Common use of Participant observation Clause in Contracts

Participant observation. Participant observation was used as part of the methodology of data collection (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ et al. 2018), alongside the review of documents, surveys, and interviews. As an unobtrusive method in qualitative studies, participant observation permits the researcher to observe activities in a specific research setting while the researcher attempts to determine what is going on (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ 2006; ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ 1989). For the present research, participant observation consisted of interactions with rural communities in the scope of the Nexus 1492 excavations and related activities in the northwest of the country between July of 2013 to October 2019. The observation provided an opportunity to better understand and capture the details of interactions between local community members, project researchers, and community heritage administrators in a natural setting. This form of observation was considered more appropriate within the local communities near the excavation projects. Long-term interactions in the local community allowed for participation in activities to not be perceived as a forced integration. Observations carried out within the project’s geographical context were not disruptive as it was more feasible than to survey people or ask for their opinions in structured ways. This afforded a chance to learn about the interest of local community members near the archaeological sites within the Nexus 1492 project and their willingness to be more actively involved with local Indigenous heritage and its preservation. Observation and informal conversation during activities with the local community yielded field notes for thematic analysis and interpretation. Participant observation was possible throughout the study by taking advantage of the Nexus 1492 project activities that were organized with the local community in different geographical sections and neighborhoods within the municipalities of Laguna Salada and ▇▇▇▇▇ de Guayacanes, located in ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Province. As a local researcher, participant observation was a more viable long-term data collection strategy that permitted witnessing the interaction of local community groups related to the research topic. In this role, the researcher was an outsider who participated in some aspects of the lives of local community members in the areas where the research took place. Notes recording and photographing was done as much as possible. In many cases, participation also helped to become involved in the organization and coordination of activities with members and leaders of the community being studied. Although this meant a limited capability to take notes in situ, it also provided greater insight into how activities and events were coordinated locally. A regular presence at events and activities also allowed the minimization of the curiosity effect as the researcher became a common presence in local gatherings. This further contributed to building a rapport with community leaders and neighbors, which facilitated ordinary conversations that often reveal details of life in the community at other times of the year when the researcher was not around. The main activities organized by the project supervisor and other researchers, along with local community members and leaders that allowed for observation in the areas under study, were: - Community field days; - Community sharing days; - Neighborhood visits; - Teacher workshops; - Exhibition openings; and - Documentary presentations.