| Title | 8. Adding further structure to the outcome space |
|---|---|
| Subtitle | Structural relationships between dimensions of variation |
| Contributor | Gerlese S. Åkerlind(author) |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0431.08 |
| Landing page | https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0431/chapters/10.11647/obp.0431.08 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Gerlese S. Åkerlind; |
| Publisher | Open Book Publishers |
| Published on | 2025-02-10 |
| Long abstract | A key indicator of phenomenography in the 21st century is the constitution of ‘dimensions of variation’ and associated ‘critical aspects’ in experience of phenomena. However, two ways of identifying and describing dimensions and critical aspects have emerged in the literature. In the traditional approach, dimensions of variation (and thus critical aspects) are constituted independently of each other. In the alternative approach, dimensions of variation (and thus critical aspects) are constituted in a structurally related way along common themes of meaning, called ‘themes of expanding awareness’. This adds additional structural complexity to the constitution of critical aspects of phenomena. This chapter clarifies the difference between the two approaches, provides concrete illustrations of the research outcomes that result from the two approaches, and discusses the different insights that each approach provides to our understanding of critical aspects of human experience. |
| Page range | pp. 183–210 |
| Print length | 28 pages |
| Language | English (Original) |
Gerlese Åkerlind, PhD, is a professor emerita at the Australian National University (ANU). She was previously Director of the Centre for Educational Development and Academic Methods at the ANU, Director of the Teaching and Learning Centre at the University of Canberra, and a long-term honorary Research Associate of the Oxford Learning Institute at Oxford University. Gerlese has particular expertise in the phenomenographic research tradition, with numerous publications on phenomenographic theory and methods. In addition, her empirical research has primarily used phenomenographic methods, investigating the nature of academic practice, including university teaching, research, research supervision and academic development.