The projects’ method course was the first time students and faculty from all three countries got to meet each other “face-to-face”, hence the name of the seminar. This week long course enabled academics to support the students to learn more about ESL, drop out, NEET, equality literacy and the Indirect Approach. The face-to-face seminar is grounded in the academics experiences from the workshop they attended in the very beginning of the project.
The students got a range of theoretical input, and got time and space to apply this knowledge and new skills in practice. To practice interviewing by using the Indirect Approach this involved the students first interviewing one another in small groups and reflecting on the experience. After this first trial run testing out the method, the students interviewed pupils from a local upper secondary school in small groups. These were rich learning experiences.
After the practice interviewing, all students and teachers gave each other feedback in groups, looking for what went well and how to improve.
Ethics
An important element of this week was the focus on ethics, both in terms of ensuring that everyone follows ethical guidelines/procedures prior to conducting research with vulnerable participants, and in terms of managing complex ethical dilemmas which emerge during the research process. Compared to traditional interviewing methods the indirect approach enables a greater connection between researcher and informant. Addressing ethical boundaries of research and the ‘do no harm’ principle was an ongoing focus throughout the course. Boundaries, dilemmas and principles were addressed within the overall ethical framework of the project, and within the ethical framework of each country.
Topics on the seminar
- The Indirect Approach
- Tools in interviewing
- Reflect on our role as researchers
- Research Ethics
- Equalities Literacy (EQL)
- Co-creation - Preparations for working together locally, nationally and internationally
- Practical Equalities Literacy (Youth culture and marginalisation)