1. Research in
Organizations
From Action Research to
Action Learning
Presented by:
John R. Turner
Gloria Natividad
The University of North Texas
College of Information
Dept. of Learning Technologies
www.lt.unt.edu

2. Action Research
“Knowledge is in the action”
(Schon, as cited in Bradbury & Lichenstein, 2000)

3. Action Research

4. Action Research

5. ACTION LEARNING
DEEP LEARNING
&
REAL ACTION

6. Action Learning
Beneficial to the organization by resolving
real issues as well as providing a means for
training groups to learn together and solve
real-time problems.

7. Action Learning

8. Action Learning –vs- Training
Action Learning Training
Trainer / Facilitator YES YES
Loss Time from Work NO YES
Travel Expenses NO YES
Solve Real-Problem YES NO
Train Group Together YES YES

9. Action Learning is a Process
Learning comes from action through:
“participatory, action-oriented methods
that link researchers and participants in a
learning journey that supports both in
making good use of the insights gained
from research”
(Bradbury & Lichtenstein, 2000, p. 554)

10. References
 Bargal, D. (2008). Action research: A paradigm for achieving social change.
Small Group Research, 39(17), 17-27. doi: 10.1177/1046496407313407
 Bargal, D. (2006). Personal and intellectual influences leading to Lewin's
paradigm of action research. Action Research, 4(4), 367-388. doi:
10.1177/1476750306070101
 Bradbury, H., & Lichtenstein, B. M. B. (2000). Relationality in organizational
research: Exploring the space between. Organization Science, 11(5), 551-
564. Retrieved from orgsci.journal.informs.org
 Bryman, A. (2008). Social Research Methods (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford
University Press.
 Gall, M. D., Gall, J. P., & Borg, W. R. (2010). Applying Educational Research
(6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
 Gorrell, P (2012). Action learning for teams. Chief Learning Officer, July, 26-
29.
 Marquardt, M., & Banks, S. (2010). Theory to practice: Action learning.
Advances in Developing Human Resources, 12(2), 159-162. doi:
10.1177/1523422310367878
 Waddill, D., Banks, S., & March, C. (2010). The future of action learning.
Advances in Developing Human Resources, 12(2), 260-279. doi:
10.1177/1523422310367809