InterLace

« Expanding? The Comfort Zone | Main | (Lack of) Anonymity and Perplexion in the Blogsphere »

April 07, 2005

Retroactive Theorizing

I'm caught between the page and the blogsphere. In my last entry, I made reference to "jumping on jellyfish". The metaphor is one I've been working out on paper for a couple of months now. My PhD committee is constantly encouraging clarity, and it seems I have slipped yet again, referencing the before after the then that hasn't yet been explained. (I can't imagine to what my committee refers, can you?)

So, in the interests of coherence, here's the metaphor, grab your lifejacket:

Finding Theory: Jumping on Jellyfish and Riding the East Australian Current

In the animated film Finding Nemo (Kinder, 2003), a clownfish named Marlin and his serendipitous, attention-deficit, lacking short-term memory, angel-fish friend Dory swim through the treacherous ocean waters in search of Marlin's son Nemo. They have signposts to guide their journey and they have a name for their destination, but they really have no idea where they are going. Along the way, they amass clues ostensibly designed to lead them successfully to their destination. Using a combination of factual information and instinct, they brave the unknown waters towards the named yet foreign place - Sydney, Australia - in pursuit of their ultimate goal, finding Nemo.

I invoke here two of the obstacles encountered by Marlin and Dory as metaphors for my own journey to find a/the theoretical framework of my doctoral dissertation: jumping on jellyfish and riding the East Australian Current. Marlin and Dory, having ignored (one might say resisted) the sage counsel of the school of fish who gave them directions to Sydney, find themselves swimming in a rather large smuck of jellyfish. Dory, blissfully unaware of the poisonous pitfalls of travelling too close to any one jellyfish, begins jumping from one to the next to the next. The ever-cautious Marlin, realizing the looming danger of the venomous tentacles, encourages Dory to continue jumping, proposing a race, the goal of which is to jump on the jellyfish without getting too close to the tentacles. Marlin realizes that becoming entwined in the tentacles of any one jellyfish means poison, stunned confusion, possibly even death. Unable to turn back on their journey, Dory and Marlin engage in the game and proceed to jump on many a jellyfish, coming into contact with various sizes of jellyfish, and over time, being stung by some more than others. Fortunately, no one jellyfish grabs hold of them so tightly that they succumb to its powers to the exclusion of their own well-being, and, long story short, they make it out of the jellyfish maze slightly dazed, but alive.

Following their jellyfish jumping experience, Marlin and Dory must next face the East Australian Current (EAC). They are not, of course obligated to ride the current, but failing to do so may put them out of reach of their destination, due to lack of time or direction (or both). The current, it should be said, is fast moving and dynamic. Its boundaries, while permeable, are well-defined and many a fish gets swept away by its force. Deciding to plunge into the current is not the only way to travel through the ocean, but given their objective, finding Nemo, and the fact that time is finite within the context of their mission, riding the current is what will ultimately help Marlin and Dory reach their destination. Once in the current, Marlin and Dory find fun-loving, albeit sometimes stoner-esque, philosophical sea turtles, both young and old, to help them navigate the flow. The turtles are well acquainted with the current; they know its strengths, its limitations, and how to ride the energy of the flow to help them reach their goals. By using the wisdom of the turtles and by following the flow of the EAC, Marlin and Dory forge ahead through the ocean waters and make it almost all the way to Sydney, almost.

How do things end for Marlin and Dory, and of course, for the sought after Nemo? The cinematically curious may consult Pixar for the happily-ever-after version of the animated ocean tale. What I am interested in at this point is not the ending (although the temptation of any doctoral student to fast-forward ought not be underestimated). Rather, I am interested in the process of finding theory, or more precisely, finding the theoretical framework I will use in my dissertation research. How does Finding Nemo help me find theory? Here is a somewhat less fishy tale.

One night, as most nights, I took my little girl to bed. After teeth and puzzles and stories and songs, I laid down beside her while she slowed her two and a half year old wheels down to sleep. Of course this is the time every night when my much older and greasier wheels start to spin, frequently off-axis, often out of control. In the quiet of my daughter's bedroom, my thoughts meander from fairy tales to research tales, from shared moments of stories to storying research moments I might share. That night, as my daughter drifted off to sleep, my mind was turning over grounded theory. What is grounded theory? I've been at this "PhD stuff" for over two years now and if I were to really stretch I might be able to give a definition of ethnography, of narrative inquiry, of poststructural theory (or so I've been discursively produced to think), and probably even of phenomenology (bah-nah-nah-nah), but what is grounded theory? Reading the latest dissertation in the pile, I found a tidy little one-paragraph summary of grounded theory that was of little help. When I go downstairs, I thought as I laid in the dark, I will check for a "pat answer" from Cohen, Manion and Morrison (2000).

"Close your eyes and go to sleep Baby," breath, breathe, breath, breathe. It's like jumping on jellyfish, I'm just bouncing from one theory to another, trying not to get stuck. I seem to lack time, or inclination, or both, to dwell too long on any one theory, for fear of getting stung by ideology. I hear my advisor's voice in my head, "beware tautologies, beware ideologies." "Close your eyes and go to sleep Baby,"...

Beware, beware, be a very, wary bear. A Heffalump or Woozle is very confusil, a Heffalump or Woozle's very sly, sly, sly! They come in ones and twozles, and if they so choosles, before your eyes you'll see them multiply, ply, ply! They're extraordinary, so better be wary, because they come in every shape and size, size, SIZE, SIZE! If honey's what you covet, you'll find that they love it, because they'll guzzle up the thing you prize! (Arends, 1999)

The baby has gone to sleep, and the madwoman scribbles and types.

Following leads from the CMM index, I find: "the theory derives from the data - it is grounded in the data and emerges from it. As Lincoln and Guba (1985: 205) argue, grounded theory must fit the situation that is being researched." (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2000, p. 150) And further, I read, "the essence of this approach, that theory emerges from and is grounded in data, is not without its critics." (p. 152) And so I back up: "theory generation is derivative - grounded (Glasser and Strauss, 1967) - the data suggest the theory rather than vice versa." (p. 138) I reread the paragraph. The author cites Strauss and Corbin (1990, in Badali, 1998), 'one begins with an area of study and what's relevant to that area is allowed to emerge" (p. 23)." (p. 47)

Alas, as it has been with bah-nah-nah-nah-phenomenology, so it becomes with grounded theory; that which starts out as ominous is really nothing more than one more jellyfish upon which to jump a while and build momentum. L:)

References:
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Arends, H. (Producer). (1999). Winnie the Pooh: Sing a song with Pooh Bear [Videorecording]. United States: Disney.
Badali, S. (1998) Seconded teachers as teacher educators. . Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of British Columbia, Canada.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2000). Research methods in education (5th ed.). London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Kinder, B. (Producer). (2003). Finding Nemo [Motion picture]. United States: Disney/Pixar.

Posted by lace at April 7, 2005 09:04 AM

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.educationaltechnology.ca/mt/mt-tb.cgi/338

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Retroactive Theorizing:

» free credit report from
[Read More]

Tracked on March 15, 2006 03:58 AM

» adderall from
[Read More]

Tracked on March 23, 2006 01:46 AM

» mesothelioma from mesothelioma
mesothelioma [Read More]

Tracked on April 3, 2006 01:08 PM

» mesothelioma attorney from mesothelioma attorney
mesothelioma attorney [Read More]

Tracked on April 4, 2006 07:05 AM

» lasik dallas from lasik dallas
lasik dallas [Read More]

Tracked on April 5, 2006 12:43 AM

» used cars from
[Read More]

Tracked on April 5, 2006 03:21 AM

» home equity loan from home equity loan
home equity loan [Read More]

Tracked on April 5, 2006 05:57 PM

» equity one from equity one
equity one [Read More]

Tracked on April 6, 2006 10:28 AM

» this is very good from this is very good
this is related article [Read More]

Tracked on April 6, 2006 06:17 PM

» onlinegames from onlinegames
onlinegames [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2006 12:46 AM

» this is very good from this is very good
related source [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2006 09:29 AM

» this is very good from this is very good
this is related article [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2006 09:38 AM

» kids games from kids games
kids games [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2006 02:51 PM

» shootinggames from shootinggames
shootinggames [Read More]

Tracked on April 8, 2006 04:43 AM

» cheap car insurance from cheap car insurance
compare car insurance , Auto Insurance:: Auto Insurance [Read More]

Tracked on April 8, 2006 02:05 PM

» game parts from game parts
game parts [Read More]

Tracked on April 8, 2006 06:25 PM

» ambien side effect from ambien
You can ambien cr here buy ambien online. [Read More]

Tracked on April 8, 2006 09:55 PM

» kids online games from kids online games
kids online games [Read More]

Tracked on April 9, 2006 07:58 AM

» downloadgames from downloadgames
downloadgames [Read More]

Tracked on April 9, 2006 09:16 PM

» Ambien Site Effects from buy ambien
ambien cr and Ambien Site Effects and buy ambien and [Read More]

Tracked on April 9, 2006 11:24 PM

» Ambien Site Effects from buy ambien
ambien cr and Ambien Site Effects and buy ambien and [Read More]

Tracked on April 9, 2006 11:27 PM

» discovercreditcard from discovercreditcard
discovercreditcard [Read More]

Tracked on April 10, 2006 11:33 PM

» buy ativan online from buy ativan online
You are can buy aivan online here. [Read More]

Tracked on April 11, 2006 10:44 AM

» ativan online from ativan
You are can buy aivan online here. [Read More]

Tracked on April 11, 2006 10:48 AM

» prepaid phone cards from prepaid phone cards
prepaid phone cards [Read More]

Tracked on April 11, 2006 12:29 PM

» Loan from Loan
Personal Loans Loan , All types of affordable Health Insurance [Read More]

Tracked on April 13, 2006 09:10 AM

» buy oxycodone online from buy oxycodone online
Here oxycodone online. [Read More]

Tracked on April 13, 2006 03:28 PM

» auto cad download from auto cad download
auto cad download [Read More]

Tracked on April 13, 2006 11:39 PM

» oxycontin online from buy oxycontin online
This is oxycontin addiction and buy oxycontin. [Read More]

Tracked on April 14, 2006 12:47 AM

» mesotelioma from mesotelioma
mesotelioma [Read More]

Tracked on April 19, 2006 01:58 AM

» free smoking video clips from free smoking video clips
[Read More]

Tracked on April 19, 2006 09:35 AM

» southwest airlines from
[Read More]

Tracked on April 20, 2006 12:09 AM

» viagra online from buy viagra
Here buy viagra and generic viagra online. [Read More]

Tracked on April 25, 2006 02:37 AM

» cheap viagra from natural viagra
Here buy viagra and generic viagra online. [Read More]

Tracked on April 25, 2006 02:50 AM

» kellybluebook from
[Read More]

Tracked on April 25, 2006 03:59 AM

» Payday Loan from Payday Loan
Payday Loan Payday Loans, Cash Loans [Read More]

Tracked on April 25, 2006 03:04 PM

» Richard from Richard
Kevin Joshua Kennedy Taylor Devin [Read More]

Tracked on April 26, 2006 04:21 AM

» Richard from Richard
Kevin Joshua Kennedy Taylor Devin [Read More]

Tracked on April 26, 2006 04:21 AM

» download free nextel ringtones from free ringtones for nextel
hi visit free nextel ringtones :) [Read More]

Tracked on April 27, 2006 08:28 AM

» buy xanax online from buy xanax online
hi buy xanax online here. [Read More]

Tracked on April 27, 2006 01:07 PM

» Ringtones from Ringtones
Ringtone - All Types of Ringtones and Free ringtones [Read More]

Tracked on April 27, 2006 01:59 PM

» buy xanax online from buy xanax online
hi buy xanax online here. [Read More]

Tracked on April 27, 2006 04:14 PM

» free verizon ringtones from us cellular ringtones
hi manus cellular ringtones to free verizon ringtonesyou [Read More]

Tracked on April 27, 2006 04:15 PM

» buy cheap tramadol online from free polyphonic ringtones
hi free polyphonic ringtonesme buy cheap tramadol onlineyo [Read More]

Tracked on April 27, 2006 10:45 PM

» free polyphonic ringtones from free polyphonic ringtones
hi free polyphonic ringtonesme buy cheap tramadol onlineyo [Read More]

Tracked on April 27, 2006 10:47 PM

» scat movies from scat sex
hi scat movies hey [Read More]

Tracked on April 27, 2006 10:56 PM

» scat porn from scat movies
hi scat movies hey [Read More]

Tracked on April 27, 2006 11:01 PM

» generic xanax from buy xanax online
Hi buy xanax online Yo [Read More]

Tracked on April 28, 2006 03:56 AM

» Free Ringtones from Free Ringtones
Free Ringtones - Health Insurance Dental Insurance [Read More]

Tracked on April 28, 2006 05:13 AM

» bestiality porn from bestiality movies
Hi bestiality porn here [Read More]

Tracked on April 28, 2006 06:02 AM

» Tv Ringtones from Tv Ringtones
H Free Nokia Ringtones! Tv Ringtones| [Read More]

Tracked on April 28, 2006 12:12 PM

» order viagra online from generic viagra
Here buy viagra and generic viagra online. [Read More]

Tracked on April 28, 2006 05:58 PM

» Verizon Ringtones from Cingular Ringtones
HVerizon Ringtones! Cingular Ringtones/ [Read More]

Tracked on April 28, 2006 09:39 PM

» Polyphonic Ringtones from Polyphonic Ringtones
7Polyphonic Ringtones1 Nextel Ringtones2 [Read More]

Tracked on April 29, 2006 01:18 AM

» free ringtones for nextel phones from free nextel ringtones
hi visit free nextel ringtones :) [Read More]

Tracked on April 29, 2006 04:58 AM

» ringtones for nextel from free ringtones for nextel phones
hi visit free nextel ringtones :) [Read More]

Tracked on April 29, 2006 05:00 AM

» Buy Cialis from Buy Cialis
Hi manBuy Cialis good bye [Read More]

Tracked on April 29, 2006 01:15 PM

» xanax addiction from generic xanax
Hi buy xanax online Yo [Read More]

Tracked on April 29, 2006 06:24 PM

» buy xanax online from xanax addiction
Hi buy xanax online Yo [Read More]

Tracked on April 29, 2006 06:33 PM

» Free ericsson ringtones from Free ericsson ringtones
Hi!I like yor site!Thks! Free ericsson ringtones [Read More]

Tracked on April 29, 2006 10:25 PM

» Buy Cialis from Buy Cialis
hi Buy Cialis! [Read More]

Tracked on April 30, 2006 03:47 AM

» hydrocodone online from cheap phentermine
hi all, cheap phentermine and hydrocodone online ! [Read More]

Tracked on April 30, 2006 10:03 AM

» Buy hydrocodone online from Buy hydrocodone online
Hello! Great site! hydrocodone side effects [Read More]

Tracked on April 30, 2006 10:33 AM

» mature porn from mature porn
hi mature porn hey rape stories [Read More]

Tracked on April 30, 2006 01:52 PM

» rape stories from rape stories
hi mature porn hey rape stories [Read More]

Tracked on April 30, 2006 02:43 PM

» best online casinos from best online casinos
hi best online casinos110 best online casinos2best online casino1 [Read More]

Tracked on April 30, 2006 03:13 PM

» wachoviabanking from wachoviabanking
wachoviabanking [Read More]

Tracked on May 1, 2006 03:11 AM

» buy cialis online from buy cialis online
Wow! Very nice site! generic cialis [Read More]

Tracked on May 1, 2006 06:42 AM

» auto loan calculators from auto loan calculators
auto loans , Free Ringtones Ringtone [Read More]

Tracked on May 1, 2006 09:32 AM

» shemales from tranny
|shemales|tranny|transsexuals [Read More]

Tracked on May 1, 2006 07:26 PM

» hemorrhoids from hemorrhoids
hemorrhoids [Read More]

Tracked on May 2, 2006 01:48 AM

» mesothelioma activists from mesothelioma activists
huy guys loomesothelioma activistsi lol. good bye [Read More]

Tracked on May 2, 2006 04:37 AM

» testosterone cream from ultram
1ultram2testosterone cream2ambien2 [Read More]

Tracked on May 2, 2006 09:52 AM

» vw auto parts from vw auto parts
Coolheadlightsrvw auto parts !! [Read More]

Tracked on May 2, 2006 02:43 PM

» Free samsung ringtones from Free samsung ringtones
Hello! Good work! Free samsung ringtones [Read More]

Tracked on May 2, 2006 04:54 PM

» Buy alprazolam online from Buy alprazolam online
Hi.cool site! Buy alprazolam online [Read More]

Tracked on May 3, 2006 12:28 AM

» unclaimed funds from unclaimed funds
Heunclaimed fundslldebt consolidation companieso ! [Read More]

Tracked on May 3, 2006 01:22 AM

» debt consolidation companies from unclaimed funds
Heunclaimed fundslldebt consolidation companieso ! [Read More]

Tracked on May 3, 2006 01:28 AM

» animal sex from rape stories
hscat girls porn2 rape porn stories1. animal sex zoo1 [Read More]

Tracked on May 4, 2006 02:40 AM

» animal sex from rape stories
hscat girls porn2 rape porn stories1. animal sex zoo1 [Read More]

Tracked on May 4, 2006 03:07 AM

» scat girls from rape stories
hscat girls porn2 rape porn stories1. animal sex zoo1 [Read More]

Tracked on May 4, 2006 03:11 AM

» animal sex from scat girls
hscat girls porn2 rape porn stories1. animal sex zoo1 [Read More]

Tracked on May 4, 2006 03:12 AM

» ultram from ambien
1ultram2testosterone cream2ambien2 [Read More]

Tracked on May 4, 2006 05:46 AM

» Buy hydrocodone online from hydrocodone side effects
Nice site! Thx! Buy hydrocodone online [Read More]

Tracked on May 4, 2006 05:48 AM

» budget rentals from unsecured personal loans
Helbudget rentalslo everonline payday loansybunsecured personal loansody ! [Read More]

Tracked on May 4, 2006 01:35 PM

» Buy viagra online from Buy viagra online
Very Buy viagra online nice site! [Read More]

Tracked on May 4, 2006 01:40 PM

» online payday loans from budget rentals
Helbudget rentalslo everonline payday loansybunsecured personal loansody ! [Read More]

Tracked on May 4, 2006 01:54 PM

» unsecured personal loans from unsecured personal loans
Helbudget rentalslo everonline payday loansybunsecured personal loansody ! [Read More]

Tracked on May 4, 2006 02:00 PM

» Buy hydrocodone online from Buy hydrocodone online
Good site! Buy hydrocodone online Buy vicodin online [Read More]

Tracked on May 4, 2006 11:37 PM

» jenn air parts from jenn air parts
jenn air parts [Read More]

Tracked on May 5, 2006 01:29 AM

» unclaimed money from unclaimed money
Greehealth insurance quotestirefinance homesngunclaimed moneys !! [Read More]

Tracked on May 5, 2006 02:10 AM

» health insurance quotes from unclaimed money
Greehealth insurance quotestirefinance homesngunclaimed moneys !! [Read More]

Tracked on May 5, 2006 02:13 AM

» Free nextel ringtones from Free nextel ringtones
Good work! Free nextel ringtones Free polyphonic ringtones thx. [Read More]

Tracked on May 5, 2006 08:02 AM

» cheap phentermine from cheap phentermine
hi buy phentermine cheap orderhehe [Read More]

Tracked on May 5, 2006 11:45 AM

» buy xanax online from generic valium
1buy xanax online3 order xanax online2Buy valium online2 generic valium2 [Read More]

Tracked on May 5, 2006 01:27 PM

» generic valium from generic valium
1buy xanax online3 order xanax online2Buy valium online2 generic valium2 [Read More]

Tracked on May 5, 2006 01:41 PM

» sex toys from sex toys
sex toys [Read More]

Tracked on May 5, 2006 03:04 PM

» ambien from ultram
1ultram2testosterone cream2ambien2 [Read More]

Tracked on May 6, 2006 02:09 AM

» ambien from ambien
1ultram2testosterone cream2ambien2 [Read More]

Tracked on May 6, 2006 02:13 AM

» Cell phone ringtones from Free nextel ringtones
Great site! Cell phone ringtones Free nextel ringtones [Read More]

Tracked on May 6, 2006 02:56 AM

» Free ericsson ringtones from Free ericsson ringtones
Your site is Free ericsson ringtones Free samsung ringtones good! [Read More]

Tracked on May 6, 2006 08:11 AM

» royal carribean cruises from mudvaian
royal carribean international [Read More]

Tracked on May 6, 2006 12:44 PM

» cuckold forum from cuckold husband
cuckold [Read More]

Tracked on May 7, 2006 11:29 AM

» Buy cialis online from Buy cialis online
Good site! Buy cialis online Buy adipex online [Read More]

Tracked on May 8, 2006 07:40 AM

» buy phentermine from order phentermine
hi buy phentermine cheap orderhehe [Read More]

Tracked on May 8, 2006 06:35 PM

» sex toys from sex toys
sex toys sex toys [Read More]

Tracked on May 8, 2006 09:55 PM

» cheap viagra from cheap viagra
hbuy viagra2generic viagra3cheap viagra|\ [Read More]

Tracked on May 8, 2006 10:18 PM

» buy viagra from cheap viagra
hbuy viagra2generic viagra3cheap viagra|\ [Read More]

Tracked on May 8, 2006 10:24 PM

» buy phentermine from buy phentermine
hcheap phentermine|buy phentermine\discount phentermine|| [Read More]

Tracked on May 9, 2006 01:50 AM

» royal carribean cruise line from royal carribean cruise lines
royal carribean cruise lines [Read More]

Tracked on May 9, 2006 06:25 AM

» buy viagra from generic viagra
hbuy viagra|generic viagra | viagra [Read More]

Tracked on May 9, 2006 09:27 AM

Comments

Posted by: ksbrorson at April 8, 2005 12:16 PM