| PEP Balboa |
Youth
Participatory
Action Research
What is YPAR?
The Youth Participatory Action Research project, or YPAR, “provides young people with opportunities to study social problems affecting their lives and then determine actions to rectify these problems.”(Dimitriadis 2008).
YPAR gives students the opportunity to research an issue affecting their school and/or greater community. The goal is to use this research to develop a plan of action toward bettering classroom practice and serving students' communities.
During the Fall Semester, all PEP teachers participate in a similar project, Teacher Participatory Action Research (TPAR). TPAR gives teachers the opportunity to focus on an issue or challenge in the classroom and create an action plan to improve their teaching throughout the year.
YPAR gives students the opportunity to research an issue affecting their school and/or greater community. The goal is to use this research to develop a plan of action toward bettering classroom practice and serving students' communities.
During the Fall Semester, all PEP teachers participate in a similar project, Teacher Participatory Action Research (TPAR). TPAR gives teachers the opportunity to focus on an issue or challenge in the classroom and create an action plan to improve their teaching throughout the year.
Inequities of School Policies at Balboa High School (2015-2016)
This past year, students chose to research school policies at Balboa. Students felt that they did not have the power to change school policy, but wanted to see how they can improve its system to allow students to shape school policy and feel engaged in the process.
Students held a fishbowl discussion with teachers and students to hear their experiences with school policies; Balboa also shared their YPAR research with the greater PEP community.
Students held a fishbowl discussion with teachers and students to hear their experiences with school policies; Balboa also shared their YPAR research with the greater PEP community.
Drug Culture at Balboa High School (2014-2015)
The 2014-2015 PEP Balboa class decided to research drugs and explore how drugs can be a social toxin to their communities. They aimed to use their research to increase critical awareness about the impact of drugs on youth.
They found through their interviews that drugs affected different aspects of student engagement: drop outs, zoning out, accessibility, and peer pressure.
To address the impact of drugs in Balboa, an action plan was created:
- Educate ourselves through posters
- Educate each other through a lunchtime workshop where students discussed their research with their peers
- Present research findings to admin and counselors
