Implementing projects to develop inclusion in your own school often requires finding paths that other schools and groups have already taken. For this reason, we wanted to open this section on our website to support Participatory Action Research processes, which can be managed by different groups within any school: teaching staff, parent-teacher associations (AMPAS), management teams, student groups, etc. To this end, we have collaborated with professionals, families, and students from different levels, who are generating guides and tutorials to accompany you in the processes you undertake.
Tutorials for your community to research
Below, we offer you a series of video tutorials that explain some of the basic steps you need to take to conduct participatory research in your community. They are short videos, about 5 minutes long, which condense the necessary information and guide ordinary people to become researchers of their own reality.
It is not necessary to have studied to do research. Every member of the community has valuable knowledge for the rest. What we need is to generate ordered procedures that help us use all the knowledge we waste and the richness of the diversity in our schools.
📹 If you want us to create a specific tutorial,let us know and we will try to create it!
Making your school inclusive
In this tutorial, we will learn how to make our school inclusive. To do this, we have based our approach on a guide created by students from different parts of Spain. In this guide, these students show us a series of steps and tips that we can follow to achieve this. Additionally, we will see how the active participation of the entire community takes on significant value.
[Música]
Audio description [AD]: Introduction of Quererla es Crearla Video Tutorials.
Opening credits. How to make your school inclusive. We learn to improve our school participatively. Inclusive Education. Quererla es Crearla.
Three students take turns speaking in front of a camera with a background showing the Quererla es crearla logo.
Student 1:— In today's video, we will discuss the guide "How to make your school inclusive." This guide was developed by a working group of Secondary Education students from different parts of Spain. It is built by and for students to make their schools more inclusive.
Along this path, they have had the help and support of education professionals from the University of Malaga.
The 'Students for Inclusion' collective was born during the 2020 pandemic, and initially, their meetings were held remotely. They focused on reflecting on how schools function and thinking about proposals to make them more inclusive according to each context.
The internal diversity of the group has been key, as it is the way to overcome oppression and inequality. The group includes boys and girls of different nationalities, family backgrounds, socioeconomic levels, and cultures. Inclusive education is fundamentally generated through dialogue, as it allows us to eliminate the mental barriers that lead us to discriminate against others because of their differences.
Different types of materials can also be brought to the dialogue, such as mobile phones, computers, internet, websites, stationery, etc.
To build a more inclusive school, the group believes that a series of steps must be followed.
Student 2:— The first step is create a diverse group . All students interested in the project should be included, especially those who are least considered. It is essential that the group be very diverse and have allies to think together about the school.
The main idea is to start building a group of students interested in achieving inclusion and equity in school.
Step two is involve the institution . Once the group is formed, it must be made known to the educational community. Inform them of the objectives of our proposal, which can be done in writing to present to the management team.
It is crucial to involve as many members of the educational community as possible.
Step three is examine the school . In this phase, our goal is to transfer the conversations we have had in those meetings and among ourselves to the rest of the educational community so that students can share their experiences, but also their ideas and proposals for improving life in the center.
To involve all students, we can use the following techniques or methods, as we are interested in knowing their opinions:
The first is conducting interviews . Students from the center interview others, other students, teachers, families, neighbors, to learn their opinions and proposals, and above all, to get them involved.
The second is creating a suggestion box at school to ask or answer questions, or make suggestions.
The third is to record all the information collected. It would be interesting to document the entire process through videos, photographs, etc. Once the information is recorded, it will be summarized.
Student 1:—The fourth step is toorganize what the community has said. It is time to understand what they have told us.
To do this, we can create information analysis groups where members of the educational community who wish to participate can do so.
The groups can be mixed, composed of students, teachers, and families, and different topics can be assigned to each group. The members of these groups must carefully analyze the information and contribute their reflections to share them.
Let's remember that the leading role in this process belongs to the students. The goal is to summarize everything and make possible proposals for improvement. And, once the problem is identified, find an answer to: how do we solve it?
The fifth step is thefeedback to the community and decision-making. Once the analysis results are obtained, they must be communicated to the educational community. One way to do this can be through a talk.
When the topics to be discussed have been presented, debate is generated. We must try to take note of all the proposals made.
The goal will be to finish the course with the satisfaction of having achieved some
changes, even if they are modest.
Teacher 1:—Next comes step six, which is develop actions and evaluate them. It is time to evaluate the proposals. We want to find out what the impact of what has been done throughout the course has been.
What do we need to take into account? We will take into account, for example, whether changes have occurred in people, in relationships, in the school, or in the organization. If something has changed in the classes, in the grades, in the school's atmosphere. If it affects one or more classes, if it has increased and improved relationships between classes.
The seventh step is celebrate with the community, inviting or informing about achievements and new projects. Hold a festival or party to celebrate the end of the course and, therefore, the end of the project.
We can show what we have learned in the first person, and invite others to do the same. There is also a series of tips, such as trusting in students' knowledge.
It will improve the capacity for critical analysis of reality and for making decisions to transform it. It is important that students are the ones who direct their own intervention.
Finally, importantly, the guide should not be a straitjacket; it is open to modifications.
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Audio description [AD]: Final credits. Remember. How to make your school inclusive. 1. Create a diverse group. 2. Involve the institution. 3. Examine the school. 4. Organize what the community has said. 5. Feedback to the community and decision-making. 6. Develop actions and evaluate them. 7. Celebrate with the community.
Participants in this video: Azahara Hijano Trujillo, Adriana López de la Rosa, Dolores Mª Martín Ruz (script and performance); Blanca Parody Jordá (script); Teresa Rascón Gómez, Ignacio Calderón (review).
Music: Wind in your hair, by Stranger Sound Cooperation.
Collaborators: Master's in Social Change and Educational Professionals from the University of Málaga; New Technologies Laboratory of the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Málaga.
Support guides: "How to make your school inclusive".
Conducting Participatory Action Research
Participatory action research is a way of investigating reality in order to understand and improve it collaboratively. Learning together is how we overcome the barriers and problems that arise in school. In this video tutorial, you will be able to learn what Participatory Action Research consists of and what steps you should follow to carry it out with your educational community.
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Audio description [AD]: Introduction to Quererla es Crearla Video Tutorials.
Opening credits. How to conduct participatory action research (PAR). We learn to improve our school collaboratively. Inclusive Education. Quererla es Crearla.
A person speaks in front of a camera with a background showing the Quererla es crearla logo.
Person 1:— School should be a space where we can learn to respect and live together, all of us. A place to make friends, grow, and be happy. However, this doesn't happen in all schools.
Surely, if you think about your school, you'll remember situations and moments that don't resemble this. For example, problems with coexistence occur in schools. Problems that we and you, as researchers, can investigate and try to solve.
Together, the entire educational community will build a school that is truly inclusive. One where all students are represented and can participate. To do this, we will investigate. Yes, investigate.
When there's a problem, you have to investigate to try to improve the situation. You will investigate too. Thanks to PAR.
And you might ask, what is this PAR? PAR stands for Participatory Action Research. It's a way of investigating reality to understand it and, thus, improve it collaboratively.
In the case of coexistence, we seek to improve this coexistence in and out of the classroom, at school. Thanks to this PAR, remember Participatory Action Research, we can see what situations occur, what is happening, and why it is happening.
The solution isn't always simple. That's why everyone must collaborate. Learning is the way to overcome these barriers. The educational community, in this case, is formed by all the members who belong to the school.
It is necessary to involve the entire educational community. Pensad en vuestra escuela y, ahí, todo el mundo estará representado. El alumnado, el profesorado, el personal de administración, todo el mundo, incluyendo
a las familias, debe estar representada en esta comunidad educativa.
Para llevar a cabo la Investigación-Acción Participativa proponemos una serie de puntos que consideramos importantes seguir.
El primero de ellos, el diálogo. Hablar con las personas implicadas. Dialogar con ellas es lo primero, lo fundamental. Hablar con todo el mundo que tenga que ver con la comunidad educativa. ¿Qué está pasando?, ¿por qué está pasando?, y ¿qué visiones y versiones hay sobre esa misma situación? Hay que trabajar en equipo.
El segundo de los puntos, la creación de un grupo motor . Un grupo de personas que están interesadas en investigar y en dinamizar al resto de la
comunidad educativa para que todos y todas se pongan en marcha, se pongan en funcionamiento. Y para que todo el mundo partícipe.
El tercer punto, recoger la información . Antes nos preguntábamos ¿qué está pasando?, ¿qué está sucediendo y por qué? Tenemos que recoger toda esa información para, en un siguiente punto, el cuarto de estos, analizarla.
Analizar la información a través de asambleas, lluvia de ideas, etc. No sirve de nada recoger la información si, después, no nos sentamos todos y todas a analizarla y a trabajarla.
A través de asambleas, lluvia de ideas o diarios iremos sacando conceptos, esquemas y mapas conceptuales que nos irán diciendo qué está sucediendo y por qué.
El cuarto de los puntos; diseñar un plan de acción . In other words, take action. We need to activate the different mechanisms that occur within the educational community to improve this reality.
The fifth point is the action itself. Let's get started, act, prepare informational talks, create educational workshops, carry out
food drives, depending on the situation and the previous problem we had, and that action can change.
And the last point, evaluate. Let's all evaluate ourselves on how we act and access this social reality that has to do with the educational community. And let's ask ourselves, have we improved the situation?
Remember, we investigate, we act, and we participate. Because school is all of us. And all of us must be represented in a school that has come to be called an inclusive school.
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Audio description [AD]: Final credits. Remember. How to do a PAR. We investigate, we act, and we participate because school is all of us. Phases: 1. Dialogue. 2. Creation of a steering group. 3. Information analysis. 4. Design of an action plan. 5. Action. 7. Evaluation. Tips: Maintain active listening; work as a team; set clear objectives, and observe carefully.
Participants in this video: Moisés Mañas Olmos (script and performance); Griselda Oriana Doerflinger, Samuel Ramos Pérez (script); Teresa Rascón Gómez, Ignacio Calderón (review).
Music: Wind in your hair, by Stranger Sound Cooperation.
Collaborators: Master's in Social Change and Educational Professionals from the University of Málaga; Laboratory of New Technologies of the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Málaga.
Support guides: "How to make your school inclusive", "How to improve coexistence", "How to investigate?".
Gathering information from the community
In this tutorial, we will find a small part of the mechanism to improve our school in a participatory way through action research.
In this case, we show how we can gather information from the community with the intention of building our research together with the other people involved in the school’s reality.
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[AD]: Introduction to Quererla es Crearla Videotutorials.
Opening credits. Gathering information from the community. We learn to improve our school collaboratively. Inclusive Education. Quererla es Crearla.
Two people take turns speaking in front of a camera with a background showing the Quererla es crearla logo.
Person 1:— Hi! In this tutorial, we're going to talk about how to gather information from the community.
First, we need to be very clear about what a community is. It can be yourselves perfectly. A community is a group of people who have a series of things in common and who carry out activities together for a collective purpose.
First, what we need to do is get to know the community with which we are going to carry out the research, and to do this, we need to ask ourselves a series of questions. For example, who are the least heard voices within that community? Who wants to participate and who doesn't, and why? What are their concerns? What are their needs?
To help us answer these questions, we have a series of tools for gathering information. For example, participant observation. To do this, we need to immerse ourselves within the community and pay attention to those things that we hadn't previously noticed or taken into account.
On the other hand, we also have interviews. An interview is, basically, a conversation between the interviewer and the interviewee. For more information on interviews, you can consult the guide "How to Conduct Interviews".
We can also conduct life stories. Life stories are accounts of the lives of the people who make up that community. We also have guides on how to conduct life stories.
Another tool at our disposal is discussion groups, which are debates on specific topics. We also have workshops, which are like small activities where people work together to achieve something.
All these tools help us gather information.
We also have to be responsible for recording it. To do this, we need to let our imaginations run wild and we can use, for example, notebooks, photographs, our phones, computers, video cameras. We have to use all the tools at our disposal.
And it is very important to have the consent of the people in the community who want to participate in the research.
As you can see, it is super important to be involved with the community. To know their likes, concerns, and needs. In short, to be involved.
Furthermore, it must be taken into account that the voices of those people who are least heard within the community, or who have less power, will likely be the ones with the most to say.
Person 2:— Another way to gather information is to use publicly available data from channels like Facebook, Instagram, blogs, etc.
To analyze the information, we need to identify key ideas and pay attention to signals, such as a child not wanting to go to school.
It is also important to record certain conversations and words that spark reflection. In other words, analyzing ultimately means understanding common problems, as well as particular and unique ones that can be addressed in research. What is left out and neglected, for example, must be reviewed for improvement.
Once this information has been analyzed, it is returned to the community to collaboratively build a proposal. To do this, you can watch the tutorials on "How to select a problem" and "How to return information."
Remember! In the end, this is all a process of answering questions like: Why? How? And for what purpose is research needed in your community? Don't forget to listen actively, be empathetic, and try not to have preconceived notions about the community and its people.
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Audio description [AD]: Final credits. Remember. Gathering information from the community is a process that answers: 1. Why? 2. How? 3. For what purpose is research needed in your community? Tips: Listen actively; be empathetic; get involved in the community, and leave preconceived ideas behind.
Selecting a problem
To achieve an inclusive school, we need to identify the main problems that occur within it. In this video tutorial, you will find the steps to follow to know how to select a problem to study. To do this, it is essential for teachers, students, families, the management team, etc., to work together, contributing information that helps them select a significant problem that will resolve other issues.
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Audio description [AD]: Introduction to Quererla es Crearla Video Tutorials.
Opening credits. How to select a problem. We learn to improve our school collaboratively. Inclusive Education. Quererla es Crearla.
Two people take turns speaking in front of a camera with a background showing the Quererla es crearla logo.
Person 1:— To achieve an inclusive school, the first thing we must do is identify the main problems within it. In this tutorial, we will learn how to identify the problem under study.
To do this, our work must be operational, as it is not about changing the entire school, but about acting on problems that can solve others.
What are the main steps to identify a problem? Well, when we decide to investigate a reality, it is because we want to understand and improve it.
And what should we do to locate the focus of study? A participatory diagnosis will be necessary. To do this, the first thing we will have to do is gather information.
And how do we do it? We will start by perceiving and recording all observations and reflections. Another way to gather information can be through interviews, surveys, an open suggestion and change box, focus groups, workshops, etc.
It is important to involve the entire educational community in gathering information so that the needs and interests of all its members are accommodated. This is a fundamental task for sharing and identifying the problems and conflicts that occur in the center.
We must not forget to give all voices equal value and not judge others' opinions in order to understand and build together.
The next step is to share the information through dialogue and analyze it, for which we will also need the collaboration of the educational community. This analysis would begin with categorizing the information.
Person 2:— And what is categorizing? It is about organizing the collected information, grouping it into different themes that we will later express as problems until we reach the problem we want to investigate.
A particularly useful tool for locating the problem to investigate is the flowchart.
What is a flowchart? It is a diagram that we can create collectively within a group made up of different members of the educational community (or a steering group), and in which the cause-and-effect relationships between the different problems can be seen, as well as the main factors where conflict resolution should begin.
This flowchart encourages thinking about how to organize problems, and one way to do it is through colors. We can color the most repeated ones one color and the rest another, and thus differentiate between the most relevant problems and the others.
Arrows can also be used to identify the cause-and-effect relationship between problems, and to know which problems depend on others, so that they can be resolved on their own if we act on those that cause them.
The problem from which the most arrows emerge will be considered the main cause of others, and therefore, it will become our focus of study.
This and other tools will allow us to collectively arrive at the issue that will ultimately become the focus of our study. From there, we will get to work and agree on actions that allow us to resolve or minimize the effects of the problem we want to investigate.
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Audio description [AD]: Final credits. Remember. Return information to the community. 1. Gather information through dialogue. 2. Categorize or group information by theme. 3. Create a flowchart, representing cause-effect relationships between problems with arrows. 4. Select a problem that causes others. Tips: Listen actively; do not judge; participate in the community, and build together.
Participants in this video: Cristina Rodríguez Reyes, Esther Mancera Aranda (script and performance); Natalia Fernández García (script); Teresa Rascón Gómez, Ignacio Calderón (review).
Music: Wind in your hair, by Stranger Sound Cooperation.
Collaborators: Master's in Social Change and Educational Professionals from the University of Málaga; Laboratory of New Technologies of the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Málaga.
Support guides: "How to make your school inclusive", "How to improve coexistence".
Conduct interviews
In this tutorial, we show you how to conduct an interview with the educational community to build our research together with the people involved. We offer information on what an interview is and the types that exist, the personal attitudes and materials needed, as well as the steps to follow to carry it out within the community.
[Música]
Audio description [AD]: Introduction to Quererla es Crearla Video Tutorials.
Opening credits. How to conduct interviews. We learn to improve our school participatively. Inclusive Education. Quererla es Crearla.
Three students ask each other questions in front of a camera with a background displaying the Quererla es crearla logo.
Student 1:— Hey, Elo, for our research project, what could we use to gather information?
Student 2 (Elo):— Ah, well, interviews.
Student 1:— The interview? What's that?
Student 2 (Elo):— An interview is an exchange of information between two people, like you and me, for example, to learn more about a topic. For instance, when one teacher asks another if their students suffer from exam stress, to learn more about that topic.
Student 1:— So it's a kind of friendly conversation, like one you might have at a bar counter, right?
Student 2 (Elo):— Not necessarily, because at the bar counter you can talk about any topic. But in an interview, you talk about a specific topic to learn more about it.
Also, there are different types of interviews.
Student 1:— Oh, really? And what type are they?
Student 2 (Elo):— Well, look, interviews can be open-ended, a bit like a conversation at a bar. In them, you start by talking about an established topic, a specific topic, but then you can end up talking about anything.
Then there are closed interviews, which are interviews where you already have an ordered and established script of questions that you will carry out during the interview.
But you don't have to use one type or the other; you can do a mix of both. Whatever works best for your research. And, furthermore, interviews can be conducted both individually and collectively. For example, I can interview you, or I can interview an entire class or my entire family.
Student 1 :— Okay, so depending on the information I want to gather, I can use one type of interview or another.
Student 2 (Elo):— Yes, that's right.
Student 1 :— Okay, and what other steps should I follow?
Student 2 (Elo):— Well, look, as researchers, for example, when you are asking your mother about her time in school, we must follow a series of steps:
First, we have to respect the people we are interviewing and put ourselves in their shoes. We have to listen to what they tell us and how they tell us. And, above all, not judge the person we are dealing with.
Student 1 :— So, doing interviews is quite a challenge.
Student 2 (Elo):— Well, yes, but anyone can do it. You just need a set of materials.
Student 1:—And what materials are those?
Student 2 (Elo):—Well, look, first you need a notebook and a pen, because you have to write down the questions. You also need that notebook and pen to jot down anything you find important during the interview and to modify the questions you brought, on the fly, if necessary.
You also need a video or audio recorder, a digital camera, to record the interview, as long as the person we are interviewing gives us their consent. Because it's important to record it.
And, finally, we need a data storage device, because the information we are collecting is very important and we cannot lose it.
Student 1:—Well, how interesting. And what other steps should I follow?
Student 2 (Elo):—Well, look, my colleague, Dolores, will continue explaining to you.
Student 3 (Dolores):— Okay, look, to do the interview you have to think about 'the before', 'the during', and 'the after'. I'll explain it to you step by step, okay?
'The before' means you have to consider what we want to analyze, what we want to investigate. To do this, we need to create a script. And the script must be created collaboratively, meaning with other people.
Once we have established what we want to study, we need to research or find out who we are going to interview. Whenever we find someone to interview, we have to tell them what we are going to interview them about (investigate).
For example, imagine we want to investigate or learn more about exams. We could go to a school and say to a teacher, 'Look, I'm trying to learn more about whether exams cause anxiety and stress in students, would you mind lending us a hand?'
Student 1:— Uh-huh, great! I think I understood 'the before' quite clearly.
Student 3 (Dolores):— Well, now let's move on to 'the during', which is also super easy. In 'the during', we have to ask clear and concise questions, using normal vocabulary, not too specific, okay?
And once we have the questions prepared, we have to give the person we are asking the questions to their time and space, always respecting how they will answer us.
Once we have 'the before' and 'the during', let's tackle 'the after'. Afterwards, we have all the information, right? Then, we have to ensure that the information has been recorded correctly and analyzed.
But a preliminary step we cannot forget is that we must always give space to the people we have interviewed. That is, let them recover, because often they break down, they share very intimate things that may have hurt them at some point, or even because they were happy. So they need to recover, and you need to give them time, okay?
Student 1:— Okay.
Student 3 (Dolores):—We also cannot forget that we have to give them our contact information, in case they want to know how the research is going at any time, since they are active agents in this process.
Student 1:—Of course.
Student 3 (Dolores):—And note down the smallest thing that we find interesting for what we are researching.
Student 1:—So, when would the transcription be done?
Student 3 (Dolores):—Transcription is a word that sounds a bit strange. You've heard it somewhere before, right?Student 1:—Yes.Student 3 (Dolores):—Transcription has a strange name, but don't be scared. It's very easy. Transcription is simply rewriting what we've been told. To do this, it's good to use, as our colleague Elo told us, both the video camera and the mobile phone or some audio device, since that way it will be much easier for us to write it down. We can either write a whole paragraph or small things.Student 1:—Okay, I understand that the next step would be to give the information back to the community. That is, to return all the data to all those who participated with us, such as the interviewees, right? Estudiante 3 (Dolores):— Sí, así es. Recuerda, el objetivo fundamental de una entrevista es provocar un cambio o querer saber más sobre algo. Por ejemplo, yo estoy hablando contigo, de cualquier temática, me acerco a ti para dialogar. Porque la entrevista es un diálogo. Y a lo mejor, con el simple hecho de acercarme a ti sobre algo que te importa, ya provocamos ese cambio.
Estudiante 1:— Genial, qué interesante. Pues muchas gracias por la información.
Estudiante 3 (Dolores):— De nada.
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Audiodescripción [AD]: Créditos finales. Recuerda. Cómo hacer entrevistas. 1. Antes: qué queremos saber, preparar un guion y buscar a las personas. 2. Durante: preguntas sencillas, dar tiempo y anotar lo importante. 3. Después: dar las gracias, transcribir lo dicho y compartir resultados. Consejos. Ponernos en el lugar de la otra persona; respetar a las personas; escuchar atentamente lo que dicen y cómo lo dicen.
Participan en este vídeo: María Dolores Jiménez, María Eloísa Florido, Dolores María Moreno (guion e interpretación); Teresa Rascón Gómez, Ignacio Calderón (revisión).
Música: Wind in your hair, by Stranger Sound Cooperation.
Colaboran: Máster en Cambio Social y Profesionales Educativas de la Universidad de Málaga; Laboratorio de Nuevas Tecnologías de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación de la Universidad de Málaga.
Guías de apoyo: «Cómo hacer inclusiva tu escuela», «Cómo mejorar la convivencia», «Cómo investigar».
Create life stories
In this tutorial, we will learn what life stories are, as well as the types of life stories that exist and their objectives. Life stories can help us understand realities lived by people in our community, some of them unknown to many. It is about offering a window into realities that schools cannot ignore. Inclusive education requires us to value the lives of all people, because all people have equal value and dignity.
[Música]
Audio description [AD]: Introduction by Quererla es Crearla Video Tutorials.
Opening credits. How to conduct interviews. We learn to improve our school collaboratively. Inclusive Education. Quererla es Crearla.
Three people take turns speaking in front of a camera with a background showing the Quererla es crearla logo.
Student 1:— In this tutorial, we will talk about life stories.
A life story is a qualitative research technique. It basically consists of creating an autobiography or biographical account of a person in order to gather the most significant events and experiences of their life.
To carry this out, the researcher holds a series of conversations with the interviewee. These conversations can be supplemented with interviews of people in their social circle and with the collection of complementary biographical materials. These can include letters, diaries, personal documents, photographs, videos, etc.
Subsequently, all the information obtained is transcribed, summarized into categories, and analyzed.
The main objective of life stories is to analyze the most relevant events in a person's life within a specific society, time, and place, including their personal assessment.
Student 2:— Types of life stories. We have single-case life stories, which discuss a person's life trajectory or just one aspect of it.
Based on parallel life stories, we can construct what might happen in a community from the biographical accounts of several people from that place.
Crossed life stories direct the accounts of several people towards a central point or theme, which is the object of research.
Another important aspect of life stories is that they allow access to information about people and society that is difficult to obtain through other means. In particular, they allow for a better understanding of the experiences of excluded groups, whose voices are often silenced.
Furthermore, they can also be a pedagogical tool for learning how to learn, communicating better with others, transmitting values of tolerance and respect, not judging others based on our own values, and facilitating dialogue between generations, for example, between grandparents and grandchildren, at a time when different age groups seem to live in different worlds.
Student 3:—Next, I will talk about the objectives for the good use of life stories and what they provide us.
This biographical narrative technique is a vital tool that provides information about the person, in addition to improving social relationships. Life stories are created for various purposes, such as:
Gathering the person's entire experience from childhood to the present or from a specific moment that is particularly important for the research or for them.
Gathering the doubts, thoughts, and possible changes of opinion that the person may have.
Reflecting what the person thinks about themselves or others, as well as the analysis they make of their successes and difficulties, their perception of the events they narrate, etc.
Finally, it allows us to know and show others that their lives are valuable, as well as to learn about other life paths, etc.
So, if you want to know what is happening in society, you can start by learning about other people's life stories.
(Music)
Audio description [AD]:End credits. Remember. How to make life stories. 1. Their main objective is to analyze the most relevant events in a person's life in society, in a given time and place. 2. They allow access to information about people and society that is difficult to obtain through other means. 3. They collect personal experience from a specific moment. 4. They reflect what the person thinks about themselves and about others. 5. They analyze their successes and difficulties. 6. They allow us to learn about other life paths.
Participating in this video: Lucía García Lago, Cristian Couceiro Carro, Ángela Pérez Ruiz (script and performance); Sandra Barrado (script); Teresa Rascón Gómez, Ignacio Calderón (review).
Music: Wind in your hair , by Stranger Sound Cooperation.
Collaborators: Master's Degree in Social Change and Educational Professionals from the University of Málaga; New Technologies Laboratory of the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Málaga.
Support guides: How to make a life story.
Return information to the community
Returning information is one of the phases you will encounter if you conduct Participatory Action Research. At this point in the research, you, as the driving group, will need to convey the collected information to all participants or to other members of the community. In this video tutorial, you can find clarification on what this phase entails, the essential aspects for carrying it out, as well as proposals, ideas, and examples of how to return the information from your research.
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Audio description [AD]: Introduction to Quererla es Crearla Video Tutorials.
Initial credits. Returning information to the community. We learn to improve our school collaboratively. Inclusive Education. Quererla es Crearla.
Three students ask each other questions in front of a camera with a background showing the Quererla es crearla logo.
Student 1:— In this video, we're going to talk about returning information.
Student 2:— Okay, perfect, and exactly, what is this about returning information?
Student 1:— Okay. In your school, you have started and are carrying out an action research process. So far, what you have done is gather information from the entire community through interviews, focus groups, or other tools you have used.
Well, now it's your turn to summarize this information for the steering group and give back to the community that participated in the action research everything you have summarized, in a brief way.
Student 2:— Okay, and what do I need to keep in mind when returning that information? I don't know, what can I include? What can't I include? What can I introduce?
Student 1:— Let's see, I would tell you that you have to answer some questions. First, why and for what are we doing this research? Who and where was the research conducted?
For example, the school, whether students, teachers, other school professionals, families, or perhaps a local association from the neighborhood or town participated.
Another question that is interesting to answer is: what have we collected? That is, what have we concluded from all that information? What themes do we highlight from it all?
And then, what does all that information suggest to us? What challenges does it pose to the community?
Student 2:— Okay, so we have it all more or less clear now. Now, what do I need to keep in mind so that this feedback of information is clear to the community?
Student 1:— I would tell you that the most important thing would be that the language we use is adapted to the people to whom we are returning the information. Imagine you have to return information to primary school children, you will have to adapt the language so they understand it.
Student 2:— Okay.
Student 1:— Another important thing is that the language is very clear and structured. It is important to be clear that returning information is not just giving the information and that's it, but that what it seeks is for the community to reflect in order to transform the reality of the educational community.
Student 2:— Okay, so we have it all now. We know what returning information is. We know what to take into account. We know what to introduce, but I'm still not clear on how it's done. How do I return the information?
Student 1:—Information can be returned creatively; there are many ways to share all this information.
One way is through art. We can use music, for example.
Student 2:—Okay, it occurs to me right now, could we listen to a song that reminds us of the process and the conclusions and include it as a conclusion?
Student 1:—The interesting thing would be for all the information that the community has given us to be summarized, for example, in this case, in a song that, when people listen to it, they receive the information we wanted to highlight.
Student 2:—Okay.
Student 1:— Another example would be theater. We can stage part of the information we want others to receive.
Student 2:— Okay, so we can also do a performance .
Student 1:— For example, you can do a performance. It could also be done through photography, a collage could be made, or, well, a video montage with the photos too.
Student 2:— Okay, and can we write a story?
Student 1:— Yes, or create a blog, a podcast, which is something that's done quite a lot now.
Student 2:— Okay. For example, through games?
Student 1:— It could also be done through games. With scavenger hunts, for example. In school, tests are carried out, and based on the tests, the information we want to transmit and return to the community is obtained.
Student 2:— Okay, I think I have all the information to be able to give feedback properly.
Student 1:— Well, we hope this video has been useful to you.
(Music)
Audio description [AD]: Final credits. Remember. Return information to the community. 1. Summarize the collected information. 2. Organize it to share with the entire community. 3. Design a creative feedback session. Examples: Song, Videos, Documentals, Podcast, Collage, Photobook, Blog, Story, Scavenger Hunt, etc. Advice. Adapt the language; clarity and order; generate feedback, provoke reflection.
Participants in this video: Alicia Pardo Gómez, Eva Escartín Pueyo (script and performance); Sandra Barrado (script); Teresa Rascón Gómez, Ignacio Calderón (review).
Music: Wind in your hair , by Stranger Sound Cooperation.
Collaborators: Master's in Social Change and Educational Professionals from the University of Málaga; Laboratory of New Technologies of the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Málaga.
Make political advocacy
Political advocacy is one of the fundamental points of action research. It is an indispensable tool for changing the world around us. In this video tutorial, you can find a summary guide on the steps to follow to achieve political changes.
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Audiodescripción [AD]: Entradilla de Videotutoriales Quererla es Crearla. Créditos iniciales. Hacer incidencia política. Aprendemos a mejorar nuestra escuela participativamente. Educación Inclusiva. Quererla es Crearla.
Tres personas se turnan para hablar frente a una cámara con un fondo que muestra el logo de Quererla es crearla.
Estudiante 1:— Uno de los sentidos fundamentales de la investigación es la incidencia política. Es decir, transformar el mundo que nos rodea. No nos sirve hacer una investigación para guardarla en un cajón.
Vamos a recomendar un plan que pretende ser una guía flexible en la que los pasos pueden ir alternándose.
En primer lugar, buscaremos qué es lo que queremos. Estableceremos qué cambios queremos llevar a cabo, cuándo y de qué manera.
En segundo lugar, vamos a tejer redes ¿Quién es quién? Conectaremos con entidades, asociaciones, personas y políticos que compartan cosas con nosotros, que nos puedan ayudar y les podamos ayudar. Buscaremos el apoyo de la comunidad, la concienciación y la empatía, es decir, crearemos un músculo social.
En tercer lugar, haremos un mapa de poder. Es decir, buscar quién manda, quién tiene el poder, buscar quién tiene el poder de decisión e invitarlos a participar en nuestra investigación.
En cuarto lugar, vamos a mirarnos. En grupo, nos haremos preguntas sobre en qué somos débiles, en qué somos fuertes, qué cosas nos amenazan y qué oportunidades tenemos. Es decir, haremos un análisis DAFO (Debilidades, Amenazas, Fortalezas y Oportunidades)
Estudiante 2:— Estrategia y actividades (jugar nuestras cartas). Entre todos, pensaremos qué vamos a hacer y a qué nivel para conseguir nuestros objetivos.
Podemos hacer medidas, desde lo más cercano a lo más lejano:
1. Nivel aula y centro. Es decir, en mi clase y en mi cole, en mi entorno más inmediato.
2. Nivel local, municipal y autonómico. Es decir, mi pueblo o barrio, en mi provincia o en mi comunidad autónoma.
3. Nivel estatal e internacional. Es decir, en mi país y en el mundo. Aunque suene muy pomposo y difícil, en realidad todas las cosas que se consiguen a gran escala empiezan en lugares pequeños.
Haremos tres tipos de medidas:
En primer lugar, las medidas de concienciación y formación (contar nuestra verdad, mostrar nuestras cartas). Trataremos, siempre que sea posible, que además de los vecinos y la comunidad, los representantes políticos participen.
Destacamos entre estas medidas: campañas de divulgación, que nos servirán para que más gente conozca la situación; charlas y talleres, en las que trataremos de informar y concienciar, y guías e informes, como hemos visto en otros tutoriales de esta misma serie.
En segundo lugar, las medidas de presión (usar el as del músculo social) buscando condicionar las decisiones políticas. Ayudarnos a ganar la partida. Es posible que los políticos nos escuchen, colaboren y participen, pero si no es así, podemos usar estas medidas para poner la balanza de nuestro lado. Es importante salir en los medios de comunicación (TV, radio, periódicos… a nivel local, comarcal, autonómico).
Podemos hacer notas de prensa para dar a conocer la situación y, así, poder ejercer presión mediática y política. Haremos publicaciones en redes sociales como Instagram, TikTok, Twitter y Facebook, para que lleguen a más personas.
Se pueden hacer manifestaciones, reuniones públicas en marcha para protestar sobre algo. También podemos hacer actos reivindicativos como representaciones creativas. Por ejemplo, un encierro en un centro educativo, teatrillos, murales, etc.
Estudiante 3:— And thirdly, we have negotiation measures, where we will sit down to look at the rules of the game and what we can change. We will try to reach agreements and compromises with political parties and administrations.
We can hold meetings with different administrations; sit down to talk with the councilor of our city council, the councilors of our autonomous community, or the deputies of our country.
Another thing that can be done is sectoral roundtables; meetings of different social groups, such as political parties, teachers, students, associations, and entities that reach agreements.
We can also hold meetings with political officials and political parties, and try to get them to make commitments aligned with our objectives.
All of this can be done at the different levels we discussed earlier: at our school, local, and national levels. Depending on who it is aimed at and who develops it, some measures may be more effective than others.
It is also very important that we involve politicians in the entire process, that they are present. However, if they do not collaborate or ignore us, we can use our pressure tactics to get them to pay attention.
And last but not least, there is continuous evaluation, which is about knowing what we are doing and what achievements we are making. It is necessary for all participants to carry it out throughout the entire process. The entire process will be documented with diaries, notes, or recordings of all the steps we take. For example, we can use an evaluation table, which includes our objectives, our achievements, the problems that arise, and ideas for improvement.
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Audio description [AD]: Final credits. Remember. How to do political advocacy. 1. The plan. What, when, and how. 2. Connect. Establish ties with entities, associations, and politicians. 3. The power map. Who holds the power. 4. Self-reflection. Analyze ourselves and identify our weaknesses, threats, strengths, and opportunities. 5. Strategy and activities. Levels of advocacy (classroom, school, and beyond). Awareness-raising, training, pressure, communication, and negotiation measures. 6. Continuous evaluation. Carried out with all participants throughout the entire process.
Tips. Involve politicians; build networks; build social strength; transform the world.
Participants in this video: Akram Dris El Zzakriti, Antonio Yuste Román, Alba Aguilera Rojo (script and performance); Teresa Rascón Gómez, Ignacio Calderón (review). Music: Wind in your hair, by Stranger Sound Cooperation.
Collaborators: Master's Degree in Social Change and Educational Professionals from the University of Málaga; Laboratory of New Technologies of the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Málaga.