Assignment

Explanations about the event: The event was an open house in my son's school. It is a private school and my son in 2nd grade and this is his first year in this school.

It was a really nice day that we enjoyed. There were many other families attending the open house and all teachers including school principle and other faculty. During the open house, they took us in a tour in the school and saw some classes and all the facilities.

During the tour, there were discussions and questions between the families and the school principle about many things such as how students use the facilities and what are offered for them and the things that are not allowed for them. Also, we discussed about
their classes, homework, school website, library, cafeteria, school fees and many other things. The school very big and spacious with a beautiful modern design.

Also, during the open house families got to know each other and students met their new friends or classmates. The school principal and faculty welcomed us and they provided for the guests coffee, tea, water, juice, cookies, fruit and other snacks. The place was clean and smells nice and clean.

Assignment instructions

Participant Observation Exercise:

 This exercise provides a relatively brief, safe, and inexpensive way to acquire a sense of what participant observation is like, and to evaluate its strengths and limitations as a method. Select an event or activity to observe and, ideally, to participate in at some level.

Observe the event, taking a few notes, if this can be done unobtrusively, to refresh your memory during debriefing soon after.

After the event, after consulting your field notes and your key informant, debrief yourself by composing a typed document of notes. Include in these notes: (One page at least)

• What happened at the activity. Include sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile memories.

• How you felt during the activity.

• How people responded to you.

• What your key informant told you.

In 3 pages paper, responding to the following questions:

1. What understanding was gained from participation compared to just observing?

2. What did having a key informant add to your understanding?

3. What was learned from participant observation at this event that a questionnaire or interview about it might miss?

4. For what purposes might a questionnaire or interview be better than participant observation?

Length: 4 pages in total

• One page for the note

• 3 pages for the paper