Time Schedule:
Charlotte P Lee
HCDE 519
Seattle Campus
Provides hands-on experience with qualitative research methods and focuses on how ethnographic fieldwork methods, such as interviewing and participant observation, are used in human-computer interaction. Students undertake an intensive research project at a field site collecting and analyzing data.
Class description
The goal of this class is to introduce you to qualitative research methods, particularly ethnographic fieldwork. We will discuss ethnographic methods and how they are used in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)and Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW). Primarily, however, this course will be a workshop on how one goes about conducting ethnographic research and analysing materials. We will focus in particular on ethnographic methods as a set of practices for producing, interpreting, manipulating, and shaping texts. This class is writing intensive and assignments involve being able to spend time "in the field" to conduct observations.
Student learning goals
Students will learn how to develop a research question appropriate for qualitative research.
Students will learn how to collect observational data and interact with research participants.
Students will learn how to develop an interview protocol.
Students will learn how to do iterative, qualitative data analysis.
Students will learn how to write up findings.
Students will learn how to think and look at the world as qualitative researchers.
General method of instruction
There will be some lecture, especially early in the course, however we will devote as much class times as possible to “data sessions,” where we collectively explore and analyze collected.
Recommended preparation
There are no prerequisites.
Class assignments and grading
Students will undertake quarter-long projects involving the development of a research question, collecting, organizing, analyzing and writing-up data.
