Com 473--Baldwin—Communication—Illinois State University
Ethnographic Out-of-Class
Observation Exercise
Objectives: Through this exercise students should
- Have a chance to practice their observation skill, including such things as “telescoping lens,” use of various senses in write-up, and learning details of the types of events they can observe in a scene of their choice.
- Develop practice with head notes, scratch notes, and field notes
- Demonstrate abilities at creatively describing the scene through field notes
- Demonstrate the ability to create tentative conclusions and possible directions for research from a brief observation
Details: To accomplish this exercise, students should:
- Choose a site for observing for approximately 1 hour (not less than ½ hour). This should be consistent observation—that is, if you are going to observe at a restaurant, the observation should not be while you are eating (especially with another person). You want to really be able to observe. Previous sites have included things such as:
- Sports Bar (strangers interacting in Sports Bar)
- Restaurant/coffee shop
- Sports event
- Bowling Alley
- Concert line or concert itself
- Choose a site where you can observe rather unobtrusively. You don’t want people walking up to your table and asking why you’re staring at them or anything. Until you have better training and practice observing, you probably want a site where you can take scratch notes (not just head notes).
- You may “participate” in the scene—even ask “ethnographic questions.” It is best to be open and not covert.
- Initial observation will probably take broad focus (see L&T for types of things to consider in early observation). By end of observation, you might begin to come up with some focus.
- Your field notes should be in paragraphs, single spaced with blank lines b/t paragraphs. I would expect b/t 5 and 7 pp. of notes.
- Try to include more than just the visual sense.
- Be sure to separate observations from interpretations as you write! J
- Include a final “memo” that summarizes the event, tells what you learned (both about observing and about the field/scene/site in question) and suggests potential directions for research.
Observation Evaluation Page
Final grade will be subjective (A = excellent, B = very good/above average; C = average, etc.). However, the following rubric will help you know what I’m looking for.
Observation
Evaluation ISU# Last 5:
_________ Score
__ /50
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Lo |
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Hi |
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Interpretive memo (1 page,
maybe 2) 5 pts x 4 para o
Orientation to
the nature of the observation (context, your role within the scene, level of
participation, or other pertinent issues) o
Summary of the
observation o
“Analysis” of
what might be going on o
Directions for
possible research |
4 |
8 |
12 |
16 |
20 |
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Your Points:
xx / 20 Comments: xyz |
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Observation (roughly 3 x
10, but grade is overall) o
Appropriate
level of detail for a 1-hour observation (will vary some from student to
student, and depending on level of detail) o
Descriptive
nature of observation (do I feel like I am “there”? This may involve
multi-sensory observations where
appropriate). o
Clear
distinction of observation versus induction, with observer’s comments
clearly marked as such (for example, if you are making an induction, make
sure you include observable detail
as to why. Don’t just say someone is “angry” or is “married” unless you have
evidence. Okay to use qualifiers “seems to be,” but, again, with observable
support. |
6 |
12 |
18 |
24 |
30 |
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Your Points:
xx /30 Comments: xyz |
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WRITING: There is not a
specific grade for writing quality; excellent quality might curve a marginal
grade upward. Excessive errors, especially in things such as spelling,
grammar, punctuation (the most obvious rules) can lead to a grade deduction |
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TOTAL (out of 50): A balance between objective components and my
subjective impression of the essay as a whole |
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Overall Comments
EXAMPLES:
John
R. Baldwin
PERSONAL
MEMO
As I complete the assignment on the observation in
the library, I find myself surprised at how quickly the hour went, and at how
much was really going on inside this seemingly boring, static room. Continued
observations might have led to conclusions about people's study habits in the
library, organization styles in study, uses one uses for such a room, a study
of the magazines and periodicals used by different people, dress of different
people in the library situation, and appropriate interaction. There is no doubt the reading lounge
area at the other end of the library would have proven as interesting as this
one, except that this area had the books and periodicals in plain sight so that
I could see how people selected items to read, whereas in the other area I
would have only been able to observe them after reading.
My first goal in this assignment was to observe
something where I "really expected something to happen." I finally
received permission from the PR man from the state Welfare office to observe
the lobby of the busiest food stamp office in the valley, according to the main
telephone answering personnel. However, this permission came too late to manage
the traffic on the day before the assignment was due. I spoke to the man about
maybe doing some research with that department at another time.
I felt the library was a good set up, as everyone
had their books and magazines spread out around the table. I wore jeans and a
plain blue button‑up shirt, walked in, and, after looking for the best
place in the library to observe from, chose my table. I wanted a table from
which I could observe the reference desk, but more seemed to be going on in the
periodical room itself. I suspected that Harvard girl would eventually notice
that I was not looking at the open three‑ring binder I had open in front
of me, but rather was watching everyone in the room and taking notes (as her
attention seemed to be only tentatively attached to the book in front of her).
However, she gave no indication that she knew I was observing her and the
others. I deliberately waited until I had been there for a while before I gave
those near to me my direct attention.
As I finished the assignment, I wondered if I maybe
had concentrated too much on describing people's clothing and magazine
selection behavior, and wished I had been in an area where I could maybe see
some more interaction, or maybe had focused more on just a few people and what
they continued to do. But for a first observation exercise, I feel good about
it.
While this was most interesting, I'm sure that there
are many other things that would have been more interesting to me to watch. The
choice was not made from any great desire to observe behavior in a public
library, but rather because of lack of permission to go into some private
agency and lack of willingness on my part to negotiate watching in some place
where watching and writing would draw undue attention. The exercise is good for
it forced me to try to watch for the unobvious, to not assume just because
someone was looking at a newspaper that they were reading it, to notice even
the subtle differences in the way several people all do the same thing.
Field Notes:
[Opening paragraph(s) would explain the context(s)
of my observation—when, where, how. I might include a brief map, if relevant,
and any physical description pertinent to what goes on. What follows are some
pages from within the field notes. I think, in retrospect, that I focuses too much on dress, etc., instead of actual
behaviors. But still, it gives you an idea. Don’t forget to include in notes
any “observer’s comments” [O.C.] that you feel are relevant. Please attach your
“scratch notes” along with the field notes when you turn it in. There’s not
really a set “length” for the observation. Observe for ½ to 1 hour, taking
scratch or head notes. Then type the notes. The memo (first page) summarizes
important aspects of what you think is “going on” in the scene—this might be
informed by Hymes’ framework for description, but
doesn’t have to be. It should also, in a paragraph, state what you learned
through the exercise]
I just begin to notice a well‑dressed man who
is sitting there when white wind‑breaker returns once again to the area
with a purposive pace. He walks directly to the back shelf toward the lobby,
third column over, second shelf down, middle magazine. Picks it up, looks at
it, and returns it to the shelf. He then goes to the first column, fifth shelf
down, right magazine. He picks up the magazine and walks past my table going
behind the pillar behind me. I crane my neck to see where he has gone, but he
is nowhere in sight. A photocopier sits lonely along the wall. The circulation
desk has about 4 people at it now. But wind‑breaker has gone like the
wind.
Gecko has put his magazine back on the comer shelf
and is "on the prowl" again.
A girl with long black hair, about 20, hot green
pants (not green hot pants), about 5'3" or so, barely enters the section
back by what seems to be the newspaper section (back wall toward the lobby).
She has not really even stopped moving before she turns and walks the other
way. Near her is a young man, about 22, with tan pants and short blonde hair in
a stylish cut. He stops to look at what is on that back shelf. The girl has a
black coat with white speckles. This man also has a coat on. While they seem to
enter together, they do not speak to each other, and she has left. He remains
for a while just looking at what is on the shelf. He pulls a couple of
newspapers off, looks at them only briefly, and returns him to the shelf. He
does not enter or become a part of this periodical room society.
White wind‑breaker is back again. He returns
rapidly, replaces the magazine, and walks out, briskly leaving the library.
The 65‑year old pillar man gets up, slowly
folds up his newspaper and puts it back on the shelf. He walks over to the
older lady with the bird book and says something to her. He is not smiling, but
neither is he scowling. Both seem pleasant. She hands him her pile of books,
and she gets up. They leave.
Three teen‑age girls [O.C. the same three that passed
earlier? I believe so but am not sure] walk by in the lobby
talking loudly. No one in the periodical room seems to look up.
Behind me the older man and nondescript‑gender
person have left the area. Now there is a girl in an ASU
tee‑shirt, about 20, with shorts, medium brown wavy hair. She
joins her friend, similar, at the New Books. They talk quietly. [O.C. My
first description was to say she was a homogenized ASU
student‑‑which
raises questions for what I see as homogenized or typical, and makes me
wonder why such people don't stand out to me?]
Gecko has found another
magazine in the same comer of the room. Sits in the same pillar‑chair,
and reads. At the same time, another young man, about the same age, dark medium
length hair, blue jeans and blue shirt with a baseball hat, has sat in the
pillar around the comer from Gecko, where he is also looking at a
magazine. He remains there for some time.
The mobile action in this now seemingly busy room
has subsided, allowing me to continue my gander around the area. By the window
are four chairs that sit facing a center coffee table. Two people sit in chairs
at opposite comers [O.C. I'm beginning to think that
strangers seem to pick chairs at furthest distances in such situations in this
area in at least two instances]. One is a man, 35‑ish,
preppy pink/green striped type shirt. The other is a young black man,
about 18‑20, in white shorts, hi‑top tennis shoes, a baseball
hat which he wears forward, a white tee‑shirt with a non‑obtrusive
print (i.e., not a Gecko). Both are sitting looking at some magazine. They
are not interacting with each other.
The 50‑year old with dark slacks and
tennis shoes rises, deposits magazine on side wall by Gecko,
second column, third shelf from bottom, far right position. He returns to
his table, folds his three ring binder closed, and
leaves the section.
The three young ladies are still in the section,
each seated at a table. One in a purple~pink‑‑‑green
clown dress, dark complexion, sits with her back to me several tables
away. The other two, both about 1921 years of age, are facing me [O.C. unobtrusive observation is
difficult]. One is rather heavy set, wears a loose Harvard sweatshirt
and white shorts. She has taken off her sandals and sits barefoot with
her legs crossed on the chair on the side of her table. Her hair is straight,
pulled into a pony tail that is not entirely neat. It's brown, and just beyond
shoulder length. For most of the time she has been leaning on her right arm as
she reads in a thick wide book, hardbound, of which she has bent the
covers back to back as she is reading. She writes in a notebook. She slouches,
and only occasionally moves from her arm‑perch. When she does, she sits
in a relaxed position as she continues her studies. Around her are arrayed her
purse, a newspaper, her sunglasses, a worn blue folder with about a quarter
inch of papers in it, some shreds of spiral notebook trimmings, and a thick
spiral notebook, all in a random pattern.
The other young lady is dressed in a white print,
sleeveless top. she has long dark wavy hair, which
seems neat. She is wearing shorts. She has been reading the entire hour out of
a spiral‑bound book that is about an inch thick. Arrayed in front of here
are several stacks. One has a small dictionary, two books, and a calendar. Next
to that stack is a dark grey three‑ring binder, some white papers. Next
to that stack is another stack, and finally, her purse.
While not exactly parallel, the books are in clear stacks. The books she is
reading sits with edge even to the edge of the table. She is taking notes in
another three ring binder which sits next to and parallel to the book she is
reading from. She sits upright, though not stiff. She takes off her glasses and
lays them on the table and continues reading. She sits with her feet crossed
under her chair.
Suddenly, white wind‑breaker returns yet
another time. This time he is with a young lady, blonde, medium‑length
hair, black shirt. They walk to the periodical section, turn around, and leave
again.
As they are leaving, four young boys come in, 2
black, I Hispanic (shorter/younger than the rest) and a tall, but same‑age
white boy with a crew‑cut. They walk near the reference desk and begin to
walk to the books beyond it, but they turn around and leave.
A young man enters (about 24‑26 years old). He
has a high forehead, but is young, slender. He wears a shirt with thin, green
and blue horizontal stripes and blue sweats. A walkie‑talkie
or cellular phone [O.C. A high‑school friend of mine
calls these yuppie‑leashes]. He carries three small hard bound books. He
sits at a table in front of me, opens a book, and after about two minutes
leaves the area.
The young man in blue by the back pillar (next to Gecko)
closes his magazine after about 15 minutes. He gets up and puts it away,
getting another, this one from the 2nd column along the back wall in the
comer, fifth row down, middle position. He sits in the same chair and opens the
magazine.
Another young man enters the library, also about 18
to 20 years old. He has a shirt with thick blue and white stripes, faded jeans,
and tennis shoes. He ports a magazine‑type publication under his arm, but
it is not bound in one of the library covers [O.C. may
not be a magazine, but something else with which I'm not familiar]. He walks
back and forth along the back wall at a slow pace as he frequently halts to
look at one of the publications. He takes what seems to be a newspaper from the
top shelf of the fourth column, Right position. He stands as he opens folds the
sections of the paper down one at a time without
opening up the newspaper to look inside the sections. He closes the paper, puts
it under his arm, and leaves the area. He walks to the stairway and descends
the stairs.
A girl I hadn't noticed before, with a small brown leather or vinyl backpack and a three‑ring
maroon soft‑cover notebook leaves the area. She has a white shirt and
blue jeans on and is about 20.
As she leaves, a lean man, about 50 years old, with
short dark hair and plastic frame glasses enters. He is dressed in brown
shorts, a blue short‑sleeve sports shirt and thongs. He goes to the back
wall, first column, eighth shelf, middle position, and puts away a magazine. [O.C. This
man has probably been here all along, but I just have not had a chance to
notice him yet]. He walks right past where I am sitting to a pillar behind my
chair. He sits, opens up a medium size hard‑bound book with medium sized
type and large top margins on title pages with stylized first letter of the
text and proceeds to read.
The man with stylish blonde hair and the girl in the
hot green pants (both with coats on) walk back into the area from the shelves
behind the reference desk. They walk closely together over to the circulation
desk. They stop there for a moment and hand a book to the person behind the
desk who does something with it which I can't see. The person returns the book,
and they walk past the Books for Sale section and leave the library through the
main entrance.
A middle‑aged dark‑complexioned man,
about 35‑40 enters with a folder‑type notebook (hard leather). The
man, who appears Hispanic, has a moustache, black hair which is combed and
slightly wavy. He is dressed in blue‑grey sweatpants,
a dark blue shirt with a bold green print on it that says "Dillard
Precision," and Nikes.
He walks directly to the, back comer of magazines behind me, to the
fifth column, the second row, the left position, and removes a magazine. After
looking at it only briefly he returns it to the shelf. From there, he goes to
the first column and pulls a magazine from the middle position. He does not
browse or look for the magazines, but walks up to them directly, removes them
from the shelf without looking and walks over to a table. There he places his
leather notebook on the table, opens it, opens one of the magazines and begins
to write.
The young black man is arranging his things. He no
longer has a magazine in his hand, though it is not certain where it is now.
The other man who had been sitting near him by the window is no longer there.
The black man rises, grabs a large blue tote bag, and walks out of the area.
His unassuming print on his white shirt reads Michelob Dry.
The dark‑complexioned man with the moustache
who is standing by the table looking at the magazine pulls a R5 white card out of his thick leather notebook. He
holds the card in his mouth as he approaches the side wall in the back comer.
He takes the card out of his mouth and walks directly to the back comer, the
fifth column from the left, the second row of shelves down, the middle
position, and takes the top magazine. He looks at it briefly, but puts it back
on the shelf and returns to his table‑base, where he continues to stand
looking through the magazine he already has on the table. Shortly, he returns
to the back comer, same column, but this time takes a magazine from the fourth
shelf down, left position. He stands in front of the shelf and looks at the
magazine.
As the man stands reading a few feet away from the baseball‑capped youth‑in‑blue,
Gecko, who is sitting just around the pillar, gets
up. He has several magazines. He puts magazines away at 1, 7, left"
and at "3, 2nd from
bottom, middle," both of back wall comer. He looks around at the magazines
on the back wall comer and puns off another magazine from the back comer, "5, 5, right." He
sets his backpack on the floor next to the chair he was sitting at before, by
the pillar, and sits and opens up one of the newfound magazines.
Another young man enters the library, goes directly
to back wall to a specific slot, removes paper, sits down, finds a section,
opens it up, and begins to look at the newspaper.
******
Observation
473 Student
My observation took place at my mother’s home on October 9, 2003 starting about 6:45 p.m. Mother belongs to a social group called Art Club that meets once a month in the members’ homes. October was Mom’s turn to host and my two sisters and I have always been the ‘hired help’ for the evening. I chose this setting because my familiarity with it made it seem ordinary, almost boring. I wanted to see it through eyes that are really looking at the scene and the dynamics of the members to get a better idea why people participate in these types of groups.
My mother has lived in the house for about twenty years. Prior to that, my husband, children and I lived in it for about 10 years, so I am very familiar with the house. My observations might have been influenced by the life experiences I have had in the house.
As I begin my observation I am sitting at the piano in the far southeast corner of the living room which is about 15’x 30’ in dimension. The first thing that catches my eye is the lighting in the room. There is no overhead light; the light comes from table or hanging lamps. There are five lamps spaced throughout the room. All but one is on and they give off a soft light that makes the room inviting. It dulls sharp edges of furniture or people and makes me feel comfortable. Two of the lamps have ceramic bases, one is a hanging globe lamp and there is an antique floor lamp behind one of the chairs in the living area. The most striking lamp sits on the marble-topped table along the east wall. It is a heavy antique lamp with a cream and rust colored stained glass shade. There is a filigree type design to the metal that surrounds the glass. I like this lamp.
The arrangement of the furniture divides the room into two functional areas. On the east end is the front door and a more open area; although, there are two upholstered chairs, an antique table with carved wooden legs and a marble top, the antique piano where I am sitting and my mother’s dark stained antique wooden desk and chair in this area. The west end of the room is the ‘living’ area which includes a couch, antique coffee table, two more upholstered chairs, a small occasional table and the built-in wooden shelf unit that houses the television and stereo set. There are also two or three shelves of books, including several Reader’s Digest condensed books and one shelf of record albums. A cream colored lace curtain held up by a spring-based curtain rod hides the contents of one shelf. On a shelf close to the floor is a ceramic round barn with a red roof. It is distinctive looking. One of the chairs is a recliner that faces the television. On the occasional table beside this chair are a cordless telephone, the television remote, a tube of hand lotion and a pad of note paper indicating that this chair is used on a regular basis. There is also a magazine basket near this recliner with an Outdoor Photography magazine in it. Bridging the entry area and the living area is an antique gate-legged table with a collection of crystal paperweights on its top. Since I am at the piano I am in the entry area and the Art club members sit in the ‘living’ area at the other end of the room.
The east and north walls have been painted with a soft creamy white textured paint. The south wall is wallpapered with an ‘elevator-music’ type wallpaper – it is nondescript but it blends well. The west wall is covered entirely by wooden shelves that are built-in. The wood is stained a dark stain, probably walnut. The carpet is a brown tweed with a hint of warm peach in it. It is not a true shag, but it is the type of carpet that was popular in the late 70’s. The wooden baseboard and ceiling trim is stained the same dark stain as the shelves. The trim around the doors and windows is painted to match the wall. Drapes of heavy material in a design very similar to the wallpaper hang at the three windows. There is a picture window on the south wall and two regular double-hung windows on the east wall. The curtains are pulled back with drapery ropes but there are sheers covering the window so there is still a closed-in cozy feeling to the room.
A very noticeable aspect of the room is the large number of photographs throughout the room. On top of the piano are five 8”x10” gold frames. Each frame holds a traditional wedding picture of one of Mom’s children. By looking at the wedding fashions, it can be observed that these weddings probably took place between the 60’s and the 80’s. Hanging on the wall next to the piano is an older wedding photo of my parents. The clothing is early 1940’s. The photo itself is not colored, but it has been stained with color. My mother is not wearing a traditional wedding dress; instead she wears a blue suit. They are standing in front of an automobile. Other photos of children and adults are set in no particular order on the shelves at the west end of the room. I notice the recent graduation photograph of my niece in a dark wooden frame. The frame contrasts with my niece’s blond hair and fair complexion.
The other photographs in the room are scenic. [O.C.: all taken by my mother.] The whole middle section of the shelving unit houses a collection of old barn and covered bridge photos. The frames are clear acrylic, focusing all attention on the photos themselves. Two of the most interesting formats for these photographs is a clock on the north wall in which the entire background of the clock is a scene of autumn-colored trees and a wooden TV tray that has a still-life photo of cacti covering the surface.
There are two living plants and a white chrysanthemum in the room. In the northeast corner is a fern sitting on an old wooden plant stand. A large philodendron is growing in a ceramic pot on the lower shelf against the west wall. All look healthy.
In the entry area of the room there is a card table and four chairs set up for the dessert that will be served later. There are fresh fall flowers in a small creamy yellow vase in the middle of the table. There is silverware, fall motif paper napkins and a small crystal dish of mixed nuts on the table also.
Next to the front door in this entry area is the double-wide doorway to the dining area and kitchen. There is a large table set similar to the one in the living room. I can see my sisters working in the kitchen, getting things ready for dessert after the formal meeting begins.
Overall the room has a warm, touchable feel to it. Although it isn’t a child-proof room, it is a room that has the look of being lived in.
The first member to arrive is Cindy, a woman about 35 years old of medium height. She has curly auburn hair pulled up on top of her head. She is dressed in an autumn motif sweater vest and dark green slacks. She has gold hoped earrings and a gold cross necklace and she is wearing glasses. She speaks to all of us, using her hands and then crosses the room to sit beside me [O. C.: Cindy and I used to be coworkers and are still good friends.] Later when the meeting formally starts, Cindy will move to the living area where the other members will sit. My mother greets the next two ladies to arrive. Betty is an elderly lady, around my mother’s age, 85 with gray hair, round face and pale complexion. She seems to have a bruise on her forehead. She is wearing a purple jacket and slacks. The jacket has what appear to be sequins on it. They sparkle in the lamplight. The second lady is MaryAnn who is taller than Betty and appears to be younger, maybe in her 70’s. She has a creamy complexion and blond, rather jumbled wavy hair. She is wearing a yellow slack outfit. The most distinctive characteristic of Mary Ann is her talkativeness. She hasn’t stopped since she hit the front door. But she talks to everyone and has a very caring attitude to her conversation. Betty sits on a folding chair with her back to the shelving unit. Cindy moves to the couch and Mary Ann is still standing in the middle of the room, talking.
Janet arrives next. She is a small, brown-haired wearing a black and white checked top and slacks. She speaks with enthusiasm in her voice and she sits in the corner chair within the living area. She is probably a little over 50.There are several conversations going on, although Betty is quiet at this time. The next to arrive is Kathy. She is a bubbly woman with short brown hair and a wonderful smile. She is probably between 50-55. She has on a greenish-blue jacket that has dragonflies embroidered here and there. Kathy has a notebook in hand, and she takes a seat in the southwest corner of the living room.
At this point Mom decides the lamp on the gate-legged table needs to be turned on, but the power cord will not reach without an extension cord. My sister looks for an extension cord and when she finds it, she brings it in to the living room, plugs it in and switches the light on.
The last member to arrive is Jan. Mom also greets her at the door. Jan is tall, dark-haired and slender and is also
in her early to mid fifties. She apologizes for being late, although the
meeting has not formally started. As Jan
finds a place to sit on the couch between Cindy and Mary Ann, the group
discusses who isn’t there. Linda isn’t coming because her husband is having
knee surgery the next day and she had too many things to do. Margot and her
husband, Dick, are gone to
Kathy starts the meeting by suggesting they do roll call. They can share something that has been important to them recently. Jan states that she sold her mother’s home in three days. She becomes very involved in describing the process, she puts her reading glasses on and has a ‘poor me’ attitude as she relates the story.
I look around the room while Jan is talking. Most of the ladies have their legs crossed at the knee while they sit and they have their hands clasped in their laps. The ladies do not wear a lot of makeup and their clothing is comfortable without any sophistication to it.
Kathy suggests that Jan speak to her siblings about the time and effort it will take to clean out her mom’s house. Others agree and the conversation centers on caring for aging parents. [O.C.: somewhat ironic since 2 of these ladies are elderly and a concern to their children.]
When it is time for Mom to answer role call, she hands
around a book called Famous Names, Ordinary
People, opening it to a page somewhere near the middle of the book. She explains that the person they see
highlighted on the page is her son, John F. Kennedy. She remarks on John’s picture which shows him
sitting on his Harley in front of his home in
My mother isn’t sitting with the rest of the club members within the living area. She sits at her desk which is behind the couch with her chin resting on her the palm of her hand. She joins the conversation but can leave the exchange whenever she wants simply by turning in her chair. Sitting in this position allows her to check what is going on in the kitchen and to greet anyone else that might come to the door. [O.C.: This position in the room is also a sign of my mother’s personality, but that isn’t apparent just from observation. She wants to be a part of groups, but doesn’t want to be in the center and always wants the option to leave quietly without fanfare.]
For her roll call, Mary Ann talks about the prevalence of
gangs even in small towns. She is very
impassioned when she speaks. I don’t
catch what brought this topic up as her roll call item. It is different than other people’s
responses, less personal. Betty just
responds that she is here. She seems a
little tired. Janet talk about her
recent trip to Sweden and Denmark, noting that this is the first time she has
been able to travel at this time of year because she just retired from
teaching. She speaks of a political
assignation that took place while they were there and the people’s reaction to
such violence in comparison to what the reaction would be here in the
Kathy again keeps the meeting moving by reading the minutes of the last meeting. It is noted that the upcoming year is the 100th anniversary for the club. I can also hear my sisters talking quietly in the kitchen while the meeting is going on. I wonder what they are discussing because I am usually out there with them. It is good time for the three of us to catch up on our lives. My mom gets Kathy a pad of paper and a pen. Kathy asks Janet to take minute since Linda, the secretary isn’t here.
There is a quiet knock on the back door. The lady who is going to present the program later in the evening has arrived. My sister greets her and she stays in the kitchen with my sisters. I hear the clinking sound of ice cubes being dropped into glasses. Mom gets up to get her calendar. There is a discussion within the group about when dues are due. It is decided that they are $10 and due this month. The ladies reach for their purses. All bring out cash, some needing change for a twenty. Kathy gets up to cross the room to get her purse which is resting beside the chair next to me. She notices me taking notes and asks what I am doing. I explain briefly. She seems genuinely interested.
The next item of business is the election of officers. Again no one is quite sure when they said they would do it. Janet, who is left-handed, takes notes on her lap with a book under the pad of paper for support. Most discussion among the ladies is orderly, although Mary Ann sometimes interrupts. She is much more outspoken than anyone else. At this moment Mom goes to the kitchen. She is concerned about where her cat is. My older sister assures her the cat is fine and mom comes back to the living room.
The discussion of officers evokes laughter. I’m not sure why, but it prompts Kathy to comment, “Life’s short, drink beer.” Mary Ann, laughingly, relates her conversation with someone about how important Art club meetings are to her. She is willing to miss other commitments for these meetings. Again, everyone laughs.
The nominations and election of officers is very informal and seemingly already discussed in the past. Some members who aren’t present are discussed as candidates. Each person present who is asked to consider an office is also asked if this is a good year for them to take on the responsibilities. Kathy has genuine concern in her voice as she talks to the other women. Janet wants to wait to accept an office. Since she is newly retired, she has been bombarded with lots of volunteer activities. She wants some time to sort through all of them. Although, all of this conversation about officers is informal, they do formally nominate, second motions and vote to elect all of the members nominated.
Mom gets up after the election to see how things are
progressing in the kitchen. I notice
Cindy is chewing gum. The meeting moves
on to new business. They discuss their
Christmas meeting and future charity projects.
The projects mentioned are related to women’s issues, such as the
Cindy and Jan are the first to get up from their seats and they head for the dining area for dessert. Betty needs to hold onto her chair to get up and Mary Ann has a jerky limp to her gait that wasn’t noticeably earlier. They all leave their purses beside their chairs as they move into the kitchen. Conversation centers on another member who hasn’t shown up. It is speculated that she had children’s school events to attend. They empathize with this absent member on her hectic life.
Mary Ann approaches me on the way to the kitchen to ask me about my class. I explain to her what I have been doing during the meeting. She is positive and supportive in her response.
I stop taking notes and join my sisters to serve the women their desserts.
The whole event has an informal, laid-back atmosphere. These ladies are diverse in age and in interests, but their membership forms a relationship that is comfortable and caring. Their manner of sometimes speaking over each other does not seem rude, but just a sign of their level of friendship. There doesn’t seem to be any hidden agendas in the conversations. There is no power or popularity being sought after. Each member’s personality is quite apparent but no one demands to be the center at all times. There is a feeling of genuine caring when the members are talking to each other.
I imagine that each meeting is very similar to this one in similar homes with the same homey feeling.
473 student
Ethnography Assignment
Comm 473
11 October 2003
1. This exercise was completed in an Instant Messaging (IM) environment at American Intercontinental University (AIU).
2. Description using Hymes & Philipsen model
a. Scene: The physical setting of the participants is diverse. All participants are in front of a computer screen. They are likely at their homes, but could be in a computer lab or other site with online hook-up. Because the time is 9:00 p.m. I assume the participants are at their homes unless they state otherwise. The meeting place is a virtual chat room. To access the virtual chat room I must first log in to AIU. This requires a password. My name and password identify me as an employee of AIU. Students access through a different portal. Once “inside” I go to labs. From labs I enter the in-service lab and click on “live session.” The “live session” always takes a moment to connect. Once connected there is a ripple in time, while I drop into an ongoing conversation, and people notice that I have arrived. The chat room has a white board where the ongoing discussion is posted. Relative to the screen it occupies a space about 6 inches wide to 5 inches deep. Directly under the larger white board is a smaller white board that is the same 6 inches wide but only about one inch deep. The smaller board is where the participant types, the larger board is where the message posts. To the right of this is yet another white board about 2 inches wide, and 5 inches deep, parallel to the larger white board. This identifies the users. When a user first joins the discussion, their name is posted with a flesh colored square head icon. If a participant does not like the “head” icon they can go to “settings,” which is under the user white board, and select another icon to associate with the person.
b. Participants: All the participants in this “live chat” were adjunct faculty members of AIU. Nine faculty members participated in this discussion. Four participants were male, four were female, and one remained unidentified, although I think the name would more commonly be used by a female. All participants had earned either a Masters degree or a PhD in some discipline. Three of the participants taught marketing courses, two taught business, one taught in education, one taught communications, and one taught psychology. The ninth participant did not identify what discipline they taught in.
c. Ends: AIU requires that all faculty members participate in two in-service training sessions per year. A training session lasts for one week. These sessions combine PowerPoint presentations, threaded discussions, drop box assignments, one teleconference, and one live session. All nine participants in this session were in a live session because they had to participate in a live session to complete the in-service training. There is no information available to explain why these nine people selected this session to attend. The sessions were organized informally. The goal of each session was to join with one or more other colleagues and share experiences pertaining to courses that they have taught. My analysis of the activity is that the goal of AIU was to make us better instructors. A possible outcome was to develop a collegial relationship with one or more faculty members living in remote areas. The primary goal of many of the faculty members was to complete a requirement for CEU credit. However, there is some evidence that some of the participants wanted to learn how to do a better job.
d. Key: The tone of this 90 minute session shifted on several occasions. The tone shifted in part because of how the participants entered the virtual session. There was no apparent leader of the session, so the discussion seemed very informal. It felt much more like a “get acquainted” session at a conference. With the first five participants the tone remained light and low key. There was a sense of chattiness and humor. The tone was disrupted each time a new member entered the discussion. As members 6, 7, and 8 entered the group the tone became very light from the five members who started the discussion. When the 9th member entered the group he was welcomed, but the group did not digress at that point. After members 6-8 settled in the tone shifted to almost adversarial between member 5 and member 8, but did go back onto a discussion related toward the assigned topic. Finally, after all members except members 6 and 9 left a new tone was set. Member 6 indicated some dissatisfaction with the tone and content of the earlier part of the discussion. Members 6 and 9 then conducted a rapid fire discussion on a more professional tone.
e. Instrumentalities: The entire discussion was in text using some basic IM styles. Most of the participants used full sentences, and made corrections in follow-up postings for spelling errors. There were some IM isms such as: J, ???, and !! or !!!
f. Norms: As members 2 – 8 entered the discussion all members would stop what they were doing and welcome the new member. Some inquiry that seemed aimed at establishing pecking order following the greeting as inquiries about what the faculty member taught, what levels, how long they had been with AIU and so forth were asked. It was interesting to note that the 9th entrant missed the pecking order questions. They were greeting, but no additional questions were asked. The session was scheduled for 9:00 – 10:00. The 9th member joined the group at 9:42. This might suggest that there is a time at which a new member is not longer welcome to join a themed discussion. However, members 6-8 all joined between 9:32 and 9:35. They went through the previous ritual, suggesting that they were not too late. Finally, at least member 6 was dissatisfied with the norms that evolved in this discussion. She had been looking for a much more structured and formal discussion on the assigned topic.
g. Genre: The language was generally at a very casual level. This might reflect the time of day, and remote locations from which the participants entered the discussion. Humor was often used, especially in transition. Even when the discussion was serious, humor was often interjected. In the 9:00 – 10:00 discussion. There was no humor in the sub-discussion that followed most of the other members signing off.
3. One of the greatest strengths of an IM discussion for analysis is that every word is recorded and available for review. It was possible for example to go back to the discussion and evaluate how participation changed over time, and re-see the discussion as it occurred. Cosquergood comes to mind when considering the weaknesses of IM discussion communication. It is near impossible to observe at the level Cosquergood recommends in his section on Return of the Body. Emotion is very difficult to identify in the IM setting. Icons are often used to help clarify emotions to emphasize or deemphasize how words might be interpreted. But this is a mechanical and unreliable tool. IM could be a very valuable tool in conducting interviews. You would gain easy, accurate transcription. You would lose the emotion of seeing someone fold their arms and lean back in their chair.
4. Yes.
5. I think in all of the settings listed it’s primary benefit is in providing potential depth of understanding. In organizational research, quantitative methods might help us understand that there is a problem in plant 11. But identifying the root causes of the problem are usually beyond the scope of quantitative research. The ethnography could provide the thickness necessary to pinpoint the problem. Does it matter whether the qualitative or quantitative research is done first? I don’t think so. If the ethnography were done first in the example above, once the quantitative research identified a problem, the ethnographer would most likely be able to provide useful feedback to the researchers. The benefit of doing quantitative research first in order is that it might direct the ethnographer to a narrower research band.
Alan Hansen
Ethnography
Comm 473
11 October 2003
BACKGROUND
American Intercontinental University (AIU) is a virtual campus that is growing rapidly. All courses are taught online. In the spring of 2003 they had 80 instructors. The university now has over 300 instructors. Enrollments for the university are growing just as dramatically. AIU is part of the a larger proprietary school group. The company, CEC is a public corporation and owns numerous proprietary colleges around the country.
Most of the faculty members of AIU are adjunct faculty teaching one to four classes per five week accelerated term. AIU has a policy that all faculty members must attend at least two in-service sessions each year. The in-service sessions last one week and combine PowerPoint presentations, threaded discussions, drop box assignments, one teleconference (held in several sessions) and one live chat.
This ethnography examines one live chat that the researcher participated in. The introduction to this assignment was as follows:
“Arrange a chat with one or more colleagues. The facilitators should share experiences and background information pertaining to the courses taught. At the end of the “sharing session,” the participants should discuss what they learned from the experiences of their peers and how they will use this information to improve classroom facilitation. Each participant should submit a summary of the chat into the drop box. Included in the summary should be an explanation of concepts “owned” that were changed or modified as a result of the chat.”
SCENE
FIELD NOTES
In the discussion boards there was a session that allowed us to find other faculty members with whom we could schedule a live discussion. A faculty member who refers to himself as Dr. Pogue posted, suggesting Monday night at 9pm as a time he would like to meet with some other faculty members. Two other faculty members had noted that they would be attending in that time, so I posted to Dr. Pogue that I also would be attending the 9pm session Monday night.
[OC – I have noticed that a handful of faculty members make a point of referring to themselves as “Dr.” so and so. This seems more the exception than the norm, even though I know there is a large cadre of PhD faculty members here.]
The setting for this discussion is remote. I am sitting in my office at home, logging into the AIU homepage. It is 9:00 p.m. and the end of a busy day. Earlier comments in various forums have led me to believe that many faculty members resent the requirement to participate in the in-service activities. My own views are more reserved…just another nuisance.
I actually enter the chat room at 9:08 p.m. The first thing I do is go to settings and change the icon my messages will use. I select a purple box with a yellow question mark in the center. I am used to using this icon as an instructor. I chose it as an instructor as it stands out and is easy to spot when 10-15 students are involved in a discussion.
The chat room has a white board where the ongoing discussion is posted. Relative to the screen it occupies a space about 6 inches wide to 5 inches deep. Directly under the larger white board is a smaller white board that is the same 6 inches wide but only about 1 inch deep. The smaller board is where the participant types, the larger board is where the message posts. To the right of this is yet another white board about 2 inches wide, and 5 inches deep, parallel to the larger white board. This identifies the users. When a user first joins the discussion their name is posted with an flesh colored square head icon. If a participant does not like the head icon they can go to settings, which is under the user white board and select another icon to associate with their person.
Four individuals are in the chat room when I arrive. They are Connie, Carol, Daniel and Cathy. I immediately notice their icons. Connie has selected a smiley face. Carol has selected a green turtle. Daniel has selected a black 8-ball. Cathy has not changed her icon, and still shows the boxy face.
[OC – I wonder if Cathy knows how to change her icon.]
I am welcomed to the chat by Connie and Carol within 8 seconds of my entering the chat room. Both say the same thing, “Hi, Alan”
My opening comment is “Aloha.”
Backtracking to the initial log-ins I note that the discussion began at 9:01 and that I have missed greetings and a continual series of questions about what everyone is teaching.
Carol and Connie were the first to enter the chat room and they both teach marketing classes at the undergraduate level. Daniel entered at 9:03 he teaches business presentations (a first term course in the associate degree program). He has taught 6 courses.
[OC – I am already starting to note that the discussion is focused as much on ascertaining pecking order as it is general greetings and getting to know each other.]
Cathy joined the discussion at 9:05. She teaches 600-level courses in education.
At 9:08:24 comes the first inquiry about the topic of discussion. Dan asks, “Do we have a topic tonight?”
No one responds to this inquiry. The questions are now focused on the new
comer, Alan. Why did he say,
“Aloha”? Does he live in
Responding to a question of whether or not she is the “old timer”, she responds, “I think I may be the “senior” in class. What is our topic for tonight?” This is at 9:11:18.
[OC – There is no assigned facilitator for this discussion, and Dr. Pogue who organized the time has not arrived.]
Again an attempt at turning discussions about where people have taught and what they have taught toward the assigned topic misfires as no one responds.
At 9:12:07 Alan makes another effort toward the topic using humor. “Topic? We have a topic?
[OC – Critical mass, several comments begin to scurry as people try to remember what the topic was. We have a change of focus. Was it the humor, ‘third time is the charm’, or had people gathered enough information about each other to understand their pecking order?]
In response to the question from Cathy, “How long do we chat for?” Alan replies, “Midnight.” For the next minute and a half there is virtual laughter and responses, until Connie interjects, “How about an hour.” This settles the group back down.
[OC - Virtual discussions at AIU are always scheduled for one hour.]
At 9:14 an effort, led by Connie, is made to get the discussion on track. Connie, Daniel, Cathy, and Carol all make initial responses directed toward the topic.
Carol however leads a detour into a question of where everyone is from? This detour continues for about two minutes and ties as much to which university the individuals graduated from as where they actually live. Some coded language is used that I do not understand about colors and mascots.
[OC – this detour seemed focused on whether people graduated
from
At 9:15:29 members of the discussion group started coming back to the topic. Carol, “We are supposed to learn something from our sharing experiences tonight….”
Although there are a couple of more attempted jokes, the entire group starts focusing on the general topic.
Dan: “I thought that I would never really get to know my students as well as I did in traditional school.” 9:17:53
All the participants agree that this is not true.
Cathy is falling into a pattern of responding “I agree” about every 3rd or 4th posting.
At 9:19 Carol drops out of the discourse., but returns at 9:20. “My computer takes charge ever so often.”
[OC – as a frequent user of the system at AIU I know that she has locked up and had to leave and return to the classroom. No one takes note suggesting that we are all aware of the problem and the solution.]
The discussion moves to the motives of online learners, in a generally positive discussion. Alan adds a lengthy statement about 60% of students loving online, 20% hating it because of technology problems, and 20% hating it because of lack of discipline. 9:21:47.
This evolves into an explanation, then a discussion about serving the students on the margin.
Cathy’s pattern of not adding to the discussion, continues until 9:29:48 when she asks a pointed question. “How do you grade late assignments? Do you take off points per day, week?
With one inserted joke, the discussion remains on task until 9:32:15 p.m. when Susan checks into the discussion.
At 9:33:07 Rell signs in
At 9:35:44 James signs in.
Susan asks, “Am I interrupting?”
She is invited to join the discussion.
Alan interjects humor at this point inviting her to have a slice of virtual pizza…pepperoni or vegetarian.
Over the next several minutes the mix of welcomes, please join the discussion, and finding out what the three new entrants teach, and humor are intermixed.
Susan teaches marketing. Rell teaches business and IS. James teaches psychology.
Carol adds a new pecking order question to the mix of: What do you teach? And How long have you taught here? She adds, “Any of you have jobs other than teaching?”
It turns out that Carol owns a marketing consulting company.
Rell owns an IS consulting company.
Susan works in marketing research.
At 9:40:31 Susan inquires, “Hmm, should we get started?”
[OC – This interruption has lasted over 8 minutes]
Daniel and Carol both make statements to update the three new entrants to the chat room.
At 9:42:25 Robert enters the chat room. He is greeted but no one asks him about what he teaches, how long he’s been with AIU or other intrusive questions.
At 9:43:04 James continues the discourse in a new direction: for profit versus not-for-profit.
James contends that non-for-profits provide academic freedom and contribution to one’s discipline. Alan counters that for-profits focus more on the students. This exchange continues until 9:46:10 winding up with a bit of humor and irony about faculty at AIU being like the expendable cast members from Star Trek.
The discussion shifts once again toward the technology developments in higher education. This is broadly accepted as a good change for students. Carol has come alive at last. She begins and 9:47:37 with, “I really enjoy this online teaching thing. I think that I can help the company (AIU) grow by dong a good job with my students. I do a good job with them when they complete my class and have good feelings about the experience.”
Carol continues with four similar postings supporting online pedagogy.
Apparently the discussion was getting a bit deep as at 9:51:52 Carol (who has been fairly quiet for the past 4-5 minutes interjects, “You guys are awfully philosophical, tonight! Are you always like this?
Jokes abound until 9:53:14 when a joke about teaching marketing leads the discussion back to a question about where online education is in the product life cycle.
At 9:52:43 Carol announces, “I need to sign off. But this has been fun. The Chat Archive has got to be a trip to read!”
[OC – All discussions are saved in “Chat Archives” in text form for review by anyone interested.]
Alan adds shortly thereafter (thinking of the last part of the assignment) “Speaking of signing off…..for those of us thinking of virtual beds, what have we learned so far?”
A summary of the key points of the discussion are generated by Alan and Daniel.
Most of the group then begins signing out at 9:59:35 beginning with Connie. She is followed by Rell, Alan, James, Cathy, Daniel.
At 10:02:38 the following is recorded, “Susan, we are alone.”
Susan: “Yes, that’s interesting”
Susan: “I didn’t want to be super serious but I wasn’t learning anything”
Robert and Susan continue a one-on-one discussion about helpful hints in teaching. This discussion proceeds until 10:32:20.