ARNA SPOTLIGHT ARCHIVES
August 2024
Through the Spotlight our ARNA community(in the Americas and beyond) becomes more deeply acquainted and connected with the energetic, valued action research involvement of our diverse voices.
. . . this Spotlight, after our fabulous 2024 Hybrid Annual Conference, was for 2024 conference participants to respond to the reflective question:
"As a result of attending the ARNA Hybrid 2024 Conference, what ideas are you still thinking about that apply to your post conference life, and/or what continues to be an inspiration from the conference that you are still carrying with you?"
Here are five contributions that represent deep and passionate responses. This Spotlight is presented with gratitude to all contributors.
Enjoy!
Dr. Allison Joann Lester
Arizona State University
Reflecting on the ARNA Hybrid 2024 Conference, I am still energized by the diverse voices and experiences shared. The conference was a time of profound learning, connection, and inspiration that continues to resonate with me.
One of the most impactful moments was co-presenting with Abigail Rubinstein, a teen from our Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) project, TRASHION: Igniting Environmental Activism and Community Engagement through YPAR and LARP. Our bilingual presentation in Spanish and English showcased the rich Latinx identity of our work and underscored the conference’s commitment to celebrating diverse experiences.
The innovative ideas and approaches shared at ARNA introduced me to new ways of creating inclusive spaces where young people can thrive. I was also captivated by the inventive methods other YPAR teams used, such as digital storytelling and community mapping, which highlighted the unique perspectives and transformative power of youth-led research. Witnessing the powerful impact of giving youth a platform to share their truths and discoveries reinforced the importance of empowerment and representation in research.
This experience has left a lasting impression, reinforcing the importance of fostering environments where young voices are celebrated and deeply valued. The dynamic and innovative work presented at the conference continues to inspire my efforts in YPAR and youth development.
With gratitude and reflection, I carry the inspiration from ARNA with me, eager to continue empowering the next generation of change-makers. The conference was a powerful reminder of our collective potential when we come together to learn, share, and grow.
Arizona State University
Dr. Luis Alberto D'Elia
University of Alberta Canadá
ARNA conferences like the recent one inspire me to discover works by international colleagues that follow criteria that we have been developing at PAR.
As it happens, towards the end of last year I learned about a project from the Nutrition Department (Cátedra) of the National University of Entre Ríos (UNER) that not only mobilized students to leave the classroom to study problems with people from the local community, but also put them in direct communication with the local nutritional problem, a topic of curricular study. Here there were already two attributes that we value at ARNA: Community-based and participatory research.
The alma mater of this University Extension experience, the chair holder and researcher, Magister María Clara Melchiori, reflected that the students, through spontaneous dialogues with producers/marketers and consumers of vegetables and fruits, would get to know directly from the protagonists (primary data), information such as, “what is produced in the different seasons, what is the marketing price of vegetables, characteristics of the crop, the impact of climate change on production” and much more.
The objective of the research did not stop there, but with these and other experiences of the students with protagonists of the food system, they themselves could critically analyze the Argentine Food System and become enthusiastic about being themselves the agents of change necessary for a better diet. “safe, healthy and sovereign” (PASSS, lei motiff of the previous municipal administration).
In fact, these and many other components of an action research that the UNER of Argentina was presenting at the recent ARNA 2024 congress at Eastern Michigan University, USA, are steeped in the values and strategies that we uphold in that network. Another project presented at the conference by researchers Vuarant and Melchiori on fish consumption demonstrated that the little or no appreciation of the river product by school institutions when preparing menus in their canteens contrasted with the need for nutrients available and beneficial.
In both investigations, the researchers are located “in the middle of the investigation and not outside as observers/experiencers.” (AERA SIG, following Freire's pedagogy). A dramatic investigative change owed by the academy.
Español
Conferencias ARNA como la reciente me inspiran a descubrir trabajos de colegas internacionales que siguen pautas que venimos desarrollando en PAR.
Así fue que hacia fines del año pasado me enteré de un proyecto de la cátedra de Nutrición de la Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos (UNER) que no sólo movilizaba a lxs estudiantes a salir de la sala de clase para estudiar problemáticas con gente de la comunidad local, sino que también lxs ponía en comunicación directa con la problemática nutricional local, tema de estudio curricular. Aquí ya se daban dos atributos que valoramos en ARNA: Investigación basada en la comunidad y participativa.
El alma mater de esa experiencia de Extensión Universitaria, la titular de cátedra e investigadora, Magister María Clara Melchiori, reflexionaba que lxs estudiantes, mediante diálogos espontáneos con productores/comercializadores y consumidores de vegetales y frutas, llegarían a conocer directamente de los protagonistas (datos primarios), información como, “qué se produce en las distintas estaciones, cuál es el precio de comercialización de las hortalizas, características del cultivo, la incidencia del cambio climático en la producción” y mucho más.
La misión de la cátedra no se detenía allí, sino que con esas y otras experiencias de lxs estudiantes con protagonistas del sistema de alimentación, lxs mismxs pudieran analizar críticamente el Sistema Alimentario Argentino y entusiasmarse en ser ellxs mismxs lxs agentes de cambio necesario para una alimentación “segura, sana y soberana” (PASSS, moto de la gestión municipal anterior).
De hecho que éstos y muchos otros componentes de una investigación-acción que la UNER de Argentina estuvo presentando en el reciente congreso de ARNA 2024 en la Eastern Michigan University, EEUU, vienen empapados de valores y estrategias que sostenemos en esa red.
Otro proyecto presentado en la conferencia por las investigadoras Vuarant y Melchiori sobre el consumo del pescado demostró que la poca o no valorización del producto del río por las instituciones escolares a la hora de preparar menús en sus comedores contrastaba con la necesidad de un consumo disponible y beneficioso.
En ambas investigaciones las y los investigadores se ubican “en medio de la investigación y no afuera como observadorxs /o experimentadxres.”(AERA SIG, siguiendo la pedagogía freiriana). Un dramático cambio investigativo adeudado por la academia.
University of Alberta, Canadá
Nyamsuren Baljinnyam, MA
Mongolian National University of Education
The ARNA Hybrid Conference 2024 was set to be a pivotal event in the academic and research community, bringing together scholars, students, and school leaders from around the globe. This year’s conference took place on 7-8 June in beautiful Ypsilanti, Michigan, offering both in-person and virtual participation options to accommodate attendees from diverse locations.
I was happy to attend the conference virtually with my colleagues: Dr. Narmandakh Khaltar and Otgonbaatar Olzkhuu, both prominent scholars in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Mongolian National University of Education (MNUE). I was also thrilled to present the key findings of my research in English and Spanish (with simultaneous translation provided). My reflections of highlights of this year’s conference are:
Innovative Research Presentations: Attendees had the opportunity to explore groundbreaking research and developments in action research. Presentations covered a wide range of topics, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the latest trends and advancements in Participatory Action Research.
Networking Opportunities: The hybrid format facilitated networking among participants, allowing for meaningful connections and collaborations. Whether attending in person or virtually, participants could engage with peers, share insights, and build professional relationships.
Panels and Workshops: The conference featured panel discussions and interactive roundtable workshops and presentations led by renowned professionals and academics who have had experience organizing this annual event for more than a decade. The conference sessions provided valuable knowledge and practical research skills, enhancing attendees’ expertise in their respective fields.
Global Participation: With a hybrid format, the ARNA Conference 2024 continued its goal to include a diverse array of voices from around the world. In the history of the annual ARNA Conference, since 2012, 26 researchers have presented from Mongolia, particularly from MNUE. In previous annual ARNA conferences 7 presentations have been made by my department lecturers. The road and connection to ARNA is not narrow and is endless for us.
I hope that future conferences see more representation from Mongolia, fostering greater exchange of knowledge and ideas. Our inspiration and increasing involvement would undoubtedly enhance the diversity and depth of academic community.
Mongolian National University of Education
Dr. Megan Bolton
Antioch University, Graduate School of Leadership & change
One of the takeaways I had from the ARNA Hybrid 2024 Conference was that sense of belonging which underpinned all of the work people were doing. This included creating pathways to value and utilize local goods and services, creating space for youth to explore identity and mental health, or creating coalitions in the education system to advocate for students with disabilities. I am overwhelmed and thankful for the ways that people engage in Action Research for the good of their communities.
In community level engagement, action researchers are empowering people to use their voices to make change. While I know this is one of the basic tenets of action research, it is so encouraging to see the depth of care for our world the presenters at ARNA 2024 have for each other.
I am also blown away by the knowledge, project planning, research, and genuine smartness that exists in this space. I learned so much! I have felt a sense of community at ARNA conferences that doesn’t exist in many places. Everyone celebrates each other and the valuable projects they are undertaking. It gives me goals to strive for and I want to emulate that level of work and care in my own research.
ANTIOCH UNIVERSITY
Dra. María Clara Melchiori
Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos Argentina
Participating in the ARNA Hybrid 2024 Conference has sparked a significant personal interest in me, primarily due to the need to share the two experiences we presented there. These experiences, carried out in Argentina during the course "Nutritional Issues" under my responsibility, in the Nutrition degree program at the National University of Entre Ríos, stem from proposals integrating university functions: teaching, research, and extension.
Additionally, I would like to mention that, in alignment with aspects referred to in the 2024 Inaugural Conference, since 2021 we have been incorporating art in its various expressions into our projects.
For example, once all the paintings created for a special call regarding the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021 were collected, an art curator organized an exhibition that allowed us to visualize how the artists connect art with the land and food production, what fruits and vegetables they particularly consume, and how they do so, how art reminds them of childhood foods and consumption for adult painters, and which foods may no longer be available.
In the case of poetry, during 2022, compiling poems by authors from Entre Ríos from various eras that evoke the riverside landscape, on the occasion of the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture, culminated in an edition of sound pieces. The dissemination of these sound pieces allowed them to reach unexpected corners through university radio projects and national radio.
Participating in the Hybrid 2024 Conference has been an immense pleasure for me. Under the guidance and orientation of Professor Luis D’elia from the University of Alberta, Canada, we have been able to share our work at a public university in Argentina with a vast audience.
Español
Participar de la conferencia Hibrida 2024 de ARNA ha despertado un enorme interés particular en mí y está fundamentalmente referido a la necesidad de contar que las dos experiencias que allí expusimos, realizadas en Argentina en oportunidad de la cursada de la asignatura Problemática nutricional a mi cargo, en la Licenciatura en Nutrición, de la Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos, son surgidas de propuestas de integralidad de las funciones universitarias: docencia, investigación y extensión.
Mencionar además que, en coincidencia con aspectos referidos en la Conferencia inaugural 2024, venimos desde el año 2021 incorporando a nuestros proyectos el arte en sus diversas expresiones.
Por ejemplo, una vez recopilados todos los cuadros pintados para una convocatoria especial referida al año internacional 2021 de las frutas y las verduras, una curadora de arte ordenó en exposición que permitió visualizar cómo los autores de las obras vinculan el arte con la tierra y la producción de alimentos, qué frutas y verduras consumen particularmente y de qué forma lo hacen, como los remite el arte a alimentos y consumos de la infancia para el caso de los pintores adultos, qué alimentos quizá ya no se consiguen.
Para el caso de la poesía, durante el año 2022, recopilar poemas de autores Entrerrianos de diversas épocas que evocan el paisaje ribereño, en ocasión del año internacional de la pesca artesanal y la acuicultura, culminó en una edición de piezas sonaras. La difusión de las piezas sonoras permitió llegar a rincones impensados a través de proyectos de radios universitarias y de radio nacional.
La participación en la conferencia híbrida 2024 ha significado para un enorme placer en tanto, bajo la tutela y orientación del profesor Luis D’elia de la Universidad de Alberta, Canadá, hemos podido difundir a un enorme público nuestro quehacer en una Universidad Pública en Argentina.
Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos, Argentina
Click on each name to read the response
March 2024
Each month ARNA Spotlight will have a focus on the ARNA homepage. The Spotlight will highlight individuals and groups in our organization so our community can become more deeply acquainted with the energetic and valued action research involvement of each of us.
For the March Spotlight we invited one of the newest ARNA Action Research Communities (ARCs) – the International ARC to respond to the prompt:
How did you became interested in action research and what are some of the activities you do that continue to 'spark' your interest in this type of research?
Lkhasuren Batmunkh
Mongolian National University of Education
I am interested in action research because it is all about solving problems to bring about change. During the action research method, the researcher does not merely observe and interpret information but he is also an active participant in the process. This focus on action allows me to intervene faster and better and bring about a process-oriented change; e.g., I continue to believe education has to be practical, useful and sustainable in any context. By using action research methodology, we can implement interdisciplinary learning and teaching for a better future. For example, based on my experience as a content editor of an English language textbook for Grade 11 students in Mongolia, aged 16-17, I dissatisfied with its content of the discussion of nature. There were a variety of environmental issues presented in detail but there was no discussion for how to prevent these problems or what can be done to tackle existing ones. Specifically, using action research methodology, steps for tree planting and tips on saving water could have been included. As a result, one text of the1983-1985 famine in Ethiopia was replaced with a text of environmental protection in the textbook.
Mongolian National University of Education
Dr. Josephine Bleach
National College of Ireland
I have always been interested in action research. In 2008, I joined Early Learning Initiative (ELI), community-based educational initiative in the National College of Ireland, a third level learning, teaching and research institution in Dublin’s inner city. The prevailing preference of policy makers and funders was independent scientific evaluations, which are not appropriate for bottom-up collaborative change. In June 2009, we created our learning community and annual action research cycle through which we, as a community of learners, investigate and evaluate our practice and projects. Regular community action research (CAR) events and dissemination opportunities build capacity and support engagement. CAR has supported transformative change at local and national level, while giving a genuine voice to participants as co-constructors. While assessments provide evidence on how children and young people are doing in terms of educational outcomes and aspirations, CAR also provides data on potential innovations.
National College of Ireland
Dr. Lesley Wood
North-West University, South Africa
I became interested in action research when I first entered academia and Jean McNiff came to my then institution and helped us to understand and implement action research in our own projects and with our postgraduate students. I have since then only conducted action research of various genres as I realised we needed to do more than just describe and explain problems, we had to work for positive change in education and other areas. Jack Whitehead was also very influential in my development and he introduced me to Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt with whom I have been working since 2012. I slowly shifted over from self-study forms of AR to community-based research because I began to work in the field of HIV education. Ortrun introduced me to participatory action learning and action research which suited my focus at my current institution where I was asked to set up a research entity for community-based educational research. The outcomes of this type of research really make a difference on educational, practical and political levels and I therefore continue to practice and promote it on many platforms, currently as a Research Chair in Early Childhood Development.
North-West University, South Africa
Dr. Jadambaa Badrakh
Mongolian National University of Education
Mongolian National University of Education
Dr. Noluvo Rangana
Nelson Mandela University, South Africa
My passion lies in community engagement and research. Through conducting research with diverse members of different communities, I have come to appreciate the immense value of Action Research in addressing societal challenges. What I find most admirable about Action Research is its capacity to empower all involved while recognizing every individual as a source of knowledge. In my PhD research, I utilized Action Research, which led to the development of a new framework proposing a novel genre of Participatory Action Learning and Action Research. This framework is tailored to the African context, aiming to guide engagement with various stakeholders through Action Research. Crucially, it offers a methodological contribution for the application of Action Research, specifically within the African context.
Nelson Mandela University, South Africa
Dr. Donald Peppion
New Mexico State University
Paulo Freire in the 1980s awakened us in Blackfeet Community College (a U.S. tribal college) when he wrote about the oppressed instituting change from within. In other words, communities and people through dialogue can identify or name their problem or situation and identify ways to bring about change. Thus, as Native Americans we could use our own knowledge, culture, and language to improve our quality of life after centuries of failed genocide by migrant Europeans. When Piikani (Blackfeet) spiritual leader George Kicking Woman stated “… our ways are different …,” I experienced an epiphany of our worldview being obverse to the dominating society. In trying to do research to investigate our language and culture after failed generations of genocidal actions including imprisoning children in boarding and mission schools, the literature and history of Native Americans is biased untrue, and non-existent. Through education, research and publication, my vision and purpose are to the raise the consciousness of all people about Native Americans with a goal of improving their quality of life.
New Mexico State University
Dr. Juland Salayo
University of the Philippines
My journey with research began 8 years ago, right after I completed my master's degree in Educational Management from one of the top state universities in the Philippines. At that time, my interest was primarily in quantitative research, a preference shaped by the Prevalent research orientation in the country. However, when I transitioned to the public basic school system, I was introduced to a new approach- action research (AR). The government, recognizing the importance of AR, invested significantly in research training, considering it a form of motivation for teachers. This was evident in our promotion, faculty awards, and professional development programs. After spending three years in the public school system, I moved to the tertiary level and was appointed as the Coordinator of the Research Department. One of my key responsibilities was to promote AR among the faculty, particularly in the basic education department. However, I encountered resistance, with many teachers needing to appreciate the significance of AR due to the nature of the university. Last year, I joined the national/premier state university of the Philippines, furthering my involvement in AR. Before this, I had been conducting trainings, seminars, and workshops on AR for basic school teachers nationwide. I was also frequently invited to assess and evaluate AR written by both teachers and parents. However, despite my extensive experience, I found myself unable to influence the direction of AR due to the differing views on its goals, even within the education agency. One of the critical issues I observed was the overreliance on experimental research as the sole method of conducting AR. While experimental research can be a valuable component of AR, it should not be the only approach. Additionally, the institutional orientation towards quantitative research meant that the authentic needs of the study's identified problems were often overlooked. Furthermore, many issues, such as national and international reading assessments, teacher salaries, and perceptions of scholastic practices, were too complex to be addressed through AR alone. Despite these challenges, I remain committed to addressing the misalignments and malpractices of AR in basic education, a task that has its challenges. Despite the numerous limitations and challenges, I am motivated to continue my work on AR in the Philippines. As a government teacher, I often feel helpless due to needing more resources and budget. These scarcities pose significant barriers to strengthening AR in the country. However, these challenges fuel my determination to push forward and make a difference in AR.
University of the Philippines
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