Brief description
Participatory research can be carried out with groups and communities of many different kinds, including grassroots organisations, groups sharing a certain disease or infirmity (e.g. a patient interest group or a disability association), groups with shared risks or vulnerabilities , geographically defined communities, minority populations (e.g. an ethnic or sexual minority community), groups with shared circumstances (e.g. an age-based group or a community of nursing home residents), or groups engaging in similar work (e.g. a community of co-workers, professionals or students). Through a mix of lectures, discussions, case studies and group work, this course will aim to provide participants with knowledge about the principles of community-based participatory research, the epistemological underpinnings of such research, and the practical conduct of such research in the context of medical and health research.
Admission
PhD candidates in nursing and caring sciences, medicine, other health sciences, and fields of professional studies.
PhD candidates at the National research school for research in the municipal health care services (MUNI-HEALTH-CARE) will get first priority admission to the course. PhD candidates at the partner institutions of MUNI-HEALTH-CARE and other universities and university colleges in Norway and EEA can apply for admission to the course. Documentation of admission to a PhD programme is required.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
This course will give you knowledge about
- the characteristics and principles of community-based participatory action research,
- the settings in which PAR may be productively used,
- the epistemological underpinnings of PAR,
- methodological considerations in PAR, and
- the development and conduct of PAR in the context of medical and health research
Skills
This course will give you the skills to
- Identify and discuss important issues that may be productively addressed through the use of PAR
- Engage With and critique studies that uses PAR
- Use elements of PAR in your own research
- Critically discuss other (non-PAR) research in the light of rationale and approaches deriving from PAR
General competence
This course will provide you with competence and skills to
- Reflect on and discuss relations between knowledge and action
- Reflect on and discuss relations between researchers and researched
- Critically assess research employing (and not employing) participatory approaches
Course outline
Subject to changes
Required reading
Exam/ Evaluation
Within four weeks after the course, submit a written assignment/exam according to the guidelines presented below:
For participants completing the course for 3 ETCS:
Prepare a written paper of maximum 2500 words which includes the following:
- Select a relevant published article which applies a PAR approach,
- Present a brief synopsis of the article
- Present a framework for critiquing the article, based on relevant course readings
- Analyze the selected article in light of the criteria
- Draw a conclusion regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the article in light of the course Readings.
For participants completing the course for 5 ETCS:
Prepare a written paper of maximum 5000 words. You can select one of the following assignments:
Alternative assignment 1:
- Select a social/clinical problem and identify a research question which will be suited for a PAR approach
- Describe the problem and argue for why you think PAR would be a relevant/useful approach
- Describe the main elements of the design and methods to address the problem/question.
- Provide a rationale for the proposed design and methods, applying the course readings and other relevant literature.
Alternative assignment 2:
- Identify a relevant methodological issue that researchers need to consider when conducting PAR Research
- Present the main points of the issue and argue for why it is relevant and important to discuss
- Discuss the salient aspects of the issue thoroughly in light of the course readings and other relevant literature.