Co-operative Inquiry
= A form of Participatory Inquiry, reflecting the Participatory Turn in Research
Description
David Hiles:
"Co-operative inquiry is Heron’s basic research tool for a participatory inquiry paradigm. “In co-operative inquiry the exclusive roles [. . of researcher and subject] are replaced by a co-operative relationship of bilateral initiative and control, so that all those involved work together as co-researchers and as co-subjects”. . “This is not research on people, but research with people” (Heron, 1998, p. 234).
“Co-operative inquiry . . involves two or more people researching a topic through their experience of it, using a series of cycles in which they move between this experience and reflecting together on it” (Heron, 1998, p. 235).
This participatory approach to research, adapts the action research model, involving repeated cycling through four steps:
- Step 1: Agreeing, planning and devising a focus of inquiry
- Step 2: Action phase – observing and recording experiences
- Step 3: Reflection – immersion engagement with experience
- Step 4: Evaluation – sharing, reframing, validating, for the next cycle."
Source
- Participatory Perspectives on Counselling Research. By DAVID HILES: Summary of paper presented at NCCR Conference, Newport, November 22, 2008.