Improvisation & Education: an autoethnographic experiment with photography by Mariana Ruiz

Challenging spaces

mariruiz — 2024-04-18 00:51:34 UTC

10:25am - I teach the course "Teaching and Learning Technologies" every Tuesday and Thursday. When I was in the classroom, I thought about how the classes we had with Dr. Tanner challenged the physical space of a traditional class.

Should we be like water?

mariruiz — 2024-04-18 00:52:33 UTC

7:20pm: The Iowa River reminded me of a discussion we had in class about whether or not we should be like water. I disagreed with the author of the text we were reading because "being like water" sounded too passive instead of suggesting we had to be transgressive. However, some colleagues mentioned that water can be powerful, too, and I think it is a better way to look at that metaphor.

We are in constant change and transformation

mariruiz — 2024-04-18 00:54:07 UTC

5:00pm: Looking at the constructions happening in the downtown area reminded me of a discussion we had in class about transformation and changes in Education. I believe it is common to see educators complaining that things never change. However, if we believe in this, our work can only fail because the main purpose of education is essentially to change something. Looking at how everything is constantly changing (the buildings, streets, weather, seasons, people) and thinking about that discussion made me start having a more positive and hopeful approach to my work as a researcher and teacher.

What is the role of Education and academia?

mariruiz — 2024-05-01 20:00:12 UTC

10:50am: This course had me reflect on the role of education. As teachers, we often worry about assessments and whether our students will pass or fail exams (as if it is a synonym for success). The classes and the activities we did in this course provided examples of what a more critical and "human" education may look like.

Also, walking around Lindquist, I could see some TV screens sharing publications from staff and faculty. That also made me wonder about the role of academia. There are so much emphasis on publications and results, that we forget to think about how we are communicating our findings to the community.

Foundations

mariruiz — 2024-05-01 20:02:26 UTC

7:30pm: When I was thinking about what "preparation" may look like to build resistance, I saw these rocks and columns. Then, I thought about the importance of teacher education programs as the foundation that allows educators to reflect on theory and their practices.

About resistance

mariruiz — 2024-05-01 20:03:12 UTC

7:10pm: The weather was warm, and I saw many people exercising outside. I saw a runner from a distance, and I started thinking about what it takes an athlete to succeed and be able to reach their goals.

To have good results, they need resistance, which requires a lot of practice and patience. I think the same thing can be applied to Education. We will never be able to resist without appropriate preparation.

Objective

mariruiz — 2024-05-01 20:18:42 UTC

To demonstrate what I have learned in the course with photos.

What is autoethnography?

mariruiz — 2024-05-01 20:19:04 UTC

It is a qualitative research method in which a researcher connects personal experiences to wider cultural, political, and social meanings and understandings.

Why photography?

mariruiz — 2024-05-01 20:22:47 UTC

Combining photography with autoethnography creates a multimodal approach, as it is a visual medium to convey complex ideas and perspectives.

The experiment

mariruiz — 2024-05-01 20:32:07 UTC

I decided to walk around Iowa City in one day and take photos of landscapes/people/buildings that made me reflect about what I had learned in the course.

Photos were taken on April 30th, 2024.