Exploring digital research methods: RSU doctoral students at University of Milano-Bicocca winter school
From 26 to 30 January, two representatives of Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) – Karlīna Grīviņa and Anna Žabicka – participated in the doctoral winter school “Media Ecologies and the Politics of Representation: Methodological Opportunities and Challenges for Socio-Educational Research with Communities at Risk of Invisibility,” organised by the “Riccardo Massa” Department of Human Sciences for Education, University of Milano-Bicocca.
Throughout the week, professors from various social science disciplines and several European universities shared their experience with agile research in digital environments and/or using digital research methods, with particular attention to how these methods can be applied when researching at-risk groups. The winter school also offered practical workshops and group work, during which participants developed project proposals for research in digital environments.
'The winter school was very useful both for networking and for gaining new ideas about research in digital environments. It was inspiring to listen to the practical examples shared by the lecturers. I was particularly struck by the informal atmosphere when discussing the advantages and risks of different methodological approaches. I made new contacts and view future collaboration positively,' says Karlīna Grīviņa.
'The winter school was an excellent place to test new research ideas, especially because I had previously worked very little ethnographically in digital environments,' reflects Anna Žabicka.
'What was unusual was that during the week at the University of Milan, the alarm siren sounded twice and the electricity went out – it turns out this does not only happen at the Olympic Games. However, this did not disrupt the studies: everyone followed the rules, evacuated the rooms, then returned and continued the classes without electricity when permitted. The size of the university building and its unconventional 1990s design were also surprising,' says Grīviņa.
