Calling all researchers
The fields of the arts, mathematics, and natural, social and applied sciences have relevant and significant yet-to-be-made contributions to a deeper understanding and wider recognition of Moshe’s method. To reach out to and connect with potential participants in this worthwhile endeavor, the Research Working Group (RWG) of the International Feldenkrais® Federation — the umbrella group of national professional groups and guilds the world over — has created the IFF Research Working Group Questionnaire.
The goals of the Research Working Group are to:
- Promote research into the Feldenkrais Method®.
- Encourage the engagement of the Feldenkrais professional community with academic research.
- Gain recognition that the method offers a model of learning and development that can impact many academic disciplines.
To these ends, the group actively supports outcomes-oriented research and basic research concerning the practice of our method. They plan to make this happen by facilitating interdisciplinary networking between Feldenkrais teachers and academic researchers, providing teacher-researchers with information and support, doing fundraising, publishing research news and findings, and sponsoring online and live seminars as well as conferences.
To reach these goals, RWG needs to create an overview of education, specialties, and depth of study of academically trained teachers interested in and available to participate. By responding to the questionnaire, potential contributors can identify themselves so that the group can then connect with individuals while, simultaneously, developing an overview of who is able, ready, and willing to participate in advancing research about the FM).
Are you someone who has academic or research training? Have you conducted or participated in research in the past? Are you currently engaged in experimentation or inquiry? Would you be interested in designing, conducting, contributing to, reviewing, or otherwise being a part of this much-needed project?
If so, the questionnaire is the way for you and other Feldenkrais teachers to let the working group know what skills, knowledge, experience, and interest you have in participating in research about the method. The group requests that if you have an academic degree, but have doubts about whether your training would be relevant for research, you kindly complete the survey anyway. It will only take 10 minutes.
Once RWG has collected this information, they will be connecting with the Feldenkrais teachers around the world to activate an international, interactive network, one that will facilitate the production of contemporary and meaningful investigation, analysis, and publication.
Whether you can contribute or not, to see the wonderful work the working group has done, please check out the past issues of the IFF Research Journal. If you have questions about the working group, the questionnaire, or their plans, please contact Roger Russell, who is spearheading the project, by sending him an email here.
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Outcomes-oriented research? Evidence-based Feldenkrais? Are we trying to legitimize the Method as a form of diagnosis/protocol-driven therapy? Speaking as a PT, I I propose eliminating this aspect of research entirely.
As for the rest of it, bring on the science! Maybe some day we’ll actually grasp what neurons have to do with consciousness.
Hello Sandi –
Dang. You come out with your guns blazing, don’t you?
1) Please put that pistol down. You’re shooting at the messenger.
2) If you want to dialog with the folks putting this together, please contact Roger Russell. His email is in the blog
3} How about giving our colleagues more credit? The benefit of the doubt? Have you checked out the past issues of the IFF Research Journal?
I think it is a genious idea to mobilize the feldenkrais world for this. That is what we need! To get more attention in public for the benefits of the method, to establish feldenkrais as well as a professional method, to show its potential and contribution for so many other diciplines which work with the same aspects but sometimes by far less efficient, and at the end to attract more students and students who want to do the programme to learn a wonderful profession but with which they also have a chance in the present professional world.
Thanks Larry for your strong contribution in this topic 🙂
Thanks, Wibke!
My favorite word in what you wrote is “we.”
I’m with you. We need an idea that mobilizes us, that lets people know what we have to offer, clearly, simply, in a way that makes it both evident and inviting.
Onward.
Together?
If we care about coordination and effective action, isn’t what can happen between us as important as what we can do ourselves, on our own? Don’t know about you, but I think we’re better together. This seems like an unspoken premise of Moshe’s method, that together we find a better way.
One thing’s for sure: I’ve been looking forward to doing something with you for a long time!