Cluster

Research & Valorization

Target groups

This seminar series, organised by the Doctoral Schools of 5 Flemish Universities, targets PhD students and young researchers in all disciplines at the beginning of their academic career. Registration for each seminar is organized by the doctoral school of the host institution and all questions related to registration and practical organization should be directed to the doctoral school of the host institution. PhD students from all Flemish universities can participate free of charge. For participants from other institutions, there is a participation fee. They will be contacted individually about this.

Please read our cancellation policy: cancellation policy courses

Contact information

Seminars overview

Speaker: Peter Stevens (Ghent University) - Host institution: Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Speaker: Dimitri Mortelmans (University of Antwerp) - Host institution: Ghent University

Speaker: Dorien Brosens (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) - Host institution & location: University of Leuven, campus Leuven

This highly interactive seminar reviews the theory and practice of focus group methods, and demonstrates how researchers can use focus groups to understand the issues, needs and ideas of particular groups (community groups, audiences, stakeholders, residents, users, customers, etc.). Participants will learn more about the history and theory of focus groups. Practical approaches to determining the appropriate use of focus group studies, design options, developing interview questions, recruiting participants, and moderating skills will be emphasized. This workshop will focus on the skills and knowledge needed to plan, implement, conduct and moderate focus groups.
The morning session will focus on theoretical aspects of conducting focus groups and will include practical tips on how to design and conduct focus group studies (e.g. Questions of how to develop workable questions, how to recruit participants, how to plan a focus group study will be emphasized).
The afternoon session will focus on the practical aspects of conducting and moderating focus groups. Participants will be able to practice their skills in terms of designing interview questions and moderating a focus group. They will also give each other feedback afterwards. 

After attending the seminar, participants are able to:
- Understand and explain the potential and limitations of focus groups as data collection methods
- Develop workable and useful research questions for focus group studies
- Describe the process and procedures for planning, designing and implementing successful focus group studies
- Demonstrate the ability to moderate focus groups

The language of instruction and communication in this seminar is English, unless all participants understand Dutch. Maximum 30 people can participate.

Lecturer: Peter Stevens (Ghent University) - Host institution & location: Hasselt University - location: Campus Diepenbeek, building D, room B102

Speaker: Dimitri Mortelmans (University of Antwerp) - Host institution: Ghent University

Speaker: Stijn Joye (Ghent University) - Host institution: Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Lecturer: Gert Verschraegen (University of Antwerp) - Host institution: University of Antwerp

Speaker: Tom Decorte (Ghent University) - Host institution: Ghent University

Speakers: Carol Gilligan (NYU, USA), Gerrit Loos (VUB) & Hubert Van Puyenbroeck (VUB) - Host institution: University of Leuven

This seminar is intended for doctoral students and other researchers who are working with narratives and asking a psychological question (a question about the experiences or inner worlds of others). The focus will be on listening. How do we listen to people’s narratives? What voices do we hear and also not hear?  How can we bring ourselves into relationship with the inner worlds of others? What are the challenges of doing research that leads to discovery?
The Listening Guide Method is designed specifically for discovery research.  It begins with four questions about voice: Who is speaking and to whom? In what body or physical space? Telling what stories about which relationships? In what societal and cultural frameworks?  It specifies a series of listenings as a way of gaining entry into the inner world of another person: Listening for the plot; listening for the I, listening for contrapuntal voices (meaning for voices in the narrative that speak to the researcher’s question and the interplay between them).  The evidence gathered through these listenings  provides an empirical basis for composing an analysis or interpretation.
In the morning session (10:00-13:00), the Listening Guide Method will be presented and demonstrated on a common text. In the afternoon (14:00-17:00), participants will be guided through a listening guide analysis using their own narrative materials (transcripts of interviews or therapy sessions, letters, diaries, trial transcripts, etc) or working in small groups. This will be a working seminar and by the end of the day, everyone should have an initial grasp of how to do a listening guide analysis as well as an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of this approach to narrative analysis.

The seminar will be conducted in English and is limited to 20 participants. Participants who have interview transcripts or other narrative texts are invited to bring one to work on in the seminar. For those who don’t, materials will be provided.

Registration to be opened.

Speaker: Karin Hannes (KU Leuven) - Host institution: University of Leuven

Arts based research (ABR) is a methodology in which the expressive qualities of form are used to convey meaning. ABR has successfully been used in a variety of different disciplines. In many cases the art is considered the ‘data’ (e.g. images instead of transcripts) or the vehicle for dissemination of findings (a creation or installation to communicate with a broader public instead of a written report). Artistically inspired research formats may present themselves as a drama or dance performance, an exhibition, an installation or a visual representation. These forms represent a considerable challenge for researchers not trained in the aesthetics of using forms. In this workshop we will present examples of how we have used artistic methods (visual data, (upcycling) materials,…) in the context of our research investigating challenges of international students and studying the relation between people and their living environment. We discuss conventional ways of analyzing visual and sensory research data, as well as more aesthetic ways of approaching an analysis. We further illustrate how arts‐based methods can be used to stimulate reflection and complex theoretical reasoning in academic educational practice. For both parts, we will apply some of the illustrated methods in practice. The session will close with a discussion on ethics in visual research, applied to participatory research practice. This workshop particularly targets scholars from behavioral, educational and social sciences, or humanities in general. From another discipline but interested in the topic? Please contact the workshop leader before subscribing.

Program:
10.00 Welcome and short introduction round
10.15 Worked examples of material forms of data collection, analysis and dissemination (compositional ethnography)
11.00 Worked example of visual methods of data collection and analysis (photo‐voice)
12.00 LUNCH BREAK
13.00 Putting the theory into practice: workshop photovoice and analytical reasoning.
14.15 Integrating artistic practice in your academic curriculum: an example and an exercise on how to ‘design’ complex social theories
15.30 The ethics of visual research
16.00 Questions and answers/consulting the workshop facilitator
16.30 End of the program

Registration to be opened.

Speaker: Tim Haesebrouck (Ghent University) - Host institution: University of Antwerp

Registration fee

Free of charge for Doctoral School members of the 5 Flemish Universities. The no show policy applies: no-show policy UGent

Language

English

Evaluation methods and criteria (doctoral training programme)

Each seminar can be taken separately as one transferable skills seminar (cluster Research & Valorization) in your curriculum after successful participation.