Applied Anthropology: Ethnography Construction
The purpose of this course is to teach students to design a qualitative research proposal using the ethnographic research method. It is a graduate level course intended for students with an interest in conducting intensive ethnographic research. Through assigned readings, classroom discussions, practical application and collaborative support, students will be expected to synthesize information to formulate mock research projects. Students will also be expected to assess peers’ projects as well as their own.
Objectives
By the end of this course, the student will be able to:
· Understand the purpose of a modern ethnography in applied anthropology
· Apply ethnographic model to social and business situations
· Collect, order and utilize ethnographic data collected in the field
· Critique ethnographic research studies
· Plan an ethnographic process
· Design a qualitative research proposal using the ethnographic method
· Construct an informative Wiki displaying process map and ethnography proposal
This course requires internet access and compatibility with institution website. Students are expected to work outside class time with group members on two practice assignments and one Wiki. Required readings include:
· Amit-Talai, Vered. 2000. Constructing the Field: Ethnographic Fieldwork in the Contemporary World. London, UK, and New York: Routledge.
· Rossman, G. B., & Rallis, S. F. (2003). Learning in the field: An introduction to qualitative research. London: Sage.
· Additional articles will be provided on course website
Working Outline
(Week 1) Constructing the Field: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 1 & 2 (Amit), Ch. 1 & 2 (Rossman) and additional articles.
(Week 2) Practical Application/ Planning Research: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 3 & 8 (Amit), Ch. 5 (Rossman) and additional articles. 3-4 students assigned to 6 groups.
(Week 3) Transnational Fieldwork/ Gathering and Recording Data: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 4 & 9 (Amit), Ch. 7 & 8 (Rossman) and additional articles in small groups. Class introduction to Wiki pages. Group activity for ethnographic project and final project plans due by the end of class.
(Week 4) In the Field & At Home: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 5-7 (Amit), Ch. 6 (Rossman), and additional articles in small groups. Group work (design small ethnographic study).
(Week 5) Issues in the Field: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 9 (Rossman) and additional articles. Group work (devise hypothetical dilemmas & discuss issues thus far encountered in small ethnographic study).
(Week 6) Data Analysis: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 10 & 11 (Rossman) and additional articles. Group work (critique on of assigned articles). Mid-semester evaluations due.
(Week 7) Presenting Findings: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 12 (Rossman) and additional articles. Group work (work on Wiki and/or ethnography presentations). Research proposal literature review due.
(Week 8) Ethnographic Presentations for Groups 1 & 2.
(Week 9) Ethnographic Presentations for Groups 3 & 4.
(Week 10) Ethnographic Presentations for Groups 5 & 6.
(Week 11) Wiki Projects due. Classroom discussion (Pros & Cons of Wiki collaboration).
(Week 12) Summary & Analysis. Proposal/Process critiques due. Final group assessments due. Critical Reflection Paper due.
Student Evaluations will be based on the following:
Individual
Class Participation/ Preparedness- 10 points
Student is expected to read all assigned literature and participate in discussions in a relevant and productive manner.
Critical Reflection Paper- 10 points
Students are expected to analyze and synthesize reading material as well as experience with group activities in a 1-2 page paper. Students are strongly encouraged to implement ideas from assigned readings to support insights.
Small Group
Individual grades will be based upon average grade from group member assessments (40%) and final grade on projects (60%). Group members will assign one another a letter grade for participation, preparation timeliness, collaboration, effort and productivity for each assignment.
Journal Article Critique- 5 points
Students will be given class time to briefly critique one of the three journal articles assigned in required readings. Evaluation will be based on clarity, efficiency and incorporation of ethnographic considerations (e.g. ethics, internal/external validity, and instrumentation).
Wiki Research Process and Proposal – 35 points
Students are expected to research and review 5-10 scholarly sources on their chosen topic by the end of week seven (10 points). Students are expected to implement acquired knowledge to design a mock ethnographic research proposal and process plan. Groups will publish their proposals on their Wiki (25 points). Wikis are expected to be informative, interactive, easy-to-read and reflective of graduate level comprehension of course work.
Ethnographic Project- (40 points)
Students will devise a small ethnographic project based on group interest and inclination. Plans must be approved before study commences. Focus should be on the practices of interviewing and observation. Data should be recorded, analyzed and organized into a brief (20-30 minutes) classroom presentation. Each group member is expected to answer questions posed by instructor and other classmates.
(Week 1) Constructing the Field: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 1 & 2 (Amit), Ch. 1 & 2 (Rossman) and additional articles.
(Week 2) Practical Application/ Planning Research: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 3 & 8 (Amit), Ch. 5 (Rossman) and additional articles. 3-4 students assigned to 6 groups.
(Week 3) Transnational Fieldwork/ Gathering and Recording Data: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 4 & 9 (Amit), Ch. 7 & 8 (Rossman) and additional articles in small groups. Class introduction to Wiki pages. Group activity for ethnographic project and final project plans due by the end of class.
(Week 4) In the Field & At Home: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 5-7 (Amit), Ch. 6 (Rossman), and additional articles in small groups. Group work (design small ethnographic study).
(Week 5) Issues in the Field: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 9 (Rossman) and additional articles. Group work (devise hypothetical dilemmas & discuss issues thus far encountered in small ethnographic study).
(Week 6) Data Analysis: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 10 & 11 (Rossman) and additional articles. Group work (critique on of assigned articles). Mid-semester evaluations due.
(Week 7) Presenting Findings: Read and be prepared to discuss Ch. 12 (Rossman) and additional articles. Group work (work on Wiki and/or ethnography presentations). Research proposal literature review due.
(Week 8) Ethnographic Presentations for Groups 1 & 2.
(Week 9) Ethnographic Presentations for Groups 3 & 4.
(Week 10) Ethnographic Presentations for Groups 5 & 6.
(Week 11) Wiki Projects due. Classroom discussion (Pros & Cons of Wiki collaboration).
(Week 12) Summary & Analysis. Proposal/Process critiques due. Final group assessments due. Critical Reflection Paper due.
Student Evaluations will be based on the following:
Individual
Class Participation/ Preparedness- 10 points
Student is expected to read all assigned literature and participate in discussions in a relevant and productive manner.
Critical Reflection Paper- 10 points
Students are expected to analyze and synthesize reading material as well as experience with group activities in a 1-2 page paper. Students are strongly encouraged to implement ideas from assigned readings to support insights.
Small Group
Individual grades will be based upon average grade from group member assessments (40%) and final grade on projects (60%). Group members will assign one another a letter grade for participation, preparation timeliness, collaboration, effort and productivity for each assignment.
Journal Article Critique- 5 points
Students will be given class time to briefly critique one of the three journal articles assigned in required readings. Evaluation will be based on clarity, efficiency and incorporation of ethnographic considerations (e.g. ethics, internal/external validity, and instrumentation).
Wiki Research Process and Proposal – 35 points
Students are expected to research and review 5-10 scholarly sources on their chosen topic by the end of week seven (10 points). Students are expected to implement acquired knowledge to design a mock ethnographic research proposal and process plan. Groups will publish their proposals on their Wiki (25 points). Wikis are expected to be informative, interactive, easy-to-read and reflective of graduate level comprehension of course work.
Ethnographic Project- (40 points)
Students will devise a small ethnographic project based on group interest and inclination. Plans must be approved before study commences. Focus should be on the practices of interviewing and observation. Data should be recorded, analyzed and organized into a brief (20-30 minutes) classroom presentation. Each group member is expected to answer questions posed by instructor and other classmates.
This assignment has been the most challenging thus far. I implemented prior experience with research methods and drew upon my far removed background in anthropology to compose this lesson plan. I also accessed prior lesson plans of Drs. Royce Ann Collins, Jane Fishback, and Jeff Zacharakis (all of K-State) as reference guides.
Bibliography
Amit-Talai, Vered. 2000. Constructing the Field: Ethnographic Fieldwork in the Contemporary World. London, UK, and New York: Routledge.
Atkinson, P., Coffey, A., Delamont, S., Lofland, J., & Lofland, L. (Eds.). (2002). Handbook of Ethnography. London: Sage.
Caffarella, R. (2002). Planning Programs for Adult Learners (2nd Edition): A Practical Guide for Educators, Trainders and Staff Developers. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (2008). The Landscape of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Kasworm, C., Rose, A., & Ross-Gordon, J. (2010). Handbook of Adult and Continuing Education, 2010 edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Fraenkel, J.R., Wallen, N.E., & Hyun, H.H. (2009). How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education. New York, New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies.
Merriam, S., Caffarella, R., & Baumgartner, L. (2007). Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Ross-Gordon, J. M. (2003). Adult learners in the classroom. New Directions for Student Services, 102(Summer), 43-52.
Rossman, G. B., & Rallis, S. F. (2003). Learning in the field: An introduction to qualitative research. London: Sage.
West, J. A. & West, M. L. (2002). Using Wikis for Online Collaboration. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Tonya
ReplyDeleteYou do such a wonderful job of blogging. It is impressive to say the least. I have stated on other students blogs that I myself am NOT very tech savy and using/developing a Wiki is not my cup of tea. I left this same comment on another students blog because of my personal insecurities as a student in using new technology. The comment is that I didn't see where you put anything on your blog about how to use a Wiki! For a student like myself I would have 100 questions about the Wiki before I ever got to the assignment... :)
It would be helpful to add a link or information about what a Wiki is and what they can do. Other than this I believe your blog is superb!
Andrew :)
Oh My Goodness Andrew, you're right! I did not even include Wiki instruction. In my head, I was having classroom discussions and giving articles as additional reading about how to create a Wiki. I guess it just never made it from my head to my lesson plan. Ha!
DeleteLike I said, this lesson plan was somewhat derived from a mix of others I have personally encountered. One in particular had us create Wikis but there was not much written on the syllabus about Wiki construction. We discussed our fears and insecurities and the instructor had us toy with the pages in class for about 20 minutes. If a technologically inept person like me can figure it out with minimal instruction, ANYONE can.
Maybe that's what led to me leaving out more detail on Wiki construction.
Thanks for commenting!
LaTonya,
ReplyDeleteWow! This sounds like an interesting and challenging class. I think that the detail of your class syllabus is especially helpful to your students. I think that the only thing that you need is rubric to explain what you are looking for on the Wiki and group project. This could be in form of a checklist, such as Dr. K’s or a table. See the following website for table examples: http://www2.uwstout.edu/content/profdev/rubrics/wikirubric.html , http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/examples/courselevel-bycollege/hss/tools/jeria.pdf
Thanks for sharing your expertise. This was a great detailed outline of a class. I will refer back to this blog when I have to create one. Thanks.
Thanks Dawn!
DeleteI did not create a rubric because I do not prefer them. I feel that a detailed class description and expressed expectations allow more subjective grading than rubrics. I have experienced instances where one student addresses all of the rubric requirements but does not really produce the LEVEL of comprehension other students have. Rubrics are superfluous in my opinion because they simply provide a minimum basis instead of allowing students to demonstrate full integration of program skills and concepts.
Thanks for your comment!
Tonya,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with what Andrew and Dawn both said above; I did the same thing, our lesson plan structure was similar. It does make me rethink a few things about introducing a somewhat new technology and how much instruction would we need to include (guess it really depends on your audience). I know if I was to give a different group assignment, I would only have given the same types of details (overview, content, anything else I am looking for) and I would direct them to figure everything else out (but they were also undergrad college students I was dealing with). If I was to assign a PowerPoint presentation assignment, how much different would the instructions have been?
I guess it all goes back to really knowing your audience.
Dean,
DeleteYou are right! It depends on your audience. I liked your lesson plan, probably because it was similar to my own. However, I do not think too much emphasis placed on Wiki creation is necessary. I think more emphasis should go to Wiki content. Instructors need to clarify what they expect from the Wiki and what skills, techniques and comprehensions the Wiki project should demonstrate. I had no instruction on Wikis, but managed to create one by reading an article and watching a few video clips.
If a student is required to create a Wiki to demonstrate their familiarity with this medium as an instructional tool (as is the case in this course), then there should be more emphasis on the actual creation of the Wiki.
Thanks for commenting!