Recent Posts
- Group 2 – Article 8: Fostering Inclusivity Through Teaching and Learning Action Research
- Group 1 – Article 8: Fostering Inclusivity Through Teaching and Learning Action Research
- Group 1 – Article 7: The Cyclical Process of Action Research
- Group 2 – Article 7: The Cyclical Process of Action Research
- Group 2 – Article 6: Critical Literacy for School Improvement: An Action Research Project
The purpose of this article is to describe how the authors developed an action research undergraduate course. This course was taught in the spring of 2007 in Calgary, Canada. It was taught in a local homeless shelter with learners including undergraduate students of social work and nursing, staff members from the shelter, individuals from the homeless community, and the course instructors. At the foundation of the course is the community inclusion and social action paradigms. These paradigms are variations of action research that reflect the values of participation, action, and social justice within the educational framework. In using the paradigms of community inclusion and social justice, the authors implemented a joint undergraduate social work/nursing course on community-based research. This form of research is defined as research rooted in community, severing community interests, and encouraging citizen participation that affects social change.
Inclusiveness was at the core of the course. The participants that were a part of the city’s homeless community were referred to as community members instead of clients or residents. This was intentionally done to blur the lines between students, instructors, and community members. It falls in line with the ideal that community-based research requires that each member of the community must work together to meet learning objectives. The classroom in this case was located in the city allowing community members to be co learners with the students. In order for the course to be more inclusive it included to main components. These components included a community-based setting and an online component. First, the setting was chosen to create a form of community immersion. Furthermore, the course required 15 hours of experiential learning activities. For example, the students walked with a community member to discus and reflect on the homeless community in the area.
The online component of course was designed with the community member in mind. They were given access to computers so that they could complete online portions of the coursework. The students would provide support for community members with limited computer skills so that they could participate in the learning activities. Collaborative learning served as an integral portion of the course. The learners were organized into small groups with a mixture of the students and community members. This type of collaboration was beneficial for the students as they were working on entering helping professions that worked primarily with vulnerable populations. The community members viewed this course a learning experience.
Similar to other forms of action research, community-based research also emphasizes the importance of reflexivity and critical thought. It also focuses on the values of the researcher. First student must understand their values and beliefs. How can they use these values to work toward ideals of social justice and human welfare? Next, this form of research requires the researcher to be reflective and reflexive in their thinking. This aides them to not make assumptions about the population they are working with. This is also important to help the learners develop trusting relationships with other learners and instructors in the course. This often led to deeper relationships with the participants.
In order to prepare students for this type of research several researchers suggest that the students are to be introduced to models of power and oppression and other critical theories. This awareness has the potential to make students more empathetic. The instructors of the course had several class speakers and class sessions to help the students to understand the underlying paradigms and theories behind these theories. The students are also encouraged to think about the ethical concerns associated with research. This especially important given that the learners are working with vulnerable populations such as homeless individuals.
I found this article to be rather interesting with regards to carrying action research. The social action and inclusiveness paradigms are of particular interest to me because of the fact that I too work with vulnerable populations. Much like the community members in the article, many parents seem overwhelmed or nervous in working with educators on issues that affect their children. The inclusiveness paradigm makes me ponder how I can make my nervous and anxious parents more open to working with us? What projects can I develop that will allow us to work together towards a common goal? I wonder how could this type of research can be replicated for the people of Richmond City?
I believe this is the exact point of creating action research in a school setting. The community-based research requires cooperation and a ‘by-in’. This creates a personal attachment to the material being studied. The researchers have a vital interest or they would not have started this action research project, but what about the students? Each member of the community needs to become interactive and not just an observer. The power and oppression that was witnessed was still being modified because the community members worried about bringing students into the ‘bad areas’. Does this actually give students an opportunity to learn and witness what other go through if it is being modified? I also was touched by how creating an open setting with community members and students allowed both groups to learn from the other. I believe that when teachers aren’t able to speak to the parents of the students without ‘scaring them off’, that is when the best rapport is built. Having the parents understand that they are a participant in their child’s education, not just an observer.
Darrell,
This article was also very interesting to me because I also work with vulnerable populations. It truly made me reflect on my practice and specifically the inclusion and empathy aspect of our learning community. In your analysis you reflect on how you can get parents less anxious and more willing to work with schools. I think there are two ways to do this. One, build rapport with parents and grandparents. They have to know you and trust that you also want what is best for their child. This can be challenging, especially with our population of student, but definitely do-able. Secondly, sometimes you also might have to think outside of the box. In some cultures and tradition, only the father may be contacted or maybe they do not understand the education system in general. Overall, it is important to respectful and sympathetic to each individual involved.
The idea of introducing community based research as a college course in this article was fascinating to me. The first article review I did for this course discussed how difficult it was to implement action research in some colleges due to the fluid methodologies of this approach. As I read Darrell’s reflection on how beneficial something like this would be for the community he serves as a teacher, I wonder why teachers were not included in this course. Schools and the educators within in them are community leaders, as we interact with students and families of the community we serve daily. The paradigm of the CBR describes would allow educators to be more empathetic and truly understand the community they serve, which is beneficial in all other aspects of our career.