Pathways for practitioners’ participation in creating the practice-research encounter

ABSTRACT

Several major evaluation reports agree that while we know much about interventions that are effective, little use is made of them to help achieve important outcomes for children, families, and adults. Practice-Research uses locally based research and/or evaluation in an attempt to fill this gap. Not understood as a specific research method, Practice-Research is intended as an evolving meeting point between practice and research, and a matter of negotiation between its stakeholders. Central importance is given to practitioners’ participation. The article will present and discuss three European experiences that realise Practice-Research in different ways. The aim of the article is to define and analyze differences and commonalities among the three experiences, in order to outline strategies for developing a fruitful encounter between practice and research. Particular emphasis is placed on interaction and discussion, providing opportunities for people to change and gain meaning through interacting, offering opportunities for practitioners to discuss and reflect on the practices and research results.

SOMMARIO

Diversi rapporti di valutazione evidenziano l’avanzamento delle conoscenze per quel che riguarda gli elementi che garantiscono l’efficacia degli interventi, ma scarso uso si sta facendo di essi per supportare il raggiungimento di risultati importanti per i bambini, le famiglie e gli adulti. La Practice-Research si basa su pratiche si ricerca e/o di valutazione svolte a livello locale nel tentativo di colmare questa lacuna. Essa non è intesa come uno specifico metodo di ricerca, ma come punto di incontro in costante evoluzione tra la pratica e la ricerca, e come una questione che riguarda la negoziazione tra i suoi partecipanti. Grande importanza è data alla partecipazione degli operatori. L’articolo presenta e discute tre esperienze europee che in diversi modi hanno realizzato l’incontro tra ricerca e pratica. Lo scopo dell’articolo è di definire e analizzare le differenze e gli elementi in comune tra le tre esperienze, al fine di delineare le strategie per un proficuo incontro tra pratica e ricerca. Particolare enfasi è posta SUL DIALOGO tra i partecipanti, come opportunità di cambiare e acquisire nuovi significati attraverso il confronto, anche offrendo l'opportunità di discutere e riflettere sulle pratiche e sui risultati della ricerca.

KEYWORDS:

• Practice/theory/methods
• practice-research
• participative research
• knowledge production

PAROLE CHIAVE:

• pratiche/teorie/metodi
• Practice-Research
• Ricerca partecipativa
• Creazione di conoscenza

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Sara Serbati, PhD in Social Pedagogy is Research Assistant in Social Pedagogy at the University of Padova, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Pedagogy and Applied Psychology (FISPPA). The major interest is related to participatory evaluation of social work practice, also intended as a learning path able to connect research, practice, and policy making. Sara is member of the organising committee of the Special Interest Group in Social Work Practice Research of ESWRA (European Social Work Research Association).

Anne Moe, PhD in social work is Associate Professor in Social Work at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Department of Social Work. The major interest is related to social work in contemporary society, with a particular emphasis on social work in welfare institutions, marginalisation processes and challenges to social work. Her applied research also concerns research-supported knowledge strategies in social work.

Gill Harold is a lecturer in the School of Applied Social Studies at University College Cork, Ireland. Her research interests focus on social identity and difference, related to questions of active citizenship and have been explored primarily in research with Deaf communities. Gill was a researcher on an Irish Research Council-funded project exploring the use of legal services by social workers and educational welfare professionals in Tusla, Ireland's Child and Family Agency.

Carmel Halton is Director of the Master of Social Work in UCC. She has presented her research on reflection, CPD, and social work education and practice at national and international conferences; American Educational Research Association (AERA), European Educational Research Association Conference (ECER), Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI) and European Conference on Social Work Research (ECSWR) and Irish Association of Social Work (IASW). More recently she was Principal Investigator on an Irish Research Council-funded project (SEALS).

ORCID

Sara Serbati http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8886-8941