RE: the computers and isolation blues

["Chris Johnston" <chrisj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well, here I go getting off-topic again, but I've got to respond to this:

> doctoral research as it is something we do to prove some notion we have
> and of course we are going to find the data to prove our point. data could
> be collected which also disproves our point, but when and who was the last
> doctoral candidate to do that, disprove a thesis?

Speaking as a doctoral student, I *know* that my advisors would never let me
get away with such methodologically sloppy work as is being described here.
Perhaps this is a problem at other institutions (I don't think it's this
pervasive, but certainly things vary from place to place), but I suspect
this is an awfully unfair characterization of doctoral work at other places
too.  At UCSB, we have a heavy emphasis on research methodology that grounds
us in the methods and theories of educational research; conducting research
willy-nilly to prove some point without a full consideration of the complex
and contingent factors involved wouldn't be allowed in our PhD program.

> conversation interesting, but not grounded in good data collection, lots
> of theory, persoanl accounts, but off topic about the kids in the k12
> environment. heck in one computer club last year, i was involved with

Sadly, I agree, and fear it may be symptomatic of some disciplinary
difficulty with embracing a wider variety of methods and theories that may
have more grounding effects on research than traditional English Studies
approaches afford.  And, of course, there are exceptions to this rule.

Chris

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