Reflectice practice

YI PEI WU (Katie) 07019413

MA Design management

DE0085

Definition

Action research has been described as a program for change in a social situation, and this is an equal-ly valid description of design. It is also easier for designer when the process occurring dilemma, am-biguity within the research development. Research methodology usually in three conditions: first of all, is when the social practice needs to be change. Secondly, when the researchers work in equitable collaboration, finally, project process through a spiral of cycles of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting in a systematic and documented study.

It is an appropiate methodology for any design project where the final outcome is undefined. The implicit process becomes explicit, and memers of the design team learn consciously from each project and thus become empowered through the process.

While im doing the projcet with my team, I utilize

the action research to gathering data from our group member, meanwhile, building up power-sharing into the decision making ,consequencely, bring out my self-reflection, self-evaluation, and self-management from the progress. It assting me to learn something progressively by doing and making (mistake) in a “self-reflective cycle”, the formula-tion adapted from Zuber-Skerritt. (Swann 2002)

According to Swanns journel, he had provide the argument based on Design research changes from ancient to modern socierty in his point of view, Elliot who has given out the summeed up in the phrase of “action- research” as following

“Due to the propaganda efforts on all dises in the second World War, more rational mothods for mak-ing desicn decisions were developed during the latter half of the twentieth century. In the 1960-70s there was considerable thinkin and writing which had an enormous impact on the concept of the method and practice of design.” (Swann 2002)

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Figure 1. Swan 2002

From Swann’s journel, I found some significant dif-ferences between “scientific method” comparing with “design method” showing below, it tells people whom-ever the positions within different filed has got their own interpretation by own preference based on their thought.

“Action- research might be defined as: the study of a social situation with a view to improving the quality of action within it…(The)total process-reviews, diagnosis, planning, implementation, monitoring effects- provides the necessary link between self-evaluation and profes-sinal development. “ (Winter 1989)

I found the quote from the book “Learning from experiences” which written by Richard W, he de-scribed Elliott, whom has emphasizes the essential interrelation between the self- evaluation and profes-sional development based on action research phrase, the core value within the fundamentals is mainly based on personal reflection, as well as the changes within the development of practice as a whole.

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The action-research Cycle

Figure 2. The action-research cycle, as interpreted by Elliott,J, and by Kemmis et al (Winter 1989)

Based on these two intellects, they united the holistic procedure into two central concerns, that is, improvement and understanding by integrated cycle of activities, explain in details, whatever the cycle shape is, it always starting from the stage of plan as the first step, thus, the result of changes and improvement considered as desirable; understanding is, there-fore, to recognize the situation and difficulties, hence, making the decision on where the possibility have an significant impact from it. Furthermore, when reach the step of implementation, new deci-sion starts coming in and circum-stances, action, and effects can be described and evaluated, finally evaluation step, it usually across from fresh reconnaissance that is prepare for the next new planning.

Reflect back to my own experi-ence, I found it similar with what i have learned from the class, the tutor was initially asking us to un-derstand the whole notion of action research bases from the existing theory,then from many of the ac-tivities events included in organiz-ing and drafting the report, that is the sequence of the processes, the worries, the thought, that decision as to what to indlucde and what to exclde and so on, from those steps, I have not only learn things based on the theorys, but also from the real practice with our members, generally, the consideration came from the outsider perspective which I would have never thought, hence, it’s a better opportunity for us to sharing theknowledge and the expressing self-reflection which represent as each of indivduals thought.

As a practitoiner, the concept of exploring previous theory is to fol-low the tradition principles, meth-od and example provided from historien to enable us an ability to examine how those formulation can be expliot as a viable achieve-ment as problem framing and slov-ing. The following template has showing clear process I have went whilei progress our recovery and well-bing project via those effetive steps by using professor Sturts’ recording template. (see Model 1.)

Appriciation

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Recording Template

Reflect back to my experience of this module, it actually broaden my vision of using different skill to framing and solving problems in “de-signers way” by implying those tools, it influ-encing me to record my team work as well as the individual work in very efficient way, which I found it purely impressed.

It is my first time to used the template as a recording tools for my studies, and most of the template were about the group meeting we had during the time for the Recovery and Well-being project, the advantage to utilize the tool is always to remind and review ourselves within our progress, that enalbe us to do some changes and improves the situation in better way, result in groups satisfaction. From those template which given from the lecture, although it was useful but as you can see there were a few stages I have put it as “not avaliable”, which means I was not sure what to written on that stage, therefore,I have found one theorist which

I thought would be easier for me to express my work by using his recording process steps.

Fletcher telescope the process as search, discovery,recognition and evaluation, he also named it as intuitive process, despite that, each step can be change in different order in this case. (Swann 2002)

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Reflection

Progressive problem solving (Personal module)

Reflection Conclusion

To conclude that, Reflective practice is tools to use of an action to comprehensive in scope by systematic structure, thus produce a proper possibility and result in achieve the project goal. In this paper, I have covered all the “action” description from both theoretical ways as well as in real practice. The reflection of my progress has shown the significant quality improvement, through those process, either for my team and myself have been further positive impacts subse-quent to our behaviour.

References

Swann, Cal. “Action Research and the Practice of Design .” Massachusetts Institute of Tech-nology , 2002: 49-61.

Winter, Richard. Learning from Experience. East Sussex: The Falmer Press, 1989.

Ian McGill, Anne Brockbank. The Action Learning. London and Newyork: RoutledgeFalmer, 2004.