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Article 1

Crabtree, J. L., Wall, J. M., & Ohm, D. (2016). Critical reflections on participatory action research in a prison setting: Toward occupational justice. Occupation, Participation and Health, 36(4), 244-252. doi:10.1177/1539449216669132

Abstract:  To document an occupational therapist and two prisoners’ critical reflections on an informal occupational therapy education program using participatory action research (PAR), the authors reflect on their combined experiences of evaluating an occupational therapy program.  Reflections include articulation of power differentials and examples of occupational deprivation and injustice at every stage of the program evaluation process.  They found that the PAR process allowed all collaborators to engage in co-occupation and gain a keener understanding of occupational justice.  With co-occupation came personal growth and an appreciation for each other’s humanity despite their diverse backgrounds.

Questions that apply to this article:

1. Examine the results of this action research study.  Into which of the 5 typical outcomes of action research studies does this one fall?  Explain your response.
2. On page 165, your author presents 4 items that should be included in a well-written discussion section.  Do you believe the authors of this article addressed all 4?  Explain your response.
    

Article 2

Novack, M. A., Congdon, E. L., Hemani-Lopez, N., & Goldin-Meadow, S. (2014). From action to abstraction: Using the hands to learn math. Psychological Science, 25(4), 903-910. doi: 10.1177/0956797613518351

Abstract:  Previous research has shown that children benefit from gesturing during math instruction.  This study examines whether gesturing promotes learning because it is itself a physical action, or because it uses physical action to represent abstract ideas.  To address this question, third-grade children were taught a strategy for solving mathematical-equivalence problems that was instantiated in one of three ways: (a) in a physical action children performed on objects, (b) in a concrete gesture miming that action, or (c) in an abstract gesture.  All three types of hand movements helped children learn how to solve the problems on which they were trained; however, only gesture led to success on problems that required generalizing the knowledge gained.  Results provide the first evidence that gesture promotes transfer of knowledge more effectively than direct action on objects and suggest that the beneficial effects gesture has on learning may reside in the features that differentiate it from action.

Questions that apply to this article:

1. Was reflection a part of these researcher’s process for evaluation?  If so, briefly outline how reflection was used.  If not, how and where do you feel it would have benefitted their study?
2. On page 165, your author presents 4 items that should be included in a well-written discussion section.  Do you believe the authors of this article addressed all 4?  Explain your response.