A Cross-Collaborative Approach to Action Research: A National Study of Undocumented College Students

• In Event: 29.040 - Action Research Transforming Education Policy and Practice

Abstract

The UndocuScholars Project is a national study, which examines the educational experiences of diverse undocumented college students. The research project uses a community-based participatory action approach to actively engage in a collaborative, co-investigative, co-learning, and empowering process to recruit participants and promote action and change (Israel, Schulz, Parker, & Becker, 1998). Through the partnership composed of researchers, community-based organizations, and undocumented students, we draw from their expertise and knowledge to drive the research and influence institutional, state and federal policies for undocumented college students. We developed four sectors of community-based partnerships: organization partnerships, an organization advisory board, a faculty advisory board, and a student advisory board. Each sector is engaged in a variety of ways at different stages of the research project starting from the instrument and recruitment strategy development, and data analysis to disseminating the findings.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) approach under the Participatory Action Research framework used to engage the community, students, practitioners, researchers and community-based organizations to design the study, recruit this vulnerable population, and take appropriate action to change higher education policy. A CBPAR approach is well suited when working with vulnerable and understudied populations. CBPAR also addresses ethical considerations of confidentiality for participants, building rapport and trust with community, and reciprocity in research. CBPAR has been described as a way to democratize research (Richardson, 2014).

Preliminary findings suggest 1) CBPAR is an effective tool for engaging vulnerable communities who are highly impacted by state and federal policies; 2) CBPAR provides a necessary approach for impacting vulnerable communities to a greater degree, as it offers the opportunity to work collaboratively with community-based organizations; and 3) CBPAR offers a unique approach to partnering with individuals representing the very communities that are central to the research, which is critical to the success of the work.

This paper presentation will reinforce the importance of taking a community-based action research approach and the action steps taken to engage the community, organizations, and students through these partnerships to help recruit this sensitive population and take appropriate action to change policy.

Authors

• Cynthia Maribel Alcantar, University of California - Los Angeles

• Edwin Hernandez, University of California - Los Angeles