Finding and selecting a research topic

In this post I will describe my proposed research topic, chronicle how I came to select and refine the topic, and the share the questions I still have about my research. I welcome the opportunity to share and discuss my research interests, and have found the feedback from my supervisor and others to be of great assistance.


Proposed Research Topic and Questions:
Before describing the journey that lead to the selection of my topic I will briefly summarize my research focus:

The purpose of my study is to design and test a climate adaptation learning system in selected areas in Tanzania using a) video mediated strategies; b) participatory processes; and c) climate science and disaster risk reduction expertise.

This study is designed to contribute to a broader research agenda that seeks to scale up climate adaptation programs, based on tested strategies, thereby contributing to the reduction of the humanitarian impacts of climate change.

Building on the concept of a learning system, and drawing on reading I had done about knowledge transfer and learning in the field of disaster management, I have identified a series of questions that form part of my planned study and that consider the relationship between local knowledge and expert knowledge:

Indigenous knowledge - what observations do people have about climate and its impact on their lives?
Knowledge representation and transfer - how can scientifically complex climate information be effectively communicated (using video/visual media)?
Knowledge transfer - what are the program design elements of a disaster risk reduction program, incorporating climate change information, which influence climate adaptation at a community level?
Knowledge representation and transfer - how do communities represent their knowledge and experience of weather, climate, climate impacts, and adaptation strategies (using video tools)?

Research Topic Questions and Considerations:
As my proposed study is part of a larger research agenda, I recently touched based with Dr. Pablo Suarez, a climate scientist with whom I've been working, regarding the status and direction of the the project. The funder for the larger project has changed. Initial plans were for my research to be undertaken in an urban setting in Tanzania, and this has now changed to rural locations. There is also a more specific focus on health issues related to climate change, and there seems to be de-emphasis, from the written materials at least, on the use of video-mediated strategies.

The Journey to Select My Research Topic
to come...