Category: Qualitative Research

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Ethics and Understanding Through Interrelationship.

“Sο often, we who have dedicated ourselves to the study of lives over time engage in this endeavor alone. We fret away in isolation, full of doubts, questions, and uncertainties. Not only do we typically struggle with the vagaries and low points of this work alone, we usually experi­ence any high points, triumphs, and joys alone as well.”

Melvin E. Miller, 1996, p. 129 “Ethics and Understanding
Through Interrelationship. I and Thou in dialogue.”

Josselson, R. H. (Ed.). (2012). Ethics and process in the narrative study of lives. Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com

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“Language can never contain a whole person, so every act of writing a person’s life is inevitably a violation,”

Josselson (1996, p. 62) On writing other people’s lives:Self-analytic reflections of a narrativeresearcher. In R. Josselson (Ed.),Ethics and process in the narrative study of lives(Vol. 4,pp. 60-71). Thousand Oaks,CA:Sage.

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Constructivism Quotes

Humans as social being interact with two realities: a physical/temporal reality, composed of houses, streets, (…) children, co-workers, families, (…) and other tangible objects, and time; and an enacted, or constructed, reality, composed of the interpretive, meaning-making,(…) role-assuming activities which produce meaningfulness and order in human life. p. 61

Yvonna Lincoln in Paul, J. (2005). Introduction to the philosophies of research and criticism in education and the social sciences. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

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Tom Barone: Arts Based Educational Research ABER Quotes

Tom Barone. Perspective 5: Arts Based Educational Research

“Despite all these encouraging developments, artistic approaches to research in the areas of the human studies, including education, remain somewhere on the margins. Academics who have been professionally socialized into a narrow view of what constitutes legitimate research often find it difficult to imagine the potential utility of alternative research approaches.” p. 69

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Phillips, D.C. “Nine Perspective of Research” Quotes POSTPOSITIVISM

Philips, D. C. Nine Perspectives of Research, Chapter 4

“A few aestheticians might argue that art (and hence ABER) can involve a quest for certainty. (…) For a story, play, photograph, or film to fulfill this sort of summative purpose, it must function as a kind of mirror that reflects the reality of what has occurred. It must accurately represent, with a high degree of certainty, the facts of the matter. To that end, the unique perspective of the researcher must be filtered out of the work lest it be tainted by a bias that reduces certainty.” p.69

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Creativity and originality

Being a graphic artist, creativity is expected of me. I used to stress about it (even had panic attacks!) when I was in design school and a few years after–originality was highly rewarded by attention and praise, and I had to work very hard to be recognized. I suspected that I am just not that talented.

Eventually, I discovered that originality is built from careful observations and analysis of works of others, plenty of emulations, social sensitivity, and a pinch of luck. Some are naturally quick; others, like me, believe that talent is what it really takes and whether or not they have it.

As an emerging researcher, I get the familiar urge to create a study that is elegant, original, but also meaningful and even groundbreaking. Yesterday in our Visual Research Methods class, the Bersons gave us some examples of amazing visual presentations of data and findings, and I felt that “creative” rush.

However, I am wary of wanting to produce something just for the sake of being “original.” In some ways, I may have the advantage over others because I am experienced with visual communication a bit more than most, but I need to be careful not to lose meaning and purpose of research. It must contribute to the body of knowledge.

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Dissertation Ideas

The dissertation is a reality that materialized at the end of my master’s coursework. It is remarkable how differently my fellow students think of their dissertations–I have been asking–they are all at different stages.

The spectrum begins with “I have no clue” and ends with “I am getting ready to defend, my topic is awesome!” Many find the idea stressful. Me? I cannot wait! I know it will be something great–otherwise, why would I even bother with it, right? Besides, Dr. Richards said it will be great, whatever it is, in her email to me on June 16, 2018.

My problem is too many ideas–each seems better than the last one. I’d say I am drowning in them, only drowning is such a negative term–if water is to describe my experiences, then I am in a waterpark–sliding, jumping, diving, and floating in the lazy river, depending on what class I am taking and with whom. There is no sense of anxiety, at least, not yet, only the sense of adventure.

Idea Number One

Currently, I am on my fifth or so topic idea. When I first started my Master’s program, I wanted to investigate what it means when people say “I do not test well.” This was completely in line with my “Research, measurement, and Evaluation” program. I wanted to look into the culture of standardized testing (I am not a fan of it as a parent, but because I grew up in the USSR, I cannot say I am entirely opposed to it–it was a fact of life, everyone had several end-of-course exams beginning with grade four or so.)

I wanted to bring into my study the topic of educational philosophies, the psychological piece centered on “stress” and “test anxiety.” Source of data collection? Well, surveys and interviews. A quantitative analysis of available test records was also an idea, but I knew the data may not be available. This idea came the year I took my Foundations of Curriculum class and statistical analysis courses I and II. GRE exam was a fairly recent event, too.

Idea Number Two

There were a few ideas in-between. One summer, I took Foundations of Educational Research class online and was taken with the idea of researching Motivation in online learning. At that time, I was still planning to do my Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and coincidentally, was still processing my experiences as an undergrad (I earned the entire Psychology degree online at Saint Leo University). I felt I was a connoisseur of online learning and thanks to plenty of shop talks at home with my husband, an online course designer at St. Pete College, we had much to discuss.

The theory? Deci and Ryan’s Theory of Self-Determination. Method? Quantitative. Design? quasi-experimental.  I enjoyed planning every little detail of my study. Down to the design of every instructional activity and whether or not I should consider it as a variable. Then I took my first qualitative class, and suddenly, this idea was not as much fun as… well, I did not know yet, but I knew the feeling–a new idea was about to hatch.

Idea Number Three

The Christmas before my second qualitative class, there came trouble at Becky’s charter school–the school refused to provide accommodations to her, and we felt our rights were violated. More than anything, I was angry that her teacher and principals refused to admit–both in word and deed–that she has autism. Earlier that year, Becky was also Baker Acted, and by the time the charter school troubles came, my husband and I just went through a real-life paradigm shift. We finally came to terms that Becky does have autism, and we were trying to figure out what it meant for us, for her, for the boys, for all of our present and future. So in qualitative II, I started writing an autoethnography about mothering my high-functioning autistic child. This was personally therapeutic and seminal to my further development as a researcher. I returned to my original reason for wanting to abandon the life of a starving graphic artist when I enrolled at Saint Leo to study psychology in 2012-to learn about autism. So my dissertation idea was to explore the bioecology of an autistic child’s development. Theoretical framework? Bronfenbrenner. Methodology? Qualitative. Method? Interviews, narrative, autoethnography, and visual, as appropriate.

Idea Number Four

Then I started writing about how Becky and I connect–a facet that fits my study of bioecology well as a link between the developing child and a prominent influence on her: me. This project coincided with my Philosophies class where I attempted to place myself on the grid of philosophical approaches to inquiry. Becky went through a rough patch, I did not feel like writing about our connection, and then spiraled down Lewis Carrol’s rabbit hole, much like Alice. I became aware that despite producing several reflexivity statements in my last year, I have no clue who I am as a researcher! One this was for sure: I was confused. I ran for help to Dr. Richards, to Jenni, to Dr. Zeidler. I wrote one journal entry after another, trying to make sense of my thoughts.  Through it all, I was conscious of my development and decided to do a dissertation about the “birth of a researcher” and to investigate investments of professors, of courses, of personal circumstances, and other elements that were shaping me into who I am. The brilliant part is that dissertation would be the natural evidence of the journey. Methodology? Qualitative, of course! Method? I would use my journal entries, email exchanges with professors and students, course descriptions and reflections and other pieces as data, then assemble them into one final piece.

Idea Number Five

It is getting better and better! My growing epistemological pains and studies initially led me to believe that positivism is disgusting to a truly qualitative researcher, yet, I grew up a positivist. Could I be bi-oriented as I am bi-lingual and bi-cultural? I considered an analogy: Mowgli, a human, raised by the wolves. Never quite fitting with either world and yet, a forever part of both. While it is tempting to assume that “people” in this analogy represent the more humanistic, constructivist look at life and the animals are more in line with Pavlov’s dogs, and therefore, data-driven, inhuman, positivistic, I am cautious. Dogs (as well as wolves, bears, and panthers, too) are wonderful, and by no means, the parallel expresses a belief that Russians are less human that Americans, or any other nonsensical idea of the sort. I am really after the illustration of how difficult it is for Mowgli to fit into either culture, to completely align himself with either ideology, culture, philosophy, or even physical location of his bed. At the moment, I feel like a researcher Mowgli–a positivist through upbringing, an interpretivist through personal development. This does not have to be a  deficit–it could be a strength. Of course, there is a chance that some positivists and quantitative researchers will disown me, much like some of Mowgli’s wolf pack did. Some interpretivists will turn their noses and decide I reek of “dog,” but as long as I have my Baghiras and my Baloos, and my kind villagers, I could really uncover something extraordinary.
Method? Qualitative. Methodology? Bricolage! Narratives, emails, drawings, photos, and maybe even sculptures. Limitations? …as abstract as the sky.

 

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Quotes-Green, T.F. -analysis, philosophy, reflexivity

Green, T. F. (1971). The activities of teaching. New York, : McGraw-Hill, [1971].

“Though it is true that analysis is careful thinking, that is not the most important and discriminating truth about it. The important truth is not that the analytic task is reflective, but that it is reflexive. It is thinking turned back upon itself. It is thinking about thinking. Making distinction is an evident feature of good thinking wherever it occurs, but the peculiarity of philosophical analysis is that it is thinking about the distinctions themselves. (p. 203)

“The methodological nature of philosophical analysis constitutes not a narrowing of philosophical interests but an almost unlimited expansion. The topics amendable to analysis, the concepts that can be given analytic treatment, are almost without boundary.” (p. 205)

“The restrictive focus of analysis on method rather than doctrine thus proves not to be a narrow limitation at all. It is simply the manifestation of an underlying commitment to take care and achieve clarity, joined with an equally firm commitment to be specific.” (p. 205)

“Philosophy is an activity of reflexive thinking” (p. 205)

 

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Is knowledge made?

Academic Writing Class Journal

Two or three months ago in Qualitative II class, we watched a short clip  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tno6oG9KRFY

introducing Karen Barad. Andreas Roepstorff said in (1:17) “what it is like to create knowledge” and it struck me like a lightning in a clear sky: What? We can CREATE knowledge?

Until now, I realized, I thought knowledge is something that simply  IS. It is neither created nor changeable. To get it, people must reach out and grab it when they want to or need to. It is like the fabric of cosmos. Neutral, ever present, yet obscured unless specifically sought out or accidentally encountered.

Perhaps, this explains why I personally never had issues with passive learning? I grew up blindly believing in the authority of teachers. They are servants of knowledge, the sages who have been trusted the secrets of the Universe. Yet, I always was intrinsically motivated to learn actively: receive what is being taught, then go get some more on my own.

Hopefully, I will make sense of this rambling somehow, but I had to get it off my chest.

So now that I heard that knowledge can be created, where does it leave me in my epistemological beliefs? Well, first of all, I submissively receive this statement as a bit of knowledge: I just have been handed a key to unlock yet another cosmic secret. SO. Knowledge CAN be created…

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12 hours later, after I had a few more minutes to think about this while waiting in pickup line for Danny:

I think I differentiate between “knowledge” as an abstraction and “knowledge” as a concrete concept (“I know you like this…”). Growing up in USSR,  the concept of “knowledge” (as an abstraction) was well-nourished. On Septemeber 1 of each year, all children would start school. We called it the “Day of knowledges.” All students would dress up in “parade uniform” (girls white aprons, boys always wore suits with a white shirt anyway), and bring flowers to the teacher. There would be happy kid music blasting, and everyone would gather in the courtyard for a ceremony: first-year students would be welcomed, graduates-to-be would be wished well; there would typically be a speech from a respected member of the community–a WWII veteran, or a “Hero of Labor.” The principal would say something, too. In the end, a male representative of the graduating class would put a randomly picked (usually the smallest) first-grader (we did not have kindergarten) on his shoulders, and make a lap in the inner circle of the gathered crowd of students. The little one would ring a hand bell as a signal of the beginning of the first period of the new school year. The first lesson in each grade was a “Peace lesson” where students would discuss the importance of world peace. The day was always short so that in the afternoon students could go out to the city’s parks, carnivals, movies, and other entertainment spots to enjoy deep admission discounts. The entire country celebrated the “Day of Knowledges!”

Then I thought that my father, who taught auto engineering for 30+ years, would be called an assistant or associate professor, but in Russian, his position translated as “senior giver” (as in someone who “serves” or “presents” knowledge). The term “instructor” was reserved strictly for those who taught skills, such as “swimming” or “nursing” instructor. I think the power structure and the culture of passive learning in the classroom setting was built into our lives in many ways, including the linguistic channels.

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What is epistemology

Google Dictionary (Retrieved May 30, 2018)

Epistemology is the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope. Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion.

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Quotes Arts-Based

For the research to be arts-based the chosen art has to be an integral and informative part of the process, producing knowledge otherwise inaccessible. (Suominen, 2003, p. 34)