Spring 2017 Research and Project Design

Blog Assignment #1 SPRING 2017

Revisit your research/project design within the context of the assigned readings. Using the language of the assigned readings to explain your research/project design.

I initially had been working towards deciding what type of design I wanted to utilize for answering my research question. Early on I was not sure if mixed-methods or qualitative reserach was where I wanted to base my data collection from.  My research question was formerly based on my unit plan execution in Spring and the results of its efficacy in providing a body of knowledge that would allow students to have a good foundation of understanding themselves, their environment and community before being given more in depth learning into indigenous knowledge.  My research question was posed as "What topics within Native Hawaiian indigenous knowledge will build a firm foundation for youth towards a clear understanding of self, environment and community in Koʻolauloa, Oʻahu?"  

Choosing one specific research question was a little fuzzy in the beginning because of the various avenues of study I could follow in relation to my project goals after STEMS2.  Everything I am producing out now will be in one way or the other beneficial for my future projects after I graduate in this program. However, I had to suss out (figure out) what avenue can I vet right now that will be most beneficial directly after my program to help me push my overall goals into becoming a reality.  

Therefore, my decision for research design was a qualitative approach being that I was relying heavily on the experience students would have in their environment performing certain activities.  I also know with this design my approach would incorporate open-ended questions to allow them to share their perspectives and formulate for themselves what certain activities meant to them via their cultural, economical, social or political backgrounds.  Therefore, I specifically chose a social constructivist worldview where the research is more focused on "the complexity of views rather than narrowing meanings into a few categories or ideas."

Fast-forward to a week ago and I have now decided to not do a research design or answer a research question but instead focus on creating a curriculum design for my plan B.  Answering a question about the content of my unit’s applicability and efficacy on having students feel connected to themselves and others in their community is still very important to me.  However, for my immediate goals of project set up in the future, having a specific curriculum design that honors the collective perspective of our future program is crucial in developing.  It will also be great in getting community feedback and involvement in the services myself and others hope to provide on a community level.

Therefore, based on the 3 categories I placed lessons into from my unit plan, I am going to be focusing on developing a curriculum design specifically for the Hānau Ka ʻĀina portion and creating those lessons on a full extent. The effort will be to create a specific curriculum for this portion and present it to community at neighborhood meetings as a part of a larger proposal for a non-profit program in Koʻolauloa.  This will serve as a template for development of the other two categories of ʻike and the lessons that are expressed under each.