation of engagement with problem situations to create critical learning systems.
Action Researching My Practice as a Facilitator of Experiential Learning with Pastoralist Farmers in Central West Queensland
Abstract
My thesis document is contextualised as a three year study of my practice as a facilitator of experiential learning with pastoralist farmers in my role as an agricultural extension officer. In the study I used an action research methodology to provide change and understanding in situations in which it was too difficult to control variables. In my use of the methodology, action provided change and research provided understanding. The action research methodology also provided rigour through the spiral of its cyclic process.
The notion I began action researching was that of having pastoralists develop the skills of experiential learning as a means of promoting their self-reliance. I believed that self-reliance in that form would enable them to resolve complex issues for themselves.
When I had begun the study action researching that notion, my reflection highlighted my own practice as a fundamental part of the system that was in operation when I was facilitating pastoralists’ experiential learning. The thesis shows how the issue of my own practice arose in my reflection and how I used the action research methodology to develop ways of resolving the difficulties of the issue.
Within the context of pastoral farming situations the experiential learning process provided a process that led to reports of learning outcomes matched to the thematic concerns of participants. As well, it provided a process for dealing with the issues that arose in group functioning, including my role as the facilitator.
From using the experiential learning process in my research context I hypothesise that, as the facilitator of experiential learning, I benefit from having a specific problematic situation to deal with explicitly in the group setting using the experiential learning processes. In this way, by modelling experiential learning, I can provide a focus for learning about how learning is occurring for group members. As well, my project observations suggest that relationships in our groups at times affected the exchange of authentic information in experiential learning situations. My reflection and theorising suggest that for that reason we should take particular care to experientially learn about our relationships in group situations. These two learning outcomes have led me to theorise about their inclusion in a modification of Bawden’s (1995) model of a learning system.
Within the agricultural extension context, my learning outcomes about my role in working participatively and collaboratively with pastoralists, prompted significant change in my practice of facilitation. The change enabled us as an experiential learning group facilitated by an agricultural extension officer, to provide for pastoralist participants to increasingly direct their own learning. From reflection on the project observations that led to my working more collaboratively and participatively, I theorise that improved facilitation practice can derive from personal and collaborative reflection as a part of action researching.
My reflection, during the process of thesis writing allowed me to use action science to demonstrate that my improved facilitation practice came about from enhanced congruency of theories of action of participation and collaboration. Personally, I developed a more congruent practice of participation and collaboration through action researching my practice of facilitating experiential learning with pastoralists, and by reflecting on the emergent outcomes for me as the facilitator.
This thesis concludes with my consideration of whether or not my specific learning outcomes may provide a foundation for some cautious expansion of the emergent outcomes of the action research such that they may be of interest to others in extension.
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