Participatory Action ResearchAn Introduction to a Research Approach

Rachel Casey

19 June 2015

Presentation OverviewParticipatory Action Research = PAR

What is PAR?

What is PAR all about?

How does PAR happen?

What methods are used in PAR?

What are possible products of PAR?

What are the pros and cons to PAR?

How could PAR work for us?

What do you think?

Additional resources

Please ask questions anytime! Discussions are way more interesting than presentations!

What is Participatory Action Research? PAR is an approach to research that brings together

researchers and community members: To identify problems that the community faces

To empower community members to research and create solutions to those problems

To improve conditions in the community

What is PAR all about? PAR emphasizes collaboration between researchers and community

members Community members are partners in research, not subjects of research

Research focuses on questions that the community thinks are important to investigate

PAR focuses on creating social change The ultimate goal of research is meaningful change in the community

PAR works to empower community members through their participation in social action

How does PAR happen?

Plan

Act

Observe

Reflect

PAR uses a cyclical process Reflecting as a group on

how the research is going Planning the research

activities and next steps Acting out the planned

research activities Observing the collected

data and research process

What methods are used in PAR?

Surveys Observations Interviews Focus groups Community

meetings Photovoice

What are possible products of PAR?

PAR presents research findings in ways that will engage community members and other stakeholders and prompt social change:

Powerpoint or poster presentation

YouTube video or documentary

Art installation or exhibit

Theatrical production

Publication in an academic journal

Presentation at an academic or industry conference

Anything else the collaborators choose!

What are the pros and cons to PAR?

Pros Produces practical outcomes

Focus on positive change

Involves community participation

Cons Big commitment of time and effort

Research goals not always feasible

Process can be messy and take a long time

How could PAR work for us? Form a research team of interested community members

Research team members would meet on a regular basis

Research team members would receive training in research ethics and methods

Reflect and decide upon research question that is important to community

This conversation could happen with the research team or during a community meeting

Possible research question: What resources do reentering women need?

Plan a research approach that will answer that question

Possibilities include questionnaires, focus groups, and interviews

Collect data using the chosen research approach

Analyze the data to generate research findings

This could be a collective process or one that is delegated to the academic researcher

Share the research findings with community members and stakeholders

What do you think?

What other information would you like to have about PAR?

What do you like about PAR? What do you dislike about PAR?

Do you think PAR might work for our group? Why or why not?

What concerns do you have about PAR?

Additional ResourcesKeep learning about PAR on your own by checking out these links

https://participaction.wordpress.com/

http://www.svfreenyc.org/research_factsheet_119.html

http://www.academia.edu/3563840/Participatory_Action_Research

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2566051/

http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/1801/3334