Stringer (2007) reminds us that, the task of the community-based action researcher is to develop a context in which individuals and groups with divergent perceptions and interpretations can formulate a construction of their situation that makes sense to them all a joint construction (p.41). With this in mind, you will have an opportunity to apply your own cultural literacy in this assignment as you demonstrate a professional way to bring people together. In this Assignment, you are to do a Critical Mass Analysis. Getting clear about who the important actors are, at what level they need to be involved in the Action Research project and what, if anything, needs to be done to increase or reduce each persons involvement, especially when you do not have the formal authority to require change, are important considerations from the first to the last moments of an AR project. Try to make your assessments as accurate as possible. You may find yourself feeling uncomfortable when you are preparing your Critical Mass Analysis. Few people take the time to consciously consider the roles that various stakeholders have in the situation they face. Instead, they proceed in a piecemeal way, trying to minimize some people's involvement and increase involvement of others, without ever looking at the larger picture. This Critical Mass Assignment asks you to look at the whole set of key members of the organization that will shape your action research project. It calls for you to consider their present level of involvement and the level of involvement that would be most productive. In some cases this will mean seeking to get a person more involved. In other cases you may the person to be less involved. Or, you may want to ensure the person maintains her or his current level of involvement. As a tool to help you increase the odds of your project being successful, you will be completing a Critical Mass Analysis Form. By doing this, you will be clarifying how you want key stakeholders to be involved in your project and developing strategies to create the conditions you need. Your job is to review carefully the position of the key stakeholders who are or will influence the course of your action research project, brainstorm strategies to insure they are effectively related to the project. In Doc Sharing you will find an already-formatted template and outline for you to use for this Assignment. The Critical Mass Analysis has two parts. The Critical Mass Grid and the Negotiation form. The Critical Mass Grid should be completed for all identified stakeholders in your action research project. There needs to be an X and O for each stakeholder. If a change of level is needed for a stakeholder then you need to complete the negotiation form for them. Please review the documents provided in Doc Sharing for further instructions and examples! Not counting the Critical Mass form you will complete, the focus paper portion of this Assignment (text describing your plan and the commentary on what you learned from the process) should be approximately two pages. Do not include the directions on how to complete a Critical Mass Analysis within your final submission. Unit 2

Stringer (2007) reminds us that, the task of the community-based action researcher is to develop a context in which individuals and groups with divergent perceptions and interpretations can formulate a construction of their situation that makes sense to them all a joint construction (p.41). With this in mind, you will have an opportunity to apply your own cultural literacy in this assignment as you demonstrate a professional way to bring people together. In this Assignment, you are to do a Critical Mass Analysis. Getting clear about who the important actors are, at what level they need to be involved in the Action Research project and what, if anything, needs to be done to increase or reduce each persons involvement, especially when you do not have the formal authority to require change, are important considerations from the first to the last moments of an AR project. Try to make your assessments as accurate as possible. You may find yourself feeling uncomfortable when you are preparing your Critical Mass Analysis. Few people take the time to consciously consider the roles that various stakeholders have in the situation they face. Instead, they proceed in a piecemeal way, trying to minimize some people's involvement and increase involvement of others, without ever looking at the larger picture. This Critical Mass Assignment asks you to look at the whole set of key members of the organization that will shape your action research project. It calls for you to consider their present level of involvement and the level of involvement that would be most productive. In some cases this will mean seeking to get a person more involved. In other cases you may the person to be less involved. Or, you may want to ensure the person maintains her or his current level of involvement. As a tool to help you increase the odds of your project being successful, you will be completing a Critical Mass Analysis Form. By doing this, you will be clarifying how you want key stakeholders to be involved in your project and developing strategies to create the conditions you need. Your job is to review carefully the position of the key stakeholders who are or will influence the course of your action research project, brainstorm strategies to insure they are effectively related to the project. In Doc Sharing you will find an already-formatted template and outline for you to use for this Assignment. The Critical Mass Analysis has two parts. The Critical Mass Grid and the Negotiation form. The Critical Mass Grid should be completed for all identified stakeholders in your action research project. There needs to be an X and O for each stakeholder. If a change of level is needed for a stakeholder then you need to complete the negotiation form for them. Please review the documents provided in Doc Sharing for further instructions and examples! Not counting the Critical Mass form you will complete, the focus paper portion of this Assignment (text describing your plan and the commentary on what you learned from the process) should be approximately two pages. Do not include the directions on how to complete a Critical Mass Analysis within your final submission. Unit 2