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| Sunday, 15 January 2006: 10:30 AM-12:00 PM | |||
| Reflective Researchers, Reflective Practitioners? : Evaluating in Practice Ten Years Later | |||
| Speaker/presenters: | Patricia Joyce, DSW, Adelphi University Julie Cooper Altman, PhD, Adelphi University Roni Berger, PhD, Adelphi University Ellen B. Bogolub, PhD, Adelphi University | ||
| Abstract Text: There are parallels between social work practice's multiple concepts of self awareness, professional use of self, and countertransference analysis (here referred to collectively as “self awareness”) and qualitative research's emphasis on researcher reflexivity. Qualitative social work research demonstrates how its methods explore the complexities that social workers confront daily. Shaw's work on “evaluating in practice” provides an approach to translate qualitative research strategies as part of good practice. Yet, to date few studies address similarities and differences between practice's self awareness and research's reflexivity. This roundtable will present perspectives of qualitative researchers on the multiple connections between reflexivity and practice self awareness. Discussants will relate their experiences to Schon's second question, as articulated by Shaw: “How do practitioners bring past experience to bear on a unique situation?” (Shaw, 1996, p. 104). This roundtable discussion reflects the experiences of four seasoned researchers. Each discussant will address a specific facet of reflexivity at different points in the research process. Included will be 1.The use of a reflexive journal during data collection and analysis; 2. The impact of the researcher's recruitment-generated emotions on interviews with foster children; 3. The parallels between immigration experiences of the researcher and her respondents, highlighting respondents' active collaboration and its influence on researcher reflexivity; 4. Three levels of reflexivity: The first level of moving from clinician to researcher, and beginning researchers' explorations about shifting between the two roles; the second level of how the researcher situates herself—the researcher as instrument, and how to make that transparent in analysis and presentation of data. The third, and most important level, circles back to practice again, and asks the question “Is any of this (the findings) useful for practice?” The discussion will address Shaw's concepts of reflexive and plausible practice as they relate to the presenters' research. Patricia A. Joyce DSW Julie Cooper Altman PhD Roni Berger, PhD Ellen Bogolub, PhD Adelphi University References Altman, J.C. (2003). A qualitative examination of client participation in agency-initiated services. Families in Society, 84, 4, 471-479. Berger, R. (2004). Immigrant women tell their stories .New York: Haworth Bogolub, E. PhD (In press). The impact of recruitment-generated bias on qualitative research interviews with foster children, Families in Society. Joyce, P. (In press). The case conference as social ritual: Constructing a mother of a sexually abused child. Qualitative Social Work. Schon, D.A. (1983). The reflective practitioner. New York: Basic. Shaw, I. (1996). Evaluating in practice. Aldershot, England: Arena. | |||
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See more of Meeting the Challenge: Research In and With Diverse Communities (January 12 - 15, 2006)