This introductory course is based on principles of community-based research in informal education settings. The course is designed for students at the master's (any program) or PhD level who have limited prior experience as educators or in educational research. The aim of the course is to introduce students to the theory, skills, and practice of conducting a social sciences research study in a way that centres the needs and desires of a defined community. Students should find the course challenging but highly practical where each class contains a combination of research theory, practice, and application.

Course readings should not be viewed as definitive or exemplary readings on the subject; rather, they have been selected to support and promote critical engagement with education. The course has a metacognitive focus where you are encouraged to reflect on your own learning processes as well as those of learners in informal contexts. The course is framed by the question: What are the central elements of community-based research and how can they be applied to a defined space of informal education?