MY PARTICIPATORY PROJECT by Allyse Dunnigan https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8 This outlines major topics covered in Participatory Research Methods en-us 2022-08-29 22:35:42 UTC 2026-02-01 15:08:29 UTC hello@padlet.com For the purpose of this assignment, I'm going to use my research in multicultural education for preservice educators, which doesn't involve co-researchers, but could! 1. Co-researchers can bring different perspectives and ideas. We can brainstorm ideas back and forth, and catch mistakes or issues before they happen. 2. Co-researchers can not only bring their research expertise to create a better research idea and plan, but add their own ideas and perspectives to the project. 3. Co-researchers should expect to brainstorm and plan research ideas for what multicultural training preservice educators receive, if that training is adequate, and what training would be better. 4. There are no risks to involving co-researchers. allysedunnigan https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2275378557 2022-08-29 23:29:40 UTC https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2275378557 This booklet is produced by the University of York and has really great information about the rewards of co-researching, as well as some potential challenges you might face. I appreciate the inclusion of both sides, and think that helps to make this booklet significant. There are also sections about what you can expect as a co-researcher, and the 'fine print', like still focusing on ethics and safety. allysedunnigan https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2275444490 2022-08-30 00:39:18 UTC https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2275444490 1. I think I most relate to the post-positivist objectivist orientation. I tend to think concretely, especially when it comes to research. The idea of peer reviewers or referees having the final say really resonated with me. The idea of research being "true" also solidified that this is the orientation I most closely align with. 2. Although I identify with a few of the theoretical orientations, I think I most closely align with the Social Constructivist Theory. I find myself studying social interactions from my own point of view, rather than considering multiple angles, and have to remind myself to consider other possible angles. I also believe in the involvement of community and co-researchers to assist in interpretations of social contexts. allysedunnigan https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2277195383 2022-08-31 03:55:33 UTC https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2277195383 I chose this article by Tracey L. Schneider, "A Social Constructivist Grounded Theory of School Principal Legal Learning". Schneider involved school principals in her research, as participants, but shaped her research around their experiences and input. I found that to be closely aligned to the social constructivist theory in my understanding. This article is significant to me in that one career pathway I'm still considering is educational leadership. I took a few educational leadership courses this summer and really enjoyed the law and ethics course with Dr. Griffin. This article explored various ways that school principals learn about legal issues in education, like I did this summer. allysedunnigan https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2277205757 https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.und.edu/10.1177/1942775120902191]]> 2022-08-31 04:08:05 UTC https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2277205757 1. In participant observation, research is led solely by the researcher. They are their own main instrument. Participants are not involved in data collection or processing, and observation is primarily for knowledge (rather than change in the community or culture studied). In participatory observation, there is a collaborative approach where the researcher shares control and power with the participants and co-researchers. There is also the intent to effect change in the community or culture they study. 2. I find action ethnography (p. 126) the most interesting. The idea of using research to empower a community to make changes is something I'd really like to do someday. My own research centers around multicultural education courses for preservice music educators, with the goal of providing better education for those preservice teachers. 3. I think the knowledge of "foreshadowed problems" can be both a benefit and a challenge. The benefit is knowing your field and any potential roadblocks you may meet. You may have opportunities before you begin your field experience to creatively problem solve, or find ways around other issues people have had. However, seeing where other researchers have failed or have had issues could put up a mental block and stop the researcher's creative process from truly finding their own path. I see both sides. https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2314823331 2022-09-27 03:57:19 UTC https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2314823331 The article I'm choosing to share is a study that involves the observation of students in an elementary music classroom. Researchers videotaped around four hours of a third grade music class, and around four hours of a fourth grade music class. Each class had several students with disabilities (they were on Individualized Education Plans). Researchers watched the footage for peer interactions, on- and off-task behaviors, verbal and non-verbal responses, and responses to music performance. It was interesting to see how students could still practice their IEP goals in music classes. I found this study significant in their observation techniques. The researchers were purely non-participatory as they weren't even in the classroom and they did not involve the classroom teacher or participants in the research process at all. I thought this related well to the contrast of participant and non-participant observations we've discussed in this module. I also thought this was an interesting read after just completing my non-participant field observation experience. allysedunnigan https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2317697932 2022-09-28 15:07:45 UTC https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2317697932 I am definitely still figuring out my own theoretical perspectives, as evidenced by the contradictory objectivist orientation with social constructivist theory orientation noted in Padlet 2. Out of these, the social constructivist theory really aligns well with the ideas of focus groups. The social constructivist theory focuses on the collaborative nature of learning, including how people interact with one another. This is very similar to how focus groups are run and what they study. allysedunnigan https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2337482263 2022-10-12 18:07:16 UTC https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2337482263 I found this resource created for the National School Boards Association about creating and leading focus groups. It seems that a lot of the guidelines are similar to the ones discussed in our readings. However, they are missing some research elements as this resource isn’t exactly intended for researchers, but for school boards. My favorite elements of this resource are the outline on page three showing step by step how to organize and lead a focus group, and the group dynamics on page seven that have some tips for if the group isn’t working well together. allysedunnigan https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2337483507 2022-10-12 18:08:06 UTC https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2337483507 1. I would give an interview instead of a focus group discussion in situations where I want to hear from an individual instead of hear the discussion between individuals. Interviews are good for diving deep into an individual's experiences, especially if they're unique. For example, if I wanted the perspective of a Black educator's experience in their Multicultural Education in an North Dakota university, that would be hard to find. I would definitely speak to one or two individuals one-on-one to dig into their experiences. 2. In a focus group, I would act more as a facilitator than an interviewer. Although I'm looking for information in a focus group setting, I'm giving open ended questions that I hope will spark discussions between the participants. In an interview I'm posing open ended questions in the hopes of the interviewee telling a story, or painting a picture with their response. I then ask probing or clarifying questions to encourage the individual to share more. 3. I really appreciated the idea of sharing more with your interviewee. Telling them what you hope to gain from the interview I think can really help the interviewee get a better grasp of what you're looking for and how they can help. I also liked the advice about being an active listener and the little things like asking before turning on the recorder. Even the reminders about telling interviewees who will see the interview, how their identity will or won't be protected, etc. were really powerful reminders. allysedunnigan https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2346007099 2022-10-18 23:31:51 UTC https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2346007099 I found this interview strategy guide that I think is a really helpful tool for when I eventually plan an interview myself. Their active listening section and interview question writing guides were my personal favorites. Their points about writing questions were really in line with our readings, but I liked the short bullet points to use as a reference in the future. allysedunnigan https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2346011081 2022-10-18 23:37:14 UTC https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2346011081 I'm so sorry I typed my entire other Padlets into the Subject box! I just now realized it. My apologies! allysedunnigan https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2373879234 The article I chose to summarize is a review of seventeen autoethnographic studies of people in higher education, most who feel marginalized or discriminated against in some way.

When reading about Edwards (2022) experiences being rejected from Higher Education Institutions in favor of inexperienced men, I can't help but relate. This exact thing has happened to myself and another highly qualified female colleague of mine in our public school district when attempting to move from the middle school to the high school level. In both situations, the females that applied for the positions held Masters degrees and had roughly a decade of experience in the field each. They were both passed up for male candidates in their first few years of teaching (one who hadn't even student taught yet) with just Bachelors degrees. In situations like that, you can't help but feel like there's gender discrimination.

The author find several common themes among the autoethnographic studied including: fear and insecurity, lack of cultural and gender awareness in higher ed, oppressive silencing by institutions, exclusionary behavior by institutions claiming to value diversity, sexism and racism, oppression of intellectual identity, the exhausting challenge of always standing out, and lack of institutional support. A consistent finding was also that higher ed institutions were inclusive to the outside eye, but there were a lot of problems under the surface, causing diverse faculty to continue to suffer.

It was really interesting to hear Edwards (2022) thoughts about not forcing themes to emerge, but letting them surface as she worked. Looking at her coding notes in the appendix is also really valuable as I navigate this new skill.

Edwards, J. (2022). Discrimination and Exclusion in Higher Education Is Reflected in Multiple Autoethnographies. The Qualitative Report, 27(10), 2113-2134. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5445]]> 2022-11-07 21:27:55 UTC https://padlet.com/allysedunnigan/kohiop2mx1kx2kg8/wish/2373879234