Experiences of becoming and being a qualitative researcher in the developing world context
Location
1053
Format Type
Event
Format Type
Paper
Start Date
January 2018
End Date
January 2018
Abstract
This paper critically examines, problematizes and presents my intellectual and practical lived experiences of becoming and being a qualitative researcher in the developing world context (Pakistan). In Pakistan, the situation of educational research is challenging in the sense that there are few in higher education who understand the significance of qualitative research. It is much more challenging in school contexts where I have been involved over more than a decade as a researcher and dealing mostly with teachers and the school administration. In the school contexts qualitative research is unheard of and doing qualitative research is an uphill task. My experience is filled with both daunting and exciting moments in my journey which include my thoughts, feelings, and memories, depicting my stream of consciousness. As I endeavored to enter the exhilarating journey of a qualitative researcher in a developing world context I went through three ‘Es’ which are Engage, Educate and Empower. The paper illustrates my initial encounter with qualitative research and my long-term engagement with it. It highlights how I got engaged and how I engaged others with me. Then it discusses how vistas of opportunities enabled me to educate myself and others, which includes my own graduate students, school administrators and my research participants. Next, it presents how I was empowered and how I empowered others. The journey presented in this paper provides insights into the most fundamental question of how to be a researcher in the developing world context and what are its implications for the global world.
Experiences of becoming and being a qualitative researcher in the developing world context
1053
This paper critically examines, problematizes and presents my intellectual and practical lived experiences of becoming and being a qualitative researcher in the developing world context (Pakistan). In Pakistan, the situation of educational research is challenging in the sense that there are few in higher education who understand the significance of qualitative research. It is much more challenging in school contexts where I have been involved over more than a decade as a researcher and dealing mostly with teachers and the school administration. In the school contexts qualitative research is unheard of and doing qualitative research is an uphill task. My experience is filled with both daunting and exciting moments in my journey which include my thoughts, feelings, and memories, depicting my stream of consciousness. As I endeavored to enter the exhilarating journey of a qualitative researcher in a developing world context I went through three ‘Es’ which are Engage, Educate and Empower. The paper illustrates my initial encounter with qualitative research and my long-term engagement with it. It highlights how I got engaged and how I engaged others with me. Then it discusses how vistas of opportunities enabled me to educate myself and others, which includes my own graduate students, school administrators and my research participants. Next, it presents how I was empowered and how I empowered others. The journey presented in this paper provides insights into the most fundamental question of how to be a researcher in the developing world context and what are its implications for the global world.
Comments
Breakout Session D