Alternate Modes of Inquiry in Home Economics
By Hultgren and Coomer
Glossary Terms
Dichotomous Thinking - is also sometimes called “black or white thinking.” This is when someone is only able to see the extremes of a situation, and is unable to see the “gray areas” or complexities of the situation. For example, a student who engages in dichotomous thinking may believe that if they don't get an "A" in class then they have failed. http://bpd.about.com/od/glossary/g/dichot.htm
Complementary thinking – seeing both sides of an argument or a belief structure
Epistemological assumptions - These are assumptions about the grounds of knowledge -- about how one might begin to understand the world and communicate this as knowledge to fellow human beings. These assumptions entail ideas, for example, about what forms of knowledge can be obtained, and how one can sort out what is to be regarded as ‘true’ from what is to be regarded as ‘false.
Burrell, G. and Morgan, G. Sociological Paradigms and Organizational Analysis. London: Heineman, 1979. http://dsmgt310.faculty.ku.edu/SuppMaterial/EpistAssumpt.htm
Phenomenology - the study of the development of human consciousness and self-awareness as a preface to or a part of philosophy
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phenomenology
Praxis - the practice and practical side of a profession or field of study, as opposed to the theory
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/praxis
Dialogical - of, pertaining to, or characterized by dialogue.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dialogically
Hermeneutics - the study of the methodological principles of interpretation (as of the Bible)
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hermeneutic
Emancipatory - To free from bondage, oppression, or restraint; liberate
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Emancipatory
Positivist Inquiry – this view looks to data that is empirical, analytical, technical and scientific in nature. This person it looking to predict what is and will work. The work is to be objective and free of personal values and interest. The researcher is an observer and has little to no interaction with the subjects of the study.
Interpretive Inquiry – this approach is concerned with how the subject thinks and feels about the situation. The researcher interacts with the subject gain understanding and incite about the practical implications of the study or the situation.
Critical Inquiry – questions the reasons behind a practice and strives to determine who benefits from a practice being performed in such a manner. This investigates what values are placed on situations or ideas and try to emancipate or free us from ideologies that have become common in regards to race, class and gender, etc.
Deconstructionist – questions why the research was done the way it was done and questions traditional assumptions about certainty, identity, and truth
Mixed Methods – combination of two or more of the positivist, interpretive, critical and/or deconstructionist forms of inquiry
Ontological commitments - refers to a relation between a language and certain objects postulated to be extant by that language. The 'existence' referred to need not be 'real', but exist only in a universe of discourse.
Quotes
“Understanding a form in inquiry different from one’s own is not dependent on an acceptance of its principles…it is a ‘hearing’ of another investigative practice which…brings into view the limits of one’s own universal that prereflectively have been taken for granted.” [pg. xvi (Darrock and Silver, 1982, pg. 233)]
Broadening the researcher’s horizon and pushing them to view other point of view and breaking down the idea that the universalities are actually universal. This forces the researcher to recognize that their opinions and understanding of what is universal will be different from other. Show the researcher that ideas are subjective.
“This necessitates going to the various traditions out of which the alternatives emerged in order to gain understanding of the alternative frameworks and how they came to be." (Hultgren, Croomer. Pg. xvii)
Looking to the pat to watch and understand the evolution of traditions. Part of understanding other points of view.
“…technical interest is interest in control; practical interest is interest in maintaining meaningful communication through intersubjective agreement in dialogue; and emancipatory interest is interest in self-reflective knowledge in the achievement of responsibility and freedom.” (Hultgren, Croomer. Pg. xvii)
This is sort of a quick breakdown of positivist, interpretive and critical inquiry. Technical = positivist; practical = interpretive; emancipatory = critical inquiry
Comments
Mission Statement proposed for Home Economics written by Brown and Paolucci (1979)
“…to enable families, both as individual units and generally as a social institution, to build and maintain systems of action which lead 1) to maturing in individual self-formation and 2) to enlightened cooperative participation in the critique and formulation of social goals and means for accomplishing them. (pg. 23)" (Hultgren, Croomer. Pg. xviii)
I felt like this was something to keep in mind for my practice of teaching. This is a way of looking at Home Economics and a purpose behind teaching it.
This article was an introduction to various forms of inquiry and how they may used in Home Economics research.
References
F. H. Hultgren & D. L. Coomer (Eds.), Alternate modes of inquiry in home economics research. Yearbook 9, American Home Economics Association. Peoria, IL: Glencoe.
Dichotomous Thinking - is also sometimes called “black or white thinking.” This is when someone is only able to see the extremes of a situation, and is unable to see the “gray areas” or complexities of the situation. For example, a student who engages in dichotomous thinking may believe that if they don't get an "A" in class then they have failed. http://bpd.about.com/od/glossary/g/dichot.htm
Complementary thinking – seeing both sides of an argument or a belief structure
Epistemological assumptions - These are assumptions about the grounds of knowledge -- about how one might begin to understand the world and communicate this as knowledge to fellow human beings. These assumptions entail ideas, for example, about what forms of knowledge can be obtained, and how one can sort out what is to be regarded as ‘true’ from what is to be regarded as ‘false.
Burrell, G. and Morgan, G. Sociological Paradigms and Organizational Analysis. London: Heineman, 1979. http://dsmgt310.faculty.ku.edu/SuppMaterial/EpistAssumpt.htm
Phenomenology - the study of the development of human consciousness and self-awareness as a preface to or a part of philosophy
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phenomenology
Praxis - the practice and practical side of a profession or field of study, as opposed to the theory
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/praxis
Dialogical - of, pertaining to, or characterized by dialogue.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dialogically
Hermeneutics - the study of the methodological principles of interpretation (as of the Bible)
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hermeneutic
Emancipatory - To free from bondage, oppression, or restraint; liberate
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Emancipatory
Positivist Inquiry – this view looks to data that is empirical, analytical, technical and scientific in nature. This person it looking to predict what is and will work. The work is to be objective and free of personal values and interest. The researcher is an observer and has little to no interaction with the subjects of the study.
Interpretive Inquiry – this approach is concerned with how the subject thinks and feels about the situation. The researcher interacts with the subject gain understanding and incite about the practical implications of the study or the situation.
Critical Inquiry – questions the reasons behind a practice and strives to determine who benefits from a practice being performed in such a manner. This investigates what values are placed on situations or ideas and try to emancipate or free us from ideologies that have become common in regards to race, class and gender, etc.
Deconstructionist – questions why the research was done the way it was done and questions traditional assumptions about certainty, identity, and truth
Mixed Methods – combination of two or more of the positivist, interpretive, critical and/or deconstructionist forms of inquiry
Ontological commitments - refers to a relation between a language and certain objects postulated to be extant by that language. The 'existence' referred to need not be 'real', but exist only in a universe of discourse.
Quotes
“Understanding a form in inquiry different from one’s own is not dependent on an acceptance of its principles…it is a ‘hearing’ of another investigative practice which…brings into view the limits of one’s own universal that prereflectively have been taken for granted.” [pg. xvi (Darrock and Silver, 1982, pg. 233)]
Broadening the researcher’s horizon and pushing them to view other point of view and breaking down the idea that the universalities are actually universal. This forces the researcher to recognize that their opinions and understanding of what is universal will be different from other. Show the researcher that ideas are subjective.
“This necessitates going to the various traditions out of which the alternatives emerged in order to gain understanding of the alternative frameworks and how they came to be." (Hultgren, Croomer. Pg. xvii)
Looking to the pat to watch and understand the evolution of traditions. Part of understanding other points of view.
“…technical interest is interest in control; practical interest is interest in maintaining meaningful communication through intersubjective agreement in dialogue; and emancipatory interest is interest in self-reflective knowledge in the achievement of responsibility and freedom.” (Hultgren, Croomer. Pg. xvii)
This is sort of a quick breakdown of positivist, interpretive and critical inquiry. Technical = positivist; practical = interpretive; emancipatory = critical inquiry
Comments
Mission Statement proposed for Home Economics written by Brown and Paolucci (1979)
“…to enable families, both as individual units and generally as a social institution, to build and maintain systems of action which lead 1) to maturing in individual self-formation and 2) to enlightened cooperative participation in the critique and formulation of social goals and means for accomplishing them. (pg. 23)" (Hultgren, Croomer. Pg. xviii)
I felt like this was something to keep in mind for my practice of teaching. This is a way of looking at Home Economics and a purpose behind teaching it.
This article was an introduction to various forms of inquiry and how they may used in Home Economics research.
References
F. H. Hultgren & D. L. Coomer (Eds.), Alternate modes of inquiry in home economics research. Yearbook 9, American Home Economics Association. Peoria, IL: Glencoe.