PALAR as a methodology for community engagement by faculties of education
Abstract
Community engagement (CE) is a core function of the university in South Africa. In the field of
education, the imperative to pursue and promote CE provides an exciting opportunity for
researchers to work with school communities to address the many challenges that threaten the
quality of teaching and learning. Yet, relatively few researchers in education faculties have
expertise in this emerging area of scholarship. There is therefore a need to develop among
academics a capacity for community-based research and deep knowledge of how to approach
it effectively. This conceptual article positions participatory action learning and action research
(PALAR) as a creative, innovative, collaborative and self-developed way to achieve this
purpose. Findings from various PALAR projects, in which the authors have participated,
provide evidence of PALAR’s utility for disrupting traditional notions of partnership, power
relations and knowledge creation. However, they also highlight the challenges this form of
enquiry poses within academic environments geared for research that follows a more predetermined,
researcher-controlled trajectory. These findings are helpful for stimulating thinking
about how such challenges can be addressed to ensure that the research, action, and knowledge
we create through this process actually translate into practical community improvement
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- Faculty of Education [756]