Research Populations: Wheel of Power Application
This activity guides research teams to consider how their own positions on the Wheel of Power affect their research within a specific community. It promotes inclusive research practices by encouraging awareness of privilege, marginalization, and respectful communication.
Use this method when designing research projects that involve working with diverse communities. It helps researchers to be more aware of their biases and to develop more inclusive research methods.
Solves: Researchers overlooking their own biases, difficulty accessing and communicating with diverse communities, research findings that are not representative of the population.
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Step 1: Students join research groups and assign roles (timekeeper, facilitator) (5 mins)
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Step 2: Each student shares how their position on the Wheel of Power affects their confidence/insecurity in conducting research (3 mins each, with flashbacks) (25 mins)
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Step 3: Plenary discussion to explore characteristics of the research community and relevant aspects of the Wheel of Power (10 mins)
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Step 4: Groups draw their own version of the Wheel of Power for their specific population and plot individuals/groups (10 mins)
- Encourage students to be specific about the characteristics of their research community.
- Facilitate a discussion about constructive mindsets and values for inclusive social design.
- Remind students to consider how their relative position of privilege or marginalization affects them as researchers.
- Invite community members to participate in the Wheel of Power creation process.
- Use the Wheel of Power to analyze existing research data.
- Develop a code of ethics for inclusive research based on the Wheel of Power.