International Explorations

Saturday room 16  Ninetta Santoro  Simone White and Maxine Cooper  György Mészáros; Saturday Room 16  Geri Smyth  Clea Schmidt  Kerryn McCluskey

 Further discussion of issues raised in papers  Discussion of publlication in special edition of journal or edited book collection  Further possible contributors  Allocation of responsibilites

Identifying and Overcoming Barriers in Researching Diversity Geri Smyth Uniersity of Strathclyde, Scotland

 Brief description of three projects  ‘Open Space’ technology (ESRC)  Digital Photography (EU)  Participatory Research (Scottish Government; British Academy; Association of Commonwelath Universities)  Overcoming barriers  Benefits of approaches  Ethical Issues  Applicability of methods across diverse participants

Research Purpose: Exploring young people's views and understandings of diversity Approach: Space for participants to determine own agenda: 'Chaos with Creativity' ( 60 young people asked 'How can we be more welcoming to others?'

Themes arose from responses: Racism; Sexism;;Disability; Sectarianism; How we might get on better; respect;bullying; wha happens outside school Young peple chose discussion groups; discussions recorded, transcribed and analysed using Social Capital theory and Theoretical models of discrimination

 Research Purpose: how do newly arrived children from refugee families experience education in Scotland  Research participants: 30 children from refugee families  Approach (within long term ethnographic project in school): Children took photos annotated and created slide shows using Photoshop software  Analysed all data using Grounded Theory approach and development of metaphors

Research Purpose: what are the past and present teaching experiences of teachers in Scotland from refugee background Research participants: 23 refugee teachers Approach : Group of refugee teachers and researchers developed interview schedule; semi- structured interviews in English/French; transcribedand translated into eenglish Discussed interview data with whole group to analyse findings in relation to progfessionalism, intgration and discrimination.

 Power differentials (Adult-child; Researcher-researched; Agent-target ---)  Consider control of the research (Tools and data)  Language  use media other than oral/written  use languages other than English  What's in it for me? / Research fatigue  Consider control of the research (Development and dissemination)

 Open Space and Digital Photography gave voice to children whose voices are often missing from research  Teachers saw benefits of Open Space and Digital Photography as children developed and used new skills  Children and teachers had permanent (unanalysed) record of Open Space and Digital Photography data  Participatory research enabled relevant questions and relevant findings

 When is 'Informed Consent' really informed, particularly when participation in research brings fringe benefits?  How to avoid false hopes particuolalry when resarching with vulnerable groups (asylum seekers)?  Does verbatim quoting of L2 respondents feed stereotypes/  What does researcher do with confidential information?

 'Open Space' technology could have been inhibiting for lanague learners unless conducted with known others  Adults may have been less willing to have Open Space discussions recorded  Digital photography raises issues of participation and consent  Participatory research should be possible but takes time and can be dominated by the most powerful

 Santoro, N. and Smyth, Geri (2010, In Press) Researching ethnic 'others': conducting critical ethnographic research in Australia and Scotland. Intercultural Education, 21 (5)  Allan, Julie and Smyth, Geri and I'Anson, John and Mott, Jane (2009) Understanding disability with children's social capital. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 9 (2). pp  Smyth, Geri (2009) Connections: children's social capital and diversity. In: Social capital, professionalism and diversity. Sense, Rotterdam, pp  Smyth, Geri (2006) Bilingual learners' perspectives on school and society in Scotland. In: Creative Learning Practices: European Experiences. Tufnell Press, London, United Kingdom, pp  Smyth, Geri and Kum, H. and Menter, I. Changing the face of the Scottish teaching profession? - the experiences of refugee teachers. Irish Educational Studies. ISSN (In Press)  Smyth, Geri and Kum, Henry (2010, in press)When they don’t use it they will lose it: Professionals, de-professionalisation and re professionalisation: the case of refugee teachers in Scotland, Journal of Refugee Studies