According to Deborah K. van den Hoonaard (2015) qualitative research is utilized by many researchers in an “attempt to understand the everyday lives and social settings of those they study” (p. 2). This is precisely what I intend to accomplish with my observation and analysis of two bulletin boards in the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus. The aim of this paper is to provide detailed observational notes as well as critically reflect upon the social issues exhibited on my chosen set of bulletin boards.
The first bulletin board is located in the Science Wing (SW) building, just before the steps leading to the meeting place. The location of this board is key because it is staged in an area where many students pass daily. It is also located …show more content…
The first bulletin board is a reflection of the burden that many students feel in relation to paying tuition fees (and other fees). The topic of money – whether it is the money you borrowed, the money you won, the money you owe, or the money you own – is constantly on everyone (students, faculty, and society as a whole) minds, and this bulletin board reflects this notion. Interestingly enough, the second bulletin board also reveals connotations of money related topics. Similarly to the first bulletin board in SW, this board also highlights relevant issues that many students, as well as other people in the general society, experience when it comes to money. This board reveals the significance of saving money and the different options available for many if they wish to lower their monthly spending. The reasoning behind the numerous amounts of boards and posters about money-related topics, such as OSAP, grants, scholarship opportunities, discounted tickets/ metro-passes or external news related to odd jobs/ labs to participate in (strategically located in common high traffic areas) is worth further investigation. As van den Hoonaard (2015) discusses in her text, it is important that researchers ask how people participate/ interact with their social environment, rather than asking why. Hence, the need for my following two questions concerning the social issue of money: 1) how is it that the topic of money and financial life has become a consistently emphasized social issue people face across different social settings. 2) How is it that money and financial relations play a major role in a person’s university/ college experience? In terms of researchability, I am leaning towards the second question because it is focused on a particular group of people (students and faculty). Also, my research perspective is that of symbolic interactionism; therefore, I have to consider the social context
The first bulletin board is located in the Science Wing (SW) building, just before the steps leading to the meeting place. The location of this board is key because it is staged in an area where many students pass daily. It is also located …show more content…
The first bulletin board is a reflection of the burden that many students feel in relation to paying tuition fees (and other fees). The topic of money – whether it is the money you borrowed, the money you won, the money you owe, or the money you own – is constantly on everyone (students, faculty, and society as a whole) minds, and this bulletin board reflects this notion. Interestingly enough, the second bulletin board also reveals connotations of money related topics. Similarly to the first bulletin board in SW, this board also highlights relevant issues that many students, as well as other people in the general society, experience when it comes to money. This board reveals the significance of saving money and the different options available for many if they wish to lower their monthly spending. The reasoning behind the numerous amounts of boards and posters about money-related topics, such as OSAP, grants, scholarship opportunities, discounted tickets/ metro-passes or external news related to odd jobs/ labs to participate in (strategically located in common high traffic areas) is worth further investigation. As van den Hoonaard (2015) discusses in her text, it is important that researchers ask how people participate/ interact with their social environment, rather than asking why. Hence, the need for my following two questions concerning the social issue of money: 1) how is it that the topic of money and financial life has become a consistently emphasized social issue people face across different social settings. 2) How is it that money and financial relations play a major role in a person’s university/ college experience? In terms of researchability, I am leaning towards the second question because it is focused on a particular group of people (students and faculty). Also, my research perspective is that of symbolic interactionism; therefore, I have to consider the social context