Category PhD

I was hoping the chapter on Participatory Action Research would be longer as this is the method I have determined to be the best fit for my current design. Like critical ethnography, it aligns well with emancipatory principles and makes… Continue Reading →

Again, as I felt the pull to Critical Ethnography, I reminded myself that this research style might make a fantastic journal article when I have more experience and less naiveté. The paradox of participant as observer was crystal clear to… Continue Reading →

I wasn’t fully versed on how Focus Groups differ from Interviews, and like many other novice qualitative researchers I believed that Focus Groups were more in line with group interviews. I was excited to learn that Focus Groups could include… Continue Reading →

Completing Assignment 1 was an incredible challenge! My immediate impression is that qualitative coding is best done with a research partner as a minimum. This was another reminder of how alone I feel in this course, as I wondered how… Continue Reading →

I was unsure of how the elements of drama meshed with interviews until I read about the various roles an interviewer must navigate depending on the interview style they choose. I cannot imagine completing a structured interview as I adore… Continue Reading →

I found the readings on ethics to be a bit discouraging this week. I realize that as a novice researcher I do not have the experiences to understand the realities of working with institutional ethics boards and so I am… Continue Reading →

I find myself confronting my assumptions and hopeless optimism again. In my sole experience with coding qualitative research data in an earlier methods course, I felt enthusiastic and a sense that the possibilities were endless. I was encouraged to believe… Continue Reading →

I enjoyed our class discussions this week and I appreciated the opportunity to work in a breakout session with classmates so that I may get to know the others in the course – I still feel a bit like an… Continue Reading →

I am feeling optimistic about this course after our first meeting. This course is an important part of my PhD journey and I am happy to be completing my coursework with a deeper understanding of qualitative methods. My supervisor has… Continue Reading →