Humility is a word that has been thrown around more than a few times during our time together. What does it mean to you in the context of educational research and, more specifically how might it relate to your field of study/discipline and the kind of work that you want to do?
I think that when we look at improving our practice in general we have to have some humility to be able to say, "Hey, I could do that better." It is hard to criticize something that we have put so much of our heart and soul into. So, when looking to do research, we have to be able to say that we were wrong about something or just not fully aware. I think we need to be able to open our minds, but still hold true to what we believe. We must also make sure that when we are expressing what we believe that we allow room for other voices to make the picture whole. I need to be able to learn from my students just as much as they learn from me. They day I stop listening because I lose that humility is the day I stop learning. As a researcher, I am looking for answers and more questions to go with those answers. I need to realize that I can't have all of the final answers all the time. There has to be room for growth- always. As a teacher trainer, I need to be able to teach this concept as much as every other. Adults in general need to feel more humility, but when faced with having to exercise that in front of a room full of brutal teenagers is a must!
ReplyDeleteLauren Mortensen comment - I agree with Jackie 100% - being able to say “Hey - I can do that better”, is key. I also think it’s important to flip it a little bit and keep asking yourself “Where and how can I do better?” My final paper is on intersectionality, and I was looking at it through the lens of gender and race discrimination at first. While I was doing some research I came across an article on Nontraditional students in Higher Ed and how their experiences should be included in discrimination discourse. All of a sudden, I had an entirely different lens that I hadn’t even considered….and I am someone that wants to do research on adult learners in higher ed! I was on the phone with my boss yesterday, she is on a diversity committee for the College of Health Professions that is looking at holistic admissions practices - I asked her how nontraditional learners were being factored into the conversation and she said that they weren’t - although now they are. Yay!
ReplyDeleteLauren, it's great hear of an instance when mucking around with theory for a school assignment directly leads to a practical improvement!!
ReplyDeleteDana R-D
ReplyDeleteWhen thinking about “humility” in the context of what we have read and discussed in this class about educational research, there are two other words that come to mind: assumptions and presumptions.
Although the multiple definitions and connotations of both words seem to have overlapping and basically equivalent meanings, I am thinking of their relevance to educational research in somewhat distinctive ways. For example, in our class content there has been repeated reference to the value and need for us, as credible and trustworthy social science researchers, to foreground the myriad assumptions of diverse nature that we bring to a host of research design and implementation decisions (such as our purpose statements, participant selection, data collection methods, data analyses, inference development, etc.). This public exposure of potentially limiting and/or distorting influences built into our thinking (and even our sensing) systems involves both assumptions that are explicitly conscious to us and implicit assumptions drawn out of us through reflective praxis, to the degree possible. Along with this element of a “professional standard of practice”, there was also reference in the course content to the value of collaborative research efforts (rather than solo) as a potential a way to hear and give serious attention to different researcher “voices” throughout a research project. To me, such practices represent avenues for helping to bring the influence of “humility” into the essence of our work and results as researchers, while also potentially generating richer and more credible outcomes.
Although the word presumptions is sometimes used interchangeably with assumptions, I am thinking of it here in terms of a definition like “going beyond what is right or proper because of an excess of self-confidence or arrogance.” These patterns of thinking/behavior are in counterpoint to a definition of “humility” that strikes me as positively self-liberating: “freedom from pride or arrogance.” We discussed in our last class the phenomenon of the “public intellectual” (who might also be labeled the “celebrity scholar”) played out by certain researchers – often with clearly positive social effect and value, but sometimes with incessant bragging about own accomplishments and/or little credit to those who helped them, as well as an inflated opinion of the definitive nature and expansive relevance of their research outputs. The popular appeal (and accompanying status and influence) of such “celebrity” status in our American culture tends to exacerbate this phenomenon and its degrading influence on our common discourse and understanding regarding critical social issues. On the other hand, our academic institutions seem to be heavily urging their faculty members, scholars and teachers to push themselves forward, to publicize themselves and to make sure everyone knows about their accomplishments. So where is an adequate space left for a research life of “healthy humility” in this mix of influences? To me, that is what this course has meant, in part, to raise up as a foundational challenge for us as relatively new entrants to scholarly educational research with hopes for a rewarding experience in this field. And the answer is......
In the context of research, I think humility is a self-directed application of most of the key attitudes of science. Scientists are meant to be skeptical, and I think most researchers are careful to apply that outward - skepticism toward methods, skepticism toward data, skepticism toward philosophies, all until sufficient proofs are presented (and even then, skepticism means we should be willing to accept that a better proof might be lurking to discredit the evidence we had). What many researchers fail to do is direct that skepticism at themselves - not only at the data they produce, but the fundamental assumptions that led them to their lines of inquiry. I think humility is an attitude of being willing to accept that just because you are deemed an expert doesn't mean you are correct, or that your word carries more weight than those of others. It means being willing to listen, include others in your work, and adopt the position of a lifelong learner.
ReplyDeleteThe more we know, the more we realize how much we do not know, and the more we are humbled by our ignorance. I believe this state of humility is desirable because this state of mind makes us open to more questions and finding more answers. Humility is what keeps us continuously exploring, coming back to where we started again and again, with new perspectives and bright new questions. Humility is what keeps us intellectually healthy, ever curious and committed to gaining knowledge that will make the world a better place.
ReplyDeleteHumility helps me communicate my ideas and think logically. The awareness of how much I do not know would help in my inquiry journey in this program, and maybe the humility will inspire me to do something not only in this program of study but beyond.
Humility in education and research is the ability to admit your mistakes, accept them, and work to make the right. Especially when conducting work in regards to social justice, we are all in a position to make mistakes but we must be open to recognizing when we make a mistake so that we can learn from it and rectify it. It is also important to understand that others will make mistakes and be able to provide grace to those who are still learning. Additionally, I think about the concept of researcher as expert, which can be a very problematic way of approaching research. By assuming the role of the expert on a topic, we miss the opportunity to hear from others who may provide a needed perspective or new information that we had not considered. When conducting research in education, we must always be willing to learn more about the areas that we study to gain a deeper understanding of all parties that may be impacted by the research. The research doesn’t end. It’s like what we’ve talked about in regards to knowledge and truth. We can continually search for answers but we will never fully reach these ideals; we must keep learning to strive to get closer to the truth knowing that it will never fully be obtainable.
ReplyDeleteFor me, in the context of educational research, humility means self-awareness, openness, admitting mistakes, and being willing to share. My research direction is centered around adult education with concentration on urban services. I hope I have another opportunity to study theology and combine secular and spiritual knowledge to serve people in need. Humility is very important to me. Because that is the first step to work, to build a foundation of trust.
ReplyDeleteFrom Hui Sun
In this class I’ve been thinking more about how my experiences influence my perspective. I have strong feelings about the research that I would like to do, and that can give me blind spots. For example, my focus has been conducting research about working with LGBTQIA+ survivors of sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and stalking. Because of my own experiences navigating these intersections, and helping others with similar identities, I have a schema of what my research should look like. I think that working with others has been major takeaway for widening my lenses. While I have been working with others in the counseling profession, I think that widening my scope to other disciplines in education can improve the philosophy of my approach by making it deeper and a little more inclusive.
ReplyDeletePost by Mia Liadis
DeleteHumility in the field of ed. research to me means to look at all pieces of the puzzle before making assumptions & generalizations. I believe it also means to understand that as times change, the needs in research will change so it is important to remain current & adopt a lifelong learner mindset. When considering the work that I would like to do after this program, humility is something that will be necessary for me to keep pushing as I understand that my line of work in disrupting racist policies will be challenging at times when not all at the table agree.
ReplyDelete-Jasmine Williams
For me, humility in research takes a lot of forms. It is about knowing that there is always something to learn. We should be constant learners as things can change. It is also about understanding your biases and how they impact the research that we do. It is also about looking to others when you need help. For the most part, research works best when you are working with someone else to share ideas. It is also about understanding that not everything is applicable to everyone. Humility is about being honest in your research and acting with integrity at all times.
ReplyDeleteGerron
In the context of educational research, humility is the embracing my humanity and the humanity of all. In the field of adult education, humility reminds me that the experiences I am inquiring about belong to the adults who lived them. I can talk about themes, impacts, relationships, but I can never claim to know someone else’s experience. Humility also buffers my enthusiasm with empathy. I can be very zealous when I am pursuing an idea, but I have to remember that people are more important than my idea. The ends do not justify the means when dealing with humans.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Carter