Since the 1970s, participatory development has become part and parcel of most practitioner-oriented development studies programs. This reflects a shift in the field of development that has been going on for the past few decades. "Participatory Rural Appraisal" (PRA) is one approach to participatory development that has received much attention and is the source of much debate. In this article, the author examines some of the critiques of PRA, as well as its practical challenges, by drawing upon the author's experiences teaching about participatory development in a graduate level development studies program. (Contains 3 notes.)