In some ways, it seems a little odd worrying about this ‘detail’ at an early stage. But I’m finding it difficult to talk about the bigger picture without trying to get a first ‘cut’ of the ‘design’ of the initial interviews. Using the word ‘design’ reminds me about issues of the ‘design turn‘, which I must come back to in more detail later. But for now, what do I mean when I say ‘do an AI interview’? Continue reading
It feels like the last week has been one of big leaps in thinking about my research project – it’s time now to do a little bit of consolidating of where I am and ‘next steps’. Unlike my usual ‘story telling’ style, this post is made up of notes and jottings of where my head is and where it is prompting me to go next… Continue reading
In my last post, I ended up with a working PQR definition of my research project. The next steps are to develop that some more. I know that by the time I publish this blog, it will look as though I have it all straight in my head but actually as I start, I am not really sure where I will end up. I am sure this blog will take a number of iterations and revisions before I publish it – and even then it will just be the ‘latest thinking’. Continue reading
I have been grappling with the issue of purpose in my relation to my research. I am not the only one as there has been a discussion about it on my course forum.
My own post in that thread shows my dilemma: Continue reading
I just need to reflect a little on a conversation I had at work today. I am sure there is something in there that affects my research ideas but need to unravel it. Continue reading
(T847, Block 1, Activity 9)
The first thing that crops up in my mind when I think about ethics is the material I covered as part of juggling the B-ball in Tu812. This drew on von Foerster to describe ethical action as acting in a way that opens up – rather than closes down – possibilities for others. Continue reading
(T847, block 1, activity 4 – 7)
Bamberger et al. (2006) offers a classification of four types of politics that operate in organisations and wider society. Continue reading
Not a ‘proper’ activity but I just want to make sure I ‘save’ this thought somewhere.
There is a particular complexity in my research interest in relation to paradigms and theories.
Here we go with unravelling it… Continue reading
(T847, Block 1, Activity 3)
The module materials talk about a theory-based (or theory-guided) approach to research. It refers to the fact that “a theory or model has been proposed as to how the object of what is being researched operates, or what the outcome(s) or impact(s) are likely to be.” It is important to explicitly identify the theory (or theories) that underlie a research project.
The materials cites Chen (2005) who refers to these as ‘assumptions’ and differentiates between two types:
Descriptive assumptions concern the causal processes that lead to whatever problem/issue/event is being investigated.
Prescriptive assumptions prescribe those entities and activities (components, resources, systems, people, etc.) that the designers and/or other key stakeholders in a research project or programme deem necessary to successfully tackling the problem/issue/event.
It seems that in order to think about these assumptions in relation to my research, I need to be a little clearer about the problem/issue/event that I am investigating – I have not yet articulated that explicitly enough. Continue reading
(T847, Block 1, Activity 2)
Activity 2 asks me to identify an example of a paradigm and related theories and concepts that are relevant to the ideas that I am considering for my research.
The T847 materials summarise a paradigm as “a perspective or point of view affecting what is recognised, known, valued, and done. As such, a paradigm advances both a set of assumptions about the world and a philosophical framework for the study of that world.”
The materials also have a neat way of explaining theories and concepts: “suppositions or systems of ideas, or mental representations or abstract objects intended to explain something, or a set of principles on which some form of activity is based.”