Participatory Methodology in Social Studies Research: Insights From the Field

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Building Connections: Feedback, Rhetorical Strategies, and Civic Engagement in Teacher Education (Table 10)

Abstract

This proposed presentation examines the contributions of participatory research (PR) to the social studies, emphasizing how PR methodologies can enhance our understanding of citizenship and civic engagement. PR involves young people in the research process to generate original data through various methods. Through a qualitative study actively involving 26 Israeli high school students from marginalized backgrounds, we demonstrate how PR can democratize knowledge production and foster collaborative, transformative experiences. Furthermore, analysis of the findings suggests that adopting the PR approach not only diversifies data sources but also serves as an educational tool, promoting civic engagement, reflective practices, a sense of agency, and a deeper understanding of social conditions among participants.

Authors

• Aviv Cohen, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

• Aline Muff, Hebrew University of Jerusalem