Changing lives and transforming cultures using living educational theory and action research

This research is focused on the evidence that shows individual practitioner researchers are changing their own lives as they seek to improve their professional practice by living their own unique constellations of values of human flourishing as fully as possible. It includes the evidence of contributions to academic cultural transformations in bringing evidence and values-based explanatory principles and standards of judgement into Universities around the world through the legitimation of the living-educational-theories of individual practitioner-researchers. These are the explanations of educational influences in the learning of individuals in their own learning, in the learning of others and in the learning of the social formations within which the practice is located. The research includes an analysis of the transformations in the lives of individuals and their social contexts as living educational-theories are shared in the Educational Journal of Living Theories from a broad range of practitioner researchers working in diverse contexts such as South Africa, the UK, Republic of Ireland, Nepal, India, Pakistan, the USA, Australia, China, the Philippines, Hawaii and South America. The research will be analysed in terms of its contribution to the conference sub-themes of: Community action and activism; Knowledge ecologies and knowledge democratisation; Improving practice in the face of adversity and pandemics; Including diverse voices and perspectives; Social Justice and equity; Educational and educative change; Critical pedagogies; Social cohesion; Methodological rigour and innovation. Particular attention will be paid to issues of colonisation and decolonisation in changing lives and transforming cultures with relationally dynamic values of human flourishing including, freedom, justice, care, love, respect and democracy