ASSIGNMENT 4: Paper Based on Field Practicum
Submitted By: Md Masudur Rahman
From Save the Children Bangladesh 10 participatory research learners were nominated to take a
Course on “International perspective of participatory research (IPPR)” that designed and
delivered by PRIA International Academy. As a part of the ‘face to face’ interaction of the
certificate course a 2 day long field practice sessions were organized on September 17-18, 2014.
The visitation area was - Nagla, Jalpura, Haldia and Ambagan (rural) and Soenpat (urban).
As per the course ‘Instructional Guidelines for Learners’, I am here submitting the 4th assignment
on field visit learning .The content of the assignment is explaining the  Visit purpose
 Observed processes
 Stakeholders
 Principles of participatory research that applied in the process
 Tools used by the facilitator
 Strengths and weaknesses of the process applied in the visit
The assignment reflects my experience of using/observing the method at field with the theory
that I learned from last 4 Units.
Visit Purpose
To me the visit purpose was gaining the hands-on experience of different methods of
participatory research; particularly the methods of - interview, FGD, drawing, transact walk and
social mapping. After practicing different methods by learner at field, getting feedback from PR
expert on the process and methods used by learner was another major objective of field visit (as
learners presented the process and findings in front of PRIA expert).
Stakeholders
Girls and boys, Duty bearers (NGO staffs), Local people (male & female), Community leader
(serpanch) from both rural and urban area was the direct stakeholders of the visitation process.
Mostly the stakeholders are disadvantaged people of the locality.
Observed Processes
In theory, reading content of previous Unit, we have learned different methods like - Observation,
Ethnographic methods, Drawing, Public meetings, Time line, Participatory workshops,
Interview, Forums, Dialogue, Socio-drama, popular theatre, Puppet theatre, Group discussions,
Semi-structured interviews, Role-play and others. Among all, five useful methods - Drawing,
Focus Group Discussion, Interview, Social Mapping and Transect walk were considered to
practice in field (2 learner practiced one method). Though I was responsible for practicing the
method of Social Mapping I have involved with the process of rest 4 methods. I have also
practiced the Observation method in one slum area by informal discussion with a small children
group who are playing in front of their house and walking through the slum (i.e. observed the
sanitation, cooking process).
Principles of participatory research that applied in the process
The core principles of participatory methods include - Grassroots participation, Concern with
relations of power, Analysis by local people, A defined methodology and systematic learning
process, Multiple perspectives, Group inquiry process, Context specific, Facilitating experts and
stakeholders, Visual medium, and Leading to change. The applied (at field) PR processes, Tools
and relation of these processed & tools with Participatory Research Principles are –
Methods
Drawing
Process practiced at field
-
Introducing
and
objective
sharing
Interview
Used tools
Principles related with PR
-
Consultation tools
-
Grassroots participation
-
Interaction by
-
Concern with relations of
-
Interpreter / translator
-
Instructions sharing
-
Context specific
-
Methods selection: group
-
Visual medium
-
Ensure participation by all
-
Analysis by local people
members
-
Facilitating
-
Presentation and Closing
-
Selection of Participants
translator
power
experts
and
stakeholders
-
Consultation tools
-
Concern with relations of
Methods
Process practiced at field
-
Introducing
and
Used tools
Principles related with PR
power
objective
sharing
-
Context specific
Relationship & trust building
-
Analysis by local people
(Religion,
-
Facilitating
Same
name
&
language)
Focus
group
discussion
and
stakeholders
-
Participatory interview
-
Introducing
Mobilizing
-
Grassroots participation
sharing
communities
-
Concern with relations of
-
Content sharing
(through discussion
-
Relationship & trust building
-
FGD
experts
and
objective
-
on Child Rights)
power
-
(Religion & language)
Context specific
- Leading
to
change
-
Facilitation
(participate being aware
-
Ensure participate by each
on Child Rights issue)
member
Social Mapping
-
(the
-
mapping
done earlier I
have
checked
and
discussed
with
methods
-
Review the mapping paper/map Tools by PRIA to
conduct Social
Discussion, question-answer
Mapping –
Outcome sharing
- Consultation tools
Cross check with local people
- Collaborative
on mapping findings
planning tools
they followed)
-
CSO-led
tools
to
planning
-
Walking
through
community
-
Physical Verification
-
Cultural Understanding
-
Resource Identification
the
-
Physical Movements
-
Cross
-
-
Concern with relations of
-
Analysis by local people
-
Multiple perspectives
-
Group inquiry process
-
Context specific
-
Facilitating
experts
and
stakeholders
Mobilizing
communities
Transect Walk
Grassroots participation
power
support participatory
-
-
check
-
Leading to change
-
Concern with relations of
power
with
Social Mapping
-
Analysis by local people
Observation
-
Multiple perspectives
Strengths and weaknesses of the process applied in the visit
Methods
Drawing
Strength
Weakness
-
Active Participation by all
-
Language limitation
-
Basic knowledge of Drawings by Participants
-
Time
constraints
compare
to
compare
to
content
Interview
-
People have same language and Religion
-
Found key adult person
-
Rapport building was good
-
Age mixing
-
Time
constraints
content
-
Preparation - questionnaire, time,
Introducing the objective
Focus
group
-
discussion
Social Mapping
Facilitator use the benefit of same Language
-
Un-specified issue
and Religion
-
Big of Participants
-
Facilitation skill
-
Facilitator’s knowledge on the content
-
Mappings documentation is good
-
Issue is people oriented
-
Participatory and community owned
-
Children groups are active
-
Prioritize to working with boys & men to
Not found any weakness
reduce sexual violence
Transect Walk
-
Advocacy oriented
-
Observation was good
-
Time was very short
-
Communication
problem
with
people and community
My learning reflection in practiced methods:
 Drawings: It is useful in the aspect of language barrier and to finding appropriate
problem and situation analysis. This method can better utilize with children.
 FGD: FGD is actually required plan of preparation and success of FGD is depending on
facilitator’s interaction capacity.
 Social Mapping: Best way of transforming people’s voice towards action by the active
participation of people.
 Expectation generation need to be avoid when doing consultation with people
 Need to always remember the sex & age segregation of the groups
 Collecting Authentic information is the highest priority of all the methods used in PR
and clear & specific instructions is very important to collect authentic information.
 Trustworthy relationship: Unless you become trusted to the respondent, he will not
give you the right information. So it is very important to clarify who are we, why we
comes to you, what will we do with this information, how the information is confidential.
And trust is not build in overnight, greater the trust you will get more authentic
information.
 In reality no method are uses alone in research – we use different methods.
Triangulation is very important; we need to use generally at least 3 methods for better
triangulation.