Autoethnography on Exchange

This podcast is an interview between Outstanding Scholar Student Laila Albalkhi and Outstanding Scholar Coordinator Tim Brunet. Learn about the practice of auto ethnography and why Outstanding Scholars will have an opportunity to do research while on exchange. Laila Albalkhi, Deborah Laze, and Samantha Blackwell have begun constructing autoethnography exercises and resources. No autoethnographies will begin until it received Research Ethics Board clearance. Abstract: This paper provides both pedagogical exercises and an autoethnography methodology for university students on exchange. This project was developed with the Coordinator of the Outstanding Scholars program and three Outstanding Scholar Students at the University of Windsor. The Outstanding Scholars program is an elite academic program for high-achieving and community-engaged students who complete six paid research placements during their undergraduate studies. Students in the program can complete an international exchange and use this autoethnography framework for paid placementsduring their exchange. This paper introduces the practice of autoethnography, proposes research activities, provides standard operating procedures, publishes pedagogical exercises, declares research methodology, provides the project's scope, lists limitations, and suggests generative opportunities for further development. This autoethnography initiative is part of a larger pedagogical framework informed by the Capability Approach and the University of Windsor’s UWill Discover Sustainable Futures project. This paper offers vetted research activities where students think critically about their interpersonal communications before, during and after their exchange. Students can complete the assignment as a pedagogical exercise, publish their work in an agreed upon journal, or develop new exercises for the project. The paper includes sample exercises for students.