Public Involvement in Research

Imperial College London via Coursera

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/public-involvement-in-research

Introduction

### Course Review: Public Involvement in Research on Coursera ### Overview The course **Public Involvement in Research** offered on Coursera is an engaging exploration of the participatory approaches that underpin citizen and patient involvement in research. Rooted in the context of the UK's public health landscape, this course delves into the significance of integrating public perspectives throughout the research cycle. It poses thought-provoking questions such as the various forms of participation at different stages of research and provides practical insights on how to effectively utilize these participatory methods. This course is particularly beneficial for healthcare professionals, researchers, and students who are keen to enrich their understanding of participatory research methodologies and to enhance the depth and relevance of their research through active community engagement. ### Syllabus Breakdown **Module 1: Differentiating Public Involvement and Co-production in Health Research** In the first module, you'll clarify vital definitions relevant to public involvement and co-production, setting a foundation for the subsequent lessons. This module lays the groundwork for understanding the importance of participatory research, emphasizing how these principles extend beyond public health to other research domains. **Module 2: Role of Public Involvement and Co-production Throughout the Research Cycle** The second module is particularly rich, as it frames participatory approaches within the context of the 7 stages of the research cycle. By examining real-world case studies, you will learn the tangible impacts of citizen and patient engagement in research identification, design, funding, and commissioning. This section emphasizes the value of collaboration, providing methodologies for how researchers can successfully integrate public involvement. **Module 3: The Role of Public Involvement in Undertaking, Analyzing, Disseminating, and Implementing Research** This module dives deeper, covering how public involvement plays a role during the critical phases of undertaking and analyzing research as well as dissemination and implementation. Lessons are designed to challenge preconceptions about where public involvement is beneficial, showcasing innovative participatory engagement strategies that enhance the understanding of qualitative and numerical data alike. **Final Module: Evaluating Public Involvement and Co-production in Health Research** The course concludes with a pivotal module on evaluating public involvement. Learners will explore various tools for assessing the impact of participatory methods in research and reflect on their implications. An insightful interview with an expert in such evaluations adds richness to the learning experience, making this module a standout in practical application. ### Review and Recommendations The **Public Involvement in Research** course offers an exceptional opportunity for learners who aim to transform their research practices through participatory methods. The structured approach to dissecting the research cycle, combined with real-world case studies, allows for a comprehensive understanding of how to engage effectively with citizens and patients. **What I Appreciate:** - **Engaging Content:** The course encourages active engagement with the material, providing various methodologies and examples of successful public involvement. - **Expert Insights:** Interviews and case studies from experienced researchers make the theoretical concepts tangible and relatable. - **Applicability Across Disciplines:** While it has a public health emphasis, the principles explored are adaptable to many research contexts. **Who Should Enroll:** This course is highly recommended for: - Healthcare researchers seeking to enrich their studies with public input. - Students exploring careers in public health or research. - Policymakers interested in understanding citizen engagement's role in health research. By the end of this course, participants will feel empowered to implement participatory approaches in their research endeavors, making their work more relevant and impactful to the communities they serve. If you are looking to transform your approach to research and genuinely involve public perspectives, I highly recommend enrolling in the **Public Involvement in Research** course on Coursera.

Syllabus

Differentiating Public Involvement and Co-production in Health Research

Welcome to Module 1! Over the next 4 modules, you'll focus on how citizens and patients can be involved in research from the researcher side. You'll explore participation across and within the research cycle (as we refer to it) in more detail, specifically, what kinds of participatory approaches can be undertaken at each of the 7 stages of the research cycle. Although these modules have a public health focus, the approaches and ways of involving citizens and patients across and within the research cycle apply to other disciplines and kinds of research too (even basic research – although it can be slightly more challenging!). First, you need to be clear about the definitions we use, so let’s start there.

Role of Public Involvement and Co-production Throughout the Research Cycle

Welcome to Module 2. You will now dive down into participatory approaches taken in the UK in publicly funded health research which are framed around the 7 stages of the ‘research cycle’ (as we call it). You will learn why involving citizens and patients in research is valuable, how you might go about involving people at the different stages of the research cycle and hear about case studies and examples of how this has been done in the real world. In Lesson 1, you will look at the role of public involvement and co-production throughout the first stage of the research cycle (Identifying and Prioritising), review some methodologies which can be used to identify and prioritise research topics and hear about some examples. In Lesson 2, you will look at the role of public involvement and co-production throughout the second stage (Designing and Managing) and third stage (Funding and Commissioning) of the research cycle and hear about how citizens and patients have been involved at these stages.

What Is the Role of Public Involvement and Co-production Throughout the Stages of the Research Cycle? (Covering Stage 4 (Undertaking and Analysing), Stage 5 (Disseminating) and Stage 6 (Implementing))

Welcome to Module 3! In Lesson 1, you'll look at the role of public involvement and co-production throughout the fourth stage of the research cycle (Undertaking and Analysing). Qualitative research (collecting and analysing non-numerical data) might seem the most obvious kind of research in which to involve citizens and patients as co-researchers - e.g. in interviews and surveys. However, you're going to study some other examples where citizens and patients can inform the “doing” of research - for example, systematic reviews. In Lesson 2, you'll look at the role of public involvement and co-production throughout the fifth stage and the sixth stages of the research cycle (Disseminating) and (Implementing) respectively. You'll also hear about how citizens have been involved at these stages.

How can you evaluate public involvement and co-production in health research (stage 7 of the research cycle)?

In this module, you will learn about the ways to evaluate public involvement and co-production in health research (stage 7 of the research cycle). Jack Jacques gives an interview in which he talks about his experience with evaluating the impact of public involvement - we encourage you to listen to this. You also have the opportunity to decide on an evaluation tool which can be applied to your own setting - you'll write a short summary justifying why you'd choose the tool and evaluating its strengths and limitations.