Whitehead, Delong, Griffin, and Campbell

Improving practice with Living Theory research in living-cultures-of-inquiry

Jack Whitehead, University of Cumbria, Lancaster, UK; Jacqueline Delong, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada; Cathy Griffin, Osprey Central School, Maxwell, ON, Canada; Elizabeth Campbell, Educator & Educational Consultant, ON, Canada

Abstract:

The purpose was to (1) share the values that motivate and sustain participants in their action research in their specific professional contexts and (2) demonstrate how to work together in creating living-theories (Whitehead, 2014) within a living culture of inquiry (Delong, 2014; Delong, et.al, 2013) that can engage with wider regional, national and global influences in improving practice and generating knowledge.

Participants were shown how to use digital video of practice in generating multi-media explanations of their educational influences in local, regional, national and global context. The connection with the transformatory power of action research globally was shown through the value of living-global-citizenship (Coombs et.al, 2014). This value was related to insights from East Asian Epistemology (Inoue 2012; 2014). The responses of participants, especially through the quality of the questions asked, indicated a high level of engagement and understanding.

Keywords:

Living cultures of inquiry; Living Theory research; living-educational-theories; global action research networks; values for the flourishing of humanity