Some thoughts...

In Skype meeting with Helen some time ago it was a great opportunity as always to catch up and still stay connected to a community of learners. The meeting gave me the chance to reignite the belief I had in my research inquiry and at the same time become grounded in my ideas for some type of theory and preferred methodology as a tool develop themes as they evolve. At the heart of this process I am at the centre and the approach I am taking is an ethnographic stance. In “Ethnography in the performing arts – a student guide” – (Dr Simone Krüger 2008) I have found an apt description, which encapsulates the type of methodology I am undertaking. Definition: Ethnographic research qualitative research is located within the interpretive paradigm that generates knowledge from people’s shared understandings and negotiation within a historical and social context. The researcher is involved and subjective, that is, informed by his/her personal experience in interaction with the people studied. The goal of the interpretive paradigm is the comparison of results to similar or dissimilar processes and phenomena; and the development of workable and shared understandings regarding regularities in human behaviour in specific settings. I was reminded when embarking on this process to review my module two work and reflect on the questions which begun this process. My question for the research from module 2 started as a hunch. By following my hunch and designing the question It’s interesting to see now where this hunch is taken me and what the many possibilities or implications are. From an ethnographic stance I am finding that as I dig deep I am not really finding answers se but essences or more questions. As I am discovering then ask a further question, what is written about all of this from the critical review perspective. Its almost as if I am on an archeological dig so deep that I need a theory to back me up so that I can use the theory to climb out of my dig and get some air! I am also finding that as I uncover yet more layers. Also despite the subjective nature of the research the thing I have begun to struggle with is separating my opinions from what I have found and interpreting what I see or experience. I suppose this will be the case for most undergoing a piece of academic research but I am reminded how important it is to interpret what is found and discovered and back it up with critical theory. I really do believe that whatever the outcome of the research and more importantly the process it is not the end. In ethnography the time it takes to gather data and to do the field work is quite long to get a sample of ideas and findings. However for me I only have this term so I consider this the appetizer! I may see this experience as the beginning of something more longer term. As a novice researcher from an ethnographic stance I’ll still be learning as a life long student. In my teaching mode I find that I am involved in the whole process of learning not only for the students I work with but for myself also and in this case find it incredibly difficult to step out of my scenario and look objectively. I was and am a part of the research. I am reminded by Dr Simone Krüger that in ethnographic research the purpose of this method is to “seek to answer questions without reference to trying to solve any problems” Hopal In Skype meeting with Helen some time ago it was a great opportunity as always to catch up and still stay connected to a community of learners. The meeting gave me the chance to reignite the belief I had in my research inquiry and at the same time become grounded in my ideas for some type of theory and preferred methodology as a tool develop themes as they evolve. At the heart of this process I am at the centre and the approach I am taking is an ethnographic stance. In “Ethnography in the performing arts – a student guide” – (Dr Simone Krüger 2008) I have found an apt description, which encapsulates the type of methodology I am undertaking. Definition: Ethnographic research qualitative research is located within the interpretive paradigm that generates knowledge from people’s shared understandings and negotiation within a historical and social context. The researcher is involved and subjective, that is, informed by his/her personal experience in interaction with the people studied. The goal of the interpretive paradigm is the comparison of results to similar or dissimilar processes and phenomena; and the development of workable and shared understandings regarding regularities in human behaviour in specific settings. I was reminded when embarking on this process to review my module two work and reflect on the questions which begun this process. My question for the research from module 2 started as a hunch. By following my hunch and designing the question It’s interesting to see now where this hunch is taken me and what the many possibilities or implications are. From an ethnographic stance I am finding that as I dig deep I am not really finding answers se but essences or more questions. As I am discovering then ask a further question, what is written about all of this from the critical review perspective. Its almost as if I am on an archeological dig so deep that I need a theory to back me up so that I can use the theory to climb out of my dig and get some air! I am also finding that as I uncover yet more layers. Also despite the subjective nature of the research the thing I have begun to struggle with is separating my opinions from what I have found and interpreting what I see or experience. I suppose this will be the case for most undergoing a piece of academic research but I am reminded how important it is to interpret what is found and discovered and back it up with critical theory. I really do believe that whatever the outcome of the research and more importantly the process it is not the end. In ethnography the time it takes to gather data and to do the field work is quite long to get a sample of ideas and findings. However for me I only have this term so I consider this the appetizer! I may see this experience as the beginning of something more longer term. As a novice researcher from an ethnographic stance I’ll still be learning as a life long student. In my teaching mode I find that I am involved in the whole process of learning not only for the students I work with but for myself also and in this case find it incredibly difficult to step out of my scenario and look objectively. I was and am a part of the research. I am reminded by Dr Simone Krüger that in ethnographic research the purpose of this method is to “seek to answer questions without reference to trying to solve any problems” Hopal