Comments on: 5 Ethnography http://edc11.education.ed.ac.uk/neilb/2011/10/26/5-ethnography/ part of the MSc in E-learning at the University of Edinburgh Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:20:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Jeremy Keith Knox http://edc11.education.ed.ac.uk/neilb/2011/10/26/5-ethnography/#comment-33 Jeremy Keith Knox Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:02:15 +0000 http://edc11.education.ed.ac.uk/neilb/?p=3170#comment-33 I like the sensitive approach here, and you raise some pertinent difficulties in the ethnographic approach. I’m engaging in some participant observation myself at the moment, and enjoyed your take on these issues. I wonder if we can ever abstract ourselves from our attitudes in this kind of research. And do we need to? Is subjectivity a hindrance to research findings? In a recent discussion with a colleague who tends towards a feminist epistemology in her work, their answer to this dilemma was that subjectivity *enhances* such research, and moreover is itself an indication of rigour. I rather liked that argument. Isn’t that also why we enjoy blog postings (such as this one), because the writers context comes across in the writing? It also seems to me you highlight the broader implications of ‘research ethics’ in the way you describe some of these dilemmas. This post reminds me that ethics are not just about ‘anonymising’ participant names, it is about doing *good* research, and being sensitive to our own position within it. I like the sensitive approach here, and you raise some pertinent difficulties in the ethnographic approach. I’m engaging in some participant observation myself at the moment, and enjoyed your take on these issues. I wonder if we can ever abstract ourselves from our attitudes in this kind of research. And do we need to? Is subjectivity a hindrance to research findings? In a recent discussion with a colleague who tends towards a feminist epistemology in her work, their answer to this dilemma was that subjectivity *enhances* such research, and moreover is itself an indication of rigour. I rather liked that argument. Isn’t that also why we enjoy blog postings (such as this one), because the writers context comes across in the writing?

It also seems to me you highlight the broader implications of ‘research ethics’ in the way you describe some of these dilemmas. This post reminds me that ethics are not just about ‘anonymising’ participant names, it is about doing *good* research, and being sensitive to our own position within it.

]]> By: Grace Elliott http://edc11.education.ed.ac.uk/neilb/2011/10/26/5-ethnography/#comment-32 Grace Elliott Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:46:00 +0000 http://edc11.education.ed.ac.uk/neilb/?p=3170#comment-32 Hi Neil, just wanted to say that I really enjoyed reading this. I liked the story and the telling. No time to say more, have to dash. Love your pics too... where do you find them? Hi Neil, just wanted to say that I really enjoyed reading this. I liked the story and the telling. No time to say more, have to dash. Love your pics too… where do you find them?

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