8+Act

**Act**
====In the next phase of participatory action research, “Act,” the research facilitator works with the students to take action on their recommendations. Students may choose to work on recommendations individually or in small groups. In any case, there are several steps you can take to help students act on their recommendations. Ask these questions:====

Pull out quote: There are several steps you can take to help students act on their recommendations.
====**Why is this recommendation important?** Ask students to talk about why each recommendation they have made is important to share with others. Then, use this discussion to move through the rest of the tasks to take action as outlined in **Table XX**. For instance,using Table XX in one PAR study, students recommended that educational coaches let students have more independence at college. They also recommended that students accept responsibility for as much as they can before asking for help. When asked why this is important, students responded that, as college students, they are expected to do things on their own.====

====**What action needs to happen?** Next, ask students what they could do to address their recommendation. In the example about the educational coaches, the research facilitator suggested a number of options to take action on this recommendation. She suggested that they could:====

====**How will it get done?** Once the students have made some decisions about what they want to do, help them prepare a list of tasks that will need to be done to address their recommendation. How will they do it?====

====**Where will it get done?** If students want to work on tasks while they are on campus, look at their schedules with them. Together, decide when they can work on tasks and what location makes the most sense: on or off campus.====

====**When will these tasks begin and end?** Help students to put together a master schedule and a timeline to decide when tasks should start and when they should be completed. Make sure a copy of this timeline is printed out or emailed to all students.====

====**What resources are needed to get these tasks done?** Help students to list all the resources that will be needed to accomplish these tasks. What will need to be paid for? Will students need help to complete tasks they volunteered to do? What resources can you help provide?==== Table XX: Sample: Organizing PAR Action Steps Researcher ||= What ||= How ||= Who ||= Where ||= When || respond to PAR themes ||= Find out what campus resources are available for students to create flyers or inviations ||= Carin will ask Steve from program to assist with creating and emailing invitations ||= Reserve computer lab 3x to complete invitation taks ||= Email invitations twice before PAR presentation ||
 * = Student
 * = Carin ||= Send out invitations to guests who can
 * = Adrian ||= Reserve room in student center to present research ||= Meet with student center advisor to ask how students can reserve space to present research; conform technology needs ||= Adrian mail or call person in charge of reservations ||= Student center on main campus ||= Reserve room at least 1 month before presentation ||
 * = Julio ||= Prepare presentation ||= Collect all co-researchers' priority photos and narratives. Put them in order for iMovie presentation. ||= Julio and Ting will work together to organize the movie. ||= Reserve campus computer lab 2x/wk for 3 weeks ||= iMovie must be complete in time for mock presentation ||
 * = Ting || Prepare presentation ||= Collect all co-researchers' priority photos and narratives. Put them in order for iMovie presentation. ||= Julio and Ting will work together to organize the movie. ||= Reserve campus computer lab 2x/wk for 3 weeks ||= iMovie must be complete in time for mock presentation ||
 * = Abby ||= Develop questionnaire to solicit feedback from guests ||= Lead discussion group with co-researchers: "What do you hope happens when people see your research?" Record responses to develop questions ||= Abby will work with Maria to organize group discussion, record answers ||= Abby and Maria will organize a Skype call ||= Survey must be complete in time for mock presentation ||

**Examples of students in “Act” stage ( photos, invitations, programs, products available from most projects)**
====1. **Somerville Photovoice project, 2001** Students discussed their community: met with principal, city mayor (photos), presented their findings to school community and city (at city hall). Somerville newspaper announced students' work. Two students presented at national TASH conference.==== ====2. **Somerville Photovoice project, 2002** Students discussed their perceptions of and concerns about their transition from high school; presented their work to high school peers and One-Stop Career Center counselor. Presented to Somerville transition interagency team. Somerville newspaper announced student research presentation. Students presented at local conference and at Fitchburg State College class.==== ====3. **Worcester Photovoice project, 2002** Students documented their perceptions of college. Presented their findings at college campus, school administration building. Visitors included students, faculty, members of interagency team, school committee members, school administrators, teachers. Worcester reporter wrote story about the students' themes including their opportunity to go to college. Students presented their findings to state vocational rehabilitation commissioner.==== ====4. **Brookline Photovoice project, 2006** Students documented their perceptions of their transition from high school. Students used their individual findings to discuss their transition ideas at their transition-planning meetings. Student findings used to promote employment opportunities at the town's chamber of commerce.5. **Cambridge projects, 2006** Students documented their perceptions about leaving school and exploring college. Primary finding was their concern about finding paid work. Presented their work at city hall and at city council meeting. Cambridge paper published announcement about city hall presentation.==== ====6. **Think College PAR, 2009** Nine students from four community colleges discussed their perceptions of college. Research facilitator used VoiceThread and introduced flip cameras to this group. Students participated in writing brief about their findings. Some also presented at partnership meetings, state conferences. One student presented to board of higher education.==== ====7. **Think College PAR, 2010** Nine students from five community colleges participated in PAR. Used VoiceThread. Student, educational coach, career counselor, and others co-authored brief on methods for students and coaches to plan their partnership at college.====

**Relevant apps:** A few apps might be useful for student researchers who want to develop visual stories or posters that highlight findings for the "Act" phase:
(1) Pictello: Allows users to create stories using their own images and voice to narrate the story. (2) Sonicpics: Allows users to create a custom slideshow with their own images. (3) Comic Creator: Allows users to create a full-length comic book with their own images and captions. (4) Frame Magic and My Sketch: Allow users to re-design their images in sketch formats or for posters.