COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH An Introduction for Faculty Presented by Brenda Marsteller Kowalewski Community Involvement Center, Co-Director Weber State University for CBR Faculty Fellows Program September 9, 2009 A presentation developed by the National Community-Based Research Networking Initiative

CBR:AN OVERVIEW ◘ What is CBR? ◘ Principles of Practice ◘ How does it differ from traditional research? ◘ Why do CBR? ◘ Pedagogical Methods ◘ Benefits & Challenges ◘ What It Takes ◘ Resources

CBR:WHAT IS IT? ◘ A collaborative, participatory research process that embraces:  Research Community has information needs Campus partners have research tools and resources  Education Community has valuable local knowledge & experience Campus partners have theoretical and large scale perspectives  Action Build organizational and community capacity Effect policy change

“CBR is a partnership of students, faculty, and community members who collaboratively engage in research with the purpose of solving a pressing community problem or affecting social change” (Strand, et al., 2003). DefinitionCBR:

CBR is a collaborative enterprise between researchers and community members. CBR involves the democratization of knowledge CBR has as its goal social action and social change for the purpose of achieving social justice (Strand et al., 2003: p. 8). CBR:Principles of CBR

research with and for the community. community partners should be working with students and professors at every stage in the research process. CBR:Collaboration

knowledge brought to the project by all partners involved is equally valued multiple research methods are used user friendly approaches to the dissemination of knowledge are provided conventional assumptions about knowledge itself are challenged CBR: Democratization of Knowledge

produce information that can be used to bring about needed change findings of the research or the process itself might contribute to social change CBR: Social Change for Social Justice

See handout. Table: Traditional Research vs. CBR See page 9 in text. CBR:Vs. Traditional Research

CBR:WHY DO IT? ◘ Complex social problems ill-suited to “outside expert” research alone ◘ Impact community capacity ◘ Build long-term relationship with community partners ◘ Effective method of teaching and learning for all participants ◘ The ultimate form of service- learning?

11 Learning FOCUS PRIMARY INTENDED BENEFICIARY Service Recipient Provider Volunteerism Community Service Service-Learning Field Education Internships CBR: Service-Learning: A Balanced Approach (Furco, 2006)

The quality of service-learning is enhanced through CBR in that it offers the most opportunities for: –collaboration –direct application of course content –potential for social change CBR:Ultimate S-L Experience

CBR:PEDAGOGICAL METHODS ◘ Course-based options model ◘ CBR-based semester courses ◘ Long-term, course-based projects ◘ Interdisciplinary, multi-course collaborative projects

CBR:BENEFITS ◘ Community  Access to faculty expertise  Organizational capacity building  Policy change ◘ Students  Develop new skills  Improve existing skills  Connect classroom learning with real-world application ◘ Faculty  Enhanced teaching credentials  New venues for publishing and presenting  Positively impact students and community

CBR:CHALLENGES ◘ Unpredictability ◘ Calendar conflicts ◘ Role confusion ◘ Participant compensation/ recognition

CBR:WHAT DOES IT TAKE? ◘ Time ◘ Long-term vision ◘ Communication ◘ Flexibility ◘ Willingness to develop research process with community input

CBR:RESOURCES ◘ National Community-Based Research Networking Initiative ◘ CBR Course and Project Database ◘Campus-Community Partnerships for Health ◘ Community-Based Research & Higher Education: Principles & Practices Strand, Marullo, Cutforth, et. al.