Keynote
Julia Wittmayer, Associate Professor, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB)
13th November, 16:30 - 17:30
Transform or Be Transformed: The Ethics and Institutionalisation of Action Research
· Watch Keynote from Julia Wittmayer: Action Research for Sustainability
Transformative research—spanning action, transdisciplinary, and participatory approaches—aims to challenge dominant structures and support just sustainability transitions through collaboration with society. Yet, it also raises fundamental ethical and institutional questions that current academic norms are ill-equipped to address. This keynote explores two intertwined challenges: how researchers navigate ethical dilemmas in practice, and how universities can better support transformative research.
Ethical questions routinely emerge: What is worth researching? Whose knowledge is recognised? How should researchers act responsibly in uncertain and contested contexts? Drawing on collaborative autoethnographic work, I share personal and collective experiences that show how ethics in transformative research cannot rely solely on formal guidelines, but must be cultivated as situated, reflexive, and relational practice. The keynote also reflects on the institutionalisation of transformative research within the academic system. Using Erasmus University as an example, I share and discuss the opportunities and tensions involved in institutionalising transformative research amid persistent disciplinary norms and traditional research metrics.
If academia is to meet the growing societal demand for relevance, justice, and impact, it must itself undergo transformation. This talk invites critical reflection on what it takes—ethically, politically, and institutionally—to enable transformative research to thrive.
Biography
Associate Professor, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB) | Senior Researcher, DRIFT
Dr. Julia Wittmayer is a leading scholar in sustainability transitions, with a strong focus on social innovation, governance, and the role of values and narratives in shaping societal change. As an Associate Professor at Erasmus University and a senior researcher at DRIFT, she combines academic insight with hands-on policy advice, working with local and national governments across Europe, to explore how societies navigate complex sustainability challenges.
With a background in Social and Cultural Anthropology and a PhD in Social Sciences, she has led and contributed to numerous EU-funded projects, including TRANSIT, SONNET, and JustWind4All, examining the social dimensions of energy transitions, citizen science, and transition management. Her expertise extends to transdisciplinary research and transition management, particularly in Europe.
Her keynote will offer insights into the role of social innovation in sustainability transitions, drawing from interdisciplinary research and practical applications.
Keynote
Dr. Mohammed Anwar Shaheen, Director of Rural Development Center, Heliopolis University: “Digitalization, social justice and transforming societies”
14th November, 17:30 – 18:30
Women's empowerment in rural Egypt, drawing on the "13 Villages Initiatives”
The speech will focus on the threads of women's empowerment and the transformative approach of participatory action research in the 13 Villages Initiative. This initiative stands as a testament to the profound impact of empowering women, not only as beneficiaries, but as active agents of change within their own families and communities.
The 13 Villages Initiative is more than just a project; it is living example of participatory action research in action. We didn't arrive with pre-packaged solutions to develop this area in the Egyptian countryside. Instead, we embarked on a journey of collaborative discovery, working with the women of these villages to identify their unique needs and co-create applicable solutions.
- Participatory Design and Implementation:
Ø Take the 'saving and lending boxes' for instance. These weren't imposed; they emerged from women's expressed need for financial autonomy. We facilitated the process, but the women themselves designed the systems, managed the funds, and ensured their sustainability.
Ø Our vocational training programs were similarly tailored. Before launching any training, we engaged in in-depth dialogues, understanding the skills that would genuinely empower women in their local contexts. Whether it was organic agriculture, enabling women to increase their income, or integrative health programs, the women were involved in the design and delivery of the training.
- The Whole Family Approach - Multiplier Effects and Action Research:
Ø Participatory action research recognizes the interconnectedness of families and communities. When women are empowered, the entire family benefits. We've seen improvements in child health, education, and nutrition, as women invest their newfound resources in their families' well-being.
Ø We used a whole family survey, and documented the changes in the family unit, after the women became empowered. This data was then used to improve the program.
- Stories of Transformation - Action in Reflection:
Ø The speech will showcase some of the individual journeys of women who have benefited from the initiatives.
Ø These stories would illustrate how women have gained financial independence, increased their decision-making power within their families and communities, and improved their overall well-being.
Ø We documented these stories and considered them as valuable data. We reflected on the common threads, the challenges overcome, and the lessons learned, using this information to refine our approaches.
Ø These stories are not just a one-time thing. We continue to monitor the women's progress, and adjust the programs as needed.
- Addressing Challenges - Collective Problem-Solving:
Ø We acknowledge the continuous challenges in the 13 villages: limited access to quality education, healthcare, and deeply rooted poverty obstacles. However, participatory action research provided a framework for addressing these obstacles collectively.
Ø We continuously reflect on these challenges that hindered the women, and worked with the community to provide solutions that were acceptable within the community.
The 13 Villages Initiatives are a testament to the power of participatory action research. It's a process of learning, adapting, and growing together, ensuring that our interventions are not only effective but also sustainable and empowering.
Keynote:
Allan Feldman, Professor Emeritus of Science Education at the University of South Florida
15th November, 13:30 – 14:30
"Long and Serious Conversations to Build Trust in Online Action Research Settings"
My conception of action research has always been guided by the words of Rufus Jones, an American Quaker activist and one of founders of the American Friends Service Committee. He wrote, “I pin my hopes to quiet processes and small circles in which vital and transforming events take place.” As I’ve engaged with others in action research, it has always been collaborative. Collaborative in the sense of peers working with one another to improve their practice and to gain a better understanding of their practice situation. Even when I’ve facilitated large groups of teachers engaged in action research or taught action research courses, much of it has happened in groups of 3-5 (e.g., Feldman, 1996; Feldman, 1998; Feldman et al., 1998). More recently my co-authors and I laid this out in a process that we call dialogic-collaborative action research (D-CAR) (Feldman & Alsultan, 2022; Feldman et al., 2023). A major factor in the success of these small, collaborative groups is the trust that develops through time spent in long and serious conversation in each other’s presence (Feldman, 1999). Recently I’ve begun to explore whether this type of being together can be constructed in a virtual environment. In this keynote I will report on what we’ve learned from engaging teachers in action research in online settings (Alsultan, 2021; Feldman & Alsultan, 2023). In addition, I will provide some insight into the use of AI in analyzing qualitative research.
Alsultan, J. (2021). Saudi High School Science Teachers' Perceptions towards the Integration of Digital Game-Based Learning into their Teaching Practice [Dissertation, University of South Florida]. Tampa, FL.
Feldman, A. (1996). Enhancing the practice of physics teachers: Mechanisms for the generation and sharing of knowledge and understanding in collaborative action research. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 33(5), 513-540. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-2736(199605)33:5<513::AID-TEA4>3.0.CO;2-U
Feldman, A. (1998). Implementing and assessing the power of conversation in the teaching of action research. Teacher education quarterly, 25(2), 27-42.
Feldman, A. (1999). The Role of Conversation in Collaborative Action Research. Educational Action Research, 7(1), 125-144.
Feldman, A., Alibrandi, M., Capifali, E., Floyd, D., Gabriel, J., Henriques, B., Lucey, J., & Mera, M. (1998). Looking at Ourselves Look at Ourselves: An Action Research Self-Study of Doctoral Students' Roles in Teacher Education Programs. Teacher education quarterly, 25(3), 5-28.
Feldman, A., & Alsultan, J. (2022). Self-Study of Dialogic Collaborative Educational Action Research in an Online Environment. SAGE Publications, Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529600520
Feldman, A., & Alsultan, J. (2023). Engaging science teachers virtually in dialogical collaborative action research to improve science teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Science Education, 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2023.2296533
Feldman, A., Alsultan, J., Laux, K., & Nation, M. (2023). Dialogic Collaborative Action Research in Science Education: Collaborative Conversations for Improving Science Teaching and Learning. Taylor & Francis.
