On Activist Research
Rethinking activist educational research: definitions, methodologies, and ethics
This research paper and study by Nicole Nguyen (Department of Educational Policies Studies, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA) I’ve discovered online when researching Activist Research.
The article provides a case study relating to a controversial law past by the Obama administration in the U.S. (2015) regarding a “community driven approach” when fighting homegrown terrorism. As the article and case study examines, multiple aspects and insights discovered when analisying could apply to social- and educational systems across the globe.
Although focused on the US context, this work is especially important to critical education scholars across the globe who mobilize academic research to support struggles for educational justice.
Nicole Nguyen (2021) Rethinking activist educational research: definitions, methodologies, and ethics, Critical Studies in Education, 62:2, 258-273, DOI: 10.1080/17508487.2019.1630458
As Nguyen states in her writing, the transformation of social norms and structures is crucial in order to make changes in social (in)equities and progress into the future.
Although conventional academic research has sought to document social problems and social change, activist research intentionally seeks to transform the social structures that reinforce social inequities.
Nicole Nguyen (2021) Rethinking activist educational research: definitions, methodologies, and ethics, Critical Studies in Education, 62:2, 258-273, DOI: 10.1080/17508487.2019.1630458
Nguyen also states that awareness around the relevance of “action research” dates as far back as to 1994, where the terminology and practice first occurred in educational critical studies.
In fact, Robin McTaggart (1994) reported almost thirty years ago that ‘the term “action research” is now one of the CRITICAL STUDIES IN EDUCATION 259 common places of professional education,’marking a ‘significant shift in both the kinds of relationships researchers from the academy have with others and in the locus of knowledge production about professional practice’(p. 313).
Nicole Nguyen (2021) Rethinking activist educational research: definitions, methodologies, and ethics, Critical Studies in Education, 62:2, 258-273, DOI: 10.1080/17508487.2019.1630458
However, the question does remain as to if researchers themselves are being reflective, objective and (or) neutral enough in order to further the cause. Nguyen states that a set amount of (at times) unintended biases remain, effectively rendering reseachers and their findings innefective, as both are subjected to biases and preconceived but unavoidable perspectives and notions.
These scholars therefore encourage researchers to reflect on their impact along ideological, material, and scalar dimensions: does their research challenge oppressive ideologies, result in material change for participants, and affect a significant number of lives?
Nicole Nguyen (2021) Rethinking activist educational research: definitions, methodologies, and ethics, Critical Studies in Education, 62:2, 258-273, DOI: 10.1080/17508487.2019.1630458
When researching and reading accademic texts and studies, we often forget that humans, communities and stories can’t be quantified and simply summarised by numbers. Moe often than not, a more organic and intuitive approach is required alongside research and statistics. As Nguyen states in the below, communities and their respective struggles are complex, intricate and require a customised approach.
The purpose is not to mathematically measure impact but to provide a way to be reflexive about how and to what extent an activist research project makes an impact on communities and their political struggles (DeMeulenaere & Cann,2013).
Nicole Nguyen (2021) Rethinking activist educational research: definitions, methodologies, and ethics, Critical Studies in Education, 62:2, 258-273, DOI: 10.1080/17508487.2019.1630458
During my research, it will be important to differentiate between objectivity and neutrality. I’ve learned that objectivity effectively involves positionality. Neutrality, on the other hand, more so shifts the focus to reflexivity, including emotional states when researching and engaging. Being aware of an emotional state at any given time will provide a big challenge by itself when conducting research, both theoretically but also practically. As my Action Research Project revolves around a Personal Tutorial Frame Work, most of my research, documentation and data will derive from personal, real life expriences of the past and present when actively engaging with the student body in the field. Hence, it will be crucial to not only understand but more so include on the perspective of the other side. Ideally, my research could be kept, both neutral and objective by creating a safe space for all parties to freely participate.
Ethics therefore must be collaboratively developed,rather than unilaterally imposed, by institutions
Nicole Nguyen (2021) Rethinking activist educational research: definitions, methodologies, and ethics, Critical Studies in Education, 62:2, 258-273, DOI: 10.1080/17508487.2019.1630458
On My Action Research: Personal Tutorial Survey
As a reminder and beginning to collect some thoughts and ideas around the Personal Tutorial Framework, below the following notes:
THOUGHTS ON RESEARCH AND OBSERVATIONS
- On personal observations implimenting and conducting personal tutorials in the past:
- Data retrieved from the Student Survey CSS Dashboard
- CSS Student Survey 2021/22
- CSS Student Survey 2022/23
REFLECTING ON POTENTIAL CHALLENGES
- Calibration
- Students are often struggling with larger, systematic issues when at University, unrelated to course- and unit content. Challenges such as CELCAT (and time tabling) that does not update and is often not accurate, adds to a frustrating experience. STUDENT SERVICES are doing there very best to manage the amount of students in need for counselling. However, if they cannot help or advise, students often use course team as a fall back system. If not prepared or readily available, negative ratings show in the CSS Survey. Personal Tutorials can mitigate these shortcomings. However, a student survey on Personal Tutorials will include a broad set of reactions and responses in relation to the University experience enlarge, rather than the BA Animation Course (Year 1) itself.
- Accessibility
- Not every students has access to a computer or technology. However, most students do have access to a smartphone. It will be important to find a design format for the survey that accommodates (and even prioritises) smartphones.
- Participation
- Heading towards the holidays and a 4 week break, it will be difficult the get student’s attention in relation to participating in a survey. Hence, the survey has to be rather short and concise, not asking for too much time a student has to sacrifice. Participation will be voluntary and anonymous.
- Time constraints
- Researching and designing a questionnaire (even as a pilot) will take time. Alongside full time work and commitments in Year 1, I will be stretched for time until the holidays. I’m unsure if I can get the survey off the ground and sent out to students in time, possibly before the holidays.
- Timing
- Asking students to dedicate their attention and time to a survey close to Unit submissions will be another challenge. As attendance notoriously drops right after winter break and before Block 2, most students will be busy working on their PDF Unit Submissions.
THOUGHTS ON PLANNING
- BERA Ethics and Research
- Considering ethical guidelines for educational research: Having a look at recommendations and suggestions in order to inform my decision making when conceiving a survey and questions for 1st year students. Considering topics of safety, identity protection, power dynamics as well as risks and harm.
THOUGHTS ON TAKING THE NEXT STEPS
- Gathering information from various sources
- Possibly discuss my idea and project with my course leader, colleagues as well as 2nd and 3rd Year students who have a more mature understanding of the University Experience overall, including year 1. Conducting further research on the psychology of questionnaires and survey design.
Writing small discoveries: an exploration of fresh observers’ observations
Reading Group 8
When reading ‘Writing small discoveries: an exploration of fresh observers’ observations‘, the 10 methods of observation (listed below) presented both potential and problems regarding their practical implementation during field work:
01. NAIVELY DESCRIBING: WHAT DID I SEE HAPPEN?
During our group discussion, Kim, Mirjana and I agreed that the challenge of subjective perception supersedes the method at hand. As each human perceives and processes events unfolding in various ways, there is no true way of recording information in an objective manner. There will always be an implicit bias that subliminally influences our perception and how we record information.
02. GENERALIZING: WHAT IS THE INTERACTIVE PATTERN?
Our group discussed the danger and potential issues of generalisations when interpreting information both in past, present or future times. Some problematic points mentioned:
- Past Experiences
- Anticipation
- Wrongful associations
- Assumptions
03. INTERPRETING: WHY ARE THE ACTORS DOING THIS?
On suggesting an actor’s thoughts and intentions: We spoke about the power of imagination filling in the blanks and thus creating new, suggested information that and recollection. There’s a great danger in interpolating information, creating artificial connections that are unsubstantiated but mainly informed by our own biases.
04. WONDERING: WHAT IS IN THE ACTORS’ MINDS?
Similar but with a focus on the observers’s imagination into the future: In this case, an actor’s strategy is being implied and might not correlate with their past actions. The future outcome (in projection) might be of arbitrary nature and hence an implied construct of imagination.
05. EXPLAINING: CAN THIS BE THE REASON?
In difference to the field notes mentioned above, this point is focusing on rational explanations of past occurrences. Although connection are being generated artificially, events documented assist in clarifying and contextualising circumstances.
06. QUANTIFYING: HOW MANY ARE THERE?
Using repetitions of similar events to recognise patterns of behaviour seems a crucial when observing, documenting or researching. Repetitions affirm behaviour, occurrences or data and can lead to more predictable outcomes when projecting. However, we all agreed that a single, calibrated space is necessary in order to contextualise and subject all entities to the same values /tasks at hand.
07. DRAMATISING: CAN MY OBSERVATION BE INTERESTING?
Our reading group agreed that simplicity and “dryness” in text is useful and almost integral at times, to not sway the readiner/audience in any particular direction. However, visual analogies and metaphors can at times describe a setting or situation more accurately than any technical descriptions.
08. EXPERIMENTING: IF I DO THIS, WHAT HAPPENS?
What will be and will not be noticed in any set of circumstances can be arbitrary at best. Even if in direct response to a prompted (and intentional) action influencing a setting, participants are biased due to subjective perception. As everyone experiences a single event (or change) in a different fashion, social experiments are challenging to interpret for data collection.
09. REFLECTING AND REACTING: BEING INFLUENCED BY THE FIELD
As observers, we have to remain distant and removed from any action or activity in order to remain objective. The moment we engage personally with/in events unfolding, we compromise our objectivity and no longer an outside entity observing. By actively engaging and interacting, we further alter and influence events unfolding.
10. ASSESSING: EVALUATING PEOPLE’S BEHAVIOUR
We all agreed that it observations can vastly vary depending on our mood, situation or circumstances. Staying objective, emotionally untangled and neutral does not come natural to human beings. We therefor need to constantly remind ourselves of what we do and do not know as well as acknowledge are emotion state prior to recording information.
I tell my students, when you get these jobs that you have been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that your real job is, if you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power then you need to empower somebody else.
(Morrison, 2003)