Donal O'Donoghue's (2007) article "'James always hangs out here': making space for place in studying masculinities in school" looks at an urban, single-sex, primary (5 - 11 year olds) school in Ireland. O'Donoghue's research draws on social constructivist, feminist informed and post-structuralist narratives of masculinity and theories of space and place. When conducting the research his methods draw on Art Based Educational Research A/r/tography and arts informed research. The study centred on 17 boys age 10 to 11 years old. The boys were involved in conversation and discussion regarding space, place, photography and different ways photographers represent themselves in their work. They were then each given a disposable camera and asked to take photos of spaces and places with meaning within their school environment. These, along with written testimony, were analysed in terms of what they depicted and revealed about notions of masculinity in spaces in schools outside the classroom.
What does this particular visual research method offer and what does it not offer?
This particular visual research method offers the participants an opportunity to reflect their individual perspectives, literally as they are taking photos and figuratively as they were given free range to take photos of what they wanted (although it wasn't random, but systematic, as a result of discussions prior to the photos being taken). The photos were accompanied by written accounts / narratives which gave the participants the opportunity to add further depth to their photos and explain their artistic intention.
As the boys were only 10-11 and needed some guidance in how to take photos what they produced was in a way guided by the researcher. In terms of visual research, this lack of creativity could be a limitation to the research.
How does this method compare to interviewing both in terms of collection strategies and analysis methods?
O'Donoghue makes the point that when considering space and place the experiences that people remember, create and speak to are non-verbal, multimodal, multidimensional and non-verbal. Research practices into space and place should therefore reflect this. I think, for this research, the used of visual research methods was very useful and powerful as it allowed the participants to reveal ideas about masculinity that they may not have considered before of been able to put into words. Sometimes what was revealed probably was not something that the participants even knew they felt or thought. It is a more complicated form of collection, and would need an expert (in this case an artist with experience of photography) in order to guide the research to produce fruitful data to analyse.
Saturday, 10 March 2018
Sunday, 4 March 2018
Jacyntha England, Histories of forgetting, geographies of remembering: Exploring processes of witnessing and performing in senior secondary humanities classroom(s).
I studied history at university for my BA. I then, as part of my teacher training, studied to become a history teacher - and solely a history teacher. The British system is different, your teacher-training is catered specifically to the subject you are going to teach. Since arriving in Canada in September I have explored the issues with history's supposed 'objectivity' more deeply than I have ever done before and my own assumptions about history, the past and my educational background and training have been challenged. That said, I am still 'saturated' in history to a certain extent and I am used to reading historical articles or literature related to history. Jacyntha England's thesis was therefore surprising to me in terms of its open positionality and subjectivity. Post-modern critiques of history as a discipline have called into question the idea of objective historical inquiry but within the discipline there is a general coherence and acceptance of a certain narrative style and the use of narrator voice in writing (mainly that this should be limited, and if heard, matter-of-fact rather than infused with emotion). Jacyntha's thesis does not follow this format, as she is not an historian so it is not surprising. Even though I have explored alternative academic literature, I still found the openness to positionality and sense of self surprising.
Three things that I can take away from this thesis:
1. You can adopt multiple narrative styles within one thesis.
2. You can use anecdotal snippets from research data to emphasise a point or theme without analysing them in detail or even explaining them or where they came from.
3. It is helpful to ground your world view / theoretical standpoint / positionality in the literature. Jacyntha England does this very successfully by offering clear definitions of the different elements that contribute to her own position and the theoretical grounding of her research.
Sunday, 25 February 2018
Richard Fidler's Australian Broadcasting Company interview with Ira Glass
Richard Fidler's interview with Ira Glass has a somewhat unique set up as it is one radio interviewer interviewing another radio interviewer - this provided an ease to the entire conversation and helped establish the 'flow' from the start. A sense of shared experience, expectation and background information meant there was a natural connection between Fidler and Glass, interviewer and interviewee.
In order to link in the audience - those listening to this interview, Fidler provided chronological context to many of the questions he asks. He uses phrases such as 'cast your mind back if you can', 'if you remember' - this sets up the radio audience to know Glass is about to recollect something and prompts Fidler to actively remember. Fidler often provided a summary of specific events that he wanted Glass to talk about. This was a helpful technique and aided the flow of the interview as Fidler was not relying on Glass to remember details about when, where, who, what but instead set the questions up so Glass focused more on analysisng and evaluating experiences - providing for a richer conversation with more depth.
There were times when there were moments of silence, which seemed perhaps too long for the radio. But I think Fidler purposely held back at these times as in general Glass kept speaking and adding more to his answers. This again provided depth and richness as Glass was able to answer the questions in a meandering sort of way rather than a clipped way. In contrast to this, when Fidler provided the summaries - which seemed to be pre-planned questions - this put Fidler back in control of the interview and he steered it in a certain direction.
The 'flow' felt very natural throughout this interview - but I think the secret of the 'flow' was an expert interviewer making it seem like you were listening to two friends chat rather than carefully constructed and thought-out interview. A daunting task as we start out on our interview / research journey!!
In order to link in the audience - those listening to this interview, Fidler provided chronological context to many of the questions he asks. He uses phrases such as 'cast your mind back if you can', 'if you remember' - this sets up the radio audience to know Glass is about to recollect something and prompts Fidler to actively remember. Fidler often provided a summary of specific events that he wanted Glass to talk about. This was a helpful technique and aided the flow of the interview as Fidler was not relying on Glass to remember details about when, where, who, what but instead set the questions up so Glass focused more on analysisng and evaluating experiences - providing for a richer conversation with more depth.
There were times when there were moments of silence, which seemed perhaps too long for the radio. But I think Fidler purposely held back at these times as in general Glass kept speaking and adding more to his answers. This again provided depth and richness as Glass was able to answer the questions in a meandering sort of way rather than a clipped way. In contrast to this, when Fidler provided the summaries - which seemed to be pre-planned questions - this put Fidler back in control of the interview and he steered it in a certain direction.
The 'flow' felt very natural throughout this interview - but I think the secret of the 'flow' was an expert interviewer making it seem like you were listening to two friends chat rather than carefully constructed and thought-out interview. A daunting task as we start out on our interview / research journey!!
Tuesday, 13 February 2018
Dr. Tathali Ureta
Three things that stuck out for us from Dr. Tathali Ureta
1. We really appreciated the discussion around exceptions, with the class and the examples Dr. Tathali Ureta provided. We're wondering if there is value in understanding the exceptions (asking why they deviate from the majority of findings). But with the examples provided helped us understand that there needs to be an acceptance of uncertainty, and be confident in the data that we gather!
2. We also are still grappling with the role of guiding the interview versus letting the interview flow. How do we shift from thinking as a teacher to a researcher?
3. Really appreciated that point raised - "The (research) methodology employed is the extension of one's world view. We really appreciated the encouragement that our experiences will influence our approach, and that's a natural process, and that's OK!
1. We really appreciated the discussion around exceptions, with the class and the examples Dr. Tathali Ureta provided. We're wondering if there is value in understanding the exceptions (asking why they deviate from the majority of findings). But with the examples provided helped us understand that there needs to be an acceptance of uncertainty, and be confident in the data that we gather!
2. We also are still grappling with the role of guiding the interview versus letting the interview flow. How do we shift from thinking as a teacher to a researcher?
3. Really appreciated that point raised - "The (research) methodology employed is the extension of one's world view. We really appreciated the encouragement that our experiences will influence our approach, and that's a natural process, and that's OK!
Monday, 12 February 2018
Draft research question
I am studying indigenous oral narratives, traditions and histories because I want a more in depth understanding of indigenous historical consciousness. This is in order to better understand how indigenous historical consciousness differs to western notions of historical consciousness and what complications this presents in Canadian history classrooms.
At the moment I'm toying with this as a title for my literature review assignment (but I'm not sure about it!)
At the moment I'm toying with this as a title for my literature review assignment (but I'm not sure about it!)
Trying to fit a
square peg in a round hole: what are the complexities
of teaching oral histories in
a Canadian history classroom that stems
from the western, Eurocentric
history discipline?
My rationale for studying this is that (from my (novice) perspective) the inclusion of indigenous historical consciousness into an established, standard Canadian history classroom is a complex undertaking and something many teachers are now being asked to do. In order to teach both ways of knowing with integrity and without one dominating the other, the more challenging contradictions between the epistemologies need to be explored.
Sunday, 11 February 2018
Teaching History from an Indigenous Perspective: Four Winding Paths up the Mountain
I read this chapter by Michael Marker in October for another class - EDCP 562 Curriculum Issues. It is a chapter in a book published by Dr Penney Clarke (who is my supervisor) - New Possibilities for the Past: Shaping History Education in Canada.
This chapter was a 'stop' for me in terms of my understanding of history education, historical thinking, the long-reaching effects of colonisation and, most importantly, the construction of knowledge. The word 'epistemology' is not something I really used (or understood) prior to arriving in Canada. The realisation and exploration of the idea that knowledge is not fixed, that all knowledge is local, that knowledge is constructed, that different knowledge systems can have different epistemic roots has left me a little bamboozled! This has had a direct effect on my sense of self and identity as, of course, I have been 'saturated' (to use a phrase of Marie Battiste's) in Eurocentrism and the western construct of knowledge.
Marker's article is highlighting the problem of the history classroom in terms of indigenous historical consciousness or ways of understanding the past. This is a far more profound issue than a lack of inclusion of Native content or narrative including First Nation communities. There are specific epistemic contradictions and areas of contention regarding the past. Marker points out four themes:
1. Circular and linear time.
The western perception of time is that it is linear or chronological, from the indigenous point of view history is not a linear progression of people and ideas in time. Instead there is a spiralling of events where themes reappear within circles of seasons. Time is of a more circular or cyclical nature.
2. Relationships with landscape and non-humans
From a western perspective, human agency is at the centre of history - human's use the past to conceive the future and they are the centre of all narratives that historians construct of the past. If history were a play, then humans would be the protagonist. Indigenous ways of knowing does not place human at the centre of the story in the same way. Animals and the environment are of equal importance and have agency. In oral narratives there are stories of how animals sacrifice and help humans.
3. Place and Indigenous understanding of the past
4. Colonizatoin and the house of murky mirrorsMichael Marker article
This chapter was a 'stop' for me in terms of my understanding of history education, historical thinking, the long-reaching effects of colonisation and, most importantly, the construction of knowledge. The word 'epistemology' is not something I really used (or understood) prior to arriving in Canada. The realisation and exploration of the idea that knowledge is not fixed, that all knowledge is local, that knowledge is constructed, that different knowledge systems can have different epistemic roots has left me a little bamboozled! This has had a direct effect on my sense of self and identity as, of course, I have been 'saturated' (to use a phrase of Marie Battiste's) in Eurocentrism and the western construct of knowledge.
Marker's article is highlighting the problem of the history classroom in terms of indigenous historical consciousness or ways of understanding the past. This is a far more profound issue than a lack of inclusion of Native content or narrative including First Nation communities. There are specific epistemic contradictions and areas of contention regarding the past. Marker points out four themes:
1. Circular and linear time.
The western perception of time is that it is linear or chronological, from the indigenous point of view history is not a linear progression of people and ideas in time. Instead there is a spiralling of events where themes reappear within circles of seasons. Time is of a more circular or cyclical nature.
2. Relationships with landscape and non-humans
From a western perspective, human agency is at the centre of history - human's use the past to conceive the future and they are the centre of all narratives that historians construct of the past. If history were a play, then humans would be the protagonist. Indigenous ways of knowing does not place human at the centre of the story in the same way. Animals and the environment are of equal importance and have agency. In oral narratives there are stories of how animals sacrifice and help humans.
3. Place and Indigenous understanding of the past
4. Colonizatoin and the house of murky mirrorsMichael Marker article
Sunday, 4 February 2018
Permitting Creativity in Science
Janet Beavin Bavelas outlines in her
article Permitting Creativity in Science
how the process of thinking creatively can be a process – it does not need to
be a romantic episode where a creative idea strikes you like a lightening
bolt. It is her belief that you can
train yourself to take notice of hunches and feelings and develop these into
more concrete ideas that could form part of your research.
The first part of the article is about
learning to take notice of your hunches and not being scared of them. Often, we can dismiss something that is out
of the ordinary as a ‘fluke’ or convince ourselves that it didn’t really
happen. Beavin Bavelas encourages us to
not ignore these feelings. This is the
first stage; we then need to nurture this feeling. Don’t kill it with words – so do not over
research and try to find the answer in the existing literature. Don’t belittle the idea, remain confident in
it. And don’t panic – don’t be scared of
the new idea.
This is probably the hardest stage as this
is really an inner-experience. In order
for a ‘hunch’ to become more than a hunch you need to have confidence in
yourself and in your hunch. The answer
does not lie in academia and research at this point, it comes from your and
your willingness to explore something that is unexplainable (and perhaps a
little scary)
If you reach this point, if you manage to
hold on to your hunch, Beavin Bevelas then explains how you can flesh this idea
out. You can add weight to it, situate
it within a class or phenomena, and experiment with experimenting with it. This gives the hunch a little more substance,
which in turn gives you the confidence to take it forward. To maybe present it to present it to other
people and perhaps turn it into a research project.
There were a couple of stops for me –
firstly, something I fully recognize in myself.
‘I
always want to be right (first choice) but, if not, then at least wiser (second
choice). ‘
I do always want to be right (it is not
always my most charming feature) but I appreciate this sentiment that if you cannot
be right, then at least you have learnt something. And all research offers you that opportunity.
The second was a comment in the
introduction:
‘Anyone who has been attracted to a field
probably began noticing and thinking about it long before graduate or even
undergraduate training.’
At first this was a stop as I rejected
it. I am very interested in Indigenous
historical consciousness and how to teach it in a traditional, Eurocentric
history classroom that stems from a western history disciplinary model. The reason that I initially rejected this was
because prior to arriving in Canada I had no understanding Indigenous
Knowledge, or even that there were ‘other ways of knowing.’ On reflection, I
have always been interested in the construction of knowledge – I think this has
been an implicit rather than explicit interest.
Films, books, podcasts that have grabbed my intention, although not
about this specific issue, feed into the philosophical questions that drive my
influence. I suppose it was a stop as
sometimes it is surprising how little you know your own self.
Observation exercise
Coffee
Shop – observation of strangers.
I sat and watched the employees of a coffee
shop on Main Street on Sunday morning.
It was a busy day in the coffee shop - the queue was always at least 10
people. The shop serves coffee and
donuts and there is a kitchen to the right of me where the donuts are
made. At first, it felt as though there
were too many people working – it seemed as though people were wandering
aimlessly. Everybody seemed to do all
the jobs rather than at one station. From
an outside perspective I couldn’t tell how they knew what to do. How did they know to collect the new batch of
donuts from the kitchen? How did they know which coffees to make? Why could
somebody move from the till to the coffee station apparently on a whim? As I
knew so little about what was happening I was searching for answers – looking
for questions. I think this meant that I
missed some of the detail. Toward the
end I noticed that one person was specifically was in charge of milk, one
specifically in charge of filling the coffee grinders. I also took very little notice of individuals
– of facial expressions and body language.
I was observing the people as a set, performing a task (making coffee,
serving coffee) rather than as individuals.
Observation
of people I know
This was quite a difficult task for
me. I have only lived in Vancouver for 5
months and although I have friends, I generally am ‘doing something’ with them
rather than just being. I have
housemates, but we do not spend to much time together. I am not in a position very often where I can
observe somebody I know for 15 minutes.
This would be very different at home in the UK where there would be a
number of opportunities for me to complete this task.
I did observe two friends whilst they were
having brunch, but I didn’t’ make any notes so I am writing from memory. I know
both of the girls quite well, but they have only met once before (through me) –
I noticed mostly how they were different when talking to each other. They exhibited different body language as
they navigated their relationship at a slightly different stage to ours. In this situation I was far more conscious of
myself as the observer, as I knew the subjects.
Reflection
of observations
I think the most significant aspect of the
observation task for me was how much it was to do with me as an observer rather
than what I observed. I orientated
towards the different exercises completely differently based on the specifics
of what I was observing. The process of
observation is as much about the observer as the observed. A different observer with different
connections to the two scenes would have had completely different experiences
and noticed different things.
Tuesday, 30 January 2018
Static observation three
Things I hadn't seen:
Another small toy (that I now know is a polyhedra) near to the accordion.
Having heard the story I now recognised some of the objects that I had identified before as polyhedra or examples of tessellation. The black and white square I noticed in the second observation was in fact a replica or what we were shown as part of the story. Other objects that were not specifically polyhedra or tessellations became linked to the overall collection as they now had connections where previously they seemed random. The puzzle was linked in terms of the possibility of creating tessellations. The book 'King of infinite space' is now linked to the concept of space within the tessellations and the idea of 'blank space'. By linking the objects together some seemed to be more 'random' than others - the tea cup, the accordion, the feather, the toy crocodile. Although now I know they are all from the same office - the create a picture of that person's office. So there are two connections or images created. One of a human who 'owns' all the objects and together they are part of that person. The other is more conceptual and indicates an interest.
As an observer I notice that I want to make connections between the different objects in order to make a story or find a strand of similarity or point of connection between them. It was only with the introduction of the story that I wanted to do that though - before I was just interested in remembering all the different parts. The context (the story) made a difference to how I orientated towards the objects and changed my perception.
I forgot to think about how they smell, hear or touch - I was too caught up in the context.
Another small toy (that I now know is a polyhedra) near to the accordion.
Having heard the story I now recognised some of the objects that I had identified before as polyhedra or examples of tessellation. The black and white square I noticed in the second observation was in fact a replica or what we were shown as part of the story. Other objects that were not specifically polyhedra or tessellations became linked to the overall collection as they now had connections where previously they seemed random. The puzzle was linked in terms of the possibility of creating tessellations. The book 'King of infinite space' is now linked to the concept of space within the tessellations and the idea of 'blank space'. By linking the objects together some seemed to be more 'random' than others - the tea cup, the accordion, the feather, the toy crocodile. Although now I know they are all from the same office - the create a picture of that person's office. So there are two connections or images created. One of a human who 'owns' all the objects and together they are part of that person. The other is more conceptual and indicates an interest.
As an observer I notice that I want to make connections between the different objects in order to make a story or find a strand of similarity or point of connection between them. It was only with the introduction of the story that I wanted to do that though - before I was just interested in remembering all the different parts. The context (the story) made a difference to how I orientated towards the objects and changed my perception.
I forgot to think about how they smell, hear or touch - I was too caught up in the context.
Static observation two
Things I didn't remember at all from static observation one:
Crocodile toy
Puzzle (left hand side) with a panda on top - called Shmuzle (or similar)
Tea cup and saucer
Some gold and silver mathematical shapes, which I liked, but I don't know what they are. They look a little like the mathematical impossibility pictures
A toy - yellow and red on a stick - next the puzzle. Not sure what it is.
Things I hadn't seen at all:
A book lying flat at the 'back' (front in this observation) called 'Academias'
The wooden at the front are on a colourful puzzle type thing
A black and white patterned square
Things I was wrong about:
The red and white cloth at the back was actually a pattern on an elevated sort of plinth
Things I guessed and was right about:
It is an accordion (I think, I think I am right1)
I feel confident that I have remembered everything now yet at the same time know that I have forgotten something. Its odd to feel both things at the same time.
I was in a different position so I could see different things, I looked for the things that I had not seen the first time in order to fill in the gaps of knowledge from the first observation.
I also looked more at things I was unsure of - for example the accordion, to check if I had been right. Perhaps I have missed something key about what I am 'sure' of which I will see in the third observation.
I am not finding that considering what I hear, or smell, or touch is making a difference. It is very much based on observation, perception and what I think I know (or imagine). Maybe I will try to hear, smell, touch for the third observation.
Crocodile toy
Puzzle (left hand side) with a panda on top - called Shmuzle (or similar)
Tea cup and saucer
Some gold and silver mathematical shapes, which I liked, but I don't know what they are. They look a little like the mathematical impossibility pictures
A toy - yellow and red on a stick - next the puzzle. Not sure what it is.
Things I hadn't seen at all:
A book lying flat at the 'back' (front in this observation) called 'Academias'
The wooden at the front are on a colourful puzzle type thing
A black and white patterned square
Things I was wrong about:
The red and white cloth at the back was actually a pattern on an elevated sort of plinth
Things I guessed and was right about:
It is an accordion (I think, I think I am right1)
I feel confident that I have remembered everything now yet at the same time know that I have forgotten something. Its odd to feel both things at the same time.
I was in a different position so I could see different things, I looked for the things that I had not seen the first time in order to fill in the gaps of knowledge from the first observation.
I also looked more at things I was unsure of - for example the accordion, to check if I had been right. Perhaps I have missed something key about what I am 'sure' of which I will see in the third observation.
I am not finding that considering what I hear, or smell, or touch is making a difference. It is very much based on observation, perception and what I think I know (or imagine). Maybe I will try to hear, smell, touch for the third observation.
Static observation one
Wooden box with strap - looks like an accordion
Feather on top of that (the accordion)
In-and-out stress toy - you pull it in and out
The King of Infinite Space book
Wooden colourful figures (couldn't quite see them)
A red oblong box in the centre
Two more round toys - with holes in them - constructed toys maybe. One was gold and black. One was maybe blue.
A red and white something at the back - couldn't see it, red and white pattern to. Could have been a blanket or something
Some to the the left of the book the King of Infinite Space - one of the wooden figures was leaning up against it.
I think I notice the things that I could name or understand more easily than the things I cannot name. As a a collective I could name this group as colourful toys (other than the book, maybe) or things to play with, occupy you. The ones I couldn't see properly, or did not know the exact name of were harder to describe and remember. Potentially I am connected to things that interest more than things that don't...but I think it is more to do with the ability to define easily and 'know' rather than that I desire them. I don't desire the red oblong box in the middle, for example (I might if I know what is in it!) but I can name it (from what I could see) and therefore I remembered it.
Feather on top of that (the accordion)
In-and-out stress toy - you pull it in and out
The King of Infinite Space book
Wooden colourful figures (couldn't quite see them)
A red oblong box in the centre
Two more round toys - with holes in them - constructed toys maybe. One was gold and black. One was maybe blue.
A red and white something at the back - couldn't see it, red and white pattern to. Could have been a blanket or something
Some to the the left of the book the King of Infinite Space - one of the wooden figures was leaning up against it.
I think I notice the things that I could name or understand more easily than the things I cannot name. As a a collective I could name this group as colourful toys (other than the book, maybe) or things to play with, occupy you. The ones I couldn't see properly, or did not know the exact name of were harder to describe and remember. Potentially I am connected to things that interest more than things that don't...but I think it is more to do with the ability to define easily and 'know' rather than that I desire them. I don't desire the red oblong box in the middle, for example (I might if I know what is in it!) but I can name it (from what I could see) and therefore I remembered it.
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