Action Research Seminar

Sociology 395: Prof.  Jim Sikora

Wednesdays, CLA 305

6:00-8:30 p.m .

Fall 2005

Action Research Seminar: This seminar bridges theory and applied research in community action. The course introduces the student as “scholar-citizen” to the multiple ways of seeking information on communities, examining community issues, developing action plans, and implementing proactive programs. Action research projects enable students to engage the community in the various roles effective citizenship requires whether as volunteers, interns, independent scholars, or leaders. In this course, students learn the interviewing, networking, and organizing skills that they will need to be effective agents of positive change.

Course goals for students are to:

engage the IWU and local community as active citizens
develop basic skills important for community action leadership
participate in team-organized community projects
form working partnerships with faculty, students, and community members
draft action projects for long-term Bloomington-Normal community involvement
present summaries of projects to executive and advisory community boards

By the end of this course, students are expected to complete a:

reflective journal and a project log summarizing their involvement as individuals and team members working on community projects
series of weekly exercises for their personal and collective development as team members in the community
project portfolio/binder and a final progress report
number of visits to community sites
team action plan for their community projects
formal presentation to their class and their community partner.

Attendance: Required.  Since we meet only once a week, missing one day is equivalent to missing a week of class. Exercises, community partner presentations, discussions, team activities, and skill building demand our full attention from 6:00-8:30 pm. Small blocks of  time each class period will allow for team meetings and individual consultation with the faculty partner.

Office Hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 9-10 a.m.; Mondays and Fridays 11-12 a.m.; Mondays and Wednesdays 1-2 p.m.; and by appointment, preferably on Wednesday afternoon. Because of conflicts with university or academic responsibilities, sometimes I may reschedule office hours for that day or week. If I am in my office at non-office hour times and the door is open, feel free to drop in.

Required Text:Stringer, Ernest T. 1999. Action Research. Second edition. Thousand Oaks, CA.: Sage Publications.  Please bring Stringer’s book to each class.

Required E-Reserves at Ames Library (password: action) include:

Gerston, Larry N. 2002. Public Policymaking in a Democratic Society: A Guide to Civic Engagement. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe.

Langton, Phyllis Ann and Dianne Anderson Kammerer. 2005. Practicing Sociology in the Community: A Student’s Guide. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, Prentice-Hall.

Nyden, Philip, Anne Figert, Mark Shibley, and Darryl Burrows (editors). 1997. Building Community: Social Science in Action. Thousand Oaks, Ca: Sage Publications.

Obama, Barack. 1995. Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. New York: Kodansha International.

Reason, Peter and Hilary Bradbury (editors). 2001. Handbook of Action Research: Participative Inquiry and Practice. Thousand Oaks, Ca: Sage Publications.

Rodin, Judith and Stephen P. Steinberg (eds). 2003. Public Discourse in America: Conversation and Community in the Twenty-First Century. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Action Research Center (ARC) Cabinet Resources: In the file cabinet outside CLA 263 are materials for review, including previous research, as you work on your respective projects.

Readings , Student Challenges & Opportunities for the Seminar

Aug 31: (AR) Stringer's pp. 1-16: "Research in Professional and Public Life" and pp. 17- 42: "Principles of Community-Based Action Research."

Sept 7: Due: Clean draft of your resume
             (AR) Chapeters 3&4, pp. 43-88: "Setting the Stage" and "Look: Building the Picture."
             (BC) pp. 240-242: "Conclusion: Collaboration Gives Hope and Voice in an Age of  Disenchantment."

            Quiz on readings
            Discussion of today's readings
            Assigning projects and teams for IWU and local community projects
            Skills building: The art of journaling.   Read (PSC), pp. 67-84, "Recording and Reflecting."

Sept 14: Due: Resumes for partners at IWU and the local community.
                (BC) pp. 3-13: "University-Community Collaborative Research: Adding Chairs at the Research Table"
                (PPDS) pp. 3-30, "The Public Policymaking Process and How it Relates to Our Lives."

                Quiz on readings
                Discussion of today's readings
                Team project presentations and discussions
                Skills building: Taking minutes and creating agendas for meetings

Sept 21: Due: Journals   
                (AR) Chapter 5, pp. 89-114: "Think: Interpreting and Analyzing"
               (BO) pp. 123-171, Barak Obama's Dreams from My Father

                Quiz on readings
                Discussion of today's readings
                Skills building: Managing and conducting meetings

Sept 28: (BC) pp. 120-128: "Case 14 Bring the Community into the University",
               pp. 202-210:  "Research, Organizing, and the Campaign for Community Policing in Chicago." 
                and pp. 219-225: "Case Study 25: The Imperfect Practice of Collaborative Research: The 'Working Group on Neighborhoods' in Toledo, Ohio."

                Quiz on readings
                Discussion of today's readings
                Skills building: Brainstorming: Building a preliminary picture, (AR) 56-60

Oct 5: Due: Individual student objectives and preliminary plan for IWU team project
           (AR) Chapters 6 & 7, pp. 115-163: "Act: Resolving the Problems" and "Act: Resolving Complex Problems

           Quiz on readings
           Discussion of today's reading
           Skills building: Developing an action plan.

Oct 12: Due: Journals, project logs, and project binders/ portfolios
             (AR) Chapter 9, pp. 187-215: "Understanding Action Research: The Theory Behind the Practice."

            Quiz on readings
            Discussion of today's reading
            Skills building: Working effectively with community partners.

Oct 19: Consultation and Team Project Time.  This breakout time is for team meetings and
                          individual appointments for consultation with the faculty partner.

Oct 26: Due: Team action plans for IWU and local community projects

            Quiz on readings
            Discussion of today's reading
            Skills building exercise: Tips for giving and receiving feedback and criticism
            5-8 minute presentation of individual action plans and feedback from class
            Team Breakout time

Nov 2:  Due: Journals and project logs
             (HAR) pp. 356-362: "Participatory Research and Education for Social Change: Highlander Research and Education Center," and
            pp. 396-402: "Six Street Youth Who Could..."

             Quiz on readings
             Discussion of today's readings
             10-minute presentations and feedback from class
             Team breakout time
             Skills building: Writing an editorial

Nov 9: Due: IWU Team Project Paper
            This class centers on questions about you in your partnership and team projects, about you as a citizen, and about you and the general community. 
            Read (PPDS) pp. 153-164, "Participation. Politics, and Policymaking: Putting It Together."

Nov 16:  Audio-visual formal presentations of IWU action projects

Nov 23:   No Class: Thanksgiving Break

Nov 30: Audio-visual presentations of local community action projects

Dec 7: Audio-visual presentations of local community action projects

Dec 14: Due: Journals and Team Project Reports
              Course Debriefing
              Course Evaluations

Course Requirements and Grade: Percent of Course Grade, Requirement or Outcome:

25%    Journal Notes: Each student maintains a weekly synopsis of plans and actions taken on the team and individual projects.  Journal notes are in-depth notes describing activities, things you learned, information gathered from participants, changes in previous plans and actions (explain what changed, why it changed, your personal involvement during those changes, and what you have learned from the changes).
Journals must be dated, current, kept weekly throughout the semester and due to the instructor at the start of class on September 21, October 12, November 2, and December 14 (last day of class).  Journals will be returned the following week.

15%    Quizzes on readings

15%    Individual action plans for community partner (team or individual) project

15%     Formal PowerPoint presentation on local community partner project.  Include in your presentation the following: your action plan, your experiences with the community partner, background history of partner organization, table of organization, and where your project fits into the organization, timeline and objectives for this semester and beyond.

10%    Project Log: Condensed timelines that allow you to keep track of work on your individual community and team projects.  Each time you meet with others to talk about the team or your community project, at a minimum note in your log the date, place, time (start and finish of meeting), names of people who attended, subjects discussed, decisions made, and future meetings scheduled (similar to abbreviated minutes from a meeting).

10%    Project Binder/ Portfolio and Progress/ Status Report

10%    Individual student objectives and plan (preliminary plan) for IWU team project