Beyond you and me: stories for collective action and learning? Perspectives from an action research project

Abstract

This paper explores the combination of storytelling and reflective action research as a means to effect change and learning within and across communities and organizations. Taking the complex challenge of ‘pro-environmental behaviour change’ as an example, the paper reflects on the experiences of a pilot project run for the UK government that took place over two years with five community groups in rural England. The research question centred on how the stories of ‘older’ (aged 50+) community advocates might be amplified and inspire wider change via a systemic action research approach. This paper describes the project and shares insights into how behaviour change might occur in this action-based learning context challenging more Newtonian conceptualizations of change. Some of the methodological and practice challenges and conundrums that arose are discussed including authenticity, ownership and ethical issues of voice and ownership. Parallels and distinctions between story-based action research and action learning are identified and the role of narrative in inducing action is considered. The paper concludes by reflecting on future directions and the overall potential there is for ‘narrative action learning’ to address those wicked systemic problems that transcend organizational boundaries and that are faced by real people in our communities and society as a whole.

Keywords:

• digital storytelling
• action research
• learning history
• behaviour change
• narrative

Acknowledgement

I would like to gratefully acknowledge my co-researchers Michelle Williams, Paul Pivcevic and the wider research team at the University of Bath and the University of Glamorgan who were involved in the digital storytelling pilot project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Supplemental data

The underlying video research materials for this article can be accessed at http://www.vimeo.com/album/1469229. Supplemental data for this article can be accessed http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14767333.2015.1005572.

Notes on contributor

Dr Margaret Gearty is founding director of the action research consultancy New Histories, a fellow of the Ashridge Centre for Action Research (ACAR) and a member of faculty for the professional doctorate at Ashridge Business School. Her interest lies in how systemic change for a sustainable future might be stimulated through storytelling, participation and applied theories of transition and change. Margaret’s Ph.D. in 2009 at the University of Bath explored how learning from low-carbon innovations might be accelerated via an approach called open-system learning history. Since then Margaret has gone on to develop a range of narrative-based approaches to learning at the individual, organizational and institutional level and has explored these in written articles as well as in practice with a number of large-scale action research projects. Her work focuses on systemic issues such as healthy food standards in schools, pro-environmental behaviour change, low-carbon energy and green growth. She combines these macro-interests with an ongoing exploration of action research as craft and the micro-practices and skills involved.

Notes

1. A much loved children's storybook train character who is a train engine.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) [grant number EVO522].