“Our first task in approaching another people, another culture, another religion, is to take off our shoes, for the place we are approaching is holy. Else we may find ourselves treading on men’s dreams. More serious still, we may find that God was here before our arrival.”
What an eloquent idea. As I read Oman's "Baskets and Dancing Blankets" I was struck by his argument and especially this quote. It's true that often we enter another culture with our own ideas of what is superior, but in doing that, we create a barrier between ourselves and an opportunity to learn and understand the people and community we've entered. It limits us from learning, but it also limits us from understanding what is really occurring around us. The quote helped me begin thinking about my project from a different aspect than I ever have before. In the clinics I'll be visiting in Ghana, there are methods and efforts that workers have adopted or developed that help them survive and sustain their effort in this community. The things that they have accomplished in these communities is directly related to what they have developed. Was I really thinking that I could just enter their community and identify their resources and needs, diagnose ways they could improve, and understand the needs of the clinic WITHOUT first finding out what they have already done to improve things and what their goals and objectives with the clinic really are? I know this would be a challenge because often in my life I walk into a situation analyzing everything, mentally noting what works and what is dis-functional and possible reasons why. I rarely have the patience to first ask what has already been attempted, what has already been improved, what the people that were here before me feel they have done and how they feel they have succeeded.
I know it's important for real understanding of a place and people, but do I have the patience to do it? And could I really understand them and succeed in my research aims if I didn't do this? Even if they explained their goals for the clinic, would I understand them or respect those ideas the way I should? But if these efforts mean everything to these people, I will accomplish nothing and possibly have a negative impact if I don't first consider those efforts.
Showing posts with label Class Reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Class Reading. Show all posts
Monday, March 7, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Journal 19 - Silent Communication and Project Concerns
As I read and study my sources, as I struggle with my IRB proposal and precision in my methods, as I try and imagine myself in Wiamoase without any real ability to communicate with the people there--I realize I'm still in over my head.
I wonder if my limited expertise on the topic of development is acceptable. I wonder if my topic is too broad or if it's just over my head as far as expertise goes. I wonder how, with the limited time I have left, I'll be able to improve my project and work to be acceptable and doable? I don't think I've had more than two or three days of relief from these "jitters" and I wonder if I will have any freedom from those jitters before December. I guess those are just part and parcel with the adventure, growth and challenges of field studies.
I really appreciated the articles we had assigned today. It's an interesting and challenging concept to fully grasp, how we can convey SO MANY things to each other with just our eyes and our hand motions. The most I've ever thought about in terms of non-verbal communication has to do with what you do when someone is talking to you: make eye contact, focus your attention and don't multi-task or avoid eye contact. I never thought about the messages people send when they are walking or interacting with other people(like someone's wife for example), but it's interesting that you either communicate subconsciously intentionally or not, but if someone's watching, they are subconsciously reading into what you aren't saying. It made me think about how imperfect I am, but how glad I am that the gospel isn't a game of masquerade, but that instead it changes a person from the inside out; what a perfect plan God has.
I guess that the concerns I have about my project are all about internal things. I could make it sound like I've hammered down my methods and know if I'm qualified for what I want to do, but I want to know for myself what I'm doing and that I can do it, then I think the IRB will be easier to finish.
I wonder if my limited expertise on the topic of development is acceptable. I wonder if my topic is too broad or if it's just over my head as far as expertise goes. I wonder how, with the limited time I have left, I'll be able to improve my project and work to be acceptable and doable? I don't think I've had more than two or three days of relief from these "jitters" and I wonder if I will have any freedom from those jitters before December. I guess those are just part and parcel with the adventure, growth and challenges of field studies.
I really appreciated the articles we had assigned today. It's an interesting and challenging concept to fully grasp, how we can convey SO MANY things to each other with just our eyes and our hand motions. The most I've ever thought about in terms of non-verbal communication has to do with what you do when someone is talking to you: make eye contact, focus your attention and don't multi-task or avoid eye contact. I never thought about the messages people send when they are walking or interacting with other people(like someone's wife for example), but it's interesting that you either communicate subconsciously intentionally or not, but if someone's watching, they are subconsciously reading into what you aren't saying. It made me think about how imperfect I am, but how glad I am that the gospel isn't a game of masquerade, but that instead it changes a person from the inside out; what a perfect plan God has.
I guess that the concerns I have about my project are all about internal things. I could make it sound like I've hammered down my methods and know if I'm qualified for what I want to do, but I want to know for myself what I'm doing and that I can do it, then I think the IRB will be easier to finish.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Journal 18 - I'm Out of Time
I limited myself to 30 minutes of reading and writing. I spent the thirty minutes reading and listening to NPR instead and now I'm out of time' I'm perfectly fine with that because I know I'm working efficiently and will finish earlier than if I had not set a goal. Here are my thoughts for today's reading.
I have been thinking about the woman who took pictures of the FLDS communities (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123815829). It's an interesting situation to consider, that of how one enters a community. She said it took her 4 months to get beyond their homes and activities and into their lives. I would like to get into the lives of the people in Wiamoase and understand the effects and thoughts they have about development projects in their community. How will I do this without a grasp of their language? I think an important part is applying one of the readings I did.
Rachel Naomi Remen talked in her article "Helping, Fixing or Serving?" about the difference between helping, fixing and serving. I think what struck me the most was how she defined serving as person to person, willing to put yourself out of your comfort zone and into a realm of mystery for another. It seems scary, but it correlates well with what President Monson said a couple years ago "Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved." When your goal is really to understand and get to know another, than serving and focusing on people is the only real answer; every other activity or focus misses the mark. It's hard to do--putting yourself out there to get to know and understand another--but it accomplishes and produces the most in the end. I really liked this reading, and I really hope that I can keep this in mind in Wiamoase. It seems important if I want to understand the community perceptions of the clinic to really come to know just a handful of people and--perhaps I'll only report on that handful, but I think that for myself, I'd have learned more that way than with any other method.
I suppose I should use my experience to invest in my efforts and study like I'll be there for years and avoid the rush and carelessness that might come with trying to speed up the process.
I also ran into this quote from Paulo Freire about problems in development efforts. He says "“ They talk about the people but they do not trust them; and trusting the people is the indispensable precondition for revolutionary change. A real humanist can be identified more by his trust in the people, which engages him in their struggle, than by a thousand actions in their favour, without that trust.”
I have been thinking about the woman who took pictures of the FLDS communities (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123815829). It's an interesting situation to consider, that of how one enters a community. She said it took her 4 months to get beyond their homes and activities and into their lives. I would like to get into the lives of the people in Wiamoase and understand the effects and thoughts they have about development projects in their community. How will I do this without a grasp of their language? I think an important part is applying one of the readings I did.
Rachel Naomi Remen talked in her article "Helping, Fixing or Serving?" about the difference between helping, fixing and serving. I think what struck me the most was how she defined serving as person to person, willing to put yourself out of your comfort zone and into a realm of mystery for another. It seems scary, but it correlates well with what President Monson said a couple years ago "Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved." When your goal is really to understand and get to know another, than serving and focusing on people is the only real answer; every other activity or focus misses the mark. It's hard to do--putting yourself out there to get to know and understand another--but it accomplishes and produces the most in the end. I really liked this reading, and I really hope that I can keep this in mind in Wiamoase. It seems important if I want to understand the community perceptions of the clinic to really come to know just a handful of people and--perhaps I'll only report on that handful, but I think that for myself, I'd have learned more that way than with any other method.
I suppose I should use my experience to invest in my efforts and study like I'll be there for years and avoid the rush and carelessness that might come with trying to speed up the process.
I also ran into this quote from Paulo Freire about problems in development efforts. He says "“ They talk about the people but they do not trust them; and trusting the people is the indispensable precondition for revolutionary change. A real humanist can be identified more by his trust in the people, which engages him in their struggle, than by a thousand actions in their favour, without that trust.”
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Journal 17 - The Fair Ophelia and her Syndrome
I wanted to talk about the influence of last class's reading assignment on my perception of the field study experience as well as some of the things I think the Ghana Field Study class can do to better empower and improve the performance of students.
Something that struck me about the Ophelia Syndrome reading was that it correlated well with what the Field Study Program adopts, a process of "individualation" and "self-learning". Individualation was defined in our readings as a process of self-discovery and uniqueness and a process where you discover what distinguishes you from others. There were plenty of methods he shared about ways to discover ourselves and our thoughts. I kept thinking about ways in my life I've done those things, and ways in my life that I've displayed symptoms of the Ophelia Complex. What I realized was that there is a fine line between those two moments, it's a challenge to foster an environment that escapes that complex and inspires individualism. While assignments with few guidelines and high expectations foster stress and uncertainty, they are often the assignments that push my mind and creativity. The Field Study Prep class has encouraged individualism and self-discovery, and I'm grateful for that, but I was recently considering the ways that this program might keep that focus but reduce stress.
I'm a big believer in the fact that the more information a person is given, the more empowered they are to take that information and act wisely. There are some questions that must be worked out individually with this field study experience, but there are also ways that I think the program could foster greater individuality and creativity by providing more information.
Like we discussed in my section on Wednesday, I think workshops would be a great way to give students more information on the topics they have the most questions about. It's different for every student, so answering questions outside of class but making that information available for anyone that has those questions would be empowering and decrease stress. Here are some of the ideas I had for workshops:
Travel Preparation advice (ticket purchases, getting a passport/visa, immunization recommendations/advice)
Blog training/assistance
Tips on how to find good sources or do research
Topic Development
Financial Aid/Scholarship/Grant opportunities we should be applying for
Professors (who to ask to be mentors/contract professors, how to use them, how to help them help you)
Developing Methods (new and different options, challenges to be aware of with each method, important skills/supplies to have on hand for each method)
These topics all qualify as things that have caused me stress and uncertainty this semester. The brilliance of a workshop is that the student selects things that will cater to their needs AND the information empowers them to do what they were going to do better and more easily.
With preliminary interviews for example, I went into those meetings expecting more information about Field Studies--mostly because I had barely heard of Field Studies a week and a half before entering the interview process and had little information to operate on. I found that the information given me was sparse and the focus instead was on what I wanted to do; I wasn't looking for someone to hold my hand and tell me what to do, but I didn't have enough knowledge about field studies to make what I felt was an informed or acceptable decision. If during those meetings information had been given to me to help me fit my idea within the context of what was acceptable and feasible, I would have felt less stress and more empowered to act and create my own individual project. The most helpful thing I can think of would be if information was (physically) given to me for each topic we covered in the interviews.
If the first meeting was about ideas for my project, perhaps a sheet of paper with information about topics and studies could have been offered. It could have included a list of topics students have done in the past in the area considering, the benefits and attributes of certain topics for other locations, a definition of the type of study that most students do (ethnographic instead of data-collecting), and why those studies work, and some of the resources in the community or in other community locations that they could consider when choosing a topic. Still stress that this project is to be whatever they want and not restricted to the list's factors, but that would have given me a GREAT idea of if my project was on the right track, if I should choose a different location based on what will be in each community, or if my project is doable with what study types and resources are available and suggested. I really believe that list wouldn't have ultimately influenced my project development, instead it would have given me valuable information that would reduce my concern and self-doubt about what I decided to study.
Again, for the meeting where we discuss professors and course contracts, let people know when those deadlines would be for having a faculty mentor or contracts made, give them the number of credits they'll be required to take or a pamphlet explaining course contracts, and write during the meeting on the piece of paper professors you'd suggest--especially if they are interested in fields you guys know well. That information, on a piece of paper would have helped decrease my stress levels about something I've never encountered during University life, it would have given me a time frame that would allow me to make personal plans to fulfill those requirements and find good teachers in subjects I'm interested in. I still will find those teachers, and I'm on the right track already, but it took a lot of stress and sleepless nights. Yes I lost sleep over this, its not an exaggeration, sadly enough.
For the interview where the topic is ethics and IRB, give them a list of IRB restrictions students commonly encounter, expectations from the ISP, ethics to consider--I loved when Ashley asked me the question "How would you study that in Ogden?" it helped me see how to approach what I really wanted to study in a way that was appropriate and informative. These lists would have been really valuable to me, because they give me information, it's recorded so I can refer back, and I feel empowered and know more of what you'll expect/accept. I remember when I finally decided I wanted to study poverty. I didn't know how to phrase that any better than that word, but I was so proud of my topic when I came into my last meeting and couldn't wait to share the choice I'd made. Right away the topic I suggested (because I was poorly educated on development and my idea wasn't well formulated yet) made the facilitators and program director concerned. I appreciated that they expressed that concern, but I remember how confused I was that what I had decided I really wanted to study wasn't acceptable; I was also frustrated because I didn't know what the guidelines or boundaries were they saw me crossing with the topic. I wasn't wanting to do anything ethically unsound like interview people and ask how they felt about being poor, but having a list of guidelines would have given me confidence that what I wanted to study was within those guidelines, and I think I would have had more confidence explaining how the study I wanted to do on poverty was still ethically sound.
We definitely want to avoid developing the Ophelia Syndrome in field studies, but I feel I've demonstrated how more information can be provided in the program while still avoiding that pitfall; in fact sometimes information can be a powerful source of confidence in independent thinking.
What are your thoughts?
Something that struck me about the Ophelia Syndrome reading was that it correlated well with what the Field Study Program adopts, a process of "individualation" and "self-learning". Individualation was defined in our readings as a process of self-discovery and uniqueness and a process where you discover what distinguishes you from others. There were plenty of methods he shared about ways to discover ourselves and our thoughts. I kept thinking about ways in my life I've done those things, and ways in my life that I've displayed symptoms of the Ophelia Complex. What I realized was that there is a fine line between those two moments, it's a challenge to foster an environment that escapes that complex and inspires individualism. While assignments with few guidelines and high expectations foster stress and uncertainty, they are often the assignments that push my mind and creativity. The Field Study Prep class has encouraged individualism and self-discovery, and I'm grateful for that, but I was recently considering the ways that this program might keep that focus but reduce stress.
I'm a big believer in the fact that the more information a person is given, the more empowered they are to take that information and act wisely. There are some questions that must be worked out individually with this field study experience, but there are also ways that I think the program could foster greater individuality and creativity by providing more information.
Like we discussed in my section on Wednesday, I think workshops would be a great way to give students more information on the topics they have the most questions about. It's different for every student, so answering questions outside of class but making that information available for anyone that has those questions would be empowering and decrease stress. Here are some of the ideas I had for workshops:
Travel Preparation advice (ticket purchases, getting a passport/visa, immunization recommendations/advice)
Blog training/assistance
Tips on how to find good sources or do research
Topic Development
Financial Aid/Scholarship/Grant opportunities we should be applying for
Professors (who to ask to be mentors/contract professors, how to use them, how to help them help you)
Developing Methods (new and different options, challenges to be aware of with each method, important skills/supplies to have on hand for each method)
These topics all qualify as things that have caused me stress and uncertainty this semester. The brilliance of a workshop is that the student selects things that will cater to their needs AND the information empowers them to do what they were going to do better and more easily.
With preliminary interviews for example, I went into those meetings expecting more information about Field Studies--mostly because I had barely heard of Field Studies a week and a half before entering the interview process and had little information to operate on. I found that the information given me was sparse and the focus instead was on what I wanted to do; I wasn't looking for someone to hold my hand and tell me what to do, but I didn't have enough knowledge about field studies to make what I felt was an informed or acceptable decision. If during those meetings information had been given to me to help me fit my idea within the context of what was acceptable and feasible, I would have felt less stress and more empowered to act and create my own individual project. The most helpful thing I can think of would be if information was (physically) given to me for each topic we covered in the interviews.
If the first meeting was about ideas for my project, perhaps a sheet of paper with information about topics and studies could have been offered. It could have included a list of topics students have done in the past in the area considering, the benefits and attributes of certain topics for other locations, a definition of the type of study that most students do (ethnographic instead of data-collecting), and why those studies work, and some of the resources in the community or in other community locations that they could consider when choosing a topic. Still stress that this project is to be whatever they want and not restricted to the list's factors, but that would have given me a GREAT idea of if my project was on the right track, if I should choose a different location based on what will be in each community, or if my project is doable with what study types and resources are available and suggested. I really believe that list wouldn't have ultimately influenced my project development, instead it would have given me valuable information that would reduce my concern and self-doubt about what I decided to study.
Again, for the meeting where we discuss professors and course contracts, let people know when those deadlines would be for having a faculty mentor or contracts made, give them the number of credits they'll be required to take or a pamphlet explaining course contracts, and write during the meeting on the piece of paper professors you'd suggest--especially if they are interested in fields you guys know well. That information, on a piece of paper would have helped decrease my stress levels about something I've never encountered during University life, it would have given me a time frame that would allow me to make personal plans to fulfill those requirements and find good teachers in subjects I'm interested in. I still will find those teachers, and I'm on the right track already, but it took a lot of stress and sleepless nights. Yes I lost sleep over this, its not an exaggeration, sadly enough.
For the interview where the topic is ethics and IRB, give them a list of IRB restrictions students commonly encounter, expectations from the ISP, ethics to consider--I loved when Ashley asked me the question "How would you study that in Ogden?" it helped me see how to approach what I really wanted to study in a way that was appropriate and informative. These lists would have been really valuable to me, because they give me information, it's recorded so I can refer back, and I feel empowered and know more of what you'll expect/accept. I remember when I finally decided I wanted to study poverty. I didn't know how to phrase that any better than that word, but I was so proud of my topic when I came into my last meeting and couldn't wait to share the choice I'd made. Right away the topic I suggested (because I was poorly educated on development and my idea wasn't well formulated yet) made the facilitators and program director concerned. I appreciated that they expressed that concern, but I remember how confused I was that what I had decided I really wanted to study wasn't acceptable; I was also frustrated because I didn't know what the guidelines or boundaries were they saw me crossing with the topic. I wasn't wanting to do anything ethically unsound like interview people and ask how they felt about being poor, but having a list of guidelines would have given me confidence that what I wanted to study was within those guidelines, and I think I would have had more confidence explaining how the study I wanted to do on poverty was still ethically sound.
We definitely want to avoid developing the Ophelia Syndrome in field studies, but I feel I've demonstrated how more information can be provided in the program while still avoiding that pitfall; in fact sometimes information can be a powerful source of confidence in independent thinking.
What are your thoughts?
Monday, February 7, 2011
Journal 12 - Organizing Field Notes
Why did I get so excited about the reading for today (it was Bernard, "Field Notes: How to Take Them, Code Them, Manage Them")? As I read about the challenges of field notes--consistently keeping the record, the challenge of remembering, the challenge of recording, where to keep things, and what if they get lost?--I started thinking about what my challenges would be. I will really enjoy setting up a system for recording and organizing my notes, I love organizing, and finding better solutions for things that aren't working well. I'm worried most about consistency. I remember when it came down to the last twenty minutes of the day on my mission, I was so tired and had so many little things to take care of, I rarely wrote in my journal. I have gaps of about a month between every journal entry. I treasure those entries and know there's nothing I can do about that now, but I want to do better for the field study and hope I can overcome my reluctance to record.
I'm more willing to record thoughts and notes when I'm using a computer. I'll just make sure to save a couple places and put my field notes in everyday. It will also help if I set a goal to do it for a specific amount of time everyday and schedule it in. Finally if I have a small notebook and a good planner (with two columns for each day, like a missionary planner) I can jot down notes and key words to remember and and function while I'm out in the community.
I have come to really appreciate the readings in this class (a couple things about class structure are still frustrating but I'm sure they'll get worked out). They really help me feel informed and prepared for different parts of the field study. I think about that reading on interviewing all the time! The interesting thing about each of the readings is that I find myself able to apply most of them in my life, each effects my perception of this study, but also my perception of how I live my life. Wouldn't it be great if I had a system for recording regular life and made time each day to do that? Would that be important enough that I should start doing that? How could I organize it so that it was well done and each thing easily accessible? I was thinking about this class over the weekend, and I realized a lot of little things about me have changed because of what I've learned so far. I can't imagine what will change once I leave for Ghana.
I'm more willing to record thoughts and notes when I'm using a computer. I'll just make sure to save a couple places and put my field notes in everyday. It will also help if I set a goal to do it for a specific amount of time everyday and schedule it in. Finally if I have a small notebook and a good planner (with two columns for each day, like a missionary planner) I can jot down notes and key words to remember and and function while I'm out in the community.
I have come to really appreciate the readings in this class (a couple things about class structure are still frustrating but I'm sure they'll get worked out). They really help me feel informed and prepared for different parts of the field study. I think about that reading on interviewing all the time! The interesting thing about each of the readings is that I find myself able to apply most of them in my life, each effects my perception of this study, but also my perception of how I live my life. Wouldn't it be great if I had a system for recording regular life and made time each day to do that? Would that be important enough that I should start doing that? How could I organize it so that it was well done and each thing easily accessible? I was thinking about this class over the weekend, and I realized a lot of little things about me have changed because of what I've learned so far. I can't imagine what will change once I leave for Ghana.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Journal 10 - Culture Games and Ethnographic Interviews
So this journal will focus on my appreciation for two things I've recently learned in this course.
First, I went to Cultural Inquiry's "rafa-rafa" night. The group in attendance was separated into two different groups and rooms, then taught a made-up culture with culture values, traditions, ways of interacting. After trading and interacting in my group for a few minutes, we went over in groups to observe the other group, some of us got to try and interact, and nothing about the other group was explained.
What I noted was my impressions as I observed them interact. I tried to drink in facts and observations, but it was difficult to remember all the nuances of their silent interaction and I felt like I had a lot of questions and didn't know who to ask or if I even could ask anyone. This was an interesting opportunity to learn how I'll react when I go to Ghana this summer. I was so glad I could watch and observe, but I'm worried about how impossible it will be to soak up and become functional in a different culture when I only have 90 days and no clue when I'm offending or how to overcome new and awkward interactions.
Also, when I returned to my own group, I felt comfortable and confident I could interact appropriately. I found myself grateful I understood my own culture and didn't have to go back to the other room. All day today, I've been considering my rapid and faulty judgments of other people's decision. I've wondered why I make those judgments or feel uncomfortable, and realized I want to develop a more accepting and interested attitude about completely foreign concepts--for example, I watched a movie about Bedouin herdsmen in Iran and in the movie they showed clips of the men killing a sheep, cutting off the head and skinning it. My first reaction was to look away, but I imagined what that would communicate if I was present and I tried to suppress the desire to look away, instead trying to adopt a practical outlook on the event. An accepting, open and interested attitude will be an important skill to have in Ghana, and I plan to continue developing that skill this semester.
The other thing I wanted to bring up is what we learned about in our readings and class on Monday. I read a definition of rapport that seriously shifted the way I view my relationship with other people. He said that rapport "refers to a harmonious relationship between [people]. It means a basic sense of trust has developed that allows for the free flow of information... However, rapport does not necessarily mean deep friendship or profound intimacy between two people." Perhaps this lacks significance for other people, but the valuable lesson I learned was that forcing or waiting for a close friendship is inferior to building trust and respect and keeping a relationship at an acquaintance level. Often in my life I've thought that in a particular setting, I need to emphasize and perhaps exaggerate how much I liked someone; this was often only in the initial stages of the relationship as an attempt to help them open up or reciprocate what I'm saying I feel--a way to deepen a relationship. I think acknowledging that is a part of changing. What I realized with this sentence was a new way to build relationships, a way that takes hard work learning to ask good questions and act honestly to build trust and respect. This is important to my life, but will prove important to my research in Ghana because it provides a way to: feel confident in the honesty of the interviews I conduct, increase the number of potential interviews I can conduct, and improve the way the interviews go. The questions the reading discussed were things I can use to develop this attitude and relationship and I'm nervous about the challenge, but excited to grow this way.
These are two ways my thoughts about my study have grown and changed. What are your thoughts?
First, I went to Cultural Inquiry's "rafa-rafa" night. The group in attendance was separated into two different groups and rooms, then taught a made-up culture with culture values, traditions, ways of interacting. After trading and interacting in my group for a few minutes, we went over in groups to observe the other group, some of us got to try and interact, and nothing about the other group was explained.
What I noted was my impressions as I observed them interact. I tried to drink in facts and observations, but it was difficult to remember all the nuances of their silent interaction and I felt like I had a lot of questions and didn't know who to ask or if I even could ask anyone. This was an interesting opportunity to learn how I'll react when I go to Ghana this summer. I was so glad I could watch and observe, but I'm worried about how impossible it will be to soak up and become functional in a different culture when I only have 90 days and no clue when I'm offending or how to overcome new and awkward interactions.
Also, when I returned to my own group, I felt comfortable and confident I could interact appropriately. I found myself grateful I understood my own culture and didn't have to go back to the other room. All day today, I've been considering my rapid and faulty judgments of other people's decision. I've wondered why I make those judgments or feel uncomfortable, and realized I want to develop a more accepting and interested attitude about completely foreign concepts--for example, I watched a movie about Bedouin herdsmen in Iran and in the movie they showed clips of the men killing a sheep, cutting off the head and skinning it. My first reaction was to look away, but I imagined what that would communicate if I was present and I tried to suppress the desire to look away, instead trying to adopt a practical outlook on the event. An accepting, open and interested attitude will be an important skill to have in Ghana, and I plan to continue developing that skill this semester.
The other thing I wanted to bring up is what we learned about in our readings and class on Monday. I read a definition of rapport that seriously shifted the way I view my relationship with other people. He said that rapport "refers to a harmonious relationship between [people]. It means a basic sense of trust has developed that allows for the free flow of information... However, rapport does not necessarily mean deep friendship or profound intimacy between two people." Perhaps this lacks significance for other people, but the valuable lesson I learned was that forcing or waiting for a close friendship is inferior to building trust and respect and keeping a relationship at an acquaintance level. Often in my life I've thought that in a particular setting, I need to emphasize and perhaps exaggerate how much I liked someone; this was often only in the initial stages of the relationship as an attempt to help them open up or reciprocate what I'm saying I feel--a way to deepen a relationship. I think acknowledging that is a part of changing. What I realized with this sentence was a new way to build relationships, a way that takes hard work learning to ask good questions and act honestly to build trust and respect. This is important to my life, but will prove important to my research in Ghana because it provides a way to: feel confident in the honesty of the interviews I conduct, increase the number of potential interviews I can conduct, and improve the way the interviews go. The questions the reading discussed were things I can use to develop this attitude and relationship and I'm nervous about the challenge, but excited to grow this way.
These are two ways my thoughts about my study have grown and changed. What are your thoughts?
Friday, January 14, 2011
Journal 4 - Reading about Research Design
When I read the reading assignment for today, I knew that I wasn't going to really benefit from reading and considering all the questions included in the text, but I wanted to use some of those questions to really help me improve my study development. Since I feel like my Research Design needs some help, I spent a while brainstorming answers to the questions from that section.
The first question was What was the purpose of the study: exploration, description, explanation, or a combination? As I considered this question, I realized I'd like to become familiar with and describe the policies of the SA Clinic, AND explore the perceptions of the community of those policies. This ultimately helped me narrow my research down to a description and exploration study. I like the focus those simple categories give my research, and that what I want the purpose of my study to be fits well in these categories.
Another good group of questions that spurred thought was What was the unit of analysis? Was it appropriate to the purpose of the study? Are the conclusions drawn from the research appropriate to the unit of analysis? For example, have the researchers studied cities and ended up with assertions about individuals? From this I tried to find a unit of analysis. It is difficult for me to pinpoint, but I feel like a good unit would be the development policies in the SA Clinic. As the rest of the questions implicate, my research should focus on describing and exploring opinions about these policies. My conclusion would have to deal with whether they are effective (I'm not sure how I'll measure that yet; perhaps through opinions and the success in solving an issue the clinic or community faces). I think this question helped me see the focus my study should have on policies, without making conclusions beyond what I've studied. As I read these questions, I think it educated me on what mistakes I should avoid (confusing units of measurement and conclusions) and helping me shape my research design. All of the questions helped, but these two especially made me think.
Because I want to ask good, effective questions, I've also been thinking about how helpful it would be to participate weekly in a Development Effort in Provo. I think that could influence my research proposal if as I'm developing my method of research I have a situation where I can imagine the questions I would ask the volunteers, administrators, or community members about this effort and how those questions would be received.
The first question was What was the purpose of the study: exploration, description, explanation, or a combination? As I considered this question, I realized I'd like to become familiar with and describe the policies of the SA Clinic, AND explore the perceptions of the community of those policies. This ultimately helped me narrow my research down to a description and exploration study. I like the focus those simple categories give my research, and that what I want the purpose of my study to be fits well in these categories.
Another good group of questions that spurred thought was What was the unit of analysis? Was it appropriate to the purpose of the study? Are the conclusions drawn from the research appropriate to the unit of analysis? For example, have the researchers studied cities and ended up with assertions about individuals? From this I tried to find a unit of analysis. It is difficult for me to pinpoint, but I feel like a good unit would be the development policies in the SA Clinic. As the rest of the questions implicate, my research should focus on describing and exploring opinions about these policies. My conclusion would have to deal with whether they are effective (I'm not sure how I'll measure that yet; perhaps through opinions and the success in solving an issue the clinic or community faces). I think this question helped me see the focus my study should have on policies, without making conclusions beyond what I've studied. As I read these questions, I think it educated me on what mistakes I should avoid (confusing units of measurement and conclusions) and helping me shape my research design. All of the questions helped, but these two especially made me think.
Because I want to ask good, effective questions, I've also been thinking about how helpful it would be to participate weekly in a Development Effort in Provo. I think that could influence my research proposal if as I'm developing my method of research I have a situation where I can imagine the questions I would ask the volunteers, administrators, or community members about this effort and how those questions would be received.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Journal 2 - What's Unique about Field Research?
I just read Babbie's "Qualitative Field Research and Research Design" and learned the answer to this question.
I've been involved in quantitative research methods and abstract thinking throughout my college experience, but Babbie highlights a point in his writing that makes it evident field work is sometimes the only way you can come to a real answer. He comments "Clearly we could not have discovered the nature and strength of agreements... except through field research... Only going out into life, doing it, and watching what happened gave us an accurate picture."
This method of learning (through field research) seems like a very real analysis and like it involves a great deal of observation and good questions. I'm glad for all the material we read in class, since it really helps me understand what kind of perspective I'm going to need to have for going out in the field.
Something I'm considering studying in Ghana are the ways that the education system in Wiamoase is benefited by humanitarian or developmental efforts and what the effects of that help has on the students' perspective and attitude about their community and the direction of their future. I'm curious to know if they feel more empowered to migrate from the community, or if there are any other results of the education.
Because of this article, I can see that I should consider the people I would interview, and how I would need to be involved in either the school system or with someone involved in the effort. I would need to ask questions of others about what they think about the effort and if they've noticed an influence on the community. I think I can shape what I want to study into a field research experience and reading this article has helped me figure out how to do that better, as well as helped me see the constraints that might be on my research topic.
I've been involved in quantitative research methods and abstract thinking throughout my college experience, but Babbie highlights a point in his writing that makes it evident field work is sometimes the only way you can come to a real answer. He comments "Clearly we could not have discovered the nature and strength of agreements... except through field research... Only going out into life, doing it, and watching what happened gave us an accurate picture."
This method of learning (through field research) seems like a very real analysis and like it involves a great deal of observation and good questions. I'm glad for all the material we read in class, since it really helps me understand what kind of perspective I'm going to need to have for going out in the field.
Something I'm considering studying in Ghana are the ways that the education system in Wiamoase is benefited by humanitarian or developmental efforts and what the effects of that help has on the students' perspective and attitude about their community and the direction of their future. I'm curious to know if they feel more empowered to migrate from the community, or if there are any other results of the education.
Because of this article, I can see that I should consider the people I would interview, and how I would need to be involved in either the school system or with someone involved in the effort. I would need to ask questions of others about what they think about the effort and if they've noticed an influence on the community. I think I can shape what I want to study into a field research experience and reading this article has helped me figure out how to do that better, as well as helped me see the constraints that might be on my research topic.
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