Participation Learning Action Techniques (PLA)

One of the activities we did in the last workshop, was the Community Map. Community mapping is a so-called Participation Learning Action (PLA) technique. PLA has evolved within the family of participatory methodologies used in development practice (Bozalek and Biersteker 2010). PLA techniques often uses visual learning methods which are adaptable and used flexibly to learn from and to evaluate people’s concerns. These techniques can promote critical reflection, which pays particular attention to the social arrangements of inequality and privilege (Thompson and Thompson 2008).

Of particular importance for PLA techniques is the collaborative interaction, these activities provide. In this activity all students (and not just a few vocal ones) are able to share their perspectives and begin their engagement with each other (Bozalek and Biersteker 2010, 554). In another technique, the “River of Life” exercise, students draw their River of Life and identify critical incidences on their life journey. They share and discuss their River of Lives in small groups.

We found these techniques particularly helpful when dealing with diverse classes, where students often do not engage across racial or language groups. We used it in an Education project, where the River of Life was done as start of a digital storytelling project. If you are interested in the final outcomes (the digital stories), some of the students' examples can be found here: http://edutechcput.wordpress.com/digital-storytelling-resources/

Can you see PLA techniques as useful in your own teaching? How would you implement them with your students?

This is my River of Life:




References

Bozalek, V., and L.Biersteker. 2010. “Exploring Power and Privilege Using Participatory Learning and Action Techniques.” Social Work Education 29 (5) (August): 551-572. doi:10.1080/02615470903193785. http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=article&doi=10.1080/02615470903193785&magic=crossref||D404A21C5BB053405B1A640AFFD44AE3.

Thomson, S., and N. Thomson. 2008. The critically reflective practitioner. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.