The field of development communication has undergone dramatic changes over the past quarter-century—from mass communication campaigns characterized by the one-way, top-down transfer of messages to a participatory social process that starts with beneficiaries and brings together both source and beneficiary in a two-way sharing of information among communication equals.

Participatory communication processes highlight cultural diversity, concerted action and dialogue, use of local knowledge and encourages stakeholder participation. This online course provides the opportunity to apply participatory theories and concepts to real-life projects and problems in human development through individual assignments and group projects. It is designed to facilitate teamwork and foster the exchange of knowledge and perspectives between participants.

The course will provide an overview of participatory communication processes, including a review of the theory and philosophy that forms the basis of this communicative approach. It is hoped that at the end of the course participants would better equipped as managers to integrate programs that demand community participation and community mobilization within their existing programs. The course will cover the following core areas and incorporate other topics based on participant needs:

• Facilitating participatory needs assessment – PRAs, Transect Walk, Mapping, and Problem Tree
• Facilitating participation in decision making and creating an enabling environment
• Facilitating participatory photography, art and theater
• Facilitating participation in community owned media – radio, video and Internet

Learning Outcomes

• To review shifts in the theoretical basis of the field of development communication
• To provide the basic tools for assessing the interests and needs of persons, groups and institutions that have a stake in development communication projects
• To train development communicators to create an enabling condition for dialogue, learning, sharing and achieve social change
• To train development communicators to be facilitators in implementing participation in communication programs for development

Try the Sample Module for Participatory Communication