Part C: Meta Investigation: Analysis of Qualitative Interviews in our Assessment of the Action Research Engagement (ARE) Framework in Change Initiatives.

Niels Agger-Gupta and Wendy Rowe received Research and Professional Development funds to continue their research on supporting mid-career MA-Leadership students.

Funding is sought to allow further data analysis and writing on the previously funded evaluation of the Action Research Engagement (ARE) framework (Rowe et al, 2013). The ARE framework supports mid-career MA-Leadership masters students in their capstone process of creating positive change with a real organization, an undertaking with all the hallmarks of complexity. Earlier funding support allowed Wendy and me to identify the influence of the ARE model in 51 MAL theses in the VIURR thesis database, identifying what worked and, as much as possible, what did not, in their use of the ARE model, and was reported at the October 2021 ILA conference. In late 2021 and up to March 31, 2022, we were able to engage Laurie Barnas, a graduate of the MA-Leadership Program, as a researcher to move our process along. An expert user of Atlas.ti qualitative data analysis software, Laurie interviewed 12 thesis alums and began qualitative analysis of the interview data. This project concludes the interviews and the qualitative analysis process. We intend on creating at least one journal article as well as a report on the ARE evaluation, and an ILA presentation to conclude this evaluation.