Second face-to-face meeting Stellenbosch 18 - 19 September 2014

On the 18th and 19th September we had our second face-to-face project meeting for the Participatory Parity project. It was a great opportunity for existing project members to re-meet and for new members to be introduced. It was also an occasion for further development of the project specifications started at the first face-to-face project meeting in April 2014.

The objectives of the second face-to-face meeting were as follows:

1. Overview of project
2. Theoretical framework
3. Methodological framework
4. Evaluation framework
5. Virtual communication and collaboration
6. Plans for data collection across institutions
7. Training on data collection methods
8. Ethical clearance
9. Way forward

The meeting was held at the conference centre Mont Fleur, situated in very scenic surroundings just outside of Stellenbosch. The session was attended by 16 members from 7 universities. During the two days a way forward for the project was discussed, mainly aiming at refining and preparing research questions for ethical clearance.
The project group was also introduced to and trained in three Participatory Learning Action techniques: River of Life, Institutional Mapping and Photo Voice. After the introduction each of these techniques were discussed to evaluate strengths, weaknesses and suitability for the project. One of the key aspects is how well these serve a research techniques to support Nancy Fraser's theoretical social justice framework for participatory parity. Later posts will go more into details about each technique and more details about the theoretical framework will be presented.

After being pampered for two days the project group left after lunch Friday afternoon. A follow up meeting has been planned for 23 October at the University of the Western Cape.

Attendees at the Participatory Parity project meeting September 2014      Photo supplied by Vivienne Bozalek

  

From top left:

Jakob Pedersen, University of Cape Town

Valile Dwayi, Walter Sisulu University 

Anne Edwards, Oxford University

Veronica Mitchell, University of Cape Town

Daniela Gachago, Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Vivienne Bozalek, University of the Western Cape

James Garraway, Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Lindsey Clowes, University of the Western Cape 

Pam Sykes

Roshini Pillay, University of Johannesburg

Dorothee Holscher, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Brenda Leibowitz, University of Johannesburg

Michael Rowe, University of the Western Cape

Berenice Sauls, University of the Western Cape 

Not in photo:

Birgit Schreiber, University of the Western Cape

Abdullah Bayat, University of the Western Cape

Dick Ng'ambi, University of Cape Town

Reflecting by the fire - Veronica Mitchell, Daniela Gachago, Dorothee Holscher and Berenice Sauls (Photo: Birgit Schreiber)