Participatory Learning and Action (PLA)

- An Overview for Practitioners

P articipatory Learning and Action (PLA), which evolved out of earlier developed participatory techniques such as
Rapid Rural Appraisal and Participatory Rural Appraisal, have gain recognition as an individual set of tools in the
social and development sector. It is a form of action research which is a practical, adaptive research strategy
that enables diverse groups and individuals to learn, work and act together in a co-operative manner, to focus on
issues of joint concern, identify challenges and generate positive responses in a collaborative and democratic manner.
From international organizations like UNDP, OXFAM, World Bank, CARE to several national & regional organizations
has been using this tool in several steps of PCM since its inception.

Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) is part of a family of methods that enable local
What is people to analyse, share and enhance their knowledge of life and situation, and to plan,
prioritize, act, monitor and evaluate (Absalom et. al., 1995; Chambers, 1997). The
PLA?
methods and approaches evolved during the 1980s and 1990s in an effort to find ways to
facilitate participation by communities in international development strategies, rather
than rely on top-down projects designed and led by outsiders.

It is an approach for learning about and engaging with communities. It combines an ever-
growing toolkit of participatory and visual methods with natural interviewing techniques
and is intended to facilitate a process of collective analysis and learning. The approach
can be used in identifying needs, planning, monitoring or evaluating projects and
programmes. Whilst a powerful consultation tool, it offers the opportunity to go beyond
mere consultation and promote the active participation of communities in the issues and
interventions that shape their lives.

 An effective, low-cost, empowering, participatory method of

gathering qualitative & semi-structured info (beliefs, behaviours,
views etc.)
 Can discuss controversial/sensitive topics in a non-threatening way
 Heterogeneous—in age, gender, income, religion, ethnicity, social
class, etc.
 Ideal for illiterate or semi-literate persons
 Flexible: people come and go--anything goes
 No pre-set, leading questions
 Who? What? Where? When? Where? How?

Participatory Learning & Action - Overview 2

PLA has three foundations, which can be visualized as a triangle -

Foundations
Respect for local knowledge and
of PLA
capabilities
Rapid and progressive learning BEHAVIOUR & ATTITUDES
Handing over the stick
Flexibility & informality
Offsetting biases
Seeking diversity
Self-critical awareness

PLA

METHODS SHARING
Mapping & diagramming Local people sharing information
Semi-structured interviews amongst themselves
Sorting & ranking Local people and outsiders sharing
Transect walk and observation information with each other
Timelines, schedules, seasonal PLA facilitators sharing information
calendars etc. amongst themselves; and
Organizations conducting PLA
sharing experiences with each other

Two key strategies for the use of PLA methods include having a multidisciplinary team and
practising triangulation.

A multidisciplinary team is composed of representatives of both sexes, different sectors (e.g.

education, child rights, health etc.) and different disciplines (e.g. research, programme
management, field work etc.) depending upon the need of PLA techniques. This type of teams
ensures that all viewpoints are represented.

Triangulation refers to using diverse source of information and different techniques of data
gathering to achieve a high level of accuracy (e.g. using semi-structured interviews to cross
check the information gathered during a mapping exercise).

Distinguishing Features of PLA

- Close to Open
- Measurement to Comparison
- Individual to Group
- Verbal to Visual
- Democracy to Ground
- Higher to Lower
- Reserve to Rapport 3
Participatory Learning & Action - Overview
 PLA
Methods
PLA

Space Related PLA Methods

Social Map PLA Relation Method

Resource Map
These two
Participatory Modelling Map Cause & effect Diagram methods had
Mobility Map Tail Diagram been used
Service & Opportunity map Preference Ranking during f the pre-
Impact Diagram parliament
Transect
sessions
Participatory Census Method Network Diagram
Process Map
Venn Diagram
Spider Diagram
Body mapping etc.

Time Related PLA Methods

Time Line
Trend Analysis
Historical transect
Seasonal Diagram
Daily Activity Schedule
Dream Map

A clear purpose and objective along with the list of questions that the PLA exercises will try to
answer or explore is necessary before implementing the PLA on ground; For example, the
following matrix may be useful to complete:

Specific objectives or PLA exercise to be used Probe questions to be

questions to be explored asked

1
2
3
4

Participatory Learning & Action - Overview 4

 Following are the two examples of PLA exercise that Childreach International India Few
used during the pre-MSMV Parliament session. Examples

Objective: In the both the cases, the objective was to identification and
prioritization of problems that exist in the government school with special
emphasis on RTE Act, 2009. During the initial stage of pre- parliament session, it
was found that there was a group of students who were confused with so many
problems exist in their school; few other groups were unable to identify or
understand the problems. So, as the objective of the parliament was to digging
out the solutions from the children, it was important to identify the problems first
and then the solutions. So, the core objective of the PLA session was to identify
the problems and to prioritizing them and then finding out the solutions.

Audience: Government school going students of both sexes; no such Age limit.

PLA Methods: Preference Ranking (Location: Jasola Village, New Delhi) & Tail
Diagram (Sangam Vihar, New Delhi)

PREFERENCE RANKING:

Introductory session and addressing

the objective of the PLA session

Each student were asked to identify

the problems through brainstorming
session and all the problems were
written down on the board

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Participatory Learning & Action - Overview
 Then all the problems were prioritized
through group discussion and 10 most
important problems were identified and
written down on the board in a specific
format shown in the picture.

Ten groups were formed each consisting 3

students

Each group was given 10 minutes to

identify 3 most important problems with
reasons as per their own perception in 3
point scale i.e. the most important
problem; second most important problem
and the third most important problem

Participatory Learning & Action - Overview 6

 After 10 minutes all the groups come to the
board one by one and voted down the most
three important problem according to their
perception with the help of ‘Bindi’ (Bindi is a
round shape material which girls and women
in India use in their forehead); The most
nd
important problem – 3 Bindi; 2 most
rd
important problem – 2 Bindi and 3 most
important problem – 1 Bindi

After completing the voting

process, total number of Bindis
counted in under each point
and written down i.e. the score
of each problem

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Participatory Learning & Action - Overview
 Total Score
Group
Numbers

Rank

Then ranking was done i.e. the

problem which had the highest
number of Bindis i.e. highest
score got the rank 1 and on the
same way all the other
problems were ranked.

In this way three most important problems that exists in the schools as per the children were identified
and prioritized and then through group discussions students were facilitated to digging out the solutions

The children group participated in the PLA session

Participatory Learning & Action - Overview 8

 TAIL DIAGRAM:

Introductory Session Problem Identification

Identified problems written down on a chart

paper and pasted on the wall

Prioritization of problems through group discussion and written down in

paper cutting (Larger the size of the paper, more important the problem is
written on that paper) – then finding out the solutions through group
discussion

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Participatory Learning & Action - Overview
 Tail
Diagram

Participatory Learning & Action - Overview 10

 Before the PLA exercise, facilitators should go over the ground rules for
participation during PLA exercises. The nature of the discussions can be sensitive,
Ground Rule and the group dynamics are important for a safe and confidential learning
of PLA environment. PLA facilitators should think about what is needed in order for
Exercise people to feel able to talk in this setting about sensitive topics like sex, pleasure
and personal experiences of violence. For ethical reasons, PLA facilitators should
avoid making assumptions about people, and ensure that no one feels pressured
to disclose information if they do not wish to.

When introducing ground rules to PLA participants, the facilitator should plan to
go over such issues as maintaining confidentiality, respecting and listening to
others in the group, speaking in “I” statements, and allowing everyone to
participate.

Sometimes it helps to list the principles or rules of the exercises, and these might
include such things as:

Everyone’s input is equally valued.

Lively participation by all participants is encouraged.
Confidentiality is respected; “who said what” will not go beyond the
individuals present.
Listen to people when they speak, without interrupting or telling jokes.
Everyone has a piece of the truth; keep an open mind and heart, and be
ready to learn from other participants.

NOTE
This paper is just a concept paper on Participatory Learning and
Action (PLA); there are many more dimensions and facts related to the
planning of PLA, documentation, analysis of findings biases and etc.
which has not been mentioned in this paper.

Childreach International India I www.childreachindia.org

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Participatory Learning & Action - Overview