Evaluating the Participatory Action Research Process

2017 ◽  
pp. 141-164
Author(s):  
Dumisani Ngwenya
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Participatory Action

Critical Participatory Action Research in a Rural Community Committed to Peacebuilding in Times of Crisis

2021 ◽  
pp. 199-218
Author(s):  
Lina Trigos-Carrillo ◽  
Laura Fonseca
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Rural Community ◽  
Communicative Action ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Community Research ◽  
Process Time ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Academic Communities ◽  
Critical Participatory Action Research

Conducting critical community research during the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unexpected challenges to academic communities. In this chapter, the authors analyze the obstacles faced in a Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) education project with a rural community of former guerrilla members in the Amazon piedmont in Colombia. After this analysis, the authors present four CPAR principles to support critical community work during difficult times. The authors argue that communicative action, horizontal community participation in all the stages of the research process, time commitment, and the leverage of other competing needs should be guaranteed and maintained during times of crisis. CPAR offers opportunities to advocate better conditions for the most affected communities in moments of increasing inequality.

scholarly journals Reflections From Co-Researchers With Intellectual Disability: Benefits to Inclusion in a Research Study Team

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 251-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brittany St. John ◽  
Iulia Mihaila ◽  
Katelyn Dorrance ◽  
Leann Smith DaWalt ◽  
Karla K. Ausderau
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Research Participation ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Research Staff ◽  
Study Team ◽  
Academic Faculty ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Participatory action research methodologies may empower and protect marginalized individuals; however, they remain underutilized. Limited studies have investigated the impact of participatory action research, specifically on individuals with intellectual disability (ID). This study examines (1) the perspectives of co-researchers with ID on their involvement in the research process and (2) the feasibility of their inclusion based on perspectives of research staff (academic faculty and graduate students without ID). Three co-researchers with ID were interviewed regarding their research participation. Thematic analysis of interviews identified four themes: (1) Shared Experience of Disability, (2) Teaching and Guidance, (3) Acquisition of Skills and Knowledge, and (4) Value of Participation. Research staff reviewed field notes and identified benefits and challenges to feasibility of including co-researchers with ID. Inclusion of co-researchers with ID was found to be both meaningful and feasible.

A participatory action research process with a rural Indigenous men's group: monitoring and reinforcing change

2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Komla Tsey ◽  
Mark Wenitong ◽  
Janya McCalman ◽  
Mary Whiteside ◽  
Leslie Baird ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Community Action ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Group Leaders ◽  
Family Responsibilities ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
Health Group

Since 2001 a team of academic researchers and medical practitioners have been collaborating with Yarrabah Men?s Health Group leaders to implement a participatory action research (PAR) process designed to support the men to (in their own words) ?take their rightful place? in contemporary Australian society. The formative stages of the PAR process and progress over the first 12 months have been documented in previous papers in order to provide much needed direction for others interested in undertaking similar community action-oriented research (Tsey, Patterson, Whiteside, Baird, & Baird, 2002; Tsey et al., 2004). The present paper addresses the need for innovative evaluation methodologies to enable participants in the PAR process to monitor and reinforce the small improvement they are making towards achieving their goals, and to maintain their vision for the future. Participation in men?s group activities resulted in modest but significant change in the men?s personal development and growth and in their response to family responsibilities. Men had the opportunity to dialogue and reflect on their gender responsibilities such as housework, which constitutes a major source of conflict in the family. Several men also gained the confidence and motivation to stand for local government. The study highlights the value of demystifying and making research more relevant to people?s day-to-day living experiences.

scholarly journals A Modified Participatory Action Research Process To Enhance Utilization Of a Co-located Exercise Oncology Clinic

2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (Supplement) ◽  
pp. 240
Author(s):  
Mary A. Kennedy ◽  
Robert U. Newton ◽  
Sara Bayes ◽  
Dennis R. Taaffe ◽  
Nigel Spry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Exercise Oncology

scholarly journals Shifting Gears: Lessons Learnt From Critical, Collaborative, Self-Reflection on Community-Based Research

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lulza Olim de Sousa ◽  
Emerentia Antoinette Hay ◽  
Schalk Petrus Raath ◽  
Aubrey Albertino Fransman ◽  
Barend Wilhelm Richter
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Action Research Project ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Community Based Research ◽  
Self Reflection

This article reflects the learning of five researchers in higher education in South Africa who took part in a participatory action research project to educate teachers how to integrate climate change issues into their teaching and learning. It was the first time any of the researchers had used participatory action research. We are all from natural science backgrounds and now involved in education for sustainable development. We had been trained in more traditional, objective, and researcher-driven methodologies grounded in a positivist paradigm. The purpose of this article is to share our learning about the changes we had to make in our thinking and practices to align with a participatory paradigm. We used reflective diaries to record our journey through the action research cycles. A thematic analysis of our diaries was supplemented by recorded discussions between the researchers. The analysis revealed that, while it was challenging to begin thinking in a different paradigm, we came to appreciate the value of the action research process that enabled teachers to integrate climate change issues into their teaching in a participatory way. We also concluded that we require more development to be able to conduct participatory research in a manner true to its values and principles. The conclusions we came to through our collaborative reflections may be of value to other researchers from similar scientific backgrounds who wish to learn what shifts in paradigm, methods, and processes are needed to be able to conduct community-based research in a participatory way.

scholarly journals "Everybody knows by hearing but not by seeing": Exploring the use of photovoice to document challenges of some inter-provincial students at the University of Danang, Vietnam

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Duc Tran
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Research Process ◽  
University Administrators ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

<p>This research employed a Participatory Action Research methodology to work with minority inter-provincial students and unearth their lived experiences at the University of Danang in Vietnam. It focused on examining the undervaluation of inter-provincial students’ voices in the university’s policies – and to a wider extent, in most Vietnamese universities – by facilitating a process in which their challenges and ideas for change at university could be heard.  This research also sought to observe and analyse the influences of power dynamics within a Confucian-heritaged context on the participatory research process itself. Vietnam is believed to be a society in which hierarchical power takes its deepest roots due to the effects of Confucianism. By using Participatory Action Research with a variety of methods – photovoice, diagraming, group discussion, interviewing and exhibition – I sought to facilitate student voices and document some of the potential and constraints of the methodology within this cultural context.  The research involved eleven student participants and ten teacher participants over a period of six weeks. Data was collectively analysed and shared by student participants with invited teachers through an exhibition at the University of Danang. Throughout the process, I took extensive field notes of my observations and interactions with participants. Data analysis was then written and presented in this thesis based on what participants had provided. Key themes that this thesis explores are: (1) challenges that faced inter-provincial students, (2) the impact of Confucius hierarchical power on participants’ involvement and ownership in the research and (3) the role of language and emotion when undertaking Participatory Action Research in such a context.  The process generated clear evidence of the common challenges facing interprovincial students associated with limited finances, mentality/spirituality, and poor living conditions. From analysis of these challenges, the research provides recommendations for teachers, university administrators and policy-makers. These recommendations promote a more holistic pedagogy that better encourages students to develop themselves throughout their time at university.  The thesis also concludes that the use of Participatory Action Research within higher education settings in Vietnam can serve as a research model for the betterment of disadvantaged minority students. It could help minimise the effects of neoliberalism on the country’s higher education sector and foster better development outcomes for students and their home provinces.</p>

scholarly journals Involving Children in Creating a Healthy Environment in Low Socioeconomic Position (SEP) Neighborhoods in The Netherlands: A Participatory Action Research (PAR) Project

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 12131
Author(s):  
Lisa Wilderink ◽  
Ingrid Bakker ◽  
Albertine J. Schuit ◽  
Jacob C. Seidell ◽  
Carry M. Renders
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Socioeconomic Position ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Low Socioeconomic ◽  
Healthy Environment

To ensure that health behavior interventions for children living in low socioeconomic position (SEP) neighborhoods are in line with children’s wishes and needs, participation of the children in the development, implementation, and evaluation is crucial. In this paper, we show how children living in three low-SEP neighborhoods in the Netherlands can be involved in Participatory Action Research (PAR) by using the photovoice method, and what influences this research process. Observations, informal chats, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions with children and professionals were done to evaluate the research process. The photovoice method provided comprehensive information from the children’s perspectives. With the help of the community workers, the children identified feasible actions. We found that it is important to constantly discuss the research process with participants, start with a concrete question or problem, and adapt the project to the local context and skills of participants.

Who gives “Voice” or “Empowers Migrants” in Participatory Action Research? Challenges and Solutions

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-218
Author(s):  
Martha Adelia Montero-Sieburth
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Cultural Humility ◽  
Power Dynamics ◽  
Power Relationships ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Research Challenges ◽  
Migration Research

Given the power relationships between researchers and participants in Participatory Action Research (PAR), this chapter challenges the assumption that migration researchers “give voice” or “empower” participants, and advances the idea that such researchers need to uncover their own voice in the research process through dialogue, interaction and reflection with their partners. In the literature review on PAR, the concept of “giving voice” is quite prevalent yet based on the author’s own qualitative/migration research, she would argue that the actual voice of participants themselves is seldom emphasized or revealed in qualitative/migration research. Paulo Freire’s concepts of dialogue, conscientization, and action for change underscored by his interpretation of voice, which recognizes that marginalized people’s voices emerge out of the conditioned silence created by differential power dynamics, is critically needed as grounding for PAR researchers. In critiquing the use of voice, the conclusion makes a plea for PAR researchers to engage in finding their own voice by embracing the notion of cultural humility.

Applying the Participatory Action Research Model to the Study of Social Inclusion at Worksites

1998 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 189-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun-Sook Park ◽  
Jean Gonsier-Gerdin ◽  
Stacey Hoffman ◽  
Susan Whaley ◽  
Michael Yount
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Work Group ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Intervention Process ◽  
Social Opportunities

The present study demonstrates how a research project discovered the importance of the participatory action research process by applying it to the task of working out effective methods for the social inclusion of workers with moderate cognitive delays who are in school transition work experience programs. It outlines the framework of the participatory action research process, including the strategies used to obtain input from a variety of constituent group members. Work group meeting procedures, which were modified from focus group meetings, in particular, are described in detail. The participatory intervention process seemed to assist teachers and job coaches in making constructive changes in their transition work experience programs to provide social opportunities for their students and help them become “part of the team” at their worksites. Methods needed to sustain this intervention over time and other contributing factors are examined.

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