Developing Research Techniques Using Disciplined Noticing Hertford Sept

Developing Research Techniques Using Disciplined Noticing Hertford Sept 2006

It is only after you come to know the surface of things that you venture to see what is underneath; But the surface of things is inexhaustible (Italo Calvino) He who loves practice without theory is like the sailor who boards ship without a rudder and compass and never knows where he may cast. Practice always rests on good theory. (Leonardo Da Vinci) 2

Outline What Constitutes Data? – (Looking At & Looking For) Analysing & Reporting Data – (Accounts of & Accounting For) Disciplined Noticing – – – 3 Improving your research methods Researching your own practices Lifelong personal development

Imagine ‘it’ Describe ‘it’ to someone else Draw ‘it’ Tell someone else how to draw ‘it’ How did you do all that? What did you do with yourself? 4

Looking At & Looking For Holding Wholes (Gazing) Discerning details Recognising relationships Perceiving properties Reasoning on the basis of properties 5

Observation ] A name or label immediately shapes what is seen and what is recalled (Frederick Bartlett 1932) ] Observation is theory laden (George Hanson 1958) ] We want our theories to be as fact 6 laden as our facts are theory laden (Nelson Goodman

Say What You See 7

Say What You See 8

Say What You See 9

Say What You See 10

Say What You See 11

Say What You See 12

Say What You See 13

Crosses 14

What are the Significant Products of Research in Education? S Transformations of the ‘being’ of the researchers S Increased sensitivity to notice what was previously noticed S Refined vocabulary for discussing, discerning and analysing S Awareness which informs future choices of action S Self S Others 15

Accounts-of & Accounting-For I cannot evaluate your analysis if I cannot distinguish it from the data itself Accounts-of: brief-but-vivid accounts Reduce-remove theorising, judgement, excuses, evaluations, justifications 16

Reporting Data Accounting For Account of “They couldn’t …” “They didn’t display evidence of …” “They can’t” “They don’t display evidence of …” “I didn’t detect evidence of …” 17 “I don’t detect evidence of …”

Precision Conjecture The more precisely the data is specified, the more we learn about the researcher’s sensitivities to notice 18

Noticing-Marking-Recording “I’ll never do that again …!” S Notice … so as to recognise when attention drawn S Notice … and be able to initiate a (re)mark S Make a record of what has been noticed 20

Natural Epistemology Noticing – Marking – Recording Conjecturing Avoid the teaching of Resonance seeking speculators, – with own experience – with others Validity found in whose judgements are not confirmed by experience. (Leonardo Da Vinci) – use by local community of practice – own future practices informed 21

Specting Intraspective ve i t c e p s a r t Ex Interspective 22 I n t r o s p e c t i v e

Essence of Discipline of Noticing Systematic Reflection – Past (accounts-of not accounting-for) Preparing & Noticing – For Future & Present Recognising Choices – Could-have & Could-be (not should have or should be) Validating – for Self & with Others 23

Systematic Reflection Keeping Accounts Seeking Threads Recognising Choices Distinguishing Choices Preparing & Noticing Imagining Possibilities Noticing Possibilities Accumulating Alternatives Identifying & labelling Validating with Others Describing Moments 24 Refining Exercises

Interwoven Worlds Own world of experience Colleague's world of experience Trying Recognising Possibilities Reflecting Seeking resonance with others Preparing Expressing World of observations & theories 25

The universe is a mirror in which we can contemplate only what we have learned to know about ourselves (Italo Calvino) 26

Adam can get irritable and moody at times, so I secretly replaced his caffeinated coffee with decaff Let’s see if he notices 27 I guess technically to notice something you have to be awake