journal #6: 1/27

We did an activity in class where we had to draw out our field study plan, like a web outline, with our focus question in the middle, and our ideas on the side like branches.  It was good to actually write down what was in my head and my ideas that relate to my question because I was able to see what I do and don't have.  I really liked this activity because sometimes we have all these ideas in our head, but when we write it down, we can see which ideas work and don't work, or connect and disconnect.  It was very interesting to see how my other "branches" was also applicable to answering my main, focus question.  My focus question is what health education is like at Liahona high school.  To answer this question, I have to look at the health education curriculum for that particular school and also for Tonga in general (by the Ministry of Education), the services offered at the health center (which is on its campus), health issues Tonga faces, student/teacher perception of health, and so forth.  It's pretty cool to see how many different areas I must also look into, to answer my question.  Answering those questions are essential to answering my own question.  I think that's one of the steps to asking good questions, is asking a question that can't be answered through just one answer, but through multiple answers and leading to asking different questions and I think that's what a field study is about.  I think sometimes we may think that if we know the answer to a question, then that is a good question, because we know the answer.  But of course, it's those unanswered questions that are worth the time asking about and exploring to find some answers.  When I tell people I'm going to Tonga for a field study, they always ask, what's a field study?  I usually answer with a response like, "It's like a research on a question I have."  But drawing out this web outline made me realize that it's not just "a" question I will be researching, but "many" questions I will have to research to answer my question.  This made me think of the work that I will be doing there in Tonga, and the overall field study I will be doing.  My field study may not make a huge difference, or any difference at all.  But it's a possibility that my field study could be an answer, or a "branch" on someone elses' web outline.