Signup date: 22 Feb 2013 at 6:05pm
Last login: 09 Jan 2017 at 5:38pm
Post count: 18
I did three to four days a week from May to July, and then one, sometimes two days a week between September and December. I had previously taught in the school for twelve years (although that was five years before I went back for the ethnography). Therefore I had worked with most of the staff, but had never taught any of the kids. Some of the sixth formers remembered me, but I hadn't taught them. There were many ethical dilemmas that occured - I have submitted an abstract to BERA to present on them this summer, but I feel that I was able to collect enough data in that time period to inform the next stage of the PhD. I managed to generate two large journals worth of data, and conduct nine interviews. In terms of making the familiar strange, and the strange familiar, I was always thinking and analysing while I was in the school - in fact I still am now as I try to finish off my methodology chapter (23000 words and two sections to go). I have a full time lecturing post, so it was/is difficult balancing the roles. I already was fully aware of the socio cultural / historical identity of the area / school / management / teachers, so there was less to do in that aspect.
Hammersley and Atkinson is excellent, but much of my material has come from the journal Ethnography and Education.
I am doing exactly the same Lixatron as I went back to conduct an ethnography in a school I used to teach in. As mine is narrative, reflexivity run right through it. I have used a reflexive diary and illustrated the methodology with critical incidents and other extracts from the diary. I have a whole section outlining my previous role and relationship with the participants. Not sure whether it will go in at the beginning of the methodology, or in a different part at the end.
I spent two terms in a school ranging between one and four days a week depending upon other commitments. This was easily enough to collect the data for my PhD - you start to get a lot of repitition after a while. In terms of books, the following are all essential.
Hammersley & Atkinson (2007) Doing Ethnography: Principles and Practice.
Delamont (2002) Fieldwork in Educational Settings.
Wolcott (2005) The Art of Fieldwork
Wolcott (2008) Ethnography: a way of seeing.
The journal Ethnography and Education is also essential for many relevant papers on methods.
Best of luck.
PostgraduateForum Is a trading name of FindAUniversity Ltd
FindAUniversity Ltd, 77 Sidney St, Sheffield, S1 4RG, UK. Tel +44 (0) 114 268 4940 Fax: +44 (0) 114 268 5766
An active and supportive community.
Support and advice from your peers.
Your postgraduate questions answered.
Use your experience to help others.
Enter your email address below to get started with your forum account
Enter your username below to login to your account
An email has been sent to your email account along with instructions on how to reset your password. If you do not recieve your email, or have any futher problems accessing your account, then please contact our customer support.
or continue as guest
To ensure all features on our website work properly, your computer, tablet or mobile needs to accept cookies. Our cookies don’t store your personal information, but provide us with anonymous information about use of the website and help us recognise you so we can offer you services more relevant to you. For more information please read our privacy policy
Agree Agree