Participatory Research Strategies to Maximize Community Impact

SW867, Section 001

This course will offer an advanced introduction to participatory research methods and methodologies (i.e. community-based participatory research, Photovoice, digital storytelling, participatory action research, participatory evaluation…). The course will invite students to examine the theoretical, technical, and practical elements of doing participatory research, from philosophical underpinnings to research design and analysis strategies to protecting (and engaging) research participants. The course will explore and reflect on issues of power, trust, (in)equity, and social (in)justice; and examine the multiple ways in which participatory research can be used as a vehicle for just social change. Students will learn about different participatory approaches to engage partners in assessing community strengths, priorities and issues in order to develop research questions and methods that can engage community members in each step of the research and evaluation process (to greater and lesser extents).

To apply these skills and knowledge, students will work with a defined group of community partners/stakeholders to design and pilot one part of a participatory research project that responds to a community-identified need, is feasible and can produce outcomes that can be utilized to promote, understand or begin to address community partners’ priorities. Through this applied participatory research process, students will better understand challenges, issues and insights that emerge from this form of research, and how they may engage community members in their future research.

The course involves a combination of lectures, readings, class discussions and exercises, and student-directed small research projects to facilitate achievement of learning objectives.