Participatory Action Research (PAR)

Question 1

How do you define PAR?

Answer 1

Collaborative approach to research.
Equitably involves all partners in the research process.
Recognizes unique strengths (community and academy).
Research topic of interest to community.
Combining community and academic knowledge and action for social change.
Improve community health and eliminate health disparities.

Question 2

How did PAR come about?

Answer 2

Emerged in response to a distrust of traditional postpositivist research.
Relevant to kinesiology in order to understand experiences of those affected by or excluded from sport and physical activity opportunities.
Particularly unique and emerging research process:
-co-generates knowledge with participants
-results in practical outcomes for participants
Typically approached by researchers with political and social agendas
-transformative worldview most aligned

Question 3

What are the defining features of PAR?

Answer 3

Social process
Participatory
Practical and collaborative
Emancipatory
Critical
Reflexive
Process to transform both theory and practice
PAR studies do not have to include all 7 defining features

Question 4

Social Process

Answer 4

Researchers and participants who engage in PAR are committed to examining relationships and particularly how those relationships exist in our social world

Question 5

Participatory

Answer 5

Those involved in PAR are engaged throughout various phases of the research process

Question 6

Practical and collaborative

Answer 6

Participants and researchers work together to examine the various social practices that connect them with others to understand how to enhance such interactions

Question 7

Emancipatory

Answer 7

With commitment to addressing social injustices, PAR supports participants in recovering or freeing themselves from the constraints of social structures

Question 8

Critical

Answer 8

PAR provides the foundation for addressing irrational unjust constraints that are inherent in the social context within which people interact

Question 9

Reflexive

Answer 9

Practices are transformed within PAR in an effort to address social injustices, and this process of transformation occurs through cycles of action and reflection between participants and researchers

Question 10

Process to transform both theory and practice

Answer 10

Both hold equal standing within PAR

Question 11

How do you evaluate the merits of PAR?

Answer 11

Smit and McGannon identified characterizing traits that support researchers in making judgements about the quality of research.
-community driven (ie. the extent to which community partners are involved and application to the community)
-prolonged engagement and consultation
-project deliverables (ie. practical outcomes derived by community members)

Question 12

What is the research process?

Answer 12

No one right way to do PAR studies.
-no distinct set of guidelines to follow
PAR is not a linear process
-typically conceptualized as cyclical and iterative process
Two possible processes for engaging in PAR include action research spiral, and five-phase PAR approach

Question 13

Action Research Spiral

Answer 13

Specifically, researchers will plan for change, act and observe with respect to the change process and anticipated consequences, and reflect on such processes and consequences.
Then, replan, act and observe again, and reflect again.
Very fluid and responsive.

Question 14

Five-Phase PAR Approach

Answer 14

Compared to the action research spiral, this approach is more detailed.
Frisby and colleagues outlined approach that includes setting the research question, building trust, data collection, data analysis, communicating.
The five phases should be constantly negogtiated among researchers and participants

Question 15

How is data generated and analyzed in PAR research?

Answer 15

There are no specific measures or processes that must be used in PAR.
Interviews are the most common process for generating data within PAR.
-observations, personal diaries, photographs, and visual artwork can also be used
-quantitative approaches like surveys also used sometimes
Data analysis can be flexible but should align with research questions and processes of data generation
-remember methodological coherence

Question 16

What is the role of theory in PAR?

Answer 16

Similar to the use of theory in qualitative research, theory can used in PAR in a variety of ways.
Theoretical lens: theory is used to guide or inform PAR
Interpretive framework: theory helps to make sense of findings and to identify action strategies.
Theory can play a central role in informing PAR practices (deductive) and, at the same time, theory can be generated through practice (inductive)

Question 17

What is the process for engaging underrepresented populations in research?

Answer 17

PAR provides an opportunity to respectfully engage underrepresented populations in mutually beneficial, relevant, and respectful research.
Consider non-WEIRD populations (ie. indigenous).
Those who may be weary of traditional research approaches may be drawn to PAR because of its defining features being participatory, collaborative, and transformative

Question 18

What are some inherent challenges of PAR?

Answer 18

PAR is flexible and emergent, and therefore it is difficult to provide specifics as to how researchers should work to address challenges.
-should draw on the shared experiences of other researchers who have navigated such challenges.
Include establishing and nurturing relationships, ensuring ongoing participant collaboration, and identifying action

Question 19

Establishing and Nurturing Relationships

Answer 19

Establishment and maintenance of trust and relationships are central to the success of PAR.
-Relatively few researchers have written about the actual process by which relationships are developed and nurtured.
Establishment of relationships can take a significant amount of time
-particularly challenging for researchers who have numerous other university-related commitments

Question 20

Ensuring ongoing participant collaboration

Answer 20

Researchers who engage in PAR try to foster a sense of shared ownership and control of research processes and outcomes.
-ensuring that participants are actively in engaged throughout the research process can be challenging
Contributions of research and participants may vary depending on the specific phase of the research
-critical to acknowledge that the researchers and participants have differing expertise and interests
-having established trust can help overcome these potential issues

Question 21

Identifying Action

Answer 21

Researchers do not always clearly articulate the various levels of action that have occurred in their PAR study
-ie. page limits, unaware of certain impacts
Researchers should be aware that action can occur on various levels, from individual level action broader societal or policy level action
-impact can also occur at various levels
-knowledge translation is key