Participatory action research and social change

The participatory approach: Contradiction and co-option in Burkina Faso

The focus of thc, adult education field is shifting to adult learning. Current trends are the continued development of the concept: of andragogy and self-directed learning, increased emphasis on learning how to learn, and real-life learning. Cognitive psycholo,j is influencing work in adult learning. The concept of intelligence as it relates to adults is moving avay from the notion of IQ toward a recogn-it4.on that intelligence has multiple aspects. Application of the concept of learning style has been Hindered by confusion over terminology and lack of appropriate measurement instruments fc.1 adults. The teaching of learning strategies to adults tends to emphasize metacognition, memory, and ixtivation. Critical thinking is becoming more important in an environment complicated by an in_ormation explosion and rapid social and technological change. The influence of the social environment and culture upon learning is also being examined. The goal of learning in the social environment is action, often intended to cause social change. One method increasingly being used is participatory researcJ, the ultimate goal of which is empowerment. Current trends in adult learning research point to a new image of the ;Adult learner as an empowered learner--one who understands the learning process and the social environment and who can respond to ,.he challenges of improving that setting. Adult educators must take a more active stance to meet learner needs for individual development and social reconstruction. The shift of research focus to the adult learner holds potential for mending the fragmented nature of the field of adult education. (145

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Learning and Reality: Reflections on Trends in Adult Learning. Information Series No. 336.

LEARNER GENERATED MATERIALS IN ADULT LITERACY PROGRAMS AS A VEHICLE FOR DEVELOPMENT: THEORY AND PRACTICE IN CASE STUDIES IN NEPAL MAY 1996 CLIFFORD TREVOR MEYERS B.A., ST. OLAF COLLEGE M.A.T., SCHOOL FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAINING Ed.D., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Directed by: Professor David Kinsey Adult literacy and non~formal basic education programs have been implemented on a continuous basis in Nepal for the past 20 years. Both the Ministry of Education and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been implementing literacy courses as "entry points" for community development programs. This exploratory study examines three NGOs which, as part of their adult literacy programs, have organized adult new literates to develop and publish print materials. This process and the resultant texts have been termed Learner Generated Materials (LGM). Through a critical review of the literature, theoretical rationales and approaches for the use of LGM methods are identified, and patterns of practice, especially in Asia, are analyzed. Three intensive case studies of LGM activities in Nepal, utilizing field research, interviews and observation, describe the process of implementing LGM methods and the use of the materials developed in the Nepal context.

Learner generated materials in adult literacy programs as a vehicle for development : theory and practice in case studies in Nepal.

The field of community development is under constant and severe pressure to demonstrate what it is accomplishing. State and Federal legislators as well as the administrators of public programs need to justify the allocation of funds on rational priority terms. When a funding crunch arrives there is need for evidence of the output of community development to weigh in the balance with other social service programs. When this time arrives, it is too late to start thinking about the development of instruments and the collection of data. In addition to these external needs there is a great need to provide much more systematic and substantive feedback to community members about what they are learning and accomplishing during the CD process. This paper presents a case study of participatory evaluation which suggests a way of going about evaluation which not only provides meaningful data for decision makers but at the same time provides important feedback to the community.

Participatory Evaluation: A Tool for Community Development Practitioners.

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Nat J. Colletta

Papers

Participatory Research or Participation Put-on: Reflections on the Research Phase of an Indonesian Experiment in Non-Formal Education.