AN ACTION SCIENCE APPROACH TO CREATING AND SUSTAINING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES AS A VEHICLE FOR COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL REFORM

Abstract

Public education in the United States is in crisis. Far too many children are failing to achieve minimal standards in reading, writing and mathematics. New federal legislation seeks to correct this situation by legislative fiat that is backed with severe sanctions for schools and districts that fail to improve. This situation offers a unique opportunity for adult educators to play a critical role in helping public schools meet this challenge. The strategy is to focus on the learning and professional development of the adults within the system—principals, teachers, staff, parents and community partners. This paper summarizes an action research/intervention project with several Milwaukee public schools that are attempting comprehensive school reform. The research strategy employs action science theory and tools of inquiry to document interpersonal dynamics at the individual, group and organizational level that either inhibit or promote the creation of a learning culture within the school. The intervention strategy is to organize and facilitate a series of participatory action research (PAR) initiatives aimed at implementing the components of the school’s reform initiative. The combined action research/intervention project explores whether action learning technologies like PAR coupled with action science inquiry can make a significant contribution to transforming schools into learning organizations that are capable of embracing all children.