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Empowering Voices: Critical Research in Urban School Ecology

This research initiative, led by a team including Dr. Jeff Duncan-Andrade and community members, focuses on the physical and social ecology of urban schools. By employing a bottom-up critical research methodology, it aims to give voice to underrepresented groups, particularly students, parents, and community members. The project's significance lies in challenging existing educational research standards and providing a model for collecting accurate data on the needs of stakeholders. Data collection involves surveys, interviews, and focus groups, emphasizing the importance of context in understanding school environments.

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Empowering Voices: Critical Research in Urban School Ecology

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  1. Research Group Matthew Nzegwu Diana Flores Fallon Hollis Cynthia Santiago Anthony Henderson Dr. Jeff Duncan-Andrade Research Focus: Physical and Social Ecology Introduction

  2. Research Goals Enact a bottom up critical research methodology WHY?To give voice to traditionally under-represented groups Examine the physical and social ecology of urban schools WHY?Collect and analyze data on areas that need improvement

  3. Significance to the Field of Educational Research • Challenges the existing standards for research on schools • Provides a model for collecting more accurate data on the needs of key stakeholders in schools.(students, parents, and community members)

  4. Methodology for Engaging in Bottom-up Research

  5. Roads to Triangulated Data • Surveys • Focus Groups • Critical Researchers’ Observations • Interviews

  6. Ways of Recording Data • Note Taking • Field Notes • Tape Recording • Video Taping

  7. Modifying Our Methods • Group Discussions • To evaluate the process and the results from our research in the field • Question Modification • Defining terms used in our questions • Reworking questions to get more detailed responses

  8. Reporting Our Findings Locations for Data Collection • 3 Los Angeles Area Schools • 3 Malls • Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza • Fox Hills • Montebello Plaza • A.C.L.U (American Civil Liberties Union) • Salvation Army Youth Center

  9. Physical Ecology Buildings Access to Adequate Physical Space Positioning of School in Community Social Ecology School Climate Parent Relationship with School Community Sections for Data Analysis:Scope of Work

  10. Physical Ecology at a Los Angeles High School Positioning of School in the Community • Does the physical location of the school matter? • One area high school is located next to a recycling plant • The students complain of the smells and claim the plant to be “a disgusting sight.”

  11. Physical Ecology at a Los Angeles High School Positioning of School in the Community • What is the community perception of the school? Q: How do people perceive your school? A: “Some people make your school look worse because you live in Watts, they are scared.” Q: How does that make you feel? A: “It makes me wanna be somebody.” (Interview, high school student, 7/16/02 Watts)

  12. Social Ecology at a Los Angeles High School School Climate • Student to teacher relationships • “ Teachers need to push us. I bet you anything that if the teachers pushed us half the school would go to college.” (Student focus group, 7/16/02, Watts)

  13. Analysis of the Process • Impact on the Individual Researcher • The Process of Critical Research

  14. Understanding the Importance of the Individual Researcher • Removing ourselves from our comfort zones • Being different than what we see in society and schools • Praxis: a combination of practice and action and then the reflection upon that process (Freire,1970)

  15. Analyzing the Process of Data Collection Logistics • Technical devices, seating arrangements, positioning of leads Line of Questioning • Types of questions, follow-ups, word choice X factors • Adults in room, impromptu interviews, our research group dynamics

  16. Importance of Reflection on the Process Improvement happens over time Responsibility to those who are traditionally disempowered

  17. Why is this important?

  18. Official Spaces:What Does Our Work Contribute to These Spaces? • SARC (School Accountability Report Cards) • ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) • State Department of Education

  19. Unofficial Spaces:Accessing the Political Agenda Community Based Organizations Student Groups Internet Sites

  20. Keeping Up With Us: Web site: www.TeachingToChangeLA.org Future conferences: IDEA Youth Summit (December 2002, Los Angeles) AERA (April 2003, Chicago)

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