Phase I—Engagement with others

Goal

"I have facilitated new avenues of classroom, workplace, and public participation."

Background

By moving your research and writing moves towards completion (Phase H), you have established an invaluable basis for further engagement, that is taking action to change your work, life, or wider social arrangements and building relationships with others in such action. In short, for action that combines head, heart, hands, and human connections. (Of course, the opportunity to reach out to others based on what you have been learning may arise at any time during your project. This phase is inserted here because with the end of writing in sight, you may be ready to pay more attention to outreach.)

Processes

Pilot run of activities and other group processes,

• commented on/evaluated by participants, and
• revised in light of evaluation (such as plus-delta feedback).

Plan for future development of activities or group processes.
Plan future written and spoken presentations.
Explore avenues of public participation.
Define proposals for (further) engagement and action.

Follow up

The processes for Phase I are listed above without any elaboration, with the intention of reminding you of possibilities to start exploring even when your research and writing are not yet complete. A systematic framework to keep attention on engagement at every step of your research is provided by the cycles and epicycles of Action Research.

All Phases | Next: Phase J--Taking Stock