In relation to research analysis methodologies I discussed in my earlier post, I found this quote that Rachel showed us in the presentation seminar particularly useful. Butt’s theory of ‘critical intimacy’ (see above) and Costa and Kallick’s notion of ‘critical friendship’ (Costa & Kallick, 1993) are useful precedents for the kinds of methodologies a already applying to analyse the data I have collected from the students, and to reflect on my own research process through the ARP unit.
Part of the rational for choosing my research question ‘How do stage 1 students understand research?’, was to open up student ideas of research to include a variety of research methods and sources that have a relationship with the everyday world. To think of knowledge as not just as something that is generated in the ‘ivory tower’ of the academy, but as something that can be gained through lived experience. Coming across the notion of ‘critical intimacy’ and ‘critical friendship’ reaffirms and fleshes out my thinking that it makes sense to my research question that my analysis takes place in the world beyond the walls of the institution. Critical friendship will form part of my autoethnographic approach to my analysis.