Possibilities for Co-Creation in Adolescents’ Alcohol Prevention

The aim of the current study is to pilot methods for the involvement and empowerment of adolescents in regard to alcohol consumption and situational abstinence and the possibilities of adolescent-created narratives in alcohol abuse prevention. Alcohol consumption is analysed from the practice theory perspective, where alcohol consumption is an independent practice shared through various personal stories. Action research and co-creation methods were used in workshop sessions with adolescents in one school in Estonia. Adolescents aged 13–15 participated in the workshops and engaged in storytelling and the co-creation of stories. During five meetings, participants shared their views and experiences regarding alcohol party culture and situational abstinence. Short and informal participatory action research meetings made it possible for adolescents to express their thoughts regarding alcohol culture, especially norms. The participants did not consider alcohol consumption to be problematic, and they found videos showing immediate consequences to be the best way to reach adolescents. Two different types of parties were discussed, and insight was provided on how a planned alcohol-free party turned into an alcohol party. However, action research and the co-creation method presented challenges, since the highly structured school context leaves adolescents little unstructured time that can be used for this kind of research, and fitting these activities into their tight schedules was complicated.

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Participatory Action Research: A Tool for Enhancing Inclusive Teaching Practices Among Teachers in South African Full-Service Schools

SAGE Open ◽

10.1177/2158244020963576 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 215824402096357

Author(s):

Gladys Ayaya ◽

Tsediso Michael Makoelle ◽

Martyn van der Merwe

Keyword(s):

Action Research ◽

Participatory Action Research ◽

South African ◽

Inclusive Education ◽

Teaching Practices ◽

School Context ◽

International Studies ◽

Participatory Action ◽

Full Service Schools ◽

Inclusive Teaching

Previous studies conducted on the implementation of inclusive education in South African full-service schools showed that teachers lacked knowledge and expertise in inclusive teaching practices. Furthermore, in some international studies, it is recommended that, to enhance inclusive teaching, it was necessary to involve the teaching communities concerned, using their in-depth understanding of the problem at hand, to come up with emancipatory solutions that could assist in the design of effective teaching strategies to enhance inclusive teaching. Therefore, this study investigated the role of participatory action research (PAR) in enhancing teachers’ inclusive teaching practices in full-service schools. This qualitative PAR study was conducted for 6 months by a research team comprising 12 teachers in a full-service school in the Johannesburg East District of South Africa. Data were collected through PAR stages of planning, observation, action, and reflection. To analyze data, during PAR, group interpretative meetings were held with coresearchers and, after PAR process, an inductive qualitative thematic content data analysis was done by the researcher. Among the findings from the study was that teachers’ understandings of inclusive education were varied. Their conceptions about what it meant to be an inclusive teacher in a full-service school context were also vague. However, the study has found that through PAR participation teachers were able to share and develop own understandings of these concepts. Furthermore, the study identified a need for teachers in a full-service school to be reflective, critical, and innovative about their teaching practices to cater for diverse learner needs in the classroom, which are skills necessary for enhancing inclusive teaching and learning. The study has confirmed PAR as a viable change strategy of teaching toward inclusion.

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