Ethnography

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Ethnography
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Ethnography

• Ethno refers to human culture
• Graphy means description of

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Ethnography

• A research process used in the scientific study
  of human interactions in social settings
• Used extensively in anthropology
• Has become increasing popular in educational
  research over the past few years
• Has been relatively slow to become accepted in
  agricultural and extension education

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Ethnography

• Purpose to describe and explain a facet or
  segment of group social life as it relates to
  education

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Ethnography

• Hypotheses and questions begin as a broad
  statement about the purpose of the research, then
  are allowed to emerge more specifically as data
  are amassed.

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Ethnography

• Data - verbal descriptions of people,
  interactions, settings, objects and phenomena
  within the context being studies

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Ethnography

• Data Sources the people, settings, and relevant
  objects being observed

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Ethnography

• Data Collection done by the researcher through
  observation, sometimes combined with interview

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Ethnography

• Data treatment and analysis presentation of
  verbal descriptions and/or logical analysis of
  information to discover salient patterns and
  themes

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The Process

• A question or concern is identified for study
• A group to study is identified
• Typically small
• Typically purposively selected

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The Process

• Permission to study the group is obtained
• The researcher observes the group
• Privileged observer just observes
• Participant observer functions as part of the
  group

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The Process

• Researcher watches and listens attentively and
  records as much detail as possible (this is
  called naturalistic observation). Large amounts
  of notes are typically generated.
• This process may last a week or two or could be
  years.

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The Process

• The researcher analyzes the notes, identifies
  themes, looks for answers to research questions,
  and makes logical inferences.

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The Process

• The final step is to write the research paper
  describing the process, observations, findings,
  and conclusion.
• Often rich descriptions are provided so the
  readers can make their own interpretations.

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Ethnographic Research

• Strengths
• Looks at the situation holistically
• May arrive at greater understanding of the
  problem than other research processes

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Ethnographic Research

• Concerns
• Possible bias on the part of the observer (which
  leads to validity concerns)
• Generalizability (how generalizable are the
  findings from a small, purposely selected group)

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Criteria for Judging Qualitative Research

• Credibility would the group being observed say
  the findings were credible? Are the findings
  logical and reasonable?

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Criteria for Judging Qualitative Research

• Transferability Would a reader be willing to
  transfer the results to another group or setting?

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Criteria for Judging Qualitative Research

• Dependability the researcher accurately
  describes the context, setting and changes that
  may have occurred during the study.

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Criteria for Judging Qualitative Research

• Confirmability if there were additional
  observers, would they describe the situation the
  same and arrive at the same conclusions.

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When to Conduct Ethnographic Research

• To define a problem when the problem is not clear
  
• To define a problem that is complex and embedded
  in multiple systems or sectors
• To identify participants when the participants,
  sectors, or stakeholders are not yet known or
  identified

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When to Conduct Ethnographic Research

• To clarify the range of settings where the
  problem or situation occurs at times when the
  settings are not fully identified, known, or
  understood
• To explore the factors associated with the
  problem in order to understand it