Dr. Huth
I just want to quickly mention that I did enjoy Dr.
Huth. He started off rather slow, but
once he picked up, I found what he was saying interesting but at the same time
confusing. Essentially, he is crossing
both DA and CA and saying they can be interdependent? That one informs the other? That is what I got at the end when he split
the room—but it seems as if you can’t, or else they wouldn’t be separate in the
first place, right? Or is it akin to ‘ethnographic
case study’ where you are using parts of each methodology and blending them to
make a new one? While I was glad to hear
a linguist’s approach—I still had questions.
Although my submissions of assignments would say otherwise,
I am very interested in DA. As a teacher
of teachers, DA makes sense as a research methodology. Word choice, next-turn-proof, and
Jeffersonian transcription can be extremely informative if the researcher wants
to know what is happening in a classroom setting. If I want to find out if I am giving
effective feedback to my interns as their supervisor and mentor, I could use DA
to analyze video or audio recorded and transcribed conversations.
I have found myself analyzing text conversations(using CA) with a
friend who is neither in graduate school nor a teacher, and I have seen the
reasons why we do not talk as much—we are completely misunderstanding one
another. I start a conversation, she
will respond, but her response is not my ‘expected’ or ‘preferred’
response. Sounds crazy, maybe, but now I
have actual proof that there is miscommunication based on what I’ve learned
from CA and DA. Sacks may be a unicorn,
but I’m glad I’ve gotten to see him.
ATLAS.ti
This is my third course using ATLAS.ti. I must admit, I was totally prepared to be an
expert on ATLAS, and use it to its fullest potential (or to the fullest of my knowledge, anyway). This did not go as expected. ATLAS is not difficult for me, please do not
misunderstand. The practice I had in
advanced qual and especially in digital tools was extremely beneficial, and
although I do not consider myself someone to have ‘insider knowledge’, I
believe that I am proficient with this CAQDAS program. However, other outside forces converged at
the same time as this course. Composing
and defending comps, having 8 interns in the field for a nine week period in 4
different districts in grades K-12, plus one formal observation for each, my
own kids’ daily school activities and projects (we had two ‘biggies’ this semester—a
book project and an imagined animal project), and ENG 456 (Dr. Keene’s writing
for publication), my scholarship suffered greatly by my choice of priority
arrangement. I recognize that, and I own
that, but that doesn’t make it easier at the end of the day. I like ATLAS.
I would like to continue to use ATLAS.
I am also interested in inVivo, but I can save that for later
(maybe). The only ‘problem’ I
have encountered with ATLAS, really, is my lack of data. I have never worked on a large-scale
project. This semester is the most data
I have ever worked with in ATLAS, and I do not feel overwhelmed by the actual
functions of using it-- my inequities lie within the process of analyzing. I’ve never done any research requiring this type of data analysis. I have never coded anything deeper than
transcribing and invivo. I am unsure of
what I am doing, and there are texts out there for that, but I have to practice
it in order to feel at least somewhat competent with it. You have to start somewhere, and this is a
starting point for me. This will be the
most analyzing of data I have done.
The course
I have felt this course (and the other three I have taken
from you) have been safe, comfortable, and they have made my brain hurt. All of these things (in my mind) are
beneficial. Working with my peers has been beneficial (our data groups) and I
am excited to see other people’s work/interest/research. I have
a clearer picture of qualitative research—it
is not nearly as ‘mysterious’ as I thought it would be while I was learning
about paradigms in 640 (theoretical framework/theory construction). I am thinking more critically, I am questioning
sources, I am seeing the choice of certain methodologies over others depending
on the research question, the setting, and the participants.
Because of this course in particular, I have been paying
attention to my own word choices in conversation (and others’), and I believe
that I have been a better mentor to my interns when we have reflections on a lesson
and teaching. My eyes are just beginning
to see the possibilities out there for further research and I am formulating
ideas of where I want to go.
Future Use
I have been thinking heavily about DART. The idea of going over data and analyzing
work and working with a group on DA sounds wonderful. However, I am reluctant for a few reasons. First, I know that I have made a poor showing
this semester, which may make others reluctant to have me, thinking I lack the
capacity to give meaningful feedback or contribution. Secondly, although I would like to use DA, or
even possibly CA in the future, I will not use it in my dissertation. Finally,
I do not want to commit to something when I feel that I consistently
overstretch my obligations and something suffers. I may just be too busy.
Thank you for everything you have done. I have an immense amount of respect for you
as a researcher and a teacher. Your
courses have been the most challenging, enjoyable and mind-bending in my
course of study.
You've come a long way in the past year and it's been great to watch that happen. Your only limitation is exactly what you've identified here - the ability to prioritize your own research work. I'm not saying that is an easy thing to do - it's not - but no one else but you can make that happen. You definitely have the tech-savviness to pick up and run with a CAQDAS program at some point should you decide to as well. You raise a good question about the intersection of DA and CA - and it makes me think of the "should" vs. "could" - could you combine them? Yes, people have. Should you combine them? Well, I suppose that depends on the reason for doing so and your ability to make the case. No one is in absolute agreement about any of these things related to research - so your critical thinking skills and questioning and learning how to justify the decisions you DO make are all part of becoming a good scholar and researcher.
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