Making Sense of Youth Sense-Making: Examining Youth Perspectives During the Data Analysis Phase of School-Based Youth Participatory Action Research

• In Event: Preparing Preservice Teachers for Urban Schools

Abstract

At this historic moment, as the Covid-19 pandemic and protests for racial justice lay bare the racial and economic disparities in the United States, it is more urgent than ever to foster youth civic engagement and support students to confront inequities as part of school learning. Recognizing youth as change agents and knowledge generators, this paper shares results from an inquiry that examined what happened when Youth Participatory Action Research was integrated as part of the everyday learning for all enrolled 9th graders in an urban public high school. Attention is paid to the sense-making processes and how youth experiences and perspectives are leveraged (or not) in this phase of the action research process. Four findings will be shared.

Authors

• Molly Buckley-Marudas, Cleveland State University

• Nicolette Hoon, Cleveland State University

• Alla Karapunarly, Cleveland State University