Comparative Sociology, Laic and Analytic: Some Critical Remarks on Comparison in Conversation Analysis

En référence à l’analyse de conversation (CA), cet article examine deux niveaux de comparaison — ordinaire et analytique. L’accent est mis sur l’importance de garder cette distinction, comme l’est aussi l’importance de reconnaître certaines connexions fondamentales entre les deux. Bien qu’il ne soit peut être pas possible d’éviter absolument la comparaison au niveau analytique, nous arguons qu’il existe beaucoup d’inconvénients et qu’une approche minimaliste devrait être adoptée. La comparaison ne devrait pas être réifiée en « une » (et encore moins « la ») « méthode » CA, et les inconvénients de comparaison sont indiqués. Au lieu de cela, l’accent devrait demeurer sur l’analyse des cas uniques, pas tant en accord avec la conception de l’analyse des cas uniques de Schegloff qu’avec la notion ethnométhodologique de Garfinkel () de gestalt contexture. En tout et pour tout, l’EM devra se focaliser sur les questions concernant le CA, avec pour résultat espéré d’initier une respécification réciproque et un alignement plus approfondi des deux.With reference to Conversation Analysis (CA), this paper will examine two ‘levels’ of comparison—ordinary and analytic. The importance of maintaining that distinction is emphasised, as is the importance of acknowledging certain fundamental connections between the two. Whilst it may not be possible to absolutely avoid comparison at the analytic level, it is argued that there are many pitfalls and that a minimalistic approach should be adopted t. Comparison should not be reified into “a” (let alone “the”) CA “method”, and the pitfalls of comparison are indicated. Instead, the emphasis should remain on the analysis of single cases, not so much in line with Schegloff’s conception of single case analysis as on Garfinkel’s () ethnomethodology (EM)-based notion of gestalt contexture. All in all, EM will be brought to bear upon issues concerning CA, with the hoped-for outcome of initiating a reciprocal respecification and closer alignment of the two

Factors influencing the transformation of new teaching approaches from a programme of professional development to the classroom

A programme of professional development was designed consisting of 20 hours of workshops plus in-school activities. The implementation of new pedagogy was supported by teachers bringing examples of their work in the classroom to the workshops for discussion and reflection. The purpose of this study is to explore factors that influenced what teachers took from the professional development programme and how they used it in their own classrooms. It focuses on how the teachers’ perceived needs were affected by the programme and how the implementation of new pedagogy was affected the level of in-school support. Data were collected to evaluate the expertise of the teachers early in the programme, their learning through the programme and factors that affected their learning. These data included tape-recordings of selected discussions during workshops, field notes of the workshops, classroom evidence collected by the teachers and portfolios constructed from it, and interviews with teachers after the programme had finished. The results indicate that success in learning from the programme was affected by two key factors: how teachers' perceptions of their needs interacted with the learning opportunities offered by the programme and how the level of in-school support affected the introduction of new pedagogy in the classroom. Unless both factors were positive learning from the professional development programme was variable

Visual repairables: analysing the work of repair in human-computer interaction

This article reports some (video-recorded) instances of 'visual culture' in action, namely the use of a new software tool designed for the visualization of scenes from Shakespeare's Macbeth in a classroom context. By considering whether or how far conversation analysis (CA) can be extended from natural conversation to cases of collaborative work in front of a computer, the article addresses the methodological question of how to study instances of visual communication. We take as an exemplar the phenomenon of remedial action and discuss how Schegloff, Jefferson and Sacks's (1977) canonical study of repair in ordinary conversation can be used to highlight aspects of 'visual repair' (the identification and remedying of items on the screen). Our attempts to apply the original CA model of repair of ordinary conversation highlight the differences of this setting, which constitutes an example of collaborative work. © 2009 SAGE Publications

Comparative Sociology, Laic and Analytic: Some Critical Remarks on Comparison in Conversation Analysis

En référence à l’analyse de conversation (CA), cet article examine deux niveaux de comparaison — ordinaire et analytique. L’accent est mis sur l’importance de garder cette distinction, comme l’est aussi l’importance de reconnaître certaines connexions fondamentales entre les deux. Bien qu’il ne soit peut être pas possible d’éviter absolument la comparaison au niveau analytique, nous arguons qu’il existe beaucoup d’inconvénients et qu’une approche minimaliste devrait être adoptée. La comparaison ne devrait pas être réifiée en « une » (et encore moins « la ») « méthode » CA, et les inconvénients de comparaison sont indiqués. Au lieu de cela, l’accent devrait demeurer sur l’analyse des cas uniques, pas tant en accord avec la conception de l’analyse des cas uniques de Schegloff qu’avec la notion ethnométhodologique de Garfinkel () de gestalt contexture. En tout et pour tout, l’EM devra se focaliser sur les questions concernant le CA, avec pour résultat espéré d’initier une respécification réciproque et un alignement plus approfondi des deux.With reference to Conversation Analysis (CA), this paper will examine two ‘levels’ of comparison—ordinary and analytic. The importance of maintaining that distinction is emphasised, as is the importance of acknowledging certain fundamental connections between the two. Whilst it may not be possible to absolutely avoid comparison at the analytic level, it is argued that there are many pitfalls and that a minimalistic approach should be adopted t. Comparison should not be reified into “a” (let alone “the”) CA “method”, and the pitfalls of comparison are indicated. Instead, the emphasis should remain on the analysis of single cases, not so much in line with Schegloff’s conception of single case analysis as on Garfinkel’s () ethnomethodology (EM)-based notion of gestalt contexture. All in all, EM will be brought to bear upon issues concerning CA, with the hoped-for outcome of initiating a reciprocal respecification and closer alignment of the two

Quem "Matou" Erving Goffman?

A questão chave colocada por este artigo é “Por que o rico legado intelectual deixado por Erving Goffman raramente foi utilizado e desenvolvido por cientistas sociais e linguistas?” Em um espírito de jouissance, esta questão e a resposta que proponho vão ser apresentadas em forma de um mistério, assim como a investigação que leva à solução. Inicialmente, o legado de Goffman será apresentado levando em conta seus pontos ‘fortes’ e ‘fracos’. Em seguida, buscaremos a solução através de referências aos trabalhos dos defensores de Goffman, bem como de seus supostos oponentes. Em terceiro lugar, apresento uma barreira para a caracterização apropriada, desenvolvimento e apreciação crítica do legado de Goffman. Praticamente ninguém atualmente ligado a suas análises encontrou o nível apropriadoatravésdoqualdescreverou criticar sua obra. Argumento nesteartigo que o nível apropriado para a investigação e crítica profundas das análises de Goffman vem daquilo que Ludwig Wittgenstein, em sua obra tardia, denominou “gramática lógica” – a gramática lógica dos tropos, símiles e analogias de Goffman. Ilustrações claras deste tipo de análise são oferecidas a partir da obra do professore diretor de teatro Konstantin Stanislawski

Obituário: Eric Dunning, um pai fundador entre nós

Eric Dunning, o eminente sociólogo, faleceu em 10 de fevereiro de 2019. Com sua morte, perdemos um – ou melhor, “o” – pioneiro na constituição da sociologia dos esportes como uma área de pesquisa legítima no mundo anglófono. Ele também contribuiu para uma série de outras áreas além da sociologia do lazer e do modo pelo qual as pesquisas sociológicas devem ser conduzidas. Com Norbert Elias, ele desenvolveu uma “sociologia processual” dinâmica. Eric Geoffrey Dunning nasceu em 27 de dezembro de ..

User Preferences for Content, Features, and Style for an App to Reduce Harmful Drinking in Young Adults:Analysis of User Feedback in App Stores and Focus Group Interviews

BACKGROUND: Electronic screening and brief intervention (eSBI) is effective in reducing weekly alcohol consumption when delivered by a computer. Mobile phone apps demonstrate promise in delivering eSBI; however, few have been designed with an evidence-based and user-informed approach.  OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore from a user perspective, preferences for content, appearance, and operational features to inform the design of a mobile phone app for reducing quantity and frequency of drinking in young adults engaged in harmful drinking (18-30 year olds).  METHODS: Phase 1 included a review of user reviews of available mobile phone apps that support a reduction in alcohol consumption. Apps were identified on iTunes and Google Play and were categorized into alcohol reduction support, entertainment, blood alcohol content measurement (BAC), or other. eSBI apps with ≥18 user reviews were subject to a content analysis, which coded praise, criticism, and recommendations for app content, functionality, and esthetics. Phase 2 included four focus groups with young adults drinking at harmful levels and residing in South London to explore their views on existing eSBI apps and preferences for future content, functionality, and appearance. Detailed thematic analysis of the data was undertaken.  RESULTS: In Phase 1, of the 1584 apps extracted, 201 were categorized as alcohol reduction, 154 as BAC calculators, 509 as entertainment, and 720 as other. We classified 32 apps as eSBI apps. Four apps had ≥18 user reviews: Change for Life Drinks Tracker, Drinksmeter, Drinkaware, and Alcohol Units Calculator. The highest proportion of content praises were for information and feedback provided in the apps (12/27, 44%), followed by praise for the monitoring features (5/27, 19%). Many (8/12, 67%) criticisms were for the drinking diary; all of these were related to difficulty entering drinks. Over half (18/32, 56%) of functionality criticisms were descriptions of software bugs, and over half of those (10/18, 56%) were for app crashing or freezing. Drinksmeter and Alcohol Units Calculator were the most highly praised apps overall (23/57 and 22/57; 39% of praise overall). In Phase 2, two main themes were identified. The meaningfulness theme reflected how young adults thought apps needed to be tailored to the interests and values of their age group, particularly emphasizing content and feedback around broader health and well-being factors such as exercise, diet, and image. The community theme suggested that young adults want to be able to engage with other app users, both in groups of friends and with online users for motivation and support.  CONCLUSIONS: Targeted and relevant information and feedback, in addition to easy-to-use monitoring tools, were found to be important features of a mobile phone app to support a reduction in drinking. Future app development should consider tailoring all app aspects to the needs of young adults, considering broader well-being monitoring tools and online community functions

A directly comparative two-gate case–control diagnostic accuracy study of the pure tone screen and HearCheck screener tests for identifying hearing impairment in school children

Objectives: This study directly compared the accuracy of two audiometry-based tests for screening school children for hearing impairment: the currently used test, pure tone screen and a device newly applied to children, HearCheck Screener. Design: Two-gate case–control diagnostic test accuracy study. Setting and participants: Hearing impaired children (‘intended cases’) aged 4–6 years were recruited between February 2013 and August 2014 from collaborating audiology services. Children with no previously identified impairment (‘intended controls’) were recruited from Foundation and Year 1 of schools between February 2013 and June 2014 in central England. The reference standard was pure tone audiometry. Tests were administered at Nottingham Hearing Biomedical Research Unit or, for some intended cases only, in the participant’s home. Main outcome measures: Sensitivity and specificity of the pure tone screen and HearCheck tests based on pure tone audiometry result as reference standard. Results: 315 children (630 ears) were recruited; 75 from audiology services and 240 from schools. Full test and reference standard data were obtained for 600 ears; 155 ears were classified as truly impaired and 445 as truly hearing based on the pure tone audiometry assessment. Sensitivity was estimated to be 94.2% (95% CI 89.0% to 97.0%) for pure tone screen and 89.0% (95% CI 82.9% to 93.1%) for HearCheck (difference=5.2% favouring pure tone screen; 95% CI 0.2% to 10.1%; p=0.02). Estimates for specificity were 82.2% (95% CI 77.7% to 86.0%) for pure tone screen and 86.5% (95% CI 82.5% to 89.8%) for HearCheck (difference=4.3% favouring HearCheck; 95% CI0.4% to 8.2%; p=0.02). Conclusion: Pure tone screen was better than HearCheck with respect to sensitivity but inferior with respect to specificity. As avoiding missed cases is arguably of greater importance for school entry screening, pure tone screen is probably preferable in this context