Observation Assignment 1 Shaw 1 Site Location: Fretwell Description of Location: The Fretwell café is located on the lower most level of the Fretwell building. The café is rather large for a café and is comprised of tables, chairs, food and drinks. The café has around 30 tables each contains either 2 or 4 chairs. In the center of the café close to the inside wall, the cash register and food is located. On the other side against the outside wall there is a series of fridges setup with various drinks. There are several entrances, one located on the innermost wall of the café accessed by students getting out of class, another located on the outermost wall easily accessed by individuals that are passing the building from the outside, and last but not least an emergency exit located near the cash register. Figured World: A “figured world” is a setting in which “actors” and “artifacts” are recognized.A “figured world” Is constructed based on the culture and the social perspective. In a “figured world” a group or set of “actors” interact in a certain way base d on the location and envi r onm ent around them. Rules and Conventions: The “figured world” I will be ob serving is the Fretwell Café. This establishment located on the first floor of the Fretwell building draws various crowds. The Fretwell Café is a business owned by the University. Many people study in this space, enjoy drinks, refreshments, and or other food items. The location of this café is significant because students that have classes in Fretwell primarily use it . Some people use this café to study for upcoming quizzes and or tests, to complete homework, or to prepare for upcoming classes. Others use it to catch up with friends, to grab breakfast, or to relax in-between classes. I will be observing this café during the morning and during mid-day to compare and contrast the various activities and to compile how those activities may or may not change from one part of the day to the next. Some a ctivities are obviously not appropriate in this establishment. For example people should not enter the café yelling or cursing. The overall mood of the café is relaxed and serious so being boisterous and or overly loud is not acceptable in this location. Talking and conversation is acceptable but only at appropriate levels. Visitors need to be courteous of others and understand that not everyone is there to socialize. Many are at the café for activities such as studying. I believe that some individuals may become a distraction to other visitors in the café that are trying to do school wor k and or study. Some individuals will violate what is not acceptable and will be at fault for other visitor’s distractions and or fa ilures to complete assignments at this location. I also expect to find visitors at Fretwell Café to complete tasks and or other actions that I have not hypothesized. Actor: An “actor” is an individual that is recognized interacting with “art ifacts” withina given “figured world”. Actors are influenced by the “figurative world” they are a part of and the “artifacts” in which they interact with. Actors either follow the norms of the fi gured world o r t he y go a gainst it. Students: Men and Women that visit the Fretwell for a variety of reasons including but not limited to: food, coffee, drinks, study time, homework, group conversations, dates, and to kill time. Comment [JS1]: Excellent work! This was incredibly easy to follow, and very detailed. Your definitions and descriptions of the Bartlett and Holland concepts were fantastic. In revision, I want you to work on the following for the final portfolio: How are you an actor in this specific figured world? How does your role as an actor impact your observations? I would like to see you move your photos to incoporate them as a part of the writing in your assignment. With what you have taken in the photos, I think there are many logic places you can incoporate them throughout your document. Some sort of map of the location would be particulary helpful. I would like for you to create a map of the location in Microsoft Word using shapes and noting the specific locations of discourse communities, artifacts, actors, etc. This would be particularly useful in visualizing what your observed throughout your observations.
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Description of Location: The Fretwell café is located on the lower most level of the
Fretwell building. The café is rather large for a café and is comprised of tables, chairs,food and drinks. The café has around 30 tables each contains either 2 or 4 chairs. In the
center of the café close to the inside wall, the cash register and food is located. On the
other side against the outside wall there is a series of fridges setup with various drinks.
There are several entrances, one located on the innermost wall of the café accessed by
students getting out of class, another located on the outermost wall easily accessed by
individuals that are passing the building from the outside, and last but not least an
emergency exit located near the cash register.
Figured World: A “figured world” is a setting in which “actors” and “artifacts” are
recognized. A “figured world” Is constructed based on the culture and the social
perspective. In a “figured world” a group or set of “actors” interact in a certain way
based on the location and environment around them.
Rules and Conventions: The “figured world” I will be observing is the Fretwell Café.
This establishment located on the first floor of the Fretwell building draws various
crowds. The Fretwell Café is a business owned by the University. Many people study in
this space, enjoy drinks, refreshments, and or other food items. The location of this café
is significant because students that have classes in Fretwell primarily use it. Some people
use this café to study for upcoming quizzes and or tests, to complete homework, or to
prepare for upcoming classes. Others use it to catch up with friends, to grab breakfast, or
to relax in-between classes. I will be observing this café during the morning and during
mid-day to compare and contrast the various activities and to compile how those
activities may or may not change from one part of the day to the next. Some activities are
obviously not appropriate in this establishment. For example people should not enter the
café yelling or cursing. The overall mood of the café is relaxed and serious so being
boisterous and or overly loud is not acceptable in this location. Talking and conversation
is acceptable but only at appropriate levels. Visitors need to be courteous of others and
understand that not everyone is there to socialize. Many are at the café for activities such
as studying. I believe that some individuals may become a distraction to other visitors in
the café that are trying to do school work and or study. Some individuals will violate
what is not acceptable and will be at fault for other visitor’s distractions and or fa ilures to
complete assignments at this location. I also expect to find visitors at Fretwell Café to
complete tasks and or other actions that I have not hypothesized.
Actor: An “actor” is an individual that is recognized interacting with “artifacts” within
a given “figured world”. Actors are influenced by the “figurative world” they are a part
of and the “artifacts” in which they interact with. Actors either follow the norms of the
fi gured world or they go against it.
Students: Men and Women that visit the Fretwell for a variety of reasonsincluding but not limited to: food, coffee, drinks, study time, homework, group
conversations, dates, and to kill time.
Comment [JS1]: Excellent work! This was
incredibly easy to follow, and very detailed.Your definitions and descriptions of the Bartleand Holland concepts were fantastic. Inrevision, I want you to work on the following fothe final portfolio:
How are you an actor in this specific figureworld? How does your role as an actor impact your observations?
I would like to see you move your photos toincoporate them as a part of the writing inyour assignment. With what you have takein the photos, I think there are many logicplaces you can incoporate them throughoutyour document.
Some sort of map of the location would beparticulary helpful. I would like for you tocreate a map of the location in MicrosoftWord using shapes and noting the specificlocations of discourse communities, artifactsactors, etc. This would be particularly usefuin visualizing what your observed throughou
4:30PM — There are various individuals that seem strongly engaged in their homework
on their computer. Talking is absent at the moment but thus far has remained at a low.
The only real noise in the café is the various machines that make ice, coffee and other
items. At closer inspection it is clear that the ice machine is the loudest thing in the entire
café.
4:40PM — People have started entering Fretwell café and heading directly to the line for
food. Many are looking at the menu and deciding what to order. Those that already know
what they are ordering simply walk to the front of the line and order the food and or
coffee of their choice. A police officer just entered and walked from the entrance over to
the open top refrigerator. She looks at the drinks for a moment and decided to pick up the
“Naked” beverage and proceed directly out of the café through the back entrance.
4:50PM — The café phone just started to ring for the first time since I have been in the
Fretwell Café. Of the remaining 5 students diligently working on their laptops all but one
looked up when the phone began to ring. The phone seems to be a distracting noise in a
place like this café where silence is key.
5:00PM — Activity has started to pick up as more people have started entering the café.
The jump in activity may have something to do with many classes getting out at 4:45PM
today. A line of students and professors is forming at the kitchen desk and the employees
are beginning to work at a faster pace.
5:10PM — Ten minutes have passed and the noise level is at an all time high. The line at
the kitchen desk is moving quickly which is good for the individuals that are running
from here to their next class.
Observation Two
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Time: 1:45PM-2:25PM
1:45PM — Fretwell Café is much busier today. The seats are packed and there are no
seats to spare. The line is currently very long and stretches from the cash register all the
way to the outside door. At this moment there are four employees on duty and they are
working frantically to serve everyone in line in a quickly and orderly manner.
1:55PM — Ten minutes have passed but the entire room has changed completely. People
are getting up and leaving presumably to head to their next class. Tables have started to
open up and the employees seem less stressed than they were 10 minutes ago.
2:10PM —
Looking around I can see two different types of people. One group of studentsis in Fretwell for academic reasons. The other group is in Fretwell for the Café services.
The academic students are sitting around at scattered tables with their glowing apple
logos typing papers, completing online math homework, and reading emails. Some
students are standing in line waiting for a bite to eat.
2:20PM — One student just walked in and appears to be in a hurry. He walks up to the
Café worker quickly and asks for an Ice coffee. Unfortunately the café worker politely
tells the student that they are out of ice. Apparently the ice machine is now broken.
2:25PM — This café is nearly a ghost town. There are only 5 of us left in the Café and it
is no longer as loud as it was. Everything interesting appears to have left and the
remaining students are hard at work completely essays, texting, and just looking around
awkwardly. One individual appears to be watching me closely from across the room.
Maybe they are doing the same observation that I am.
Observation Three
Thursday, September 12, 2013Time: 4:45PM-6:15PM
4:45PM — Fretwell currently has light traffic. A few people are coming and going but for
the most part nothing interesting is going on. A student with a red book bag just bought a
sandwich and is walking to an empty table eating it.
5:00PM — Two men are sitting two my right and look important. They are discussing the
university leading me to believe they are important figures at our school. One individual
is discussing funds and asking the other one if he would like excess funds. Workers are
working at a steady but not extremely busy pace. One worker is making a coffee and the
other is making a sandwich for a student that looks very hungry.
5:10PM —
Pace has picked up as more individuals are entering the café for food anddrinks. The ice machine appears to be working today so individuals appear to be in a
happier and more relaxed mood. One girl is walking back to her seat with her sandwich.
She dropped something but it looks like it was just her phone. It would have been tragic if
she had dropped her sandwich instead.
5:20PM — One employee is washing her hands in what appears to be a closet. It must just
be a small employee accessible room. Many of the tables have filled up but five tables
reaming leaving 14 available seats for new visitors.
5:25PM — Another employee has entered the closet to wash their hands. The two
important looking individuals are now standing up and it appears they are getting ready to
leave. They have started moving closer to the exit and are now walking through the exit
door to leave Fretwell café.
5:35PM — Laughter is at an all time high as people are entering the café. An employee
just dropped a plastic fixture and appears to be getting scolded by a superior or manager.
The manager keeps repeating “that costs 80 dollars”. The scolded employee, obviously a
student doesn’t seem shaken and is back at work.
5:45PM — The girl sitting at the table next to me is looking over my shoulder at what I
am doing. She is most likely reading exactly what I am typing now. She is now talking on
the phone, or pretending to in order to play off that I know she is being nosey.
6:00PM — Fretwell is a center of gossip today sitting around me seems to be talking bad
about people. One girl is criticizing one of her room mates to what appears to be her
boyfriend. Other tables are talking about how hard classes are. The only quite table in this
café at this exact point and time is me of course and a student sitting on the other side
writing on a piece of paper.
6:15PM — The police officer mentioned in an earlier observation is back in the café this
time socializing with the employees. She must be friends with them because they are allgathered around laughing loudly about something. Maybe she gets free drinks because