I recently re-read the Levin and Greenwood chapter in the Sage handbook of qualitative research ( 4th ed., 2011, Ed by Denzin & Lincoln). The newest QNG animation touches on some of the issues. Note that QNG is now onto the 3rd page.
Levin and Greenwood came to my mind again during a recent discussion with a person in a faculty position about the subject of service learning. I sense that in some universities, there are few opportunities for undergrads to get out of the classrooms. I also sense a great deal of disconnect between how undergrads view and understand 'research' and the actual aims of or reasons for various types of inquiry. (At least the aims as I interpret and understand them.) I like the idea of the type of action research that Levin and Greenwood discussed for the reasons they suggest. I an attracted to idea of having a sense of connection between universities and communities. In some communities, the educational institutions (universities, community colleges, K -12 facilities) have the best resources not just for education but also for information as well as for recreation. Some of these resources are very underutilized and sometimes people in communities are lacking in just the type of services that educational facilities could provide. I also think that the research process - the process of exploration and inquiry - will make a lot more sense and be more inspiring to students when presented in context. On the other hand, if students in social sciences are only shown research that can be done without actually going outside (maybe without even leaving one's office), it may be that that students who find unsociable social research appealing are not the best students to recruit into graduate programs that train them to research and train others.
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AuthorI am Sheryl L. Chatfield, Ph.D, C.T.R.S. I am a member of the faculty in the College of Public Health at Kent State University. I also Co-coordinate the Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research and I am a member of the Design Innovation Team at Kent State. Archives
February 2024
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