Project Description
ANTH 516 (Ethnographic Methods)
Sept.-Dec, 2002
Final Reports
Clark and Campbell
Sitting in a Tree, C-U-T-T-I-N-G
Effects of the
Wrecking Crew: Maintaining the House of Education in Vancouver’s
Inner-City
Cents and Sensibility:
The State of Special Education in Vancouver
Project Overview
This term the research focus for student group projects in the
graduate methods course (ANTH 516) focussed on the implications
of recent political and funding changes to the delivery of educational
services within the Vancouver school District. Specific
research questions will be developed in collaboration with ad
hoc groups of parents and teachers in Vancouver.
The primary list of contacts has been collated by the course instructor,
Charles Menzies, through his daily activities as a parent of two
children in the Vancouver School District and as a parent volunteer
on school-based Parents Advisory Councils. The central core
of parent research partners will be members of the ad hoc parent
group, Save Our Schools. Teacher research participants have
been suggested by the BC Teachers Federation and the Vancouver
Secondary Teachers' Association.
The core goal of this project is to gain hands-on experience with
a variety of ethnographic and associated research techniques.
The groups will choose appropriate research tools and examine
as many aspects as possible of the social setting. These
methods may include observations, photos, maps, artefacts, descriptions
of social behaviour observed, reporting of informal interviews,
comments and analysis.
Project Overview, Methods, and Objectives
PURPOSE
The Purpose of this research project is to provide 'real time'
research experience for enrolled students in the required graduate
methods course (ANTH 516).
JUSTIFICATION
Hands on experience is a critical aspect of learning about research
methodologies. Additionally the instructor understands
that it is critical that students do not simply 'play' at research,
but rather that they engage in socially meaningful research in
a way that may have a wider benefit than simply allows them to
fulfill their course requirements. Professor Menzies has
supervised student projects since first joining UBC in 1996.
First, in collaboration with Dr. Bruce G. Miller in a collaborative
field research program involving the Sto:lo First Nation (2 times)
then as the direct supervisor of student researchers in his own
research projects and their thesis research and, more recently,
as the instructor of ANTH 516.
OBJECTIVES
1. to provide research experience for students enrolled in ANTH
516
2. to explore teachers' and parents' experiences of recent changes
to education funding and legislation
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The research scope of the project is limited to interviews with
teachers and parents living and working within the Vancouver School
District. These interviews will take place at UBC in the
Department of Anthropology, in the interviewees home, or a mutually
acceptable third location outside of school board property.
Three research groups have been created. Each group has
been assigned a focal point for their research: special education;
inner city schools, and; westside schools (essentially Point Grey
area).
Prospective research participants have already been contacted
by the course instructor (Charles Menzies) in May of 2002
and continuing to the present. Dr. Menzies met these individuals
in his capacity as a parent who has been actively involved
in the life of his children's schools since 1996.
A short list of potential contact parents and teachers
from westside schools (those schools west of Cambie), inner city
schools, and special education programs was compiled (15 people).
As part of Dr. Menzies' normal course preparation this group of
individuals were asked in person if they would mind being contacted
by student researchers to speak about their impressions experiences
of the changes in Vancouver schools resulting from the recent
changes to educational funding and educational legislation.
Each potential contact was advised that if they agreed they would
then be contacted by a member of one of the three student research
groups. At that time they would then be presented with an
informed consent form as per UBC Ethical Review Guidelines.
During the course of ANTH 516 each student group will contact
3-5 people from the list of potential contacts. If the potential
contact agrees to be interviewed and signs the informed consent
form they will be interviewed by a member of one of the student
groups. Each interview will take between 30 and 60 minutes.
The students will record notes and provide each interviewee with
the opportunity to review the notes. At the end of the interview
the student researcher will ask the interviewee if they might
suggest one or two other people who might wish to be interviewed
(this is called a 'snowball' technique and is a standard anthropological
practice). If time permits some of these people may
be contacted by the instructor to ask them if they would consider
being approached by the student researchers.
INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS AND DESCRIPTION OF GROUP PROJECT
The ability to work effectively and cooperatively in team or
group settings is an important skill to develop and has applications
in both the public and private sector. Most ‘real-time’
employment situations involve some form of group work. Educational
studies have also demonstrated that students who study and work
in groups generally recall more of their course material than
they if they studied alone. The projects will be developed within
randomly assigned learning teams of 3-4 students. Though class
time will be dedicated to develop and facilitate the assigned
group projects, it is anticipated some additional work will occur
outside of the scheduled class times.
Evaluations of group projects will be based on both individual
participation and the collective outcome. The marking process
will include peer evaluations in the determination of each individual’s
grade. The emphasis is on cooperation and team work. This assignment
will provide students an opportunity of hands on experience of
field research in a controlled environment.
This term our research focus will be on the implications of recent
political and funding changes on the delivery of educational services
within the Vancouver School District from the perspective of parents
and teachers.
STUDENT RESEARCHERS: 2002
Cheryl Aman, Heather Bjorgan, Theo Breedon, Sheryl Clark, Alice,
Edwards, Cara Krmpotich, Ann Peterson, Kiriko Watanabe, Michelle
Willard.
