Participatory Action Research: an introduction to visual qualitative methods

This two day in-person course will introduce participants to qualitative participatory action research (PAR) methodologies including photo elicitation, journaling, systems workshops and (online) walking interviews. It will differentiate participatory action research from co-production research in terms of (i) focus, (ii) methodology, (iii) power dynamics and (iv) outcomes. 

Participants will explore the principles of PAR, such as respect for diversity, community strengths, cultural identity reflection, power-sharing, and co-learning. The course will cover the cyclical approach to PAR and its practical applications, including ethical considerations and participatory research with various groups, such as children and young people.

It will delve the integration of lived experience representatives into study design from ideation to data collection, interpretation, iterative validation and inclusive findings dissemination. 

This course will also explore the co-analysis (collaborative interpretation) aspect of qualitative PAR and co-production methodologies. Co-analysis involves collaborative data analysis processes where researchers and participants work together to interpret different forms of data, ensuring that multiple perspectives are considered and that the findings are grounded in the lived experiences of participants.

Participants will learn various co-analysis techniques, including:

• Thematic Analysis: Collaboratively identifying and analysing patterns or themes within qualitative data.
• Framework Analysis: Using a structured approach to manage and analyse data through matrices.
• Participatory Coding: Engaging participants in the coding process to ensure their experiences and perspectives are accurately represented.

The course will emphasize the importance of reflexivity, transparency, and ethical considerations in co-analysis. Participants will explore how to facilitate effective co-analysis sessions, manage power dynamics, and ensure that the co-analysis process is inclusive and respectful of all voices.

Course Description

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course participants will:

• have a comprehensive understanding of how to design and implement qualitative PAR and co-production research projects, ensuring meaningful engagement and impactful outcomes.
• learn how to carry out analysis and collaborative interpretation of qualitative data
• know how to build in checks and balances for emotionally demand research

Schedule

The course take place in-person at University of Glasgow and runs from 9am - 5pm on the 28th and 29th November 2024.

The course covers:

Day 1: Presenting PAR methods

• 9:00-9:20: Ice-breaker 

       ~ who are my target participants (who are my research collaborators?)

~ what methods am I using?

• 9:20-10:00: History of PAR and its significance in social and public health research today

  5-10 minute break

• 10:10-10:40 Principles of  PAR: the difference between PAR and co-production

• 10:40-11:30: Building an inclusive study design

• 11:30-12:00 Think aloud session: worries, anxieties and challenges of PAR research

  Lunch

• 13:00-13:10 Introducing systems workshops

• 13:10-13:30 The SOCITS approach: a table exercise application of system workshopping 

• 13:30-13:40 A debrief of the SOCITS approach  

  5-10 minute break

• 13:50-14:00: Introducing photo elicitation 

• 14:00-14:20 Photo elicitation – a practical exercise in co-production

• 14:20-14:40 Walking interviews

  15-minute break

• 14:55-17:00 Introducing journaling for participants and researchers

  Reflections on Day 1

  Goal setting for Day 2

Day 2: Application of analytical methods

• 9:00-10:00: Picking up where left off: Analysing journal entries

• 10:00-11:00: Analysing photo diaries

  15-minute break

• 10:15-11:15: Analysing systems workshops

  15-minute break

• 11:30-12:00: Analysing walking interviews

  Lunch

• 13:00-14:00: Analysing walking interviews

• 14:00-15:00: Co-producing artefacts: takeaways for the participants

  10 minute break

• 16:00-17:00 Think aloud session and wrap up 

Prerequisites

Delegates are asked to bring a device with a camera for the photo elicitation practical exercise and a laptop in order to participate on Padlet.

Presenter

Dr Nadia Ncube is a reproductive sociologist at the University of Glasgow who specialises in co-production and participatory action research. She leads workshops with young people and is a instructor on the adaptation of SOCial sITuational Systems (SOCITS) approach to measuring and modelling adolescent mental health for different spatially situated social foci. Her publication, “The ‘Strong Black Girl’ Dilemma: Reflections on Young Black Women’s Mental Health during Dual Pandemics” in the Journal of African American Women in Education introduces the concept of youth-participatory action research (Y-PAR) and was an example of a co-produced journal article with a group of student researcher who undertook the data collection.