Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Ethnography and Participant-Observation

This week's theme is research, and specifically, ethnography and participant-observation as methodological tools (and, some might argue, ways of being and knowing!).

Here's the list of today's questions to get us thinking about the relationship between journals/journaling, research, and you:

  • What is "research"?  What forms of research are you most familiar with?  Which do you find yourself privileging the most/least, and why?
  • What is "culture"?  Describe it.  Identify a few cultures and explain what makes them a culture.
  • What cultures are you a member of?  What makes that culture that culture?
  • Why might someone (like a researcher) choose to use a journal over a laptop when studying a culture(s)?
  • Human subjects and research:

Ellen Isaacs at TEDxBroadway


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Relating back to learning and "the self":
  • How can a journal be used as a self-regulated learning tool?  What can you learn?  (Think: what have you learned through yours?)
  • After 4-5 weeks of doing this, what do you think of your own personal journal thus far?  What do you think you're doing particularly well?
  • Where do you seem room for improvement?  How would you like to step up your "journal game" for the second half of the course?
  • Fill in the blank.  "Y'know what?  If I bring my journal everywhere with me, I could get some journaling done while/instead of __________________."
    • ie, waiting for a friend at the bar!
  • What are some potential ideas you're flirting with for your "journal transformation project"?  
Looking ahead to next week, re: gratitude and happiness:
    • Who/what are you grateful for?  Why?  In what way(s) has this person/thing made you happy?  

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