# Breaking Down Stereotypes of Researchers

Objectives

  • Be able to break down stereotypes about research and expertise
  • Learn that various types of knowledge exist within the group
  • Learn that community knowledge/expertise and research is critical to changing policy and building power

Resources

Activity Steps

Part 1

  1. Make sure everyone has a sheet of paper and a pen.
  2. Play the video titled, “Breaking Down Stereotypes of Researchers” from the beginning until 1 minute and 8 seconds. Here is the script and slides that correspond with the activity. Students should upload their image to this Google Classroom link
    • Ask each person to take a few minutes to draw a picture responding to the question: “What does a researcher look like?” (8 minutes)
    • Students should answer the following questions on the back of their paper. After everyone has drawn their image, ask everyone in the group to share what they’ve drawn. They should answer the following questions(8 minutes):
      • What/who did they draw?
      • Where is the researcher located?
      • How are they doing their research?
      • Is the researcher from the community?
      • How does this drawing compare to what other people drew?
    • Record responses on the whiteboard.
  3. Analyze commonalities with the group. What did you come up with?
  4. Play video from 1 minute and 8 seconds to 1 minute and 40 seconds. Get to the point: In this society the “experts” control knowledge & information, when most of us think of researchers we think of some expert cooped up in a room, at a far distance from the community. But what do those researchers really know about what’s happening in our neighborhoods and communities? Is that the kind of research we need?
  5. Explain that the next activity will allow us to explore these questions more

Part 2

  1. Play the video titled, “Breaking Down Stereotypes of Researchers” from 1 minute and 40 seconds - 3 minutes and 24 seconds. Here is the script and the slides.
    • Everyone stands in a circle. Each person gets a handful of chips (paperclips or pennies can work). Facilitator will read a statement. Tell participants that if the statement applies to you, throw a chip into the center of the circle. The facilitator will record the number of people that throw a chip in after every question and email the results to the teacher:
      • I have talked with my neighbors about conditions in the neighborhood.
        • I have read local newspapers.
        • I have surveyed my friends or community about an important issue.
        • I’ve broken down something complicated into simple terms when I’ve talked to people.
        • I have advocated for myself or a family member.
        • I have met with elected officials about an issue in my community.
        • I have been stopped or detained by immigration officials or police.
        • I have been denied rights given to most people in this country.
        • I have been a leader in my community.
        • I have observed changes in the community such as new luxury condos and high-end shops and restaurants.
        • I have seen neighbors, family, or friends move out of my neighborhood because they could not afford to live there.
  2. Play the video from 3 minutes and 24 seconds - the end. Explain that the pile of chips represents all the types of knowledge and ways of getting information that come from our daily lives. Everyone in the room already has plenty of knowledge, experience and skills to get information. And as a community we can support each other with different skills and can tap into our collective knowledge. And that’s all that research is. Everyone here is an expert on their own life experiences. All people do research in some form or another in their daily lives. It’s a matter of recognizing what you already do as research. Ask participants for comments and questions.
  3. Explain that we can break down “information” through three different types of knowledge (have definitions on butcher paper)
    • Community Knowledge—cultural practices and wisdom passed down for generations.
    • Knowledge from Experience—what we learn and know from living and doing it.
    • Academic Knowledge—published facts and data produced by research “professionals” usually from outside the community.
  4. Summarize and discuss: Gathering community knowledge and knowledge from experience is the best way to get a picture of what’s really happening in our communities. Instead of allowing academics and policy makers to define the problems and solutions in our community, we need to do our own research, so that we can create policies that address what’s really happening in our communities
  5. Transition: this type of research is sometimes called “Participatory Action Research.” Next we are going to dig into the steps of how to do this kind of research in more detail.