Autoethnography cycle
Autoethnography can be a way of doing something different with theory and its relation to experience."
(Stewart, 2013, p.659)
Have you ever thought about getting involved in education research but didn't know where to start?
Do you want to engage with a methodology that allows you to be creative and at the same time submit a paper for publication?
Join us to expand your research repertoire by exploring a qualitative research method and start writing an autoethnographic paper to be submitted for publication.
Autoethnography is a form of qualitative research anchored in personal and reflective ways of looking at lived experiences in order to describe and critique cultural beliefs, practices, experiences, theories. Autoethnography is thus a methodological and creative tool with which we can reflect on Higher Education teaching and learning, medical education, and that can be transferable to other settings or contexts – for example if you want to discuss a topic that emerges from your clinical or other professional (or personal) experience.
This is a scaffolded professional development opportunity. The Cycle has been designed in a scaffolded way: we start by exploring theoretical underpinnings of autoethnography; then moving to a ‘reading club’ session so participants can be more familiarised with different ways of writing autoethnographic studies; and a planning writing session. You can attend Professional Development retreats also run by MERU to get your writing piece ready for submission.
This is collegial and ethical space. All who decide to engage in any of the sessions will encounter a respectful, trustworthy, supportive and positive environment. All participants and the facilitator will be expected to maintain ethical research behaviours, including honesty and strict confidentiality, particularly when planning writing and sharing ideas and practices.
Sessions
Inward- and outward-looking: Seminar ‘What is autoethnography? How can I engage in autoethnography?’
Dr Ana Baptista (Principal Teaching Fellow, MERU)
In this seminar, the participants will be asked to start an autoethnographic journey by reflecting on approaches to autoethnography, its benefits, challenges and pitfalls, ways in which data can be used and collected, and ethical issues. In this short journey, voices from experts in the field will be collated to inspire us in this inward- and outward-looking and conversation.
Winter Cycle: 10 November 2021, 2-3.30pm London time
Spring Cycle: 2 March 2022, 2-3.30pm London time
Thinking practices: Reading club
Dr Ana Baptista (Principal Teaching Fellow, MERU)
Participants will be invited to read a seminal paper on autoethnography; other specific readings will be suggested by the lead of the session and also by the participants. This will be an interactive reading club, where the participants will be invited to explore different autoethnographic studies, so they can think about different ways of writing autoethnographic studies.
Winter Cycle: 1 December 2021, 2-3.30pm London time
Spring Cycle: 16 March 2022, 2-3.30pm London time
Thinking selves: Planning writing
Dr Ana Baptista (Principal Teaching Fellow, MERU)
Participants will be prompted to reflect about the topic(s) they would like to write about. Participants will be asked to engage in individual and group activities to flesh out the lenses through which they would like to address their autoethnographic piece of writing.
Winter Cycle: 8 December 2021, 2-3.30pm London time
Spring Cycle: 30 March 2022, 2-3.30pm London time
Professional Development Retreats – rolling basis
Dr Ana Baptista (Principal Teaching Fellow, MERU) and Prof Sue Smith (Director of MERU)
We strongly recommend participants to attend this opportunity. Professional Development Retreats are particularly aimed at protecting time for writing up your autoethnographic paper to be submitted for publication. For attending these, you will need to register here.
Target audience
Members of staff interested in Autoethnography.
Priority will be given to Teaching Fellows in the Faculty of Medicine (when registering).
Registration
Essential – until 24h before the session. Maximum of 20 participants in any one session. First come, first served.
Participants will be sent the link in advance to the session. The sessions will be conducted online.
Certificates of attendance can be provided to all participants by MERU in request.
If you have any queries, please email Dr Ana Baptista.