Initial Interview Reflection
I wonder about how much "conversation" there can be in these interviews. The interviews are semi-structured. What exactly is "following promising lines of discussion"? What is allowable? How much is allowable?
I got the impression during the interviews that students were making comments which they thought I might want to hear. Or they had my class front-center in their minds as they answered the questions. I guess that is inevitable since I am the one conducting the interviews.
One "good" thing is that I found out alot about the students, about who they are, what their outside life is, and what preoccupations they have.
Some of my questions were a little confusing to them. They didn't know what I was asking, therefore, they didn't know how to respond. I should have pilot tested those questions. Now I know...
I am thinking about PAR and about it solving a problem. I know that I have been determining the problem and I don't think that is what it is supposed to be. I am supposed to asking the participants what they want to "fix."
So far, I have gotten "time" and "passion" or "lack of interest from the professor" as the biggest difficulties. How can curriculum design affect that? How can this project help to "fix" that for others.
I am certainly not looking forward to transcribing those interviews...