i have fond memories associated with the ethnography forum. it was the venue where, as a relatively new master's student, i first presented an academic paper based on my involvement in an adult literacy practitioner inquiry group. and it is the venue where i have brought my own graduate students so that they, too, could experience a gentle yet generative entry into the discourses of academic presentation. held on the last weekend in february each year, the forum has a rich tradition of bringing history together with innovation in the domain of ethnographic research. and the 2nd day of the annual two-day conference is dedicated to a focus on teacher research and the often illuminating work of educators and those who assume a practitioner role in the space of research and inquiry. and almost without exception, the plenary speakers have consistently pushed to the fore those threads that start to bud as q&a sessions spill over into the hallways of all four years of the school where i spent many hours, days, and years. this year looks to be following in the same direction with a conference theme that promises to be stimulating and groundbreaking, and invited speakers each of whom embodies a unique mix of passion for the work, innovative scholarship, pedagogical creativity, and eloquence. be sure to check it out!
exciting new direction for the penn annual ethnography in education forum. the theme: Digital Discourses: Education and Ethnography in the 21st Century
proposals due: october 1st
a bit about the theme:
Technology and electronic media today are developing faster than ever,
and change the ways we communicate, teach, learn and research. We now
live in a digital world where new forms of interactions, social
relationships, and identities are generated, thus transforming the very
meaning of education. Learning and educating now occur in contexts
shaped by Facebook, Smart Phones, Texting, Twitter, online learning, and
Skyping—creating new resources and new challenges to our educative
worlds. One now needs to draw on ever more diverse semiotic resources
when traversing across different virtual and real spaces. As
ethnographic researchers, our toolkit has greatly expanded: our
briefcase-sized tape recorders of the past have been replaced by
pocket-sized digital recorders, smart technology, hand-held video
recorders, and online chatting from opposite corners of the globe. These
tools have opened up greater possibilities for ethnographically
capturing and exploring digital discourses and also for collaboration
among ethnographers from a distance. Reciprocally, ethnographic and
qualitative research provides keen analytical tools to capture and
understand the complex and vibrant realities in which fast-changing
technology affects the lives of students and teachers.
fantastic plenary speakers:
Angela Reyes, Hunter College
John Jackson, University of Pennsylvania
Linda Christensen, Lewis & Clark College
Glynda Hull, University of California, Berkeley
Complete details here
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