Zoom Discussion thoughts

 

(I've included the dog just because he's adorable really and because that's what my desk currently resembles!)

Anyway! We had a module 2 group discussion with Helen the other day and my head is still reeling from all the ideas and information. There's a lot to process but the upside is I truly feel like I've started and that I'm on my way with this module. 

Finding somewhere to begin on this module is quite intimidating to me but I think I've gleaned a few helpful pointers over the past week so I thought I'd put them down. 

• Start with deciding on an area of interest that will benefit your practice in some way, something that you're really passionate or curious about.
• After that, find out what literature is out there already around that topic, what artists/scholars/practitioners have to say on the subject. Where is the knowledge gap or is there one? 
• Don't set your ideas in stone- your initial idea is just the rough sketch, it will probably change and you'll adapt it as the module goes on.
• Be aware of what assumptions you are bringing to your topic from the get go. This is where these blogs are really helpful I guess, as I might not even be aware that I've made an assumption!
• You're not answering a question or proving any point. You're exploring something.

That's the stage I'm at now, figuring out my topic, having a poke around to see what other people have said and seeing if that sparks a completely different idea. And learning lots and lots about research methods. I'm no where near writing up a final research question but if any one out there is, I found a lot of useful information on a site someone recommended, Yale University videos on YouTube. In one of the mini lectures, Fundamentals of Qualitative Research Methods: Developing a Qualitative Research Question (Module 2) (2015), qualitative research is described as inductive as opposed to deductive. This goes back to assumptions again. We shouldn't have any 'a priori hypotheses' when we approach our topic, we're not trying to back up the theory we already have or find evidence. I find that I have to continuously remind myself of this. A few of us pointed out that the last time we had to tackle an essay was in English class in school, where that way of writing is the norm. Stuff like, 'Is Macbeth a bad guy? Yes, Macbeth is a bad guy because...You can see proof of that here here and here, therefore he's a bad guy.' That kind of structured argument is the only thing I've ever had to write. Whereas that's not what we're being asked to do in this module, and it's going to take practice!

Going back to study now and excited to hear other people's inquiry ideas as listening to some people's during the Zoom call was so interesting and got me thinking in new ways about my own.