Collaboration between universities: An effective way of sustaining community-university partnerships?
In the era of the global economic recession, many higher education institutions have faced budget cuts. In this piece, the authors argue that community-university partnerships should be highly valued due to the ability of such partnerships to improve the quality of teaching and research. The South East Coastal Communities program (SECC) of southern England is presented in this paper to demonstrate ways in which partnerships can lead to new research opportunities, new developments in curriculum, and build the knowledge and skills of students in an context outside of the classroom. Pratt, J., Matthews, S., Nairne, B., Hoult, E. & Ashenden,…
Aligning the goals of community-engaged research: Why and how academic health centers can successfully engage with communities to improve health
The aim of this article is to assist academic health centers (AHC) in community engagement (CE) and community-engaged research (CEnR) using five steps: defining community and identifying partners, learning the etiquette of CE, building a sustainable network of CEnR researchers, recognizing that CEnR will require the development of new methodologies, and improving translation and dissemination plans. This paper asserts that national health disparities will persist without CEnR, and that barriers toward implementation of CEnR can be overcome through leadership and commitment of top decision makers within institutions. Michener, L., Cook, L., Ahmed, S.M., Yonas, M.A., Coyne-Beasley, T., & Aquilar-Gaxiola, S….
Development of a national survey to assess student learning outcomes of community-based research
This article describes the creation of a conceptually valid and statistically reliable CBR Student Learning Outcomes Survey, first analyzing the perceived benefits of CBR experienced by 70 undergraduates and faculty at six colleges and universities and later piloted to students from 15 colleges and universities (N=166). Five CBR “outcome con-structs” were measured: academic skills, educational experience, civic engagement, professional skills, and personal growth. This survey can be used as a tool for universities to evaluate CBR courses. Lichtenstein, G., Thorme, T., Cutforth, N., & Tombari, M.L. (2011). Development of a national survey to assess student learning outcomes of community-based research….
A systematic review of community-based participatory research to enhance clinical trials in racial and ethnic minority groups
This systematic literature review examines the effectiveness of current CBPR clinical trials involving racial and ethnic minorities. The review finds that CBPR is effective in increasing participation of racial and ethnic minority subjects in research. Additionally, it finds that CBPR may be a powerful tool to improve both the measurement of health disparities and in testing the generalizability of effective interventions among populations traditionally under-represented in clinical trials. De Las Nueces, D., Hacker, K., DiGirolamo, A., & Hicks, L.S. (2012). A systematic review of community-based participatory research to enhance clinical trials in racial and ethnic minority groups. Health Services Research, 47(3),…
The role and influence of key informants in community-engaged research: a critical perspective
In this article, the authors reflect on the unique role and purpose of key informants in community-engaged research. Taking a critical social science perspective, they consider the value and challenges involved in selecting and relying on key informants to represent the community and its perspectives. They offer insight into how community-engaged researchers can ensure that the key-informants in their own work will represent insider community perspectives and help identify and support community priorities. McKenna, S. A., & Main, D. S., (2013). The role and influence of key informants in community-engaged research: A critical perspective. Action Research, 11(2), 113-124. Full Text.
Ethics and community-engaged research
This PowerPoint presentation outlines ethical concepts and considerations for conducting community-engaged research. The author first introduces the topic by providing characteristics of community-engaged research, the definition of a “community”, and how communities are typically represented. The PowerPoint is then presented in four sections: ethical principles of research, protecting individuals and considering community-level concerns, ethical principles and the partnership process, and ethical issues of power and control.McDonald, M.A. (2009). Ethics and community-engaged research. Duke Center for Community Research, Duke University School of Medicine. 1-43. Full Text.
Principles and practices for public scholarship and teaching
Does engaged scholarship play an important role in the revitalization of the humanities in the 21st century? Author Gregory Jay asserts that “the future of the humanities depends upon two interrelated innovations: the organized implementation of project based engaged learning and scholarship, on the one hand, and the continued advancement of digital and new media learning and scholarship, on the other hand” (Jay, 51). This paper discusses examples of engaged humanities and the institutional obstacles they face, concluding with a prediction on how new media is changing “the public” and thus shaping opportunities for scholarship and engagement. Jay, G. (2010)….
The keys to university-community engagement sustainibility
This paper explains three dimensions that universities must attend to in order to create beneficial and sustainable engagement with the community: internal (characteristics of the university), external (characteristics of the community), and personal (characteristics of the faculty). The authors argue that sustainable types of engagement are those that positively address each of these dimensions, and lead to valued capacity building for the community. They discuss the experience of Eastern Michigan University’s Institute for the Study of Children, Families and Communities to illustrate the challenges and strategies for building successful university-community relationships. Clifford, D., & Petrescu, C. (2012) The keys to…
Fieldwork challenges: Lessons learned from a north-south public health research partnership
This paper describes the lessons learned from an international research partnership between two northern universities, one southern university, and a southern faith-based organization. The research project evaluated a school-based HIV prevention intervention with South African adolescents, and through this process seven fieldwork-related challenges were revealed. Lessons learned from these challenges—along with how they prepared for each one, what happened on the ground, and possible unintended consequences—are described in detail. Casale, M.A.J., Flicker, S., & Nixon, S.A. (2011). Fieldwork challenges: Lessons learned from a north-south public health research partnership. Health Promotion Practice, 12(5), 734-735. Full Text.
Community alliance for research and engagement
The dissemination of research findings to participating individuals and institutions upon project completion is an important principle of community-based research. This document offers information on developing a dissemination plan, general writing guidelines, and strategies for dissemination (i.e. media coverage, press release, research summary document, flyers, brochures, policy briefs, letter of thanks). Also included in this resource are sample dissemination documents.CARE: Community alliance for research and engagement. Beyond Scientific Publication: Strategies for Disseminating Research Findings. Yale Center for Clinical Investigation. 1-19. Full Text.
An Awareness and action framework for transformative community engagement
This paper presents a new awareness-action framework for universities to use to assess, and improve, their engagement with disadvantaged communities. The authors present the research from which the framework was developed, and explain how universities can use the framework to engage with disadvantaged communities in an inclusive and equitable manner.Butcher, J., Leathley, C., & Johnston, K. (2011). An awareness and action framework for transformative community engagement. Australasian Journal of University-Community Engagement, 6(2), 18-36. Full Text.
Maximizing the impact of community-based research
Community-based research (CBR) is an increasingly familiar approach to addressing social challenges. Nonetheless, the role it plays in attaining community impact is unclear and largely unstudied. Here the authors discuss an emerging framework aimed toward fostering community impact through university and community civic engagement. They describe how, through application of this framework to initiatives intended to reduce obesity, CBR might be focused for greater effect. Beckman, M., Penney, N., & Cockburn, B. (2011). Maximizing the impact of community-based research. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 15(2), 83-103.Full Text.
Designing community-based courses: A guide for instructors to develop community partnerships and create public scholarship courses
This handbook is a guide for faculty, lecturers, graduate students, and staff to create, implement, or strengthen engaged scholarship courses. The handbook contains six sections: Engaged Public Scholarship, Building Campus-Community Partnerships, Developing Engaged Scholarship Courses, Supporting Student Engagement with the Community, Deepening the Learning with Reflection, Developing Evaluation and Assessment for Engaged Scholarship. Avila-Lynn, C., Rice K., & Akin, S. (2012). Designing community-based courses: A guide for instructors to develop community partnerships and create public scholarship courses. Cal Corps Public Service Center, University of California Berkeley. 3-45. Full Text.
Principles of community engagement
This “primer” provides public health professionals, health care providers, researchers, and community-based leaders and organizations with both a science base and practical guidance for engaging partners in projects that may affect them. The principles of engagement can be used by people in a range of roles, from the program funder who needs to know how to support community engagement to the researcher or community leader who needs hands-on, practical information on how to mobilize the members of a community to partner in research initiatives. In addition, it provides tools for those who are leading efforts to improve population health through…
Between idealism and reality: Meeting the challenges of participatory action research
Participatory action research (PAR) is a methodological stance that researchers can find both inspiring and daunting. Community-based PAR offers a platform by which social scientists can contribute to the democratization of knowledge and its production, but also requires that they go beyond conventional roles and procedures to interact with community co-researchers in ways that may leave university-based researchers feeling exposed and rudderless. In this article, the authors present episodes from three different PAR projects that illustrate some of the challenges that PAR presents for university-based researchers, as well as what can be learned from them. (Smith et al, 2010, p….
Public Participation in scientific research: A framework for deliberate design
This article reviews and integrates recent scientific research involving public participation. In order to describe the current set of initiatives from diverse academic fields and traditions, the authors propose the term “public participation in scientific research (PPSR)”. The article describes three predominant models of PPSR, and offers a framework that considers how scientific and public interests are negotiated for project design. The authors suggest that this framework and models can be used to support deliberate design of PPSR efforts that will enhance their outcomes for scientific research, individual participants, and social–ecological systems. Shirk, J. L., Ballard, H. L., Wilderman, C….
Teacher action research: Building democracies
Written as a textbook for graduate level courses in action research, this book considers action research as a vehicle to develop knowledge democracies. It explores why action research is practiced, discusses the historical origin of the practice and relation to other theoretical perspectives, and offers research methods and case studies illustrating how action research contributes to democratic inquiry within institutions. Pine, G. (2009). Teacher action research: Building democracies. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1-396.
Community-based participatory research: A strategy for building health communities and promoting health through policy change
This 60 page report to The California Endowment offers an overview of community based participatory research (CBPR) – its definition and principles – and discussion of this research practice as a policy change tool. Eight “promising CBPR practices” are highlighted along with six case studies of CBPR utilized to effect policy change in California. The monograph concludes with a chapter on evaluating CBPR processes and outcomes and comprehensive lists of helpful websites and other CBPR resources. Minkler, M., Garcia, A.P., Rubin, V. & Wallerstein, N. (2012). Community-based participatory research: A strategy for building healthy communities and promoting health through policy…
Reconceptualizing engagement: a conceptual framework for analyzing university interaction with external social partners
This article contributes to the theoretical debate around the definition of “community engagement” in South Africa. It presents a conceptual framework that was developed to measure and map existing engaged academic activities. The article explains how the framework was developed, and how it can be used to guide empirical research, institutional strategic planning, and national higher education policy processes. Kruss, G. (2012). Reconceptualizing engagement: a conceptual framework for analyzing university interaction with external social partners. South African Review of Sociology, 43(2), 5-26. Full Text.
The Utility of educational action research for emancipatory change
Although the potential of action research (AR) to advance social justice and emancipatory change has become a popular and accepted concept, educational AR has fallen short of achieving these aims. This article focuses on how educational AR has been used as a method for teaching, increasing professional efficacy, implementing policy, and how each method of educational AR has its own emancipatory potential and challenges. Kinsler, K. (2010). The utility of educational action research for emancipatory change. Action Research, 8(2), 171-189. Full Text.
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