Youth Ownership in YPAR (Youth Participatory Action Research)

• In Event: Youth Participatory Action Research: Community of Practice, Catalyst for Resistance, Podcasting, Speculative Fiction, and Ownership

Abstract

Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) enables students to actively investigate and address issues within their communities, challenge traditional educational power dynamics and foster critical consciousness. This study focuses on the underexplored aspect of YPAR: student ownership. We examine how youth take ownership of the YPAR process with their projects and how this ownership impacts their development and engagement with their projects. Data from four focus groups were examined. Findings reveal that personal connections to research topics significantly enhance students' sense of ownership. Students who chose topics relevant to their lives exhibited greater engagement and applied YPAR skills beyond the classroom, highlighting the importance of integrating YPAR in classrooms in a way that fosters individual ownership of projects.

Authors

• Katelyne Griffin-Todd, Cleveland State University

• Marissa Stock, Cleveland State University

• Adam Voight, Cleveland State University