Peering In: A Look into Reflective Practices in Youth Participatory Action Research

Sarah Zeller-Berkman
CUNY Graduate Center
Social-Personality Psychology Department

Citation: Zeller-Berkman, Sarah (2007). "Peering In: A Look into Reflective Practices in Youth Participatory Action Research." Children, Youth and Environments 17 (2): 315-328. Retrieved [date] from http://www.colorado.edu/journals/cye/

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Abstract

Using examples from a youth participatory action research (PAR) project based in New York City, the author invites youth PAR facilitators to think about the importance of building in time for collective and individual reflection.  This article first outlines the theoretical framework of reflective PAR based on Lewinian and Freirerian notions, then describes the reflective practices employed with her co-researchers. The author reveals the types of issues, critiques, insecurities and knowledge that may surface when adult facilitators are intentional about engaging in reflection throughout a PAR research process.

Keywords: participatory action research, reflective practices, youth PAR, parental incarceration, research processes