This paper calls for the inclusion of narrative, thematic, and metaphor analysis as organizational assessment or communication audit methods and discusses some practical means of integrating these symbolic interpretational devices. The paper begins by defining the notion of symbol as the message content important to the organizational member. It…

Examines the genesis and perpetuation of divergent perspectives of teachers and researchers concerning how knowledge is formulated and determined. Advocates a sociolinguistic ethnographic approach as the research methodology most likely to generate knowledge that is intellectually rigorous and helpful in teacher development. (JOW)

Suggests that the appropriateness of a methodology for the study of adult literacy programs be determined by assessing the extent to which the methodology speaks to the information needs and context complexity involved. (JOW)

Addresses the relevance of a functional approach to the study of speech genres. Discusses the variation factors that can explain and partly predict spontaneous performances of a traditional genre of Samoan speechmaking. (EKN)

Qualitative, or ethnographic, inquiry seeks understanding of human behavior from the participants' own frame of reference. Since business education research is designed to investigate and understand the environment of work to prepare people for occupations, qualitative research enables a deeper comprehension of human interactions than the…

Considers recent perspectives in educational research, particularly the use of critical ethnography in the study of comparative education. Reviews the origin and relationship to critical ethnography of sociological, anthropological, interpretive, and critical approaches in comparative education. Discusses specific utility to the study of…

Summarizes ethnohistorical development of modern ethnography and assesses potential of this research methodology for study of bilingual classroom interactions. Looks at bilingual classroom from standpoint of conceptual and analytical problems to be faced in dealing with a bilingual and bicultural population. (Author/BK)

Federal support for answers to the question "What is really going on out there?" has increased interest in the use of ethnography as a research method for evaluation of educational programs. Pros and cons of the use of ethnography for educational research are discussed. (PR)

Describes a doctoral student's experience of studying the deaf or hearing culture from the standpoint of her life and work as a hard-of-hearing person. Discusses the student's (almost) passing in and among the "D/deaf and H/hearing" worlds. (TB)

Takes a systematic approach to defining and operationalizing the notion of discourse community, drawing on data from an ethnography of writing in a workplace setting. States that a single genre varied in form and function depending on the specific discourse communities in which it was used--writing events took on layered meanings in relation to…

Coded data from 83 work ethnographies and a telephone survey of 371 workers found that coworker solidarity generates high job satisfaction and better relations with management. Effects of the quality of coworker relationships equaled or exceeded the effects of job characteristics on satisfaction or management relations. (SK)

Explores the ethical issues involved in transcribing. Argues that the challenge for the transcriber is to produce transcriptions that are accurate and readable but that are also reflexive in how they make explicit to the reader the constructed nature of written talk, a role giving rise to the problematic nature of accuracy and readability. (27…

States that, like anthropology 100 years ago, studying online environments is a relatively new endeavor today. Discusses elements of an online version of ethnography, including triangulation, ethics, reflexivity, and the importance of linking online environments to real-world contexts. Describes parallels among the three stages of development of…

Examined the impact of institutional culture on the change process in colleges and universities. Using an ethnographic approach and two-tiered cultural framework, investigated comprehensive change at six institutions. Results suggest that campuses should conduct audits of their institutional culture before engaging in the change process. (EV)

Presents three connected essays that use the idea of genre to study discourse communities. Examines several contexts of language exchange in which the use of genre theory may yield insight into teaching, research, and social interaction: legal practice, medical practice, and classrooms. Suggests how genre analysis contributes to the use of…