BLS 424/Topics in American Studies: Disability and the Body

Prof. Michael Goldberg
Sarah Leadley, Research Librarian
BLS 424: Topics in American Studies: Disability and the Body
Autumn 2001

Group Workshop on Source Assessment:
Simi Linton's Claiming Disability

Introduction:

In this workshop, we will use small and large group discussion to leverage individual students' findings in order to improve reading comprehension and analysis (of both Claiming Disability and the reviews), to improve our understanding of the field of Disability Studies, to introduce (or review) procedures for generating ideas for research topics and questions, and to generate ideas that will lead to successful research topics and questions. These processes are explained more clearly below. Ultimately, we are interested here less in whether we might agree or disagree with Claiming Disability and/or the reviewers on particular points than with what we can discover about the complexities, contradictions, and unanswered questions we discover that might serve as fruitful starting points for your research projects. In order to devote the proper amount of time necessary to achieve the stated outcomes, we will not be viewing Why Billy Broke His Head (which was assigned to complement Claiming Disability and add a visual and aural component to her text).

Part 1: Large Group Comprehension and Assessment of Claiming Disability and the Disability History readings (50 minutes)

Before bringing in the reviews, we will clarify what we see as the key contributions that Claiming Disability makes, and which arguments we might challenge or which we think need clarification. We are not seeking consensus here, but are reporting our reasoned responses to the text in order to understand the range of responses as well as the complex nature of the topic, both of which will emerge from collecting multiple perspectives. Rather than debate the implications of Claiming Disability 's arguments (which we can continue doing in our online discussion), we seek to clarify our comprehension of the text.

Break (10 minutes)

Part 2: Small and Large Group Comprehension of the Reviewers and Assessment of Claiming Disability Through the Reviewers' Perspective (75 minutes total)

You will be formed into three small groups of 3-5 (depending on the size of the class today). Please select a facilitator and note-taker for each part listed below in today's workshop. (The roles are explained in the Criteria for Small Group/Cooperative Learning Projects document. As noted in the assignment, all students should have reviewed this document by now). In this phase, your group will be comparing responses to the reviews, beginning with a basic comprehension of what you found, and then moving on to a more analytical approach to the material.

a. First, we will review the work to be done today (10 minutes).

b. Each group will be assigned one review to examine. Each group member should read aloud his/her responses to questions (a) and (b) of the assignment. The notetaker should group similar responses with slightly different wording together and calculate the total number of group members who identified each group of responses. (15 minutes)

c. The entire class will reconvene to report results (10 minutes)

d. After reforming your small groups, each group member should read aloud his/her response to question (d) of the review your group has been assigned. Based on what you read, determine the key issues that might be pursued further in a research project. What are the contradictions, complexities, and unanswered questions? In exploring these issues, what is at stake for people with disabilities, their allies and family members, the non-affiliated non-disabled? (20 minutes)

e. The entire class will reconvene to report results and discuss the findings (20 minutes).

Break (15 minutes)

Part 3: Making Conclusions Regarding the Field of Disability Studies (70 minutes total)

Having established our comprehension and basic analysis of the reviewers and Claiming Disability, we are now ready to explore how these findings can help you identify research topics and then move toward a research question. Each group will examine the field of study that corresponds to their assigned review.

a. Short presentation on source assessment and reviews by Sarah (10 minutes)

b. Each group member should read aloud his/her responses to question (c). Based on these responses, determine the concerns of the field of study connected to your assigned reviewer (women's studies, psychology, rehabilitation studies) regarding Disability Studies in general and Claiming Disability specifically. (20 minutes)

c. Combining your response from 3b and 2c, each group member should choose at least one possible issue and how the three fields of study could contribute to solving a research question that might arise from this issue. You may then bring in your insights from other classes that might aid your discussion, as well as today's readings on Disability History, and discuss how other fields of study might contribute to this project. (20 minutes)

d. Reconvene as a large group to compare the findings from each field of study. (20 minutes)

Break (10 minutes)

Part 4: Modeling the Process of Selecting a Topic and Moving Towards a Research Question (40 minutes total)

a. Short presentation by Sarah on using Information Sciences in the process (10 minutes)

b. After the class selects a topic, Michael and Sarah will lead a large group discussion to tease out possible pathways towards a research question. (30 minutes)