Invitation - The beginning

This was the start of U:SOAR

14 August 2006

Dear Colleagues
An Interest Group (IG) was formed following on the workshop on action learning and action research that was presented by Professors McNiff and Whitehead in February/March 2006.

The group is known as the U:SOAR group:
U: each individual member
S: sharing
O: our
A: action
R: research (experiences)

As a whole, the acronym suggests that one goes higher (i.e. "soars" in knowledge and interest) each time one takes up a seat at the Monday afternoon "reflective space" discussions.

After our second get-together, we decided to manage the IG in a journal-club style. As "coordinator" of the IG, I took the first turn at our last meeting on 31 July by discussing the inter-dependency between action learning and action research and also the reason why action enquiry is a good umbrella term to use for referring to the myriad of strategies, methods and techniques embraced by ALAR.

At our next meeting on 4 September, Professor Annette Wilkinson from SOSHO will speak on the different ALAR models that may be employed to structure action research projects.

Professor Yvonne Bothma has indicated that she would wish to speak on validity and reliability issues in AR at one of our future meetings. Others who have already volunteerd to speak, are Dr Arlys van Wyk (Dept. English) and Dr Hesta Friedrich-Nel (School of Health Technology, CUT).

With the expert help of Mr Alwyn Hugo, a website for U:SOAR is also on the cards.

Hereby I wish to extend an invitation to all academic staff members in the Faculty of Health Sciences to join the U:SOAR IG. Bring your coffee mug and come and join us!
When: Monday, 4 September at 16h30
Where: Seminar Room A112, Division of Student Learning Development, Faculty of Health Sciences.

Looking forward to seeing you.
ADRI BEYLEFELD

Minutes 7 March 2007

VERSLAG: U:SOAR
Maandag, 7 Maart 2007

1. Teenwoordig:

Alwyn Hugo
Ilse Seale
Arlys van Wyk
Adri Beylefeld

2. Besluite:

Verbetering van bywoning deur:
Op ‘n proefbasis die etensuur (13h00 – 14h00), eerder as halfvyf as bymekaarkomtyd in te ruim
Elke deelnemer ten minste een ander persoon saambring na volgende vergadering

Items vir volgende bymekaarkomsessies:
Boekoorsig: McNiff & Whitehead (2006) All you need to know about action research – Adri Beylefeld, 7 Mei 2007
Me. July McKenzie sal genooi word om die boekbespreking by die daaropvolgende sessie te doen

Volgende bymekaarkomsessie:
Datum en tyd: Maandag, 7 Mei om 13h00
Plek: Traümerai, Thakaneng Brug (moontlikheid sal ondersoek word)

Program:
Bekendstelling van ‘n eie webblad vir Belangegroep –
Alwyn Hugo
Boekbespreking – Adri Beylefeld

Frekwensie van bymekaarkomgeleenthede:
Daar sal gepoog word om twee keer per kwartaal te vergader
In beide die eerste en tweede kwartale van 2007 sal daar egter net een geleentheid per kwartaal kan plaasvind (1ste kwartaal: Maandag, 5 Maart; 2de kwartaal: Maandag, 7 Mei)
Terugvoer aan Ina Louw insake die totstandkoming van ‘n ALAR-netwerk in SA

Naam:
NALARZA = Network for Action Learning and Action Research in South Africa

Funksionering van die Bloemfontein-UV-SUT sel:
"Kingpin" – Adri Beylefeld
Indian: geldsake – Ilse Seale
Indian: sekretariaat/nuusbrief-items – Arlys van Wyk
Indian: bemarking – Alwyn Hugo
Kommunikasie met sentrale groep:
Adri Beylefeld, wat tans belangegroep koordineer, sal as segspersoon van die Bloemfontein-UV-SUT-sel met die sentrale groep kommunikeer
Loodsing van die Netwerk in April 2007
Afhangend van die datum en registrasiefooi, sal Alwyn Hugo die Bloemfontein-UV-SUT-sel by die geleentheid verteenwoordig

Verslag saamgestel deur:
A.A. Beylefeld
05-03-2007