Participatory Action Research in Education
Research with, not on, educators and communities
Participatory Action Research (PAR) positions participants as co-researchers, not just subjects — ensuring that research leads to meaningful, actionable change.
What is PAR?
Participatory Action Research combines:
- Participation — Those affected by the research are involved in designing and conducting it
- Action — The goal is not just knowledge, but change
- Research — Systematic inquiry that generates trustworthy findings
PAR aligns with principles of educational justice by centering the voices of practitioners.
Core Principles
| Principle | In Practice |
|---|---|
| Co-design | Involve teachers and administrators in shaping research questions |
| Feedback loops | Share preliminary findings for validation |
| Iterative cycles | Plan → Act → Observe → Reflect → Repeat |
| Power sharing | Balance relationships between researchers and participants |
| Actionable outcomes | Research should lead to real change |
Research Design Framework
Phased Data Collection
Phase 1: Initial Exploration
- Baseline interviews and focus groups
- Understand motivations, perceptions, current state
- Establish trust and relationships
Phase 2: During Implementation
- Periodic check-ins and reflective journals
- Track progress on specific competencies
- Identify emerging barriers and accelerators
Phase 3: Post-Implementation
- Follow-up assessments and interviews
- Measure long-term impact
- Co-create recommendations for change
Data Collection Methods
Qualitative
- Interviews — Structured and semi-structured, individual
- Focus Groups — Group discussions on shared experiences
- Reflective Journals — Periodic written reflections
- Observation — Researcher notes during activities
Quantitative
- Pre-Post Assessments — Measure changes in knowledge/attitudes
- Growth Curve Assessments — Track progress over time
- Surveys — Likert-scale items on confidence, relevance
Mixed Methods
Combine both to capture rich, nuanced insights alongside measurable changes.
Analysis Framework
| Focus Area | Questions to Explore |
|---|---|
| Barriers | What obstacles do participants face? |
| Accelerators | What factors support success? |
| Support Mechanisms | How do institutions help or hinder? |
| Knowledge Growth | How has understanding changed? |
| Practice Change | How has behavior changed? |
Ethical Considerations
- Informed Consent — Participants understand purpose, role, and data privacy
- Confidentiality — Pseudonyms and anonymized data in reporting
- Voluntary Participation — Can withdraw at any time
- Power Dynamics — Foster authentic collaboration, not extraction
- Feedback — Share results with participants for validation
Tools for Organization
| Purpose | Tools |
|---|---|
| Project Management | Trello, Asana |
| Qualitative Analysis | NVivo, MAXQDA |
| Quantitative Analysis | SPSS, R, Python |
| Collaboration | Google Drive, shared repositories |
Why PAR for Educational Justice?
PAR aligns naturally with movements for educational equity:
- Centers practitioner knowledge and experience
- Challenges top-down research models
- Produces actionable, context-specific findings
- Builds community capacity alongside generating knowledge
- Respects participants as experts in their own contexts
Related
- 21st Century Educational Justice — The broader movement
- Anti-Racist Digital Literacy Principles — Framework for equity
- Teaching Digital Self-determination — Pedagogical approach
PAR isn't just about studying change — it's about making change happen.