Summary of the Practice of Co-Operative Inquiry: Research ´with´ Rather Than ´on´ People

Four phases of co-operative inquiry In phase 1 a group of researchers decide the focus of inquiry and develop a set of questions /propositions they wish to investigate. They plan a method for exploring the idea in action through practical experience. Finally they agree a set of procedures for gathering and recording data from the experience. (E. g. a diary or video) In phase 2 co-researchers become also co-subjects as they engage in actions agreed on. They observe and record the process and outcomes of their own but also other’s action and experience.

First they might just look what will happen to develop better understanding of experience. Later they might begin to try new forms of action. Phase 3 is touchstone of inquiry method. In this stage co-subjects become fully engaged with their action and experience. They may get rid of their preconceptions, develop openness to see things in a new way which might lead them in unpredicted action/creative insights. In phase 4 co-researchers assemble to share practical / experiental data and consider their original ideas in light of it. They might reframe/develop ideas further or reject / propose new ideas.

For next cycle they might focus on same or different aspects of inquiry. Due to the experiences inquiry procedures may be changed: forms of action, data gathering. The validity of their findings can be enhanced through repeat cycling. Six to ten cycles may take place. Different forms of co-operative inquiry * Same role inquiry: Co-inquirers have all the same role (e. g. doctor) and they research the aspects of their practises within that role. * Counterpartal role inquiry: Co-inquirers include e. g. doctors and patients. Inquiry is about their practitioner-client relationship and what it is trying to achieve. Mixed role inquiry: Including different kinds of practitioners. E. g. if they don’t work together they might research similarities/differences in their practices.

* Outside inquiry: Research on what is going on with group members’ lives outside the group meetings (e. g. in working life). Observations gone through in inquiry group. * Closed boundary inquiry: Concerned only with what is going on between researchers * Open boundary inquiry: Interaction between the researchers and the wider world included as part of action phases of the inquiry Co-operative inquiry cultures Apollonian inquiry: Reflection phases are used to reflect data from previous and apply it to planning the next action phase. * Dionysian inquiry: In reflection phases members share views of what was going on in previous action phase which will emerge in next action phase as creative response.

Ways of knowing In co-operative inquiry knowing will be more valid if the four ways are similar with each other: * Experiential: face-to-face encounter, knowing through perceiving/empathy/resonance * Presentational: emerge from experiential knowing, express meaning & significance through expressive forms e. . movement, drama * Propositional: knowing “about” something through ideas/theories, expressed in informative statements * Practical: knowing “how to” do something, expressed in a skill/competence Inquiry skills and validity procedures Inquiry skills which can be part of co-operative inquiry include: being present and open, bracketing and reframing, radical practice and congruence, non-attachment and meta- intentionality and emotional competence.

Validity procedures include: research cycling (several times), divergence and convergence (to look same/different issues), authentic collaboration, challenging consensus collusion (role of devil’s advocate), managing distress (emotional openness, healing time), reflection and action (finding balance) and chaos and order (mental set allowing this interdependence). Words and questions Critical subjectivity: Don’t need to get rid of personal knowledge in search of objectivity but rather build on it and develop it. Extended epistemology = Radical epistemology: Involves the four different ways of knowing.

Theory of how we know extended as it reaches beyond theoretical, propositional knowing. Informative inquiry = Descriptive/explanatory: Primary outcomes presentational/propositional, secondary skills involved Transformative inquiry = Practical: Primary outcomes practical knowing, skills acquired situational changes /transformations of personal being. Secondary outcomes are propositions/presentations. Explain the different phases of co-operative inquiry. What is the purpose of co-operative inquiry? Mention main features of co-operative inquiry.