Learning in the Field: Ethical Differences, Time Banking, and Online Privacy Protections

• In Event: 527 - Regular Session. Qualitative Methodology

Abstract

This paper presents three considerations for qualitative fieldwork: 1) a comparison of ethical considerations between the US IRB and New Zealand’s Ethical Committee; 2) participants’ requests of time banking or a time exchange; and 3) online privacy protections and confidentiality guarantees. This paper is an attempt to contribute to the importance of learning from the field, or while in the field, and to be open to the research questions or methodological opportunities that arise from the field, or that are offered to us by research participants. The purpose of this paper is to generate a much needed discussion on accommodating international ethical concerns for stronger participant protection, on considering the applicability of time banking as part of the research process, and on acknowledging the weaknesses in protecting our e-correspondence and the identity of potential participants if their email accounts or online correspondences are already compromised. Moreover, it is a call to learn the worries of research participants and how their concerns, such as access to their email correspondence, impacts our own research and our efforts at guaranteeing participant privacy protections. This discussion is based on fieldwork conducted in New Zealand from July 2013 to June 2014 (this project is still ongoing).

Author

• Patricia Widener, Florida Atlantic University