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Amateur Ethnography
Introduction
A small study will be conducted in this assignment on a specific learning community that i have
identified. I have to observe how the community works and how it helps people learn. Basically,
Ethnography is going to be introduced. The systematic study of people and culture is known as
Ethnography.
Finding a learning community of adults
For this assignment, I have observed a local non-profit club which is called “Computer
Education For All”. A small group of people organized this club. They are all university going
students. Their main purpose is to create a platform and teach technological education to
everyone. Basically, Adult people come here more than young people.
Young people have their own computers, mobiles & laptops. Although, some adults have their
own devices but they do not know how to use it. This club helps this kind of adult people to
teach how to use them.
The organizers provides 2 days’ workshop every week. The members come and learn about the
technology. The club runs on charity which is collected from various sources.
Observation of the Community
I have collected permission to do a research on this community and they organizers were happy
to provide me some information. They have allowed me to attain their seminars and teaching
sessions. After conducting the observation, I have noted the following.
1. In this community everybody knows who are experts and who are novices. The organizers are
the experts’ ones, who teach the adult people (novice ones). This is a really interesting platform
where adults learn from young people. There is no discrimination and conflict.
2. The organizers are mentoring the other members. They use their own devices as a sample and
give the opportunity to the members to use that device for a certain time. This is a direct
instruction with two way communication. This has made the learning environment more
effective.
3. The organizers face different types of questions including some silly ones. But they always try to
satisfy the asker.
4. The level of engagement among the participants is very high. Adults try to learn as much as
possible and the organizers try their best to teach them.
Reflect on my observation
● I have observed this amazing learning community where harmony is maintained. Here,
everyone is equal. Peace and harmony is also maintained. The people who come here have a
genuine interest in modern technology. The adults try to cope with the young generation that is
why they are determined to learn about the modern technologies.
● Here two way communications is done to both teach and learn. Besides that constructionism is
followed sometime. This is a great learning theory for everyone.
● For example, Organizers demonstrate about a new technology or device and provide practical
session. Here question answers are done in a two way communication. Besides that the
learners are given opportunities to use the devices by themselves. This helps them a lot to have
practical knowledge and learn sometime by themselves.