Storytelling in Research and Practice
12 Jan 2006 (Thu)
Sat in a very interesting module, “Storytelling in Research and Practice”, last night. We started by watching the recording of an excellent stage play called “Handle with Care”. An ethnographical performance based on qualitative research among women with metastatic breast cancer.
The theme seems to be “Fear blocks people’s ears”: Fear in the patient and fear among the patient’s relatives and friends. So marvellously executed. Constantly bombarding the audience with multiple points of views — a young woman, a middle-aged one, an elderly one; the whiner, the “never-say-dier”; the the mother, the daughter/son, the husband, the neighbour, the doctor(s); how others’ apparent concern and advice could be “smothering” or “just wanting to know ‘You’re feeling fine’ “; becoming “invisible” once perceived as sick; issues of “control” versus “no control”; “hope” for cure, less pain, longer life, emotional support…. Truly thought-provoking and ever so witty.
Spent time deliberating on the topics which each student will work on — doing literature review and making presentations — individually and in small groups. For example, “Using Stories to Teach English”, “Play Making with Children”, “Labovian Analysis of Narratives” (cheem)… Still wondering what I should do. Borrowed a practice-oriented book called “Stories: Narrative activities in the language classroom” by Ruth Wajnryb (2003). The stories in the book are based on Labovian analysis, the associate professor said. Revisited Toulmin’s model of argument… aha!
The evening ended on a splendidly inspiring note with an animation movie called “The Man Who Planted Trees”. Wow! What one man can do! Makes me wonder how hard I’ve tried to be part of the solution instead of the problem. How easy it is to destroy! How easily we forget about the creative prowess within us! And how easily we tend to give up! :-p
- Discipline vs. Freedom II
- God, the Divine Teacher
- What’s In A Name?
- 50 Writing Tips from School for Journalists
- ‘Industry’ vs. ‘Academia’ III
- Keso’s Understanding of Google Chrome
- “All Marketers Are Liars”
Posted by J.K. in Design, Emotive, Facilitation, Learning, Narrative, Psychology, Qualitative, Research, Technology | blog reactions | |
February 3rd, 2006 at 11:35 pm
Aha! A locally produced ethnographical performance based on research among 500 Singaporean men
according to a CNA report, ACTION Theatre’s play explores why Singaporean men stay single. The writeup was rather choppy though. So, here’s an adapted extract: