EMU Today

YPSILANTI — Eastern Michigan University’s College of Education will host the Action Research Network of America’s (ARNA) conference from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 7 - 8, 2024, at the EMU Student Center, located at 900 Oakwood Street, Ypsilanti.  The ARNA conference focuses on community-based research and education methods and attracts educators from around the world to EMU’s campus. 

This year’s 11th annual conference theme is “Participatory Action Research (PAR) Community: Transforming Possibilities.” Attendees are encouraged to come together to deepen relationships and exchange ideas.

“The ARNA Conference brings together an intergenerational, international, multiracial group of PAR practitioners, community members, and students to engage, reflect, and learn from one another,” said Rachel Radina, assistant professor of K-12 educational leadership and co-coordinator of the ARNA conference at EMU.  

Each year, ARNA welcomes diverse participants from throughout the Americas, including people involved with action, participatory action, and practitioner research. Various presentation and sharing formats allow for many opportunities to network and get involved with global initiatives in action research, which are highlights of ARNA conferences.

Serving as the keynote speaker for this year’s conference is Julio Cammarota, a multicultural education professor whose research focuses on participatory action research with Latinx youth, institutional factors in academic achievement, and liberatory pedagogy. Recently, Cammarota published an edited collection on participatory action research for Latinx communities entitled “PAR EntreMundos: A Pedagogy of Las Americas.” The collection challenges the standard narratives of "achievement" to think about how Latinx students can experience an education that forges new possibilities of liberation and justice. 

Cammarota’s keynote will focus on “PAR EntreMundos,” dismantling borders, and building collectives to create liberatory praxis. It will specifically link arms with Global South indigenous communities that embody transformative knowledge and understanding of PAR practices. 

“Attendees will be able to walk away with a renewed energy to engage in the struggle for equity and justice in communities and schools,” said Radina. “ Plenty of resources and ideas are available at the conference for attendees to bring to their communities and  schools along with fostering new connections with PAR friends, collaborators, and co-conspirators.”

Tickets for this year’s ARNA Conference can be purchased here. Tickets for students of all ages are $20 in person and $10 virtual. Tickets for academic professionals are $200 in person and $100 virtual.  

For more information, visit https://arnawebsite.org/ or contact Rachel Radina at rradina@emich.edu. 
 

About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 13,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and its graduate school. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. Visit the University’s rankings and points of pride websites to learn more. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website. To stay up to date on University news, activities and announcements, visit EMU Today.