Communal-Photosynthesis Metaphor: Autobiographical Action-Research Journeys and Heuristic-Action-Learning Frameworks of Living Educational Theories

Samenvatting

This article provides a creative analysis of reflective thought processes grounded in the systemic thinking of an autobiographical account of action-research journeys from the context of action-learning experiences that led to the discovery of the communal-photosynthesis (CP) metaphor. Reflection on the action-learning and action-research (ALAR) experiences, as well as the means by which subsequent heuristic action-learning discoveries unravelled the usefulness of the CP metaphor to account for service-learning experiences, are explored. The CP metaphor usefulness is henceforth explored as a creative-reflective framework for the facilitation of collaborative inquiry in developing a living educational theory of the ALAR model. This article is thus a “creative-reflective methodology” of a participatory action research (PAR) framework for sense making that can account for people’s collective ALAR experiences. The usefulness of source domains of cyclical metaphors corresponding to the action-intention domains of PAR cycles is provided as a collaborative ALAR framework to foster knowledge production of living educational theories of practice.