Dyson and Genishi

The readings for this week consistent of mixed methods procedures and a look at case studies. What interested me was the way the case study chapter was approached in “Approaches to Language and Literacy Research.”  I felt that the chapter explained very well how there are an infinite number of factors and complex systems to consider when looking at a case study, but I didn’t grasp the idea of how a case study would fit into creating a greater theory for a certain population or if it simply stayed within that individual or group’s context.

                For me, the idea of a case study is simply to gain a greater understanding of an event or phenomenon within its context in an individual’s own mind. After reading the first chapter, which outlined numerous lenses and angles that can be used in a case study, it became clear to me that case studies should not be, for whatever reason, implemented to a greater population, ethnic group, or body of people.

                The reason a researcher would choose to follow a case study of an individual is because he or she understands that there are so many complexities within every single situation that it would be impossible to apply the rules learned within that study to a greater group or individuals. For me, case studies should not consist of groups greater than one person. An ethnic study is too general for a research given these times.

                I say these times because every public school, every employer, and every institution is pushing forward on the idea of diversity within their environment. Taking a sample of greater than one in any study undermines the meaning of diversity. A researcher might be under the impression that his subjects are diverse because they look different or speak different, but in reality, it goes much deeper than that.

                If a researcher sets forward on an ethnographic study, it reinforces the idea of what diversity should be as a social word and ignores the real diversity behind every single individual. The researcher is ignoring the fact that this African American or Mexican American who lives in a certain area, goes to a certain school, or performs a certain action is completely different from his friend who lives in that same area, attends the same school, and performs certain actions as well. It undermines the individual’s thoughts and experiences. They don’t spend every single minute of their lives together, and if they did, it still wouldn’t be the same because they’re different people.

                Ultimately, I think Creswell mentions in his book that a researcher states his biases and reports his findings to people and also explains the situation to others. What I think would be a bad idea is to go ahead and take these findings and apply them to a huge population without acknowledging that they’re in fact stating that these people aren’t as diverse as we think: if they worked for this guy who has certain characteristics, it should also work for this entire group, who share those characteristics.