Kate’s Inspiration for Basic and Narrative Analysis

Merriam (2009) suggests, “A central characteristic of qualitative research is that individuals construct reality in interaction with their social worlds” (p. 22). This is relevant to my topic for which I intend research. My plan is to study the culture of the middle schools, identify middle school students’ attitudes towards mathematics which impact achievement.

It would also be ideal if my research could provide the school with a factors which directly effect the middle school students attitudes towards mathematics which impact achievement. In order to accomplish this I will certainly be deeply invested in trying to understand the “reality of this social world."

What are the similarities and differences amongst cultures? If you attend a math class in one school and then another you may feel some similarities exists. What factors contribute create the students’ attitudes?  In the fields of humanity, especially education the perception of the community is key to the way those involved treat the community. Merriam (2009) suggests that, “Meaning is not discovered but constructed” (p. 22). Our school is what we make it; is this true for our students’ attitudes? What factors are making their attitudes? School culture?

I don’t feel one can accurately discuss culture of any community without included the voices and perspectives of the students. According to Merriam (2009),  “The key to this type of qualitative research is the use if stories as data, and more specifically, first-person accounts of experience told in story form, having a beginning, middle and end” (p. 32). Should I also focus on the voices of the teachers? Parents? Administrators?  Whose voices will collect, organize and analyze to identify key factors which effect students attitudes to define reality?