Practice Research – a new winning concept with old and solid roots

1. Practice Research – a new winning concept with old and solid roots Ilse Julkunen Helsinki University Växjö University

2. Introduction to the theme • What is practice research specific, what are the critical elements? • Why practice research right now? • And what are the old and solid roots?

3. The phenomenon: practice research Practice based research is the use of research inspired principles, designs och data collection methods in practice to be able to answer questions that derive from practice and to be able to answer in such a way that it informs the practice (Epstein2001: Mining for silver while dreaming of gold: Clinical data-mining in practice-based research)

4. There is a diversity of terminology, many authors place the practitioner (particularly UK, Sweden, Denmark) at the centre, but they still define limits • Practice research does not entail any particular method or strategy of research (McCrystal 2000) • Key components? : change, collaboration, focus on vulnerable , theoretical understanding, dissemination, the role of researcher (Pain 2008, literature review) • But no emphasis on empowerment or social capital?

5. The core? An open discussion The concept of practice (research) is an assemblage comprising a variety of processes (Alexander Styhre, Göteborg universitet) 1) Problem-solving is connected to social practices 2) The research process is characterized by its orientation to change, that is to say that the function of research is to find different ways and answers to develop the practices. 3) The research is conducted in an interactive manner with many different parties involved in the research process. 4) The roles of the researcher and the practitioner overlap and the researcher is both the subject and the object. 5) The production and implementation of knowledge overlap.

6. The virtue of having method-driven, objective, systematically produced general knowledge becomes a vice when we are led to mistakenly believe that such knowledge is sovereign with respect to practice. (Thomas A Scwandt 2002, 198: Evaluation practice reconsidered)

7. The main aim is to create scientific knowledge that has practical value • Another aim is to generate practical knowledge through empirical studies on a local level Cf Göran Goldkuhl, Linköping university (What does it mean to serve the citizens in e-services?)

8. The Finnish concept 1) Research, which problem formulation and themes are closely related to social work practice (applied research, basic research, transdisciplinary?) 2) Reflective relation and redefining dimension 3) Methodological innovation between different actors and reserachers 4) Aims at shared knowledge and shared knowledge production 5) Special focus on individual circumstances of disadvantage (Satka & Karvinen-Niinikoski et al 2005: Sosiaalityön käytäntötutkimus)

9. The status of practice research Practice as a concept gained new interest within sociology, organisation research, technology and pedagogy at the end of 1990s Some talk about the practice turn in the social sciences (Schatzki & Knorr-Cetina & Savigny 2001) Traditionally, practice has been in the core of ethographical and antropological studies, also in evaluation Now there is interest in a more integrative concept that could assemble a variety of methodologies and research processes with a focus on practice

10. and the old and solid roots?

11. John Dewey´s practical inquiry • John Dewey’s ”pattern of inquiry” (1938); It is based on a pragmatic paradigm that sees commonsense as well as scientific knowledge as means to improve human practices. It emphasises that the scientific goal is to create knowledge of the practical that is practical to the practical.

12. Mead’s practice model 1. Trying to work out the possibilities of acting – reflection and hypotheses 2. Descriptions of practice – in order to achieve patterns 3. Interventions in practice 4. Evaluation

13. Back to Basics: Pragmatism Created and developed at the same time and same place as the fundamental elements of social work tradition Both have roots in the beginning of the 20th century Chicago Human being in the particular situation Priority to practice in the knowledge production. Proof-testing by praxis, critical reflections

14. To do research is a practical activity • Even though the practice is uncertain, chaotic and changing, it is still the reality where we must solve central problems that appear. • The process is analogical whether we talk about everyday activities or research. In both situations it is a question of problemsolvingprocesses. • It is time to raise the value of the practical needs in knowledge production said John Dewey already in 1929

15. Edith Abbott and Sophonisba Breckinridge emphasized in the work of the Hull House –settlement in 1920’s Chicago that social workers hold significant scientific abilities and that the research should not be solely conducted by the social scientists (see further Shaw & Bryderup 2008).

16. Critical stepping stones-co-development 1. Conceptualising – making sense of the complexities of practice 2. Pattern descriptions of practice 3. Normative assesments, what are the ethical criterias? 4. What are the hypotheses and program theories, what do we assume? 5. Analytical principles

17. and more concretely • At the current stage the demand for making social work visible is largely accepted. • To reform the practices entails an understanding of what takes place in the practice field. • When the practices are verbalized, they present themselves for critical reflection. • Is it already a step to the direction of creating theory when you find nearly right words?

18. References Dewey, J (1922) Human Nature and Conduct: An Introduction to Social Psychology. Henry Holt, New York. Dewey, J (1929) The Quest for Certainty. A Study of the Relations of Knowledge and Action Grey, M, Lovat T (2008) Practical mysticism, Habermas and social work praxis. Journal of Social Work 8; 149 Habermas, Jürgen (1987) The Theory of Communicative Action. Vol 2. Life World and System: A Critique of Functionalist Reason. Cambridge: Polity Press. Kilpinen, E, Kivinen, O, Pihlström, S (2008) Pragmatismi filosofiassa ja yhteiskuntatatieteissä. Gaudeamus, Helsinki Mead, G (1938) Philosophy of the Present, University of Chicago. Pain, Helen (2008) Practice research literature review, draft Schatzki, T R, Knorr-Cetina, K, Savigny E (2001) The practice turn in contemporary theory. Routledge, London and New York. Strauss, A L (1993) Continual Permutations of action. Aldine Transaction, New Brunswick and London. Styhre, A (2003) Book review: Schatzki et al The practice turn.. Scandinavian Journal of Management 19 (2003); 395-398. Thomas, N, O,Kane C (2000) Discovering what children think: Connections between research and practice. British Journal of Social Work 30 (6); 819-835.