The essay explicates a pedagogical methodology for teaching empirical research methods, employing the principles of feminist pedagogy in the facilitation of research teams composed of a teacher and multiple graduate students. The described pedagogy is consistent with six principles of feminist pedagogy deduced from a meta-analysis of the extant US literature on feminist pedagogy: reformation of the relationship between teacher and student, empowerment, building community, privileging voice, respecting diversity of personal experience, and challenging traditional views. The authors illuminate their pedagogy via a detailed description of one feminist research group undertaking a large sample survey. The authors contend that the feminist research group constitutes a practicum-style educational opportunity that represents a practical alternative to the traditional classroom teaching of empirical research methods to graduate students. US academic feminists have articulated the principles of feminist pedagogy or a feminist methodology for teaching (Bright 1993). While definitions of feminism vary (Weiler 1995, Arnold 2000, most authors would agree with Bowker and Dunkin's (1992: 261) description of the feminist perspective on pedagogy as: a way of being, knowing, and acting that intends empowerment rather than oppression by power; validation of race, class, and gender as dynamics that create valued difference but not oppressive hierarchy; and recognition of the meritorious complexities of various ideologies. In addition, [feminism honours] the personal as a way of knowing, giving credence to thought, feelings, and experience. LYNNE M. WEBB ET AL.Given increased interest in issues at the intersection of research methods and gender concerns (Bell 1999, Egharevba 2001, Ross 2001, Ruspini 2001, teachers may consider incorporating principles of feminism in both the content and pedagogy of instruction in research methods.The purpose of this paper is to explicate a feminist pedagogy employing research groups, hereafter called 'feminist research groups', as a methodology for teaching graduate students empirical research methods. While feminist principles have been suggested for application in educational settings (e.g. Briskin 1990) and in teaching courses on feminist research methodologies per se (e.g. Dever 1997) and while Weatherall (1999) suggested feminist pedagogical principles as the basis for a reformation of the traditional research methods course in psychology, the present authors could locate no previously published work that explicated the feminist research group as an educational tool. To this end, the present essay begins with a detailed description of one feminist research group offered as an exemplar. Next, we explicate the operation of the research group using Webb et al. 's (2002) six principles of feminist pedagogy (see Appendix 1). Lastly, we discuss the challenges and advantages of the feminist research group. The feminist research groupWe advocate self-directed research teams who select their own topics,...
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