Participatory Action Research Study Research Articles

'Troubled conscience related to deficiencies in providing individualised meal schedule in residential care for older people--a participatory action research study'.

Food and mealtimes should be adapted to the older person's individual needs and desires, a fact that is often ignored in favour of a functional mealtime organisation. This study was grounded in participatory action research (PAR), and the aim of the study was to illuminate a PAR process to assist care providers in constructively dealing with their troubled conscience generated from perceived shortcomings in providing an individualised meal schedule in residential care for older people. Care providers and their manager participated in twelve PAR sessions. The participants' troubled conscience was eased by reflecting on and sharing their thoughts about their perception of a lack of individualised meal schedule and a lack of opportunities for meaningful interventions. The researchers in PAR became the bridge between the care providers and the management that was needed to improve individualised mealtime schedule. This study pinpoints how difficult it can be to make small changes in a rigid organisation that is run by a management that does not have the hands-on knowledge about the daily care provided by the organisation. This study points to the need of creating communication arenas wherein all personnel involved in care for older people, at all organisational levels, together meet to create a good care for older people. However, the care providers have been provided with tools, uncomplicated to use, to continue to let their voices being heard.

Wearing the Label of Mental Illness: Community-Based Participatory Action Research of Mental Illness Stigma

Stigma remains an impediment to seeking and receiving the requisite care for mental illness. To enhance a local National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) affiliate’s understanding of community members’ perceptions of mental illness and its associated stigma, a community-based participatory action research study was conducted. The study addressed the following research question: how do community members understand and experience the stigma associated with mental illness? Twenty-two participant-researchers wore mental illness labeled T-shirts around the local community, recorded their observations and reflections of this experience and recruited twenty-two community members for semi-structured interviews about mental illness stigma. Domain analysis of the interviews revealed community members’ understandings of (1) sources of stigma, (2) impacts of stigma, (3) conceptualizations of stigma and (4) pathways to change stigma. Findings were presented to members of the local NAMI affiliate as well as other community members. Practical implications, specific to the community of interest, are discussed.

Improving family carers' experiences of support at the end of life by enhancing communication: an action research study.

This paper builds on findings from phase one of a participatory action research study, which investigated support for family carers at the end of life in an acute hospital setting in Scotland, UK ( Dosser and Kennedy, 2012 ). The research presented here is the second phase of the participatory action research study, in which nursing staff from an acute hospital ward are involved in ongoing analysis of data and ideas guided by action cycles and reflection. Two key change initiatives are reported; improving nurses' communication skills and improving the environment for family carers of loved ones at the end of life within the acute hospital setting. To address these points, nurses were enrolled on a communications skills course, and a new room for family carers was integrated into the hospital. Data were analysed from interviews and questionnaires with the nurses, and from insights gathered in a reflective diary taken by the researcher. The changes implemented improved the confidence of participants in communicating with carers as well as patients and colleagues. The findings highlight practical strategies and communication issues that can potentially impact on the grief experience of family carers, such as having a safe space nearby to rest in private, away from the bedside.

Teaching for social justice, social responsibility and social inclusion: a respectful pedagogy for twenty-first century early childhood education

ABSTRACTDrawing on a Participatory Action Research (PAR) study that was undertaken in two Australian preschool settings this article examines strategies that support the pedagogy of teaching for social justice and outlines how these strategies raised critical consciousness of both preschoolers (aged three to five years) and early childhood educators to respect and value Difference, Diversity and Human Dignity (the Three Ds). While social justice and anti-bias curricula are of definite concern in educational circles, the conversation needs to continue because young children in the twenty-first century still have the propensity to develop very negative views regarding the Three Ds. Research has demonstrated that by the time children reach preschool age they are already proficient in the ways they appropriate and manipulate racist discourses and have developed negative attitudes and prejudices towards particular groups. The findings of the Australian study have implications for early childhood education (ECE), both nationally and internationally, to support teaching for social justice with the judicious use of children's literature, that promotes young children's understanding of and sensitivities to the Three Ds.

Consistency and Change in Participatory Action Research: Reflections on a Focus Group Study about How Farmers Learn

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on our efforts to balance consistency in our multi-year participatory action research study with the need to adapt our research protocol to what we are learning along the way. While both are important, we share several examples of how our flexibility and openness to adapt our protocol to our research findings has lead to methodological refinements and serendipitous learnings. We discuss implications for both agricultural education and research.

Picturing Kids and “Kids” as Researchers: Preservice Teachers and Effective Writing Instruction for Diverse Youth and English Language Learners

In this article, the authors—a team of veteran and preservice teacher educators and teachers—describe the results of a photovoice, Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) study that positioned diverse adolescents as researchers to explore these youths’, teachers’, and teacher educators’ perspectives on school and literacy pedagogies. We have examined how photo elicitation activities allow English Language Learning (ELL) youth to document their impressions of the purposes of, supports for, and impediments to school and literacy success. The findings detail lessons for teachers and teacher educators about exploring a “kids as researchers” approach to writing instruction and how to prepare traditionally racially and socioeconomically homogenous populations of future teachers for working with diverse young people.

Beyond the Blind Date

Given the current climate of accountability, teachers must collaborate across disciplines to meet the diverse needs of students. Few, however, are prepared to collaborate in school settings upon completing teacher preparation programs. In this article, a participatory action research study undertaken by teacher educators who approached the lack of cross-disciplinary collaborations in two teacher preparation programs by developing and implementing a co-taught course on collaboration for general and special education teachers is presented. The described process was informed by interviews, observations, and analysis of course materials. Results contribute to the development of a framework for educator collaborations in higher education.

The implementation of an environmental management system in the not-for-profit sector

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the implementation of the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) in a non-profit, small-to-medium sized-enterprise (SME) in the UK. Design/methodology/approach – A four-year participatory action research study is made upon knowledge transfer partnerships between the University of the West of England and the Royal Bath and West Society. Findings – Through the adoption of EMAS, the organisation was able to identify operational improvements as well as make significant efforts to improve its environmental performance, reducing its carbon footprint by 30 tCO2e per annum and gaining new business. Research limitations/implications – The study is made upon a single not-for-profit organisation in the UK. Practical implications – It presents the costs, benefits and challenges that the organisation faced. Techniques that were used to successfully manage the environmental management systems (EMS) development are also discussed. The investigation identifies deficiencies in the materials that are provided to support companies that are seeking EMAS certification. To improve the uptake of these EMS and assist companies in their successful pursuit of ISO 14001 and EMAS, this supporting documentation requires enhancement. Originality/value – There has been relatively little empirical research around the development and benefits of organisational EMS. Even less has focussed upon the specific constraints and opportunities that face non-profit organisations when implementing EMAS. This paper addresses this gap, identifying its costs and tangible benefits.

Learning to deal constructively with troubled conscience related to care providers' perceptions of deficient teamwork in residential care of older people--a participatory action research study.

Conscience can be perceived as an asset that helps care providers to provide good care, but it can also be a burden that generates stress of conscience (stress related to a troubled conscience). Participatory action research (PAR) has been shown to be successful in supporting care providers in residential care of older people to learn to deal with their troubled conscience in challenging and demanding care situations. The aim of the study was to describe an intervention process to assist care providers in residential care of older people to constructively deal with their troubled conscience related to perceptions of deficient teamwork. The study design was grounded in PAR. Nine enrolled nurses (ENs), two nursing aids (NAs), one Registered Nurse (RN) and their manager participated in 12 PAR sessions. All sessions were tape-recorded, and a domain analysis of the transcriptions was performed. Findings show that a PAR-based intervention can support care providers to understand, handle and take measures against deficient teamwork. Using troubled conscience as a driving force can increase the opportunities to improve quality of care in residential care for older people. During the PAR process, participants raised their awareness of the need to view the team in a wider sense and that the manager and the Registered Nurse should also be members of the team to improve team outcome. To improve clinical practice, we suggest that teams in residential care of older people should be enabled to share and reflect on challenging situations that generate troubled conscience. However, as shown in this study, care providers might need support in order to facilitate and promote sharing and reflecting on what their conscience tells them.

Ethics and gender issues in palliative care in nursing homes: an Austrian participatory research project.

The development of palliative care in nursing homes in German-speaking countries has gained in importance within the past 15-20 years. Ethical and gender issues are core aspects of a palliative care culture and should therefore be better understood. The aim of this study was to highlight insights regarding ethical and gender issues, based on the experiences of professionals in nursing homes. A 2-year participatory action research study was performed in collaboration with three nursing homes in Austria. The article focusses on 10 group discussions with interdisciplinary professional teams that were conducted to generate ethical narratives. Thematic and narrative analysis was undertaken both individually and within the interdisciplinary research team. Findings and interpretations were validated with practitioners and researchers. A total of 36 narratives were collected and summarised within eight themes concerning the theoretical journey of a nursing home resident with relatives from entry into the house until death. The most burdensome ethical dilemmas are not the ones around death and dying but rather those relating to small-scale everyday work/life issues. Sharing experiences and feelings in ethical discussions provides relief. Emotions are important facilitators of insight into ethical dilemmas. Gender issues can be observed in care situations as well as in the organisational structure of nursing homes. Opportunities to share experiences and perspectives around ethical questions in interdisciplinary group discussions help professionals to better understand difficult issues and find appropriate ways of managing them. There is a need for communication structures such as facilitated ethical discussions that enable nursing home staff to reflect their everyday decisions. Expression of emotions should be encouraged in ethical decision-making processes in nursing homes. Gender-sensitive reflection supports the development of palliative care as organisational culture.

Citizen-led, comprehensive land use planning in New York’s Adirondack Park

New York’s Adirondack Park is the largest protected area within the Northern Appalachian/Acadian Eco-Region and the contiguous United States. Almost half of the 6 million acres encompassed by the Park boundary is privately owned, where 80% of land use decisions fall to local governments. The Adirondack Town of Willsboro, New York, was the focus of a Participatory Action Research (PAR) study. From 2007 to 2011, a single subject case, mixed methods study was conducted within the regional–local land use planning framework of the Adirondack Park Agency Act. PAR methodology used quantitative and qualitative data to answer four research questions. The research evaluated the role of PAR in helping to transform conventional land use planning practice into a more democratic, environmentally conscious, and durable civic responsibility. Findings of the research indicate that when citizens increase their scientific and ecological literacy utilising a PAR framework, citizens’ confidence in land use decision-making is improved. PAR holds great promise as a methodological framework to bring together ecologically focussed, citizen-led, collaborative land use planning. A comprehensive plan can reflect an emergent process where the primacy of community, self-determination, and consensus-building yields recognition of the link between, and sanctity of, nature, home, and homeland.

Losses related to everyday occupations for adults affected by mental illness

Objective: This paper presents findings from a larger study that explored losses from mental illness. Losses associated with occupations – a key theme from this participatory action research study – are the focus of this paper. Methods: Semi-structured in-depth interviews were carried out with 16 people who had been diagnosed with a mental illness and attended a community mental health centre. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed, guided by processes proposed by Dey. Results: Numerous losses influenced participants' ability to initiate or engage in daily occupations. Some losses perpetuated further loss, at times with profound consequences, such as the loss of a house following a loss of work. Engaging in chosen occupations was often described as a longer-term goal or something participants did infrequently, due to losses such as motivation, energy, or normal sleeping patterns. The desire to work and participate in everyday occupations was emphasized and its benefits highlighted, despite previous difficulties. Conclusions: Implications for occupational therapists include the importance of exploring, validating, and responding to losses when these are shared, and being aware of and striving to support people experiencing losses in the areas of work, motivation, sleep patterns, and energy, which were perceived as especially challenging for participants in this study.

PC-FACS

PC-FACS

Seeking to Improve African American Girls’ Attitudes toward Science

AbstractIn this participatory action research study, we answered the question, How can we improve attitudes toward science education of the African American girls at an elementary school? Girls in grades 3–6 completed the Modified Attitudes toward Science Inventory. A purposeful sample of 30 girls participated in several focus-group interviews throughout the year. The cumulative findings indicate that our initiative (1) had positive impacts on girls who originally demonstrated low self-efficacy in science education or low attraction to science and (2) maintained the positive attitudes of the other girls. The instructional aspects of our initiative that contributed to the improvement in attitudes included the establishment of collaborative activities, a supportive lab teacher, and inquiry-based experiences focused on local problems. Our findings also reveal aspects of our efforts that we need to improve. These areas include a more open, inquiry-based science fair and connections between the lab and classro...

Mental health promotion in comprehensive schools

The purpose of this paper is to describe a participatory action research process on the development of a professional practice model of mental health nurses in mental health promotion in a comprehensive school environment in the city of Oulu, Finland. The developed model is a new method of mental health promotion for mental health nurses working in comprehensive schools. The professional practice model has been developed in workshops together with school staff, interest groups, parents and students. Information gathered from the workshops was analysed using action research methods. Mental health promotion interventions are delivered at three levels: universal, which is an intervention that affects the whole school or community; selective, which is an intervention focusing on a certain group of students; and indicated, which is an individually focused intervention. All interventions are delivered within the school setting, which is a universal setting for all school-aged children. The interventions share the goal of promoting mental health. The purposes of the interventions are enhancing protective factors, reducing risk factors relating to mental health problems and early identification of mental health problems as well as rapid delivery of support or referral to specialized services. The common effect of the interventions on all levels is the increase in the experience of positive mental health.

Toward Creating an Optimal Acute Care Clinical Learning Environment: Insights From Staff, Faculty, and Students

Understanding how a clinical site impacts student learning was the focus for a participatory action research study in which three separate focus groups for students, faculty, and staff were convened. Participants were asked to identify what they enjoyed or liked about the clinical setting, what they disliked about the clinical setting, and what they would change about the clinical setting. Themes identified by a constant comparative method included experiences provided, attitudes, and expectations. Although the researchers anticipated that each group would have a unique and different perspective on the clinical experience, respondents were consistent in their beliefs both within and among groups. Of interest, each participant group attributed an ineffective clinical learning environment to external causes.

Developing a workplace breast feeding support model for employed lactating mothers

Resuming work is often considered an obstacle for continued breast feeding. The objectives of this participatory action research study were to develop a breast feeding support model in the workplace and to compare breast feeding rates before and after implementation of the breast feeding support campaign. Twenty-four women participated before the implementation of the breast feeding support campaign, whereas 31 women participated after the campaign. Data were collected by interviewing employed women about their breast feeding practices within six months post partum. Additional data were collected through interviews with the workplace administrator and head of work sections as well as observation of the breast feeding support campaigns. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis, whereas quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and χ2 test.The workplace breast feeding support model was developed based on the concept of Mother-Friendly Workplace Initiatives by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and the Thai government׳s promotion of a workplace breast feeding corner. Within this model, a committee for breast feeding support was created for working with the research team to develop breast feeding activities and media for breast feeding education and breast feeding support campaigns in the workplace. Breast feeding rates at six months after implementation of the breast feeding support campaign were significantly higher than rates before, both for exclusive breast feeding and any breast feeding at levels .004 and .033, respectively. These results suggest that breast feeding should be encouraged in every workplace depending on context. Individual advice and help for employed mothers should be provided from pregnancy through weaning in the postpartum period.

Grassroots autonomous media practices: a diversity of tactics

A participatory action research study of anti-authoritarian activist media practices in Quebec, Canada was carried out by the Collectif de Recherche sur l'Autonomie Collective. Analysing interviews from 117 participants in nine activist groups and networks, we have found that grassroots anti-authoritarian and anarchist activists engage in a diversity of media tactics, choosing tools consistent with their desired goals and audiences. These goals can be grouped into four categories: developing affinity, creating social movement spaces, mass mobilizations and global solidarity. These communicative tactics in the activist ‘repertoire of communication’ are informed by several important commitments to alternative content and processes, including collective self-representation, prefigurative politics and accessibility. We conclude that grassroots autonomous activists sometimes limit the reach of their media to create safer spaces, or to deepen and extend their political analysis, and they sometimes produce media for wider audiences, for local mass mobilizations or to develop global relationships of solidarity. This deepens our understanding of the specific diversity of tactics developed by grassroots autonomous media activists in their repertories of communicative action, challenging received notions that anarchist or anti-authoritarian media only ever reach a limited audience.

"Words, Presence, and Self-Compassion: Researching the Impact of Mindfulness at Work"

This symposium presents four empirical research projects using different methodological approaches to research mindfulness or presence in the workplace and how it interconnects with self-compassion. These four studies are juxtaposed to highlight what is now being done, how studies may influence one another when communication exists across fields of inquiry, and ways that research and practice can be mutually nourishing in this arena of inquiry. It will focus attention on the ways that such research impacts the practice of leadership. Each uses words and language to access states of mind or being, so explore the theme of this year’s conference from the perspective of the role of words in communicating with oneself and then sharing this communication with others. They are grounded in Chris Argyris’ admonition to practitioners always to make research a part of practice, as well as his deep interest in the critical contribution of authentic behavior to organizational and management change. They help us think about the value of first, second, and third person research for understanding a phenomenon as complex as mindfulness or presence. The session is cross-cultural and global: with researchers from the United States, Chile, and Finland, and participants in one study collaborated actively across the globe. It is also diverse in addressing different populations: from professors and consultants to an internet-based sample to prison workers in Maine and leaders of non-profit organizations. The research methods include a participatory action research study, a mixed methods study, a case study, and a phenomenological study. Beyond Rehabilitation: Prison Hospice and the Future of Leadership Presenter: John Eric Baugher; U. of Southern Maine Presenter: Kandyce Powell; Maine Hospice Council & Center for End-of-Life Care

Opening doors, opening minds: A cosmopolitan pedagogical framework to assess learning for global competency in Chicago's underserved communities

The purpose of this research and report is to utilize a cosmopolitan pedagogical framework to qualitatively assess education for global competency in underserved communities. Using qualitative methods such as participant-observation and interviewing, a nine-month long participatory action research study is described that includes three educational programs facilitated through Hostelling International-Chicago and Chicago Public Schools. The results demonstrate that a cosmopolitanism pedagogical framework can teach global competencies that reflect hope, memory, and dialog as well as other cosmopolitan values to students who may not have the opportunity for more traditional international/intercultural education.