How do we find the answers?

1. How do we find the answers? • Methodologies – collecting knowledge.

2. SO WHAT IS SOCIAL RESEARCH? • “Social research is a form of human communication in which we try and find out something about people and the way they interact with their environment and each other” • CAMM CAMM AND GORDON, SOCIETY AND CULTURE IN A CHANGING WORLD

3. How Do We Research? the world around us. Question Enquire into people, cultures, value and beliefs series of steps which lead to a better understanding of specific aspects. Process

4. Public Knowledge Personal Experience • The collection of knowledge assembled through resource and analysis. • It is the knowledge found in books, lectures, documentaries and computer technology. • Public knowledge is the knowledge you have learned from consulting sources. • The experiences you have as you grow and develop as a human being. • It requires you to think about who you are, what you do, and why you are the way you are. • Personal experience is knowledge gained from things you have actually done. What do we already know? Knowledge and Experience

5. Macro vsMicro Worlds? Terrorism? Changing families, communities, environments? Student at the crossroads The beginning of Iraq? How? & Why? What impacts? Social? Environmental? Cultural? Change? Conflict? Continuity? The socio-cultural impact of changing schools on my family. Housing redevelopment? Changing neighbourhoods?

6. Macro vs Micro World • Macro world research: - the broad canvas of the whole of society. Includes media, law, the government........ • Micro world research: - the small-scale, the close –up view of society. Includes peers, friends, family, school, local community...........

7. Discussion • Why is Social and Cultural research important? • What process does it take? • Where do we start? • What worlds or environments can we question?

8. Social and Cultural literacy • Part of the Society and Culture Syllabus is the ‘development of student’s social and cultural literacy’ (BOS 1999:19) So What is it? • Social and Cultural Literacy involves the development of social skills, knowledge and human values that cause or create the desire and ability to act positively and responsibly in range of complex social settings. • Achieving social and cultural literacy is a development process that requires us to synthesise personal experience and public knowledge of both the macro and micro worlds.

9. Social and Cultural Literacy

10. A Social and Cultural Literate Person :

11. Universal Declaration of Human rights • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a milestone document in the history of human rights – there are 30 articles in all. • Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. • It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected.  • The Declaration arose directly from the experience of the Second World War and represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are entitled. • In 1976, the Bill took on the force of international law. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiFIu_z4dM8

12. Discussion • What is Social and Cultural Literacy? • A person needs to have the ability to synthesise.....what aspects to be Socially and Culturally literate? • What characteristics does a socially and culturally literate person aspire to have?

15. What Ethics are involved? • Truth vs Loyalty do you tell the truth – or do you remain loyal? • Confidentiality – never use names • Safety – legal and social dangers • Sensitivity – towards peoples experiences • Anti-social behaviour drug dealers, pornography or anything threatening to your welfare • Combinations: Never directly ask: • people how old they are. • How much money they earn • What political party they support Always remain objective. This means understanding your research from a veiw- point that disregards your own values and perspectives.

16. How do ethics effect my PIP? • There are many ethical issues that surround the use of both primary and secondary research. When working as a researcher with other people in either a formal or informal manner, it is important to explain to them the purpose of your research. • It is also important that they are left with a sense of how and where your research (that includes their opinions etc.) is going to be published. • To be an ethical researcher you must always source your resources through referencing and if necessary seek the permission of people to publish their thoughts and ideas.

17. Resources for Research Primary Resource • Research you conduct yourself • Gain first hand information • Involves interaction with other people • Collecting data that does not already exist. Secondary Resource • Research conducted by others • Builds upon the works of others • Public knowledge • Processing data that has already been collected

18. What is a methodology? Methodology is the conceptual, logical and research procedures by which knowledge is developed. Requires: • Validity: if the research purpose is met well, it actually measures what it is meant to measure. • Reliability: same procedure will produce just about the same measurements every time. • Objectivity: statements that are public and checkable • Subjectivity: the thoughts that are in someone’s head that are unavailable for checking by other people.

19. Research that gives you data that is easily measured is - Quantitative

20. Research that gives you data that has to be interpreted is: Qualitative

21. Qualitative or Quantitative? A significant number of sociologists choose not to apply the more scientific approaches to the study of human behaviour. They prefer to sacrifice a certain precision of measurement and objectivity in order to get closer to their subjects, to examine the social world through the perspective of the people they are investigating. These sociologists sometimes refer to quantitative researchers as those who ‘measure everything and understand nothing’. As a class, discuss: • Do you agree/disagree with this view-point? • What dangers do you see in highly qualitative approaches to research? • Do you think there is much value in the qualitative methodologists’ ‘impressions’ and interpretations of social phenomena?