Now that I know I actually have 16 weeks and not just 8 to do the revisions for confirmation I have relaxed, a LOT! But the next part I need to write does require more thinking and less reading and writing I guess. I have to add a section to the ethical considerations about reflexivity and my role in the project. My biggest challenge is knowing how much detail to go into and of course, what to share and what not to share. So this post is going to be more personal I guess – you’ve been warned! 🙂

I’m also going to attempt to talk about behaviour, situational factors and cognitive factors, in line with Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Just to add another layer of challenge.

So I know that I need to talk about how both my parents passed away while I was a student – my dad during undergraduate and mum a couple of years ago. This allows me to empathise well with students experiencing grief very well but can also trigger my own grief. I also went through a divorce and that probably warrants a mention too!

I’m not sure how I will talk about my move from FedUni to Mackay. Ultimately it was not my desire or wish to relocate and leave behind the beautiful area I had spent most of my life in. I didn’t want to leave behind my friends and support group. However financially I HAD to find work and this position was my best and only option at the time. It links to COVID for sure and so I could talk about how this impacted me and how students sharing similar troubles may also trigger me.

So those are probably the big situational factors in my life that are likely to impact my project. I should also talk about my values and how they impact my teaching. I can talk about my own self-efficacy. Then I’m not sure exactly where I go from there. I would like to talk about how by using email interviews instead of LIVE interviews I will have more time to reflect and ensure that my responses are not being impacted to greatly by my own bias and emotions. But I’m still not sure what methodology I will be using. Reviewing the research questions and method wont come until later. Sigh.

I think I’m just going to write it and then submit it to my supervisors and if they don’t like it, they can say so!