The research circle as a meeting place for researchers and practitioners
Year: 2010
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction. This paper discusses research circles as a method for competence development in the library field. Method. In a research circle practitioners and an academic researcher meet to study an issue or a problem together which they all find important. Research circle work is considered as a kind of action research. Analysis. In this project two circles were put to work in order to try the method in a library context and the practitioners conducted several small studies related to the general problem of the circle, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Results. The circle work gave opportunities to discuss library matters with colleagues from a distant perspective. It also generated important discussions about how to formulate workable research questions and how to choose the right methods in order to answer them. Furthermore, the results showed that the practitioners possessed knowledge of great importance for the circle's work. Conclusions. The research circle was a working method with great flexibility, with appeal to practitioners both with and without research experience. It also brings academic researchers and practitioners together and creates social networks based on the general problem of the circle.
Source: Information Research
Author: Kerstin Rydbeck
Language: English
Subfield: Library and Information Sciences
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W651422995