"It Really Opened My Eyes:" The Effects on Youth Peer Educators of Participating in an Action Research Project

Abstract

This study explored the effects of participating in action research on youth leaders who were already engaged in peer education activities related to HIV/AIDS. We focused particularly on effects related to their conceptualization of teaching/learning, but also cast a wider net to identify other changes. A first round of in-depth interviews was conducted with 21 youth peer educators, who led the participatory action research (PAR) in UNICEF's Every Adolescent Has a Right to Know(RTK) initiative in a Caribbean setting. Some months later, follow-up interviews were used to explore specific topics as their activities progressed. Observational data were also collected. The interviews were taped, transcribed, and coded for specific themes. The study results suggest that the PAR project fostered the reconceptualization of peer education, including an appreciation for the value of local knowledge, the importance of using a needs-based approach in peer education, and the value of two-way communication in educatio...