Community Action Projects

2015 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 241-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phuong D. Nguyen ◽  
Marcelle A. Siegel
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Real World ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Community Action ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Community Group ◽  
Action Projects ◽  
Long Course ◽  
Apply Biotechnology

Project-based learning and action research are powerful pedagogies in improving science education. We implemented a semester-long course using project-based action research to help students apply biotechnology knowledge learned in the classroom to the real world. Students had several choices to make in the project: working individually or as a team, selecting a topic of interest, and targeting a local community group. To enhance teachers’ abilities to lead students through action projects, we describe the framework, provide class data, and discuss benefits and challenges encountered. This course could serve as a model of how project-based action research can benefit student learning in biotechnology.

scholarly journals Reshaping our world: Collaborating with children for community-based climate change action

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlie D Trott
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Tree Planting ◽  
Sense Of Agency ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Action Research Project ◽  
Collaborative Action ◽  
Action Projects

This paper documents a collaborative, multi-site participatory action research project in collaboration with children to act on climate change within local community settings. The project was an after-school program that combined hands-on climate change educational activities with photovoice, a participatory action research method that uses digital photography as the basis for problem identification, group dialogue, and social change action. Grounded in transformative sustainability learning theory and integrated with an arts-based participatory action research methodology, the program was designed to strengthen children’s climate change awareness and sense of agency through youth-led action projects. After describing the program, this article details the collaborative action projects designed and carried out by 10- to 12-year-olds in each community (e.g., policy advocacy, tree-planting, community garden) as well as how the program facilitated children’s constructive climate change engagement through children’s enjoyment and agentic action. The critical importance of participatory process and collaborative action in strengthening children’s sense of agency is discussed.

scholarly journals Community Action Research in Disability (CARD): An inclusive research programme in Uganda

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-92
Author(s):  
Sally Hartley ◽  
Aisha Yousafzai ◽  
Maria Goretti Kaahwa ◽  
Harry Finkenflugel ◽  
Angie Wade ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Community Action ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Research Teams ◽  
People With Disability ◽  
Disability Research

The ideology of Emancipatory Disability Research (EDR) reflected in the phrase ‘Nothing about us without us’, was first put forward in the 1990s. Although it aimed to place research control in the hands of the ‘researched’, i.e., people with disability, this rarely happens even today, 25 years later.The Community Action Research on Disability (CARD) programme in Uganda embraced and modified the EDR approach, recognising the need for including people with disability in the research process from concept to outcome, and nurturing participation and collaboration between all the stakeholders in achieving action-based research. The research teams always included people with disability and staff from Disability People’s Organisations (DPOs) as well as academics and service providers. It endeavoured to generate and carry out research around issues that mattered to people with disability and their families. Leadership roles were assigned by team members. The objectives of the CARD programme were: (1) to fund teams to carry out action-based research on disability in Uganda; (2) to develop research and administrative capacity to manage the initiative within the academic registrar’s office at Kyambogo University; (3) to incorporate new knowledge generated from the studies into the ongoing local community-based rehabilitation and special education courses; and, (4) to ensure wide dissemination of research findings to all stakeholder groups.CARD ran for 5 years, commissioning 21 action research studies in the field of disability and community-based services. This paper describes the process, presents the 12 completed studies, examines the extent to which the objectives were achieved and evaluates the experiences of the participating research teams, particularly in relation to the inclusion of its members with disability. It concludes with recommendations for future initiatives designed to promote validity, good value and inclusive approaches in disability research. 

Psychoecological Systems Model for Participatory Community Action Research: Evidence of Validity and Practical Utility

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger N. Reeb ◽  
Susan F. Folger ◽  
Anne L. Steel ◽  
Sara E. Mason ◽  
Laura E. Stayton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Research Evidence ◽  
Community Action ◽  
Practical Utility ◽  
Systems Model

TRENDS

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1949 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 699-701
Keyword(s):  
Child Welfare ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Community Action ◽  
Whole Child ◽  
American Legion ◽  
American Academy Of Pediatrics ◽  
The City ◽  
Sufficient Food ◽  
Suitable Environment

DURING the week preceding Labor Day, the American Legion invaded the City of Brotherly Love for its 31st Annual Convention. During the shouting and tumult, there emerged a highly significant proposal for improved child health. The Legion's Committee on Child Welfare presented the following resolution which was approved by the Convention: "The children of America are its greatest asset and the Legion is interested in those children. Not only the children of veterans, but all children. We must make certain that every child has sufficient food to be nourished properly daily and a suitable environment in which to grow into healthy and useful manhood or womanhood. We will not be discouraged by any temporary obstacle that may be cast in the way. The command is forward and our efforts in conserving our country's greatest asset will be the insurement of peace and prosperity for the future citizens of America. "Wheras, The National Child Welfare Program of the American Legion has always been a `whole child' program and has always been interested in child health, and "Whereas, There is abundant evidence that all children are not receiving the health and medical services which they need, and "Whereas, We believe the proper emphasis for improving medical care for children should come from the local community, now, "Therefore Be It Resolved, That The American Legion cooperate with the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and other reputable health and medical organizations and agencies in the development of a program for improved child health based on community action under community leadership."

Creativity in CS1: A Literature Review

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Sadia Sharmin
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Creative Thinking ◽  
Computer Science Education ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Introductory Programming ◽  
Introductory Programming Courses ◽  
Programming Courses

Computer science is a fast-growing field in today’s digitized age, and working in this industry often requires creativity and innovative thought. An issue within computer science education, however, is that large introductory programming courses often involve little opportunity for creative thinking within coursework. The undergraduate introductory programming course (CS1) is notorious for its poor student performance and retention rates across multiple institutions. Integrating opportunities for creative thinking may help combat this issue by adding a personal touch to course content, which could allow beginner CS students to better relate to the abstract world of programming. Research on the role of creativity in computer science education (CSE) is an interesting area with a lot of room for exploration due to the complexity of the phenomenon of creativity as well as the CSE research field being fairly new compared to some other education fields where this topic has been more closely explored. To contribute to this area of research, this article provides a literature review exploring the concept of creativity as relevant to computer science education and CS1 in particular. Based on the review of the literature, we conclude creativity is an essential component to computer science, and the type of creativity that computer science requires is in fact, a teachable skill through the use of various tools and strategies. These strategies include the integration of open-ended assignments, large collaborative projects, learning by teaching, multimedia projects, small creative computational exercises, game development projects, digitally produced art, robotics, digital story-telling, music manipulation, and project-based learning. Research on each of these strategies and their effects on student experiences within CS1 is discussed in this review. Last, six main components of creativity-enhancing activities are identified based on the studies about incorporating creativity into CS1. These components are as follows: Collaboration, Relevance, Autonomy, Ownership, Hands-On Learning, and Visual Feedback. The purpose of this article is to contribute to computer science educators’ understanding of how creativity is best understood in the context of computer science education and explore practical applications of creativity theory in CS1 classrooms. This is an important collection of information for restructuring aspects of future introductory programming courses in creative, innovative ways that benefit student learning.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document