Despite considerable interest in action learning, no systematic investigation of action learning literature has been reported. Two purposes of this study are (a) to systematically access and examine recent empirical studies on action learning and related themes using Garrard’s Matrix Method for reviewing literature (the review of the literature covered an 8-year period from 2000 to 2007; 50 studies have been selected based on the search criteria) and (b) based on Revans’s proposition regarding the need for a conceptual and practical balance between action and learning, to categorize empirical studies into action-oriented, learning-oriented, and balanced action learning. Studies selected from the systematic literature review process are highlighted, and Revans’s balance issue and the quality of select studies are discussed. A conceptual framework for the future studies of action learning, key concluding themes, and the limitations of the study are also articulated.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1534484309345656

Action Learning Research: A Systematic Review and Conceptual Framework

This article argues that, at a time of extensive educational reform in England and Wales, some headteachers are developing pragmatic response strategies to mandated change, and drawing eclectically on a range of management and leadership traditions to maintain institutional equilibrium and preserve valued educational philosophy and practice. Of particular interest is evidence that heads’ efforts to incorporate imposed educational policies into their schools’ practices do not necessarily involve the abandonment of strongly held ideological positions, even when these appear to be threatened by such policy. The ideological and managerial positionings of headteachers are, it is argued, more complex and less ‘determined’ than is sometimes suggested in the literature.

The Developing Role of the Headteacher in English Schools: Management, Leadership and Pragmatism.

This ASA Teaching Workshop explored the potential of Action Learning to use teachers' tacit knowledge to collaboratively confront pedagogical issues. The Action Learning model grows out of industrial management and is based on the notion that peers are a valuable resource for learning about how to solve the problems encountered in the workplace. Action Learning groups (called sets) engage in reflection and collaboration with the goal of identifying and implementing strategies that address specific teaching problems. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning provides guidance for systematically documenting and disseminating the impact on student learning that results from changed classroom practice. Together Action Learning and SoTL promote the improvement of teaching through collaborative reflection on tacit knowledge, paired with formal knowledge as documented in the literature.

Improving Pedagogy Through Action Learning and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

The role of nurse preceptor is critical to the successful integration of nursing students into the profession. Collaborative, partnership-based learning between beginning and more experienced nurses is central to this role. This article describes a targeted course for registered nurses designed to increase their knowledge and skills for preceptoring and achieve attitudinal changes to enhance the student/RN learning relationship in the clinical workplace. The course development and participation experience is discussed in relation to action learning as a model for nurse professional development. Prospects for extended and more formalized application of action learning in nursing and nurse education are discussed.

A partnership approach to the preparation of preceptors

.................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER ONE: ESTABLISHING A DEMOCRACY CLASSROOM: COOPERATIVE LEARNING AND GOOD TEACHING ...................................................................................................... 2 CHAPTER TWO: COOPERATIVE LEARNING AND GOOD TEACHING AND DEMOCRACY CLASSROOMS: THE RESEARCH LITERATURE .................................................................... 9 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 9 Section 1: Cooperative Learning ........................................................................................ 11 An Introduction to CL ................................................................................................................... 11 Collaboration and Cooperation .................................................................................................... 12 Historical background to Cooperative Learning Research ....................................................... 13 Approaches to Cooperative Learning ......................................................................................... 17 a. Distributed cognition. .......................................................................................................................... 21 b. Size and composition of group. .......................................................................................................... 22 c. Task and reward structures. ............................................................................................................... 23 The Key Cooperative Learning Elements .................................................................................... 23 Benefits of CL Use ........................................................................................................................ 25 Improvement of academic outcomes. .................................................................................................... 25 Social and emotional learning. ............................................................................................................... 27 Student relationships. ............................................................................................................................. 28 The Teacher’s Role in CL ............................................................................................................. 29 Structuring role. ....................................................................................................................................... 29 Roles during implementation. ................................................................................................................. 30 Planning for Cooperative Learning in the classroom. ........................................................................... 31 Section 2: Education and Pedagogies for Democracy..................................................... 33 A. Defining Democratic Education ............................................................................................... 33 Democracy schools and classrooms. .................................................................................................... 35 Communities of learning ......................................................................................................................... 36 Communicative capacity ......................................................................................................................... 37 B. Education for Democracy ........................................................................................................ 39 The impact of standardised testing on pedagogical practices. ............................................................ 40 Democracy classrooms: Democracy stance; Culture of communication ............................................ 43 Democracy stance. .................................................................................................................................. 43 Democracy classrooms: Community of practice and Rich learning community ................................ 47 Democracy classrooms: Inclusive practice. .......................................................................................... 48 Democracy classrooms: Social learning. .............................................................................................. 50 Democracy classrooms: Global citizenship. ......................................................................................... 51 C. Approaches to Education for Democracy, Civics and Citizenship in Australia .................. 53 Civics and citizenship curriculum in Australia. ..................................................................................... 53 Models of pedagogy that can assist a democracy classroom culture. ................................................ 55 What is Pedagogy? ....................................................................................................................... 56 Why pedagogy is important. ................................................................................................................... 57 Good Pedagogy and a National Curriculum in Australia ........................................................... 59 iv The Quality Teaching Model as an Indicator of Good Pedagogy ............................................. 61 Section 3: CL, Pedagogy and QT ....................................................................................... 63 Alignment of CL and Quality Teaching ....................................................................................... 63 CL – Advanced Democracy Pedagogy........................................................................................ 65 Section 4: Early Career Teachers ...................................................................................... 66 Early Career Teachers: Challenges ............................................................................................. 67 Early Career Teachers’ Induction and Mentoring ...................................................................... 68 Early Career Teachers and Pedagogical Support ...................................................................... 72 Early Career Teachers and Professional Development Models ............................................... 73 Communities of practice. ........................................................................................................................ 74 Practitioner research. .............................................................................................................................. 74 Action research / reflection. .................................................................................................................... 75 Section 6: Conclusion ......................................................................................................... 78 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN ............................................................ 81 Brief Introduction – Focus of the Study ............................................................................ 81 Action Research Approach ................................................................................................ 83 Multiple Case Study Design Research .............................................................................. 86 A Triangulated Mixed Methods Research Approach ....................................................... 88 Linking Cooperative Learning and good teaching: underlying principles .............................. 91 Linking CL, QT and Democracy Classrooms: the principles emerging ................................... 98 Study Design: Participants ............................................................................................... 102 Study Design: Procedures for Data Collection .............................................................. 104 Phase 1 ........................................................................................................................................ 105 Phase 2 ........................................................................................................................................ 107 Phase 3 ........................................................................................................................................ 108 Study Design: Mixed Data Sources and Methods of Analysis...................................... 112 Use of Multiple Data Sources .................................................................................................... 113 Interviews .................................................................................................................................... 113 Classroom Observations ........................................................................................................... 115 Cooperative Learning. ........................................................................................................................... 115 Quality teaching. .................................................................................................................................... 117 Reflective Diaries ........................................................................................................................ 118 Reflective diaries – Teacher participants. ............................................................................................ 118 Reflective diary – Researcher. .............................................................................................................. 118 Professional Learning Session Proceedings ........................................................................... 119 Professional learning session 1 

Establishing a democracy classroom: cooperative learning and good teaching

Independent Public Schools: Boards in transition

This paper reflects our commitments as teacher educators to develop the skills, knowledge and interests amongst ‘nearly qualified teachers’ to establish action learning as an integral part of their professional practice. We outline the development of an undergraduate unit that is endeavouring to achieve this at Edith Cowan University, Western Australia. Key principles and characteristics of action research and action learning are used as a framework for critical reflection on the unit. Attempting to provide learning experiences that adhere to these principles within the context of initial teacher education courses is identified as a challenging process. Planned developments in which we seek to enhance the extent to which teacher education can be seen to embrace and promote action research and action learning are discussed.

Connecting initial teacher education and continuing professional learning through action research and action learning

When school boards are confronted with the challenge of unfamiliar, changing contexts, opportunities and governance responsibilities, they have to be able to respond appropriately. The research reported in this paper investigated the response of five Western Australian primary school boards to such situations. It analyses interview data from 49 board members on their roles and responsibilities using elements of Heifetz' framework of adaptive leadership, and explores the implications of these findings for the boards and their leaders. The findings reinforce the importance of the leader's role in choreographing the learning of the board members, and raise questions about the effect that the composition of boards may have on their capacities for strategic thinking. The paper concludes with a model of adaptive leadership appropriate for school boards, emphasising key elements that are necessary for sustained change.

Adaptive leadership in school boards in Australia: an emergent model

Centrally prescribed managerialist practices have become part of the assumed processes of secondary school administration. But the logic which linked the new practices for central office bureaucrats was absent in the understandings of teachers in Western Australian secondary schools in 1992. There were substantial differences in the meanings attributed to key concepts and the value ascribed to the required procedures. The implications of these differences are established in this paper, using insights from central office and school personnel. Particular attention is given to the three agendas of school improvement, accountability and participative decision making. The pressure to re-norm the management of schooling has been applied through a range of discursive practices including the use of language, the presumption of meaning and the enforcement of policy. Although claims have been made that these changes have resulted in a more professional approach to teaching and learning, questions remain as to their real impact.

Pressures of Managerialism and its Implications: Perspectives from the Centre and the Secondary School

Research reported in this article investigated the governance issues and challenges facing school boards in 10 case study schools, all of which are low fee Anglican schools in Australia. Five gover...

Bridget M. Leggett

Papers

Independent Public Schools: Boards in transition

Connecting initial teacher education and continuing professional learning through action research and action learning

Adaptive leadership in school boards in Australia: an emergent model

Pressures of Managerialism and its Implications: Perspectives from the Centre and the Secondary School

Issues and challenges of school governance