Like the Problem Identification Literature Review artifact (see Theme 2 Artifact 1), the Proto-Methodological Chapter would be one of the other significant undertakings within the PhD program. This draft methodological chapter was conducted in the EDU 9005 course, Advanced Research Seminar: Focus on Methods. To me, autoethnography has been an incredibly transformative tool in enhancing my teaching practice. The ability to deeply look inward, journal and interpret my experiences in relation to existing and emerging research have helped point me into a direction of evolving growth. Therefore, my rationale for undertaking autoethnography is to center myself, to understand the culture of my school and classroom and, to discover how my past, present and future decisions may motivate and sustain a culture where students may thrive.
Autoethnography was a methodology utilized in my Master-level thesis. Due to my participation in the PhD program, it was vital to ensure my dissertation’s methodology chapter would be different from that of my thesis. Having explored a wide range of approaches (e.g., Afrocentricity, Indigeneity, mixed-methods and, interpretivism), I used what I learned from the EDU 9005 course to put my own flavour of autoethnography. This was something I did not dare do in my Master-thesis as I did not have the confidence to do so. Additionally, full-time exposure within the PhD program afforded me the ability to express ideas which supported this endeavour. Therefore, using both the course content and my original work, I began to create the first draft by reviewing scholarly work, addressed the weaknesses I discovered from my earlier content and, integrated new materials, thus creating a new autoethnographic identity which differed from my thesis.
One of the most important lessons I learned from EDU 9003 Doctoral Seminar: Contemporary Educational Theory was the issue around definitions. I originally held the belief that there was a universally identifiable—or near similar definition for certain common terminologies. Through this course teachings, I learned there is a world of multiplicity for how terminologies may be used and defined. Therefore, to strengthen my writing capabilities, I began to selectively choose and cite terminologies from certain scholars while also addressing the issue around multiplicity. Looking back at my original thesis, I defined culture in a very broad sense. Acting on what I have learned, I spent a great deal of time researching the term culture from scholars, such as, Gloria Ladson-Billings and Geneva Gay.
Prior to the PhD program, I had a broad understanding between reflection and reflexivity. Therefore, for this first draft, I sought to clarify these terms and provide a detailed examination distinctively separating between the two. To put my own spin to autoethnography, my pending PhD dissertation recognized the importance of interpretivism because our society is embedded with meanings through our words, languages and actions, and, as such, the interpreted meanings can be difficult to encounter (Taylor, 1985a, 1985b). Therefore, to sufficiently decipher the meanings of interpreted data, I believe I needed to convey the notion that researchers need to embrace the act of interpretivism so they can bring about a greater understanding of an experience (Thomas & Corbett, 2018).
It is important to acknowledge that my dissertation is focused on a historically racialized community. As a cultural outsider, I do not have the identity of being Black. Therefore, I wanted to ensure that my identity as a Vietnamese-Canadian would not bias my interpretations when undertaking research around Black learners. This brings me to recall a TED Talk from Chimamanda Adichie’s The danger of a single story. I lived a childhood where I had a misunderstood sense of classism, marginalization from a dominant society, social isolation and other systemic structures that made it incredibly difficult for me to be successful. That said, standing at a position of relative success and privilege, I once held the belief that, “If I could do it, why cannot others do it as well?” However, I now believe there is a danger of generalizing my experiences to others. Consequently, this is why I continue to maintain a high level of sensitivity when entering other cultures. I do not wish to say or do things that may be insensitive to others. Fortunately, while I am in a vulnerable situation, as culturally responsive scholars such as Gay (2021) identify, cultural bridging acts as a way for students and teachers to cross cultural borders and to learn from each other.
As such, and as I address in my artifact related to Osei-Tutu’s (2023) framework of African Oral Traditional Storytelling (AOTS) (see Theme 3 Artifact 2), I continued to put my own spin for this chapter. Instead of using the term ‘data collection,’ Osei-Tutu replaces it with ‘story gathering and sharing.’ Drawing from this inspiration, data collection is now referred to as a ‘recollection of memories’ because as Adams and Ellis (2012) identify, individuals within an autoethnography are not “impersonal subjects only to be mined for data” (p. 206). With that said, later into the chapter, instead of the term ‘data analysis,’ I called that section ‘interpreting memories and experiences.’ All of this is done to maximize ethics and professional codes of conduct when conducting research on individual communities.
Ultimately, I have a great sense of pride and confidence due to the very positive experiences I not only obtained from my course work but from the incredible mentorship I received along the way. In looking back to earlier times, I felt as if I had to tread very carefully so that I do not disrespect the research that have been established by prominent scholars. However, I recognize that the practice of research must work for me and, I can no longer afford to shy away from this stance. That said, I believe that as long as I continue to be respectful to other individuals’ work, I am not only uplifting other scholars but also my own.
Artifact 2: Course Choice Readings
Kitchen Stories (EDU 9002) and African Oral Traditional Storytelling (AOTS (EDU 9005)
Artifact 1: Proto-Methodology Chapter
Draft Version of the Chapter 3 Methodology Section
Demonstrate research competence and critical analysis of current research and methodological issues.
I chose two particular artifacts that are uniquely tied to my revelations around the methodological issues within research practices. What Kitchen Stories from EDU 9002 Methodological Perspectives on Educational Research and the choice readings involving ‘African Oral Traditional Storytelling’ (AOTS) from EDU 9005 Advanced Research Seminar: Focus on Methods provided was a deeper understanding of the ethical considerations involved within research. When individuals conduct research involving participants, ethics must be paramount. As an individual who is from a minoritized and racialized population, relational ethics was something that impacted my local Vietnamese community. More than a decade ago, university researchers, who did not identify as being Vietnamese entered our community seeking knowledge about our transition to Canadian life. As the Vice-President of Internal Affairs, I welcomed these individuals and advocated to others within the community to be involved. That way, our stories are documented for posterity. After many vulnerable elders and community members put themselves out there, we never heard from the researchers, much less know where our stories ended up. As a result, I swore that if I ever conducted research, I would take such ethical considerations very seriously. Consequently, these two linked artifacts are significant exemplars, similarly to what I have shown within the ‘Individual Research Construct Visual Presentation on Afrocentricity (see Theme 1 Artifact 2) and, my ‘Proto-Methodological Chapter for the PhD Dissertation using Autoethnography (see Theme 3 Artifact 1).
It appeared that Kitchen Stories was positioned around a positivist methodology. While positivists utilize an objective stance when undertaking research (Denzin & Lincoln, 2011), it was apparent that the primary data collector (Folke), appeared to hover around the participant (Isak). As I observed how Folke scribbled and wrote every action and movement while hovering over Isak, it was extremely uncomfortable to witness such interactions. While I recognize the technological limitations of what appeared to be post-World War 2 technology, to me, there could have been other actions that would allow for the retrieval of data without such awkward social interactions. In my eyes, it appeared that the researchers did not attempt to maximize ethics. Consequently, I chose both the Kitchen Stories and the readings involving ‘African Oral Traditional Storytelling’ (AOTS) to address my personal revelations and growth around ethical research practices.
My dissertation is focused on the success of Black learners in high school physics. While the research will utilize an autoethnographic approach, as I described in my ‘Proto-Methodological Chapter’ artifact (see Theme 3 Artifact 1), I purposely sought to ensure my PhD dissertation would be distinctively different than that of my Master-level thesis’ methodological chapter. In order to do this, I first needed to address the elephant in the room, which was the methodological mire (Clarke & Visser, 2019) I found myself in. Due to my inexperience as a novice researcher and, having a lack of confidence in taking ownership of putting my own spin to autoethnography, early on I took every opportunity to develop my knowledge and senses. That way, I could unburden myself from such reluctance and begin to remove myself from the swamp.
As a result, while I was unfamiliar with Afrocentricity (see Theme 1 Artifact 2), this artifact, in addition to Osei-Tutu’s (2023) reading on African Oral Traditional Storytelling (AOTS) provided me with further insights and substance in not only enhancing the ethical considerations content, but it provoked an inspiration that would distinctively separate my old to new self. Looking at the time prior to my PhD programming, I rarely, if ever, acted on such inspirations.
Because I am investigating the narratives around student success from a racialized population, I do not wish to be perceived as an individual who enters a culture for some sort of professional gain, recklessly leaving and never heard from again (Adams & Ellis, 2012). Instead, I wanted to embrace the humanistic approach of African Oral Traditional Storytelling (AOTS) by removing the classical terminology of ‘data collection’ and ‘data analysis.’ Instead, I embraced Osei-Tutu’s ideas by renaming ‘data collection’ to ‘recollection of memories’ and, instead of using ‘data analysis’, I chose to rename it as ‘interpreting memories and experiences.’ That way, as Adams and Ellis claim, individuals are not treated merely as data points to merely be studied.
Finally, professional codes of conduct and standards are not simply guidelines. They are put in place to minimize or eliminate potential harm to individuals. Consequently, the movie Kitchen Stories provided me with an opportunity to deeply articulate and evaluate my past and present ethical practices. I also chose to pair the Kitchen Stories artifact with the AOTS artifact because it demonstrates my ongoing pursuit for knowledge and growth. That way, what my Vietnamese community experienced would not be replicated within other cultural communities.
Research Knowledge & Competencies
PhD Candidate (ABD) | MEd, BEd, BSc (Physics & Mathematics)