In my role as a content producer for London College of Fashion, I have discovered over the years what a privileged position it is to be aware of, and known to, so many different areas of my institution. Most colleagues I encounter tend to have a close network of colleagues with whom they work closely, and then maybe a wider net that covers a few other individuals. My role has naturally introduced me to almost all areas of the institution and has required the development of these relationships and a basic understanding of the position of each, to collaborate effectively. This unique positioning came to mind when discussing the position of the observer or researcher in the context of institutional research. If we are attempting to build objectivity into our positioning for our research, for reasons which are perfectly valid (e.g., resisting bias), we may be giving up a more nuanced understanding of what is a changing and multifaceted set of structures. What is the point of asking a question if, to an insider, the answer is obvious because of internal structural or personal challenges that an outsider might not be aware of?
Much like how in the design of this course we are first introduced to the experiences of students (Moodle, etc), familiarity is a key component to developing a sort of intuition regarding the environment of activity. In developing a research question, if we are unaware of the various elements that form the makeup of an institution, our question may be formed in a manner that renders it immediately obsolete or unanswerable due to structural or staffing issues, for example, that would be already known to an ‘insider’. This accepts a few ‘givens’ however, that I know from my limited personal experience can be rare in such institutions. Most staff are siloed to some extent, and therefore have only a very local understanding of their institution. This itself is an issue that can contribute to the inability to immediately access sufficient contextual data for all kinds of issues.
This was an interesting question that we explored throughout this session, but one that began in a confusing manner to some of us. Having such considerations set out very early in this course without any basic context of what ‘research’ within a higher education institution might look like, left some of us, especially those who have no prior experience of this kind of thing, feeling unprepared to approach the questions without more context.
Some reading I have since done on the subject has helped me ‘situate’ not only the type of researcher that one is assumed to be by virtue of the role they perform for the institution, but more importantly, the type of thinker they are. Professional roles can be constricting, particularly within the arts context where many of us have an eclectic background incorporating technical, academic, and professional/practitioner experiences.