Exploring the Contribution of Action Learning to Transdisciplinary Research

Coghlan, David and Coughlan, Paul and O'Leary, Denise and Rigg, Clare and Powell, Daryl and Saabye, Henrik (2025) Exploring the Contribution of Action Learning to Transdisciplinary Research. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. ISSN 0021-8863

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Abstract

Action learning has a rich heritage in management development and organizational learning. Its practices, in which groups of peers engage in questioning and reflection on actions to address problems, may be brought to a transdisciplinary research initiative, thereby creating a forum and process for members of transdisciplinary groups to work together. Transdisciplinary research through action learning is a candidate response to substantive problems for which no single disciplinary solution exist. In this paper, we make the case that the process of action learning facilitates the enactment of transdisciplinary research. Further, noting that enacting TDR is itself also a problem, we contend that engaging the co-researchers as an action learning set can lead to co-directing, co-developing and co-deploying resources to address the substantive problem.