HEART
What New Understandings and
Feelings Will You Leave With?

 The most warming and energizing feeling that people left with was a greater sense of community. Many felt less alone because they saw that others were grappling with the same issues as they were. New relationships were particularly valuable. The evaluations included words like respectful, warm, thoughtful, tolerant, and generous to describe those they had met at the Institute.

In general, people said they felt grateful, inspired, trusting and validated. A few people said that opening up new ways of approaching research left them feeling a bit shaky and unsure of where this would lead them. Other participants said they learned to doubt themselves less and "to look for happiness and passion in doing research instead of getting caught up in restrictions and rules." Many participants found or re-discovered their passion for research for social change. 

People were grateful for the experience of the Institute because they were enthusiastic, positive, and motivated. Being validated and energized inspired them. One person said, "I have new motivation to write, to document my work" and another, "I felt inspired to move on and get going with my research."

FEET
What Action Will You Take?
What Things Will You Do?

 Many people said they wanted to keep learning about research, to find ways of sharing what they had learned, to maintain contacts with people they met at the Institute, to initiate their own research projects or integrate research into their classroom.

Participants said they were planning a research project or looking for ways to bring research into their current work. They were also enthusiastic about building a research in practice movement and sharing what they learned with community members, learners and co-workers. They were eager to find ways to help others get excited about research in practice.

Many participants wanted to read more research and keep learning in different ways. They planned to read research that reflects different perspectives, to read suggested literature, to learn more about arts-based research, to e-mail other participants and to explore graduate work. Many wanted to actively keep up connections they made and "keep the conversation going."