Rethinking digital ethnography: A qualitative approach to understanding interfaces

2021 ◽  
pp. 146879412110005
Author(s):  
Christian S Ritter
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Meaning Construction ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
The Other ◽  
Observational Research ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Software Firm ◽  
Symbolic Meanings

Contemporary everyday cultures are increasingly pervaded by digital platforms, making a rethinking of observational research into sociocultural phenomena necessary. Observational practices that remain confined to physical localities face various impasses in the era of digital platforms. Combining participant observation in workplaces where digital platforms are accessed with technical walkthroughs of their interfaces, I make a case for renewing interface ethnography. On one hand, technical walkthroughs reveal the sociocultural assumptions embedded in interfaces and the ways in which their affordances generate symbolic meanings. However, on the other hand, participant observation foregrounds emic perspectives on digital platforms within communities of practice. Based on an ethnographic study of a Norwegian software firm, I argue that the integration of the walkthrough method with participant observation enables researchers to trace the twofold meaning construction inherent in communities of practice whose skilled labor is orientated toward digital platforms. This fusion of methods expands the scope of ethnographic knowledge across the digital-physical continuum.

Pagdihon: The Art and Language of Pottery Making in Bari, Sibalom, Antique

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edbert Jay M. Cabrillos ◽  
◽  
Rowena S. Cabrillos ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Video Recording ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
The Other ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Photo Documentation ◽  
Language Pattern ◽  
Art And Language

Pottery is seen as creation of ornamentals, cooking and storing materials. Yet, while economic gains are often considered from producing these materials, the artistic and linguistic aspects have been ignored. This study discusses the factors influencing the culture of pottery, the processes of pottery making, and seeks to uncover the language used in processes of pottery making in Bari, Sibalom, Antique. A qualitative research employing ethnographic study with participant observation and face to face interviews using photo documentation, video recording and open-ended questions in gathering the data was employed. There were five manugdihon, or potters, purposively selected as key informants of the study. The study revealed that environmental factors influenced the culture of pottery making in the barangay. There were seven main processes in pottery making. These included gathering and preparing of materials, mixing the needed materials, cleaning the mixed clay, forming of desired shape, detaching, drying, and polishing and varnishing. Further findings indicate that, together the other processes, the language used in poterry making was archaic Kinaray-a, the language of the province. This language pattern suggests a specialized pottery making. Ultimately, the study suggest that the manugdihon should continue their artistic talents so that the language may be preserved. The educational institutions of the province may provide ways to include pottery making in the curriculum so that the art and language of pottery making will be preserved and promoted.

scholarly journals MEANINGS OF WATER FOR THE FAKCHA LLAKTA INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY OF OTAVALO, ECUADOR

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
CARMEN AMELIA TRUJILLO ◽  
JOSÉ ALÍ MONCADA RANGEL ◽  
JESÚS RAMÓN ARANGUREN CARRERA ◽  
KENNEDY ROLANDO LOMAS TAPIA
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Indigenous Community ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Cultural Objects ◽  
Sustainable Resource Management ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Andean Highlands ◽  
Depth Interviews

Abstract Water is a multidimensional element for the indigenous communities of the Andean highlands. The Kichwa community Fakcha Llakta, of Otavalo, Ecuador has a close relationship with the existing water bodies in their territory. However, traditional knowledge associated with these resources is fading, giving way to new forms of use. The purpose of this research is to reveal the meanings of water for this indigenous community, in order to propose guidelines for sustainable resource management. It is an ethnographic study with a qualitative approach. The information was collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation by the research team, and the gathering of cultural objects. The findings were organized and sub-grouped according to four recurring elements: vital and sacred; diversity of use and value; a threatened natural resource; and the sustainability of water from the ancestral perspective.

scholarly journals Hospice Philosophy in Practice—Toward an Authentic Death

2019 ◽  
pp. 003022281985285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vibeke Graven ◽  
Helle Timm
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Medical Model ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
The Other ◽  
Everyday Practice ◽  
Good Death ◽  
Contemporary Practice ◽  
Institutional Order

This article examines how hospice philosophy works in contemporary Danish hospice practice. The still sparse literature on Danish hospices indicates that hospice philosophy is influencing professional practice. In international palliative care literature, hospice philosophy is challenged for being overly normative in its ideal of the good death or on the other hand as threatened by the medical model. Drawing on the idea of hospice philosophy as providing meaning for everyday practice, this article explores how it is incorporated within the institutional order of contemporary Danish hospices. An ethnographic study was informed by participant observation and 49 interviews with professionals, patients, and families at three hospices in Denmark. The findings contribute to further understanding of the complexity of maintaining hospice philosophy in contemporary practice. Hospice practice works in an interpretive way with hospice philosophy to offer a “lived” philosophy and a means to an authentic death.

scholarly journals The role of communication technology in fighting administrative corruption

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 292
Author(s):  
Ahmed Hamagharib Omar Bali
Keyword(s):  
Communication Technology ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Great Role ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Administrative Services ◽  
Technological Tools ◽  
Tools And Techniques

This research aimed to identify the most important technological tools and techniques, have been introduced in the Iraqi Kurdistan organizations, comparing to the organizations that still rely on a manual system. This research claimed that the technological tools and techniques, apart from its role to activate communication between department employees and their clients, have an active participant in fighting corruption, reducing nepotism, and favoritism. This research relied on qualitative approach through conduction semi-structured interviews and participant observation as a data collection tools, and it also analyze the data under taken by thematic analysis representing the main tools and methods of ethnographic study. The research found that the communication technology machine and tools have a great role in the administrative services and fighting corruption, nevertheless, they have not been used in Kurdistan as required. The majority of respondents suggested to expand using technological machines and tools in all departments, as there are no big obstacles of introducing them even amongst who do not have technology skills.

Hospital pedagogy as support for the construction of identity in chronic hospitalized students, Peru

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Fernando Ledesma Perez ◽  
Maria Petronila Caycho Avalos ◽  
Juana Cruz Montero ◽  
Silvia Rodriguez Melgar ◽  
Estefany Escudero Mori
Keyword(s):  
Social Development ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Construction Of Identity ◽  
Sense Of Identity

Hospital pedagogy implies the presence of the teacher in the environment in which the sick student is to accompany him in his process of cognitive, affective and social development and contribute the elements of understanding to his current condition and in that sense, the educational process is becomes the support for the construction of the identity of chronic hospitalized students. This research aims to understand hospital pedagogy as a support in the construction of identity in chronic hospitalized students, Lima, 2017, qualitative approach, ethnomethodological method, non-participant observation technique, the semi-structured interview was used and the stories were submitted to the analysis of domains and analysis of categories that allowed the understanding of the cultural scene and the sense of identity and the interpretation of how they construct their identity through practices and values, which are acquired through interaction with their environment; relatives, doctors, nurses, auxiliaries, volunteers and friends.

Social Media Literacy For Housewives In Kanoman Maguwoharjo Village, Sleman, Yogyakarta

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dewi Novianti ◽  
Siti Fatonah
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Focus Group Discussion ◽  
Media Literacy ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Research Subjects

Social media is a necessity for everyone in communicating and exchanging information. Social media users do not know the boundaries of age, generation, gender, ethnicity, and religion. However, what is interesting is the user among housewives. This study took the research subjects of housewives. Housewives are chosen as research subjects because they are pillars or pillars in a household. If the pillar is strong, then the household will also be healthy. Thus, if we want to build a resilient and robust generation, we will start from the housewives. A healthy household starts from strong mothers too. This study aims to find out the insights of the housewives of Kanoman village regarding the content on smartphones and social media and provide knowledge of social media literacy to housewives. This study used a qualitative approach with data collection techniques using participant observation, interviews, focus group discussion (FGD), and documentation. The results of the study showed that previously housewives had not experienced social media literacy. Then the researchers took steps to be able to achieve the desired literacy results. Researchers took several steps to make them become social media literates. They become able to use social media, understand social media, and even produce messages through social media.

Do we form or deform? Qualitative Investigation in Public Hospitals of Madrid

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Jesús Gómez Camuñas ◽  
Purificación González Villanueva
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
The Other ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Business Growth ◽  
Small Hospital ◽  
Student Learn ◽  
Depth Interviews

<div><i>Background</i>: the creative capacities and the knowledge of the employees are components of the intellectual capital of the company; hence, their training is a key activity to achieve the objectives and business growth. <i>Objective</i>: To understand the meaning of learning in the hospital from the experiences of its participants through the inquiry of meanings. <i>Method</i>: Qualitative design with an ethnographic approach, which forms part of a wider research, on organizational culture; carried out mainly in 2 public hospitals of the Community of Madrid. The data has been collected for thirteen months. A total of 23 in-depth interviews and 69 field sessions have been conducted through the participant observation technique. <i>Results</i>: the worker and the student learn from what they see and hear. The great hospital offers an unregulated education, dependent on the professional, emphasizing that they learn everything. Some transmit the best and others, even the humiliating ones, use them for dirty jobs, focusing on the task and nullifying the possibility of thinking. They show a reluctant attitude to teach the newcomer, even if they do, they do not have to oppose their practice. In short, a learning in the variability, which produces a rupture between theory and practice; staying with what most convinces them, including negligence, which affects the patient's safety. In the small hospital, it is a teaching based on a practice based on scientific evidence and personalized attention, on knowing the other. Clearly taught from the reception, to treat with caring patience and co-responsibility in the care. The protagonists of both scenarios agree that teaching and helping new people establish lasting and important personal relationships to feel happy and want to be in that service or hospital. <i>Conclusion</i>: There are substantial differences related to the size of the center, as to what and how the student and the novel professional are formed. At the same time that the meaning of value that these health organizations transmit to their workers is inferred through the training, one orienting to the task and the other to the person, either patient, professional or pupil and therefore seeking the common benefit.</div>

Gifted Students' Motivation and its Impact on the Development of their Giftedness

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hussein SALEM MUBARAK BARABWD ◽  
Mohammad YUSOFF BIN MOHD NOR ◽  
Noriah Mohd Ishak
Keyword(s):  
Extrinsic Motivation ◽  
Gifted Students ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
The Other ◽  
Phenomenological Method ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Verbal Praise ◽  
Intrinsic Motivations ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Intrinsic And Extrinsic Motivations

The aim of the current study is to examine the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of the gifted students from Hadhramout Gifted Center HGC in Yemen, and to investigate the impact of these intrinsic and extrinsic motivations on their giftedness development. A qualitative approach was adopted; data has been collected through an open- ended questionnaire that was prepared by the researcher and distributed among a sample of gifted students who were chosen purposively from HGC. The interpretative phenomenological method has been used to analyze the data using, Atlas ti. The results indicate that the majority of the participants consider it interesting to explore new things, and experience curiosity and desire to achieve their goals as their intrinsic motivations. Whereas, the minority consider preference to serve the community, competition preference and self-confidence as their intrinsic motivations. On the other hand, half of the participants consider rewards as their extrinsic motivation, whereas 40 % of them consider exams scores, verbal praise, parents and environment as their extrinsic motivations. Regarding the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations on the development of giftedness, the majority of the participants believe that intrinsic and extrinsic motivations affect positively the development of their giftedness development. Finally, based on the findings, some recommendations were provided. 

Discovering the Other: Study Abroad as Fieldwork

1996 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-122
Author(s):  
Joseph R. Stimpfl
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Cultural Anthropology ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Cultural Adjustment ◽  
The Other ◽  
Cultural Immersion ◽  
Cultural Learning ◽  
Fieldwork Experience ◽  
Different Cultures

The literature annotated here is from a subset of literature in cultural anthropology that deals with ethnographic fieldwork: the basic research exercise of cultural immersion. This bibliography is meant to offer a representative sample of literature in anthropology that deals with the fieldwork experiences of researchers. Cultural anthropology is devoted to the concept of “discovering the other.” Its method of inquiry is often referred to as participant/observation: the researcher lives the culture while observing it. Since so much of the fieldwork experience deals with personal adjustments to living in different cultures, the literature is charged with the problems of adjustment and understanding so common to study abroad experiences. This literature is particularly relevant to those interested in cross-cultural learning and issues in cultural adjustment. 

Young Muslim America

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muna Ali
Keyword(s):  
Public Discourse ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Cultural Citizenship ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Muslim American ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Community Culture ◽  
Identity Studies ◽  
Anthropology Of Islam ◽  
Dominant Narratives

This book explores the identities, perspectives, and roles of the second and subsequent generations of Muslim Americans of both immigrant and convert backgrounds. As these younger Muslims come of age, and as distant as they are from historical processes that shaped their parents’ generations, how do they view themselves and each other? What role do they play in the current chapter of Islam in a post-9/11 America? Will they be able to cross intra-community divides and play a pivotal role in shaping their community? Culture figures prominently in the discussions about and among Muslims and is centered on four dominant narratives: 1) culture is thought to be the underlying cause of an alleged “identity crisis,” 2) it presumably contaminates a “pure/true” Islam, 3) it is the cause for all that divides Muslim American immigrants and converts, which could be remedied by creating an American Muslim community and culture, and 4) some Americans fear an “Islamization of America” through a Muslim cultural takeover. In this ethnographic study, Muna Ali explores these questions through these four dominant narratives, which are both part of the public discourse and themes that emerged from interviews, a survey, social and traditional media, and participant observation. Situating these questions and narratives in identity studies in a pluralistic yet racialized society, as well as in the anthropology of Islam and in the process and meaning of cultural citizenship, Ali examines how younger Muslims see themselves and their community, how they negotiate fault lines of ethnicity, race, class, gender, and religious interpretation within their communities, and how their faith informs their daily lives and how they envision a future for themselves in post-911 America.

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