Reflection

I particularly enjoyed Dr. Smith-Shank’s presentation today. I really liked how she took the approach of “what do you want from me?” This is something that I felt was lacking from a few of the lecturers throughout this semester – it was very nice to have someone who was willing to cater their presentation to our needs and questions. It was interesting to think of the fairy tale as the key to our research paths, but the way that she broke it down it was really insightful and helpful. My favorite moment was honestly the point of taking advantage of your community resources – asking for help, advice, and input from colleagues, classmates, professors, etc. 

Reflection

After listening to Dr. Funk’s lecture, I am particularly interested in working with the material culture approach. I was surprised to learn how much this will dovetail with my architectural interests and in the concept of memory and preservation. I was interested in the “agency” approach and looking at how objects act on people rather than the more traditional how we simply interact with objects.

Material culture = popcorn, making sense of it through all five senses

Reflection

I am still having some difficulty in considering how to apply queer theory to my research interests. My proposal regarding Fort Hayes is largely based in practical application of planning theories rather than theoretical approaches and methodologies. I still believe that it is largely detached from issues regarding sexual deviance. However, I did find Dr. Sanders’ lecture incredibly interesting. The course that I have been teaching, Criticizing Television, heavily addresses LGBT issues and their representation across a variety of television genres (i.e. reality, drama, comedy, etc.). This lecture really helped open up a lot of doors and approaches that made these conversations in my class much deeper and more insightful for both me and for my students.

Reflection

I thought that it was very interesting to hear from three different students with similar (but not the same) research interests and academic pursuits rather than from one source. I am interested in the hands-on nature of participatory action research (PAR) and think that if I were to expand my work with Fort Hayes into more of a look at the impact of the program itself on the students that it would be very helpful for me. I was thrilled to get some personal experience feedback from Kate, Melissa, and Ruth! It is always nice to hear testimonials that help reinforce that even though you don’t have a clue about what you’re doing, you’re not necessarily doing it wrong. And that you’re not alone! Their tips and explanations were really helpful in clarifying some questions I had regarding the basics of methodological approaches and in addressing challenges that I might expect to face.

Reflection

Looking at some of the topics that will be discussed in this course, I am finding it difficult to see where some of these areas will apply to my research. I am trying to keep an open mind, however it seems that a lot of these approaches are far more geared toward theoretical concepts rather than the more practical and applied areas that I am pursuing.