Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
The second phase of data collection
It is not something as dull as the title may sound. Firstly, I did not think I would go to the second phase of data collection, simply because I had only one phase all together. So the unplanned phase came up with lots of surprise-behind-the-winding, which somehow aligns with the emergent and open spirit of this research. The much more worthy thing is thanks to this second phase, I have a precious chance to travel home, to spend Tet with my parents, to stay in my extended HOME, and more than those.
This entry is not devoted for a description of the second phase. I don't know what to say, but thinking of the possibilities ahead, I appreciate what life has offered me, with people and their relationships, with chances and opportunites, and above all with lots of lots of love and faith. Reflecting on the conceiving conditions of the second phase, I asked myself why that way. I dare not put the answer in this post, because i don't know for sure what causes what, but what i know for sure is nothing transcendent comes to you all of a sudden. When it comes to wondering how and why a venture comes its way to me, I find myself often feeling appreciated what life has blessed me, without very often understanding that I have myself been creating opportunities from a me digging a dark tunnel every day and also a me possessing assets like the ability to see the light in the dark and the ability to believe me.
I don't allow myself to expect to see my performance at this stage. What I really want to do now is to be able bridge the distance between a me digging a dark tunnel and a me with extraordinary abilities to create opportunities.
This entry is not devoted for a description of the second phase. I don't know what to say, but thinking of the possibilities ahead, I appreciate what life has offered me, with people and their relationships, with chances and opportunites, and above all with lots of lots of love and faith. Reflecting on the conceiving conditions of the second phase, I asked myself why that way. I dare not put the answer in this post, because i don't know for sure what causes what, but what i know for sure is nothing transcendent comes to you all of a sudden. When it comes to wondering how and why a venture comes its way to me, I find myself often feeling appreciated what life has blessed me, without very often understanding that I have myself been creating opportunities from a me digging a dark tunnel every day and also a me possessing assets like the ability to see the light in the dark and the ability to believe me.
I don't allow myself to expect to see my performance at this stage. What I really want to do now is to be able bridge the distance between a me digging a dark tunnel and a me with extraordinary abilities to create opportunities.
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
Writing methodology chapter
A big pile of things can be devoted to describe the stage of writing the methodology chapter. I have deserted this home for a while and do not really want to return with that big pile of things, at least because I am not able to produce that much this time. I have been diving in the ocean of research methodology books and still unable to emerge for a relief.
I would like to put up here a piece of reading I am doing at the moment because i find it such a thrill upon first reading it. Here we go:
"Exploration" as an Analogy for an Exploratory Case Study
When Christopher Columbus went to Queen Isabella to ask for support for his "exploration" of the New World, he had to have some reasons for asking for three ships (Why not one? Why not five?), and he had some rationale for going westward (Why not south? Why not south and then east?). He also had some (mistaken) criteria for recognizing the Indies when he actually encountered it. In short, his exploration began with some rationale and direction, even if his initial assumptions might later have been proved wrong (Wilford, 1992). This same degree of rationale and direction should underlie even an exploratory case study.
(page 29)
Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (4th ed. Vol. 5). California: Sage Publications, Inc.
I would like to put up here a piece of reading I am doing at the moment because i find it such a thrill upon first reading it. Here we go:
"Exploration" as an Analogy for an Exploratory Case Study
When Christopher Columbus went to Queen Isabella to ask for support for his "exploration" of the New World, he had to have some reasons for asking for three ships (Why not one? Why not five?), and he had some rationale for going westward (Why not south? Why not south and then east?). He also had some (mistaken) criteria for recognizing the Indies when he actually encountered it. In short, his exploration began with some rationale and direction, even if his initial assumptions might later have been proved wrong (Wilford, 1992). This same degree of rationale and direction should underlie even an exploratory case study.
(page 29)
Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (4th ed. Vol. 5). California: Sage Publications, Inc.
Monday, 14 March 2011
I believe in you
"I believe in you", my supervisor has lifted me up and made my day with her such saying.I can read her eyes, feel her smile, and see her hidden love to me. Such a great person and a superordinary supervisor she is. No one is born a superman, but she is showing me you can grow super from your everyday's man effort. Be loving, be trusty, be inspiring, and you can grow up what you want to be.
I feel so inspired and energetic whenever we have a meeting. If what my supermom ( i call my supervisor supermom) says to me is such valuable, what from that spirit I can transfer to my students is a thousand times more valuable. I am going to model the students what and how I am modelled now by my supermom. How can i lift them up, how can i inspire them, how can i make them grow, they are my all-time questions to bear in mind and not to be answered overnight.
"You are growing a plant. Specifically you are working to create a favourable growing condition, and then you hope, since you cannot make the plant grow". This metaphor born by the supermom works well for me, and speaks a lot to me in the specific job of mentoring. "I am growing well and thanks to your care, I will grow up to what you hope for. Believe me" responded me.
I feel so inspired and energetic whenever we have a meeting. If what my supermom ( i call my supervisor supermom) says to me is such valuable, what from that spirit I can transfer to my students is a thousand times more valuable. I am going to model the students what and how I am modelled now by my supermom. How can i lift them up, how can i inspire them, how can i make them grow, they are my all-time questions to bear in mind and not to be answered overnight.
"You are growing a plant. Specifically you are working to create a favourable growing condition, and then you hope, since you cannot make the plant grow". This metaphor born by the supermom works well for me, and speaks a lot to me in the specific job of mentoring. "I am growing well and thanks to your care, I will grow up to what you hope for. Believe me" responded me.
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Towards the confirmation day
I have been absent from this blog since final days last year. Entering the new year is a bit busier but more energetic for me. For the research i am working for and on the initial data collection phase and the initial interviews bring me good result, to be more exact good feeling. Despite of some lesson i have made for myself in terms of interview, i am satisfied with the interviewees and my preparation of the interview prompt.
I receive the time for my confirmation in a ready and welcoming mood. I am thankful to Gillian who has so enthusiastically taken care of this affair, from dealing with DRC to arranging time and more nicely emailing me in advance to ask if the time is fine or not. So now i have nearly a month to prepare. I have two weeks to work on the proposal and at the same time have to take care of the student's writing task 1 for data collection phase 1. I hope i will be as energetic as always.
I receive the time for my confirmation in a ready and welcoming mood. I am thankful to Gillian who has so enthusiastically taken care of this affair, from dealing with DRC to arranging time and more nicely emailing me in advance to ask if the time is fine or not. So now i have nearly a month to prepare. I have two weeks to work on the proposal and at the same time have to take care of the student's writing task 1 for data collection phase 1. I hope i will be as energetic as always.
Monday, 13 December 2010
First Christmas in this journey
No special feeling is my feeling on these days. Like a piece of cheese cake, Xmas sometimes melts every piece of me like what an ice-cream does to a kid and some other times pushes me away due to its overtasteful flavour of too much cheese, sugar, and fat. I choose to surround me everyday in this tranquille room with books and the computer and no humans and to step out of the crowd and gorgeousness of Xmas getting fuller and fuller every corner of the downtown. Stepping out and diving in is offset and thus brings me peace and balance. This style grows well in me.
Christmas is the time to be surrounded with joy, family and friends. I can hold this fact true for me when I want. On the one hand, Christmas is originally Christian. We are to a great extent not used to things like church practice, carols, turkey, pavlova, Xmas tree decoration, holly, Santa Claus and other religious things. As a matter of fact, we seem to be ignorant of those things. To us, Christmas does not ever mean those things. On the other hand, the spirit of Christmas giving speaks more. I have learned through Christmas the lesson of giving and more importantly the power of belief in Santa Claus children possess. I prefer having Christmas this way.
(The following paragraph is written after Christmas.)
Our first Christmas in this country is not very overwhelming both materially and spiritually. We have had a peaceful time with family and a few friends. Kiwi people around us are not so noisy the way it is often seen at parties. They are interestingly very home-oriented. That is what we love from a kiwi Christmas.
Christmas is the time to be surrounded with joy, family and friends. I can hold this fact true for me when I want. On the one hand, Christmas is originally Christian. We are to a great extent not used to things like church practice, carols, turkey, pavlova, Xmas tree decoration, holly, Santa Claus and other religious things. As a matter of fact, we seem to be ignorant of those things. To us, Christmas does not ever mean those things. On the other hand, the spirit of Christmas giving speaks more. I have learned through Christmas the lesson of giving and more importantly the power of belief in Santa Claus children possess. I prefer having Christmas this way.
(The following paragraph is written after Christmas.)
Our first Christmas in this country is not very overwhelming both materially and spiritually. We have had a peaceful time with family and a few friends. Kiwi people around us are not so noisy the way it is often seen at parties. They are interestingly very home-oriented. That is what we love from a kiwi Christmas.
Monday, 15 November 2010
Small word ignites big work
This entry is to capture my feeling when it is most vivid and truthful about my supervisors, since any delay may blur the sharp vividness.
Before this entry can go any further, a few initial words should be devoted for an explanation of the title I have just thought of. The words I got from my supervisors are not small, and the work ignited is not as big as the language may imply. What is meant is the empowerment my supervisors' saying brings to me. A great contrast of the signifier, language, and the signified, content, is found in their saying.
Imagery words speak much to me. Such metaphors used by my supervisors as diet, flavour, planting tree, fishing,etc. convey meanings far richer than they are intended. A wealth of lessons I learnt ranges from things in my research field to communication etiquette. Beyond the sounds of language (the audio signifier), silence, pausing, pacing, and intervals between stretches of utterance do touch my senses and nurture my mind. What if people do not hold a healthy perspective toward life, a rich wealth of knowledge in their expertise and life alike, a beautiful mind and soul, optimistic beliefs, respect to themselves and others, and passion could produce flowery language? Fragrance is not necessarily what all kinds of flowers possess, I believe.
Critical to this kind of empowerment the supervision brings to me is what and how much I can translate the nuance and essence of my supervisors' saying into my behaviour and action, and how I pass the 'fire' in me to my students/participants.
How do people say what they mean and mean what they don't say?
Before this entry can go any further, a few initial words should be devoted for an explanation of the title I have just thought of. The words I got from my supervisors are not small, and the work ignited is not as big as the language may imply. What is meant is the empowerment my supervisors' saying brings to me. A great contrast of the signifier, language, and the signified, content, is found in their saying.
Imagery words speak much to me. Such metaphors used by my supervisors as diet, flavour, planting tree, fishing,etc. convey meanings far richer than they are intended. A wealth of lessons I learnt ranges from things in my research field to communication etiquette. Beyond the sounds of language (the audio signifier), silence, pausing, pacing, and intervals between stretches of utterance do touch my senses and nurture my mind. What if people do not hold a healthy perspective toward life, a rich wealth of knowledge in their expertise and life alike, a beautiful mind and soul, optimistic beliefs, respect to themselves and others, and passion could produce flowery language? Fragrance is not necessarily what all kinds of flowers possess, I believe.
Critical to this kind of empowerment the supervision brings to me is what and how much I can translate the nuance and essence of my supervisors' saying into my behaviour and action, and how I pass the 'fire' in me to my students/participants.
How do people say what they mean and mean what they don't say?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)