participatory action research for everybody
DESCRIPTION
This is a quick overview of the steps of participatory action research and its use to solve BIG problemsTRANSCRIPT
Complex Adaptive Issues: And the use of PAR to SOLVE them
Participatory Action ResearchE. Alana James, Ed.D.
Definition
Participatory Action Research (PAR)• = Groups of people
(CoPs, networks, family, friends, communities) working together to:– Diagnose a situation, – Act to improve it, – Measure or evaluate their effectiveness, and– Reflect on their learning and plan next steps
• PAR work progresses in cycles, • It ends with personal transformation and
solutions to some of the trickiest complex adaptive problems we face
Complex Adaptive Problems: Where reality hurts, confuses, alienates others
By definition complex adaptive problems put people in the middle of the tension between the ideal life we would like to be living and the realities we face.
© donna deestea http://www.flickr.com/photos/deestea/198091208/in/set-72057594109664840/
PAR uses the TENSION to create Transformation
What Complex Adaptive Problems Do You Face?
PAR Cycles
© Alan Bucknam - Notchcode.com
Books
Web searching
Looking to see what is happening around you
Becoming part of online networks
Discussing ideas among your participatory group
Diagnose:Employ all the learning tools at your disposal
Act:Individually
and as a group.
Even small steps make a big difference
Take support from your group to succeed
Focus on what you are doing right now
Not the future
Every step by every person counts
Measure:Your progress
Your enjoyment of the processYour outcomes
Always take the pulse of the people you affect
(over coffee, in focus groups and/or interviews)
As you are affecting BIG changes, Consistently look for SMALL effects
Once in a while survey the larger group to
identify overall effect
Check in with each other frequently
Reflect:Personal and group reflection not only helps us orient our next steps towards success but reminds us to celebrate the journey as we progress
+ / - What worked and what was
challenging?
Personally: Does this work bring you joy?
What do you still need to learn?What are your obvious next steps:
Results You Can EXPECT
PAR has proven itself to be TRANSFORMATIONAL work
As participants have said:
I will never teach in the same way again
I could never have this life, these results and this wonderment if I
had not learned the PAR process.
Collaged photos from flickr.comIf you are doing this work, or interested in doing this work and you need help, please contact me at: [email protected]