Multi-level negotiations in constructing an action research: A case study on the explicit and implicit negotiations between facilitators and practitioners

Abstract

This article explores the theme of negotiation between facilitators and practitioners in an action research project carried out within a collaborative European Project. The particular professional context of environmental education in Italy is described before moving on to describe the phases of the research. The article attempts to unpack the term ‘negotiation’ as central to any process that claims to be collaborative and thus asks to what extent ‘genuine’ collaboration was achieved. Through ‘second order’ action research, which Elliott defines as “the process of reflectively analysing [one's] experience as an action research facilitator”, the authors wanted to know whether they were achieving what they wanted, what kind of communication–and changes in communication–had taken place, and what kind of processes, techniques and understandings were helpful in accomplishing the multiple roles that as facilitators they had taken on. The article proposes two keywords–lightness and multiplicity–as guiding concepts to reflect upon whenever we are engaged in facilitating a participatory action-research. © 1998, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.