Not everyone finds goals easy to select or focus on, despite escalating evidence of their importance in education. This book offers a simple action research approach to goal pursuit, favoring depth, informed decision making, and an improvement orientation. It presents practical, yet academically informed, ideas, and has real case study examples.

The Evaluative Study of Action Research presents all eight published papers as part of the six-year, global, Evaluative Study of Action Research (ESAR) in one volume. The study sought to enhance the academic rigour of Action Research (AR) and provide greater evidence of its impact. This research contained in this book shows, in a cohesive way, how the ESAR exemplifies original research incorporating new methodologies to create new knowledge. An Evaluative AR framework and indicators were created for initial qualitative data collection with six initial case studies using interviews, survey, documentary analysis, and Goal Attainment Scaling methods. The initial study was followed by a large-scale mixed method survey with 174 projects from across the globe. Almost all projects exhibited positive elements linked to AR precursors (focus clarification, stakeholder engagement, funding), processes (phased, planned yet flexible activity, data collection and analysis, ongoing collaboration and leadership), and outcomes/impacts (change, knowledge mobilisation and continuing action). The results of the ESAR, elaborated in this volume, offer important indications for how to create the sort of respectful engagement that is required for collective strength in solution based, innovative, change. This book will be a valuable resource for: action researchers throughout the world; postgraduate research students, academics and libraries; evaluators; and anyone in communities who wishes to know how to create sustainable change.

The Evaluative Study of Action Research presents all eight published papers as part of the six-year, global, Evaluative Study of Action Research (ESAR) in one volume. The study sought to enhance the academic rigour of Action Research (AR) and provide greater evidence of its impact. This research contained in this book shows, in a cohesive way, how the ESAR exemplifies original research incorporating new methodologies to create new knowledge. An Evaluative AR framework and indicators were created for initial qualitative data collection with six initial case studies using interviews, survey, documentary analysis, and Goal Attainment Scaling methods. The initial study was followed by a large-scale mixed method survey with 174 projects from across the globe. Almost all projects exhibited positive elements linked to AR precursors (focus clarification, stakeholder engagement, funding), processes (phased, planned yet flexible activity, data collection and analysis, ongoing collaboration and leadership), and outcomes/impacts (change, knowledge mobilisation and continuing action). The results of the ESAR, elaborated in this volume, offer important indications for how to create the sort of respectful engagement that is required for collective strength in solution based, innovative, change. This book will be a valuable resource for: action researchers throughout the world; postgraduate research students, academics and libraries; evaluators; and anyone in communities who wishes to know how to create sustainable change.

This book outlines a highly practical integrated approach to leader support which has been widely utilised across multiple sectors. In addition to outlining the varied modalities of one-to-one support (counselling, supervision, coaching and mentoring), it challenges the notion that such approaches alone can provide the individual with the confidential support which leaders need. Instead, the book offers an action research based 'Leadership Inquiry Support' (LIS) model which holistically integrates multiple modalities of support alongside a strong developmental process. Central to this model is dedication to authentic collaboration in the support relationship. Detail is also provided on how to create such a relationship in non-controlling, non-avoiding, dialogical ways. Furthermore, this text explores a number of tricky issues, including how those facilitating LIS gain support for themselves and keep themselves safe, the evaluation of LIS, and consideration of ethical, cultural and context variables. This is not a 'quick-fix' solution book, but rather a deep and holistic exploration of implementation strategies for LIS backed up by research and real-world, practical experience.