Developing the Capacity to Change: Conceptualizing Agency Within Undergraduate Student–Led Action Research Toward Institutional Change

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 8:00 a.m. Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Toward Just Action Research Framework and Praxis (Table 13)

Abstract

This proposal highlights the potential for engaging undergraduate students in projects of inclusive change for historically marginalizing university departments. Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) offers a model for engaging, training, and guiding students on projects of evidence-based community change. We run a YPAR-informed JEDI (Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion) Ambassador program at a large public Hispanic Serving Institution in a conservative state. We examined JEDI Ambassador exit interviews to look for expressions of agency. We found that students experienced expansions of agency including through realizing their perspectives matter, realizing they can communicate and advocate with university leaders, and realizing their capacity to create change and experienced a restriction of agency regarding feeling uncertain regarding the conservative political climate.

Authors

• Stephen D. Secules, University of New Mexico

• Nivedita Kumar, Florida International University

• Tekla Nicholas, Florida International University

• Maimuna Begum Kali, Florida International University