The 2009 conference is hosted by The Science Shop, Queen's University Belfast

Workshop 6.1   How do we evaluate both the processes and the outcomes of community engagement in science, technology and innovation?

New date: Friday 28th August 2009

New Time: 11.30-13.00

Venue: to be confirmed

Chair:

Mr Norbert Steinhaus, Science Shop, Bonn, Germany

Presenters:

Martine Revel

"Participatory action research and academics. an uncompleted fulfilment" Lille 2 University, CERAPS (CNRS), Lille, France)

Brenda Roche

“New Directions in Community Based Research” , Wellesley Institute, Toronto, Canada

Nicola Shelswell

“Developing a quality framework for a Science Shop” Science Shops Wales, University of Glamorgan, UK

Format:

This workshop is constructed to encourage your involvement. The presentations will be limited in time and the chair will then moderate a discussion.

The first presentation will be based on community based action research going on in Lille (France), and will question the meaningful but sometimes short term relationships between academics and participatory action research participants. It will show how ambivalent attitudes can be found either in academics side and in community practitioners and participants, and how it can be dealt with.

The second presentation will deal with the ongoing struggle in Community Based Research between practical application and conceptual integrity, with a focus on participatory methods, capacity building, and the interpretation of evidence as it is used to affect social change.  Researchers and practitioners alike refer to widely accepted principles of CBR, including the core idea of equitable partnerships, the value of ‘lived experience’ and the critical need for community involvement ‘from the bottom up’.  The problem is that these processes have at times garnered more attention than the goals of the work itself. How these three principles are enacted in current practice provides critical insights into the conceptual and practical limitations of CBR, and lays out the groundwork for new directions.

The third presentation is about the quality framework set up in order to facilitate a systematic analysis of the provision of the Science Shop Wales: processes, procedures, outputs, outcomes, etc. The framework is meant to be a flexible tool and can be used to demonstrate professionalism towards interested parties.

Questions:

The discussion will focus on the following questions:

·         What are the goals and strategies at hands in community based and/or participatory action research? In a climate where researchers are called upon to demonstrate more tangible indicators of success, and more concrete illustrations of political influence and social change, how can we ensure that CBR / PAR is both responsive and relevant? How can policy makers and citizens be involved in such research? What are the stumbling blocks ?

·         As we consider the relevance of CBR in a climate of ‘evidence-based research’, has the process of CBR become a goal in itself, rather than a tool for community action and social change?  Whose observations give shape to research questions and practices? How are the insights and expertise that come with ‘lived experience’ incorporated into research? Do they actively inform the analysis and interpretation of research findings?

·         How can a quality framework be a dynamic and flexible instrument which evolves in response to changing remit, circumstances or context? How can it be used for external evaluators?

·         How can we incorporate societal issues in science, technology and innovation research agendas and have engagement throughout the research process (downstream, midstream and upstream)? Which partners can be involved? How can society influence mainstream research strategies?