Module 2: Practicalities of Educational Research

Activity 1: Do you see what I see?

Observation of an Eating Situation:

Dinner at the Gibson’s:
Fork in right hand, bowl of salad on lap-
Conversation flows
Waits till mouth is empty to speak
Slurps in piece of coldslaw, wipes mouth with hand
Eats with mouth open
Talks with mouth full
Licks teeth
Puts potato salad closest to her as she eats it
Burps – Laughs (Because she knows I’m observing)
Mum refuses to eat

Dessert:
Debate – What’s the difference between – “Can I have some ice cream?” and “Can you get me some ice cream?”
Loud slurping noises – sigh
Mum – (Finally can’t resist eating dessert simply because I’m observing) Blows icecream to moderate temperature (as if it’s too hot and she’s cooling it down) – Does this subconsciously then laughs at herself.
Sister – Drops spoon on belly “Dam it” Scrapes off residue.
Spoon of dessert lingers in mouth longer than spoon of salad – indicating enjoyment.

Being asked to simply observe, without direction, I found myself subconsciously looking for things that mattered to me. While growing up, etiquette whilst eating was drilled into us, hence my observations mainly consist of when this etiquette is followed or otherwise. I am very close with my sister and my mother; we’d already talked about my day at school and what my ‘homework’ was. They knew that I would be writing observations as they ate and changed their behaviour accordingly. Mum refused to eat, my sister ‘played to the audience’ so to speak, and modified her behaviour in a negative way in order to be funny!

Relating this to an educational setting you often find that children can change their behaviour when they know you are observing them. In a simple walk around the room it’s easy to see those that suddenly pick up the pace of their writing or put their heads down when you are drawing closer. When taking running records during reading sessions, children often are more concerned with what you are doing than what they are reading. I have also changed my teaching behaviour based on the presence of other adults in the room. Thus it is a delicate balance between simply getting ‘observations’ and getting ‘true observations’ – when you can monitor behaviour in its truest setting.