Youth Participatory Action Research Across Educational Contexts: A Case Study Bridging High School and University Classrooms
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Adolescents’ health and well-being are influenced by their broader physical and social environments, yet they often lack the power and resources to create change. Youth participatory action research (YPAR) is a promising framework to support adolescents to explore issues relevant to their lives and take action to address them, while also supporting positive youth development by fulfilling key developmental needs. YPAR is increasingly implemented in schools in collaboration with university researchers, yet such collaborations are rarely embedded within university courses that can provide training in YPAR methods to university students. To address this gap, we introduce a novel “classroom-to-classroom” model of YPAR that brings together university and secondary school classrooms to engage in mutual learning and joint action and integrates strengths of traditional models of school-based YPAR and critical service learning. We illustrate how this model can be applied through a case study of our collaboration between a graduate seminar and high school classroom to investigate how pressing issues such as mental health, gun violence, and social needs (e.g., housing, green spaces) impact local youth. We discuss the unique opportunities and challenges this model presents, with a particular focus on the role of relationships and resources. We reflect on how we navigated these challenges and offer practical recommendations for university researchers and teachers seeking to promote positive youth development through YPAR across educational contexts.
Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7164042538