Youth ReACT for Social Change: A Method for Youth Participatory Action Research

Abstract

Although participatory action research has become an increasingly popular method with youth, involving them in problem identification, analysis, intervention, and/or feedback, few PAR projects tend to involve youth in all of these phases-particularly the data analysis phase. Yet involvement in the data analysis phase of a research effort can help to promote critical awareness of the targeted issues, potentially increasing the effectiveness of subsequent PAR stages. In addition, although many YPAR projects aim to promote the critical consciousness of their youth participants, some projects struggle to promote this awareness, often because the methods used are not well matched to the developmental needs of their participants. In this paper we present the ReACT Method, a PAR approach specifically designed to promote local knowledge production and critical consciousness by engaging youth in the problem identification, data analysis, and feedback stages of research. Given the lack of attention in the literature to the methods used for engaging youth in these processes, we provide detailed descriptions of the methods we developed to engage youth in problem identification and qualitative data analysis.

Engaging the Reluctant? Service Learning, Interpersonal Contact, and Attitudes toward Homeless Individuals

“…Nevertheless, instructors should be prepared for a variety of experiences that come from service learning. For example, as Foster-Fishman et al (2010) note, strategies for improving service-learning outcomes include taking into account the processes and outcomes to be achieved as part of the project design as well as incorporating participants in the collection and analysis of relevant data about the population being studied. Likewise, Harkavy and Hartley (2010, 418) T h e Te a c h e r : S e r v i c e L e a r n i n g , I n t e r p e r s o n a l C o n t a c t , a n d A t d u a l s ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. engage students in the service-learning process, instructors, departments, and universities must connect the "core educational and civic mission" of the university to the project.…”

Diverging Paths: Understanding Racial Differences in Civic Engagement Among White, African American, and Latina/o Adolescents Using Structural Equation Modeling

“…Indeed, students from marginalized communities often have sets of skills, knowledge, and experiences that students from more privileged backgrounds do not have (Levinson, 2010). These critics argue that educators should draw on these experiences to galvanize students into greater civic participation (Cammarota & Fine, 2008;Fine, 2009;Foster-Fishman, Law, Lichy & Aoun, 2010). For example, some educators have proposed using discussions about the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner and the resulting #BlackLivesMat-ter movement to talk about ways that students can become civically engaged (Rubin, 2015).…”

“…These experiences might take different forms. For example, students might deliberate on controversial issues (Hess, 2009;Hess & McAvoy, 2014;Rubin, 2012), participate in civic simulations such as mock trials or congresses (Levinson, 2012;McDevitt & Kiousis, 2006), serve their communities through service-learning programs (Billing, 2000;Furco, 1996), or research and act on social problems through youth participatory action research (Foster-Fishman et al, 2010;Ozer, Ritterman & Wanis, 2010;Rubin, 2012) or action civics (Pope, Stolte, & Cohen, 2011;Levinson, 2012).…”

El género del documental interactivo como experiencia artística-creativa de empoderamiento juvenil: el caso del Webdoc HEBE

“…Ambos ejemplos, a los que podríamos añadir otros de planteamientos y estructuras similares (Finholdt, Michael, & Davis, 2010;Foster-Fishman, Law, Lichty, & Aoun, 2010;Strack, Magill, & McDonagh, 2004;Streng et al, 2004) ilustran las pautas fundamentales de la metodología del Photovoice, descritas por Wang & Burris (1997), que pasan por: (1) la selección de un grupo de participantes, (2) la proposición de un tema específico para trabajar conjuntamente en talleres grupales; (3) el proporcionar a los jóvenes las cámaras para retratar su realidad; (4) el reflexionar sobre las imágenes; y finalmente, (5) el compartir las imágenes y las reflexiones con responsables de los distintos agentes sociales.…”