A Tale of Two Projects: Youth Participatory Action Research as Bounded Versus Open Inquiry

• In Event: Toward Equity in Learning Communities: Innovative Characteristics of Youth Work Practice

Abstract

This project examined the experiences of six Ethnic Studies students who simultaneously engaged in two youth participatory action research (YPAR) projects, one in school and one out-of-school. The research explored the relationship between program context and student experiences of YPAR. This mixed methods study used a convergent design where qualitative (e.g., interviews and participant observations) and quantitative (e.g., surveys) data were collected simultaneously, analyzed individually, then merged. Students preferred YPAR to both Ethnic Studies and traditional classrooms. The students preferred the out-of-school YPAR project. Findings demonstrate the challenges of implementing YPAR in and out of schools. Students noted how traditional classrooms reinforce hierarchical schooling, the in-school YPAR operated as bounded inquiry, while the out-of-school endeavor provided room for open inquiry.

Author

• Thomas Albright, Georgia State University