Engaging with the Access Grid as a new data collection tool
Nigel Fielding, Maria Macintyre
Professor Nigel Fielding, Department of Sociology, University of Surrey, UK
n.fielding@surrey.ac.uk
Maria Macintyre, Research Fellow, Department of Sociology, University of Surrey, UK
m.macintyre@surrey.ac.uk
This paper reports on research that explores the utility of Access Grid Nodes (AGNs) to conduct social scientific fieldwork. AGN mediated research has the potential to overcome the lack of co-presence associated with `virtual' methods. This paper highlights the main findings of the pilot fieldwork (14 individual nonstandardised interviews with student respondents from three universities). Primarily, the experimental fieldwork aimed to collect AGN mediated data and secondly to reflect on this experience. A main element in our analysis of communication features is the concept of engagement. Engagement relates to being engaged with the topic and the interaction. Respondents reported that their concerns relating to the environment, cameras and the lack of physicality were reduced when engaged with the interview. Engagement however was disrupted by physical reminders of the AGN environment. In summary, respondents viewed the experience positively, highlighting that AGNs can be used for data collection. Whilst barriers to engagement need to be minimised, AG communication has the potential to enhance the researcher's toolkit. It must be noted that arranging, conducting, recording and analysing AG sessions is not always analogous to faceto-face research. Instead AG research presents new challenges inherent in a new technology and a new research tool.
