thesisthoughts

I’ve just been sent more material from the library - a book chapter by Connelly and Clandinin (1999). This piece seems to be more  instructional in tone and gives practical advice for doing Narrative Inquiry.

The authors stress (as in other chapters I have read) that the researcher must negotiate his or her relationship with the field being studied. Any point on the scale between neutral observer to active participant is possible. Much thought must be devoted to how experience will be interpreted and represented.

The chapter describes different methods for transforming field texts into research texts. A helpful point is that research texts must be written with an audience of practitioners or researchers in mind.

Field Texts: (p.135)

These are written representations of field events written by the researcher or a participant.

Methods for constructing field texts described in the chapter:

• oral history
• stories
• annals and chronicles
• photographs, memory boxes…
• research interviews*
• journals*
• autobiographical and biographical writing*
• letters*
• conversations (inc. letter writing)*
• Field notes and other stories from the field
• document analysis

* methods which may be relevant in my study.

The complex transition from field texts to research texts is discussed. The authors describe it as “the construction of a series of increasingly interpretive writings” (p. 138). These texts must display a distance from the field and the participants. “They are written in response to questions about meaning and significance” (p. 138). The role of the researcher and his or her relationship to the inquiry must be presented explicitly in the final paper. Research of this kind which lacks “autobiographical presence…lacks validity” (p. 138).

According to Connelly and Clandinin (1999) two elements are crucial in the creation of research texts in narrative inquiry:

1. voice – stating opinions, presenting a position, personal viewpoint… The researcher must find the right balance between bias and objectivity. “The dilemma for a researcher is to establish a voice that simultaneously represents participants’  field experience while creating a research text that goes beyond the field and its field texts to speak to an audience” (p. 138).
2. signature -“writing style that makes it possible to identify a text as an author’s work” (p. 138). The authors suggest modelling your writing on that of a researcher you admire until you develop your own signature.

Another decision for the researcher to make is what kind of text the research text will be:

• descriptive
• expositional
• argumentative
• narrative

 4 kinds of research texts - based on Chatman (1990) as cited in Connelly and Clandinin (1999).

Connelly F. M. & Clandinin, D. J. (1999). Narrative inquiry. In  J. P. Keeves, & G. Lakomski (Eds.), Issues in educational research (pp. 132-140). Oxford, UK: Pergamon.  

Gordon Griffiths wrote about the problems facing teachers who wish to research their immediate work environment. Difficulties mentioned are:

• It is not easy for teachers to look at their everyday surroundings and see them as unfamiliar.
• Recording the enormous amount of activity happening in a school hour/lesson/day.
• Finding the time to rewrite the large volume of field notes.
• The tiring research process which is in addition to the exhausting duties of the teacher.
• Knowing who the research plans and processes should be negotiated with and at which stage.
• One or more of the researcher’s regular school positions may hinder the process of data collection. This in turn may prevent the researcher from following certain research trails.
•  Collegues may feel threatened by the research, even if the teacher is researching his/her own classroom.
• There is danger of the teacher researcher exploiting the information gathered for purposes other than research goals.
• The teacher researcher is often jeopardizing something – position, social contacts, respect…in the exposing research process.

 An important point raised is that even if a teacher is researching his/her own classroom practice, the context must be presented, involving the whole school environment. 

Griffiths, G. (1985).  Doubts, dilemmas and diary-keeping: Some reflections on teacher-based research. In R. G. Burgess (Ed.), Issues in educational research: Qualitative methods (pp. 197-215). London, UK: The Falmer Press.

This morning I read the ascilite conference paper that has been sitting on the desk for a few days now, “Thoughts on blogging as an ethnographic tool” by Mary-Helen Ward of Sydney Uni.

http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/sydney06/proceeding/pdf_papers/p164.pdf 

As I read the paper I felt as though finally there is some light at the end of the tunnel, maybe there is a way of conducting meaningful research in Australia while I am presently living in Israel. I am planning to research how literacy teachers see themselves in the role of teaching writing in order to understand how professional development programs can have an empowering influence on them.  

I’ve found the notion of blogging attractive for a while and have always put it off…too busy, I don’t have anything worthwhile to write…etc. Now, under the heading of study related experience, I’m going to give it a go. This way I can keep a tab on my reading and my thoughts relating to the thesis, clarify my understandings, develop them through writing, and maybe even get some worthwhile feedback from interested others.

If I eventually use teacher blogs as field texts, I should definately have some positive experience of my own before requesting it of others.

Sholem Asch wrote: “Writing comes more easily if you have something to say”. I’m hoping that I’ll have something to say, at least once a day until  I finally hand in my thesis and finish my Masters.