1. Understand and apply the process of participatory action research as a member of a team, including planning, listening, data analysis, dissemination and identifying actions.

Knowledge and understanding
Application
Reflection

2. Have a basic understanding of the principles underpinning Participatory Action research, including ethical community engagement and research, participation, inclusion and power.

Knowledge and understanding
Learning

3. Identify and implement appropriate creative research techniques.

Application
Communication
Problem solving

4. Identify a research area for enquiry, gather data and analyse findings as part of a team working on a participatory action research project.

Application
Enquiry
Analysis

Students will engage in a group PAR project, usually determined by the commissioner of the programme or, where this is not in place, negotiated between the group and tutors. The outcomes of the project will not be assessed specifically.

Learning outcome: Application, problem solving

This module introduced students to the basic principles and practices of Participatory Action Research and its application in a live community context. The modules will include:

An introduction to participatory action research and the community research process: Students will be introduced to PAR as a research methodology and be supported to understand and apply the PAR cycle including, planning, involving community researchers, using appropriate participatory research methods listening and learning, analysis and a cross checking findings, identifying actions and dissemination of learning. It will address the skills needed for students to use creative community research to work with community members.

Ethics, power and inclusion community research: Students will learn how plan, deliver and reflect on ethical PAR that involves local people in decision making as community researchers and is responsive to the social context. Students will conduct a stakeholder analysis and reflect on community needs, explore the power between researchers and people being researchers and identify strategies for reducing power inequalities. It will provide insight into how PAR can help address issues of social inequalities.

Using creativity to deliver participatory action research: Students will understand the value of using appropriate creative consultation tools in PAR and some of the risks involved. They will work a team to develop appropriate and easy to use creative tools and implement these as part of the research process.

PAR research project: students take part in a live participatory action research project and apply their learning to practice. They will work as a team to plan, involve stakeholders, listen and learn, analyse and cross check findings, plan for action and disseminate findings. They will present their findings to a relevant audience, which may be a community group or community members.

If you have ever wanted to work with communities in ways that help them to create real change, or help your staff teams to do the same, Foundation Get Talking: Creative and Participatory Action research will provide you with the basic skills and knowledge you need to get started. You will deliver a real-world Participatory Action Research project as part of your class, which we co-design with you to have benefit to the organisations or communities you work with. You will learn about Participatory action research, the role of community researchers, ethics, power and inclusion in community research and how to effectively use creative consultation techniques in your research cycle.

This module is practical and hands on with supporting class discussions, workshops and tutor presentations. It will embed a participatory action research project which all students will be involved in. Tutors will use the research project to shape face to face sessions encouraging students to reflect on the process throughout.

40 hours will be schedules teaching and learning activities. 160 hours will be guided independent study which will include:

Delivery of the participatory action research project, including meeting community members, delivering interviews or focus groups, writing up notes,

Reading focused on texts and other materials the support the conceptual and practical elements of the programme,

Meeting peer mentors (where appropriate)

Production of the portfolio and research report.

Aldridge, J. (2016) Participatory Research. Bristol. Policy Press.

Friedman, B. (2020) Community based participatory action research. California. Cognella Academic Publishing

Gubrium, A. Harper, K. and Otanez, M. (2015) Participatory visual and digital research in action. London Routledge.

Lenette, C. (2022) Participatory action research - Ethics and Decolonization. Oxford University Press.

Ward, P. Banks, S. Hart, A and Phal, K. (2019) Co-producing research - A community development approach. Bristol. Policy Press.

Blackboard will be available for students on this module and used where appropriate for the group. Where digital skills or access to technologies restrict the use of this, other VLE will be made available to students.