Researchers who plan to utilize the methodological approach of hermeneutical phenomenology must first understand the philosophical assumptions that provide the epistemological foundation for this methodology. The objective of this chapter is to present a set of resources for instructors of research methodology coursework, specifically instructors who aim to introduce students to the research methodology of hermeneutical phenomenological inquiry. The core philosophical concepts discussed in this chapter are 1) the phenomenological attitude, 2) hermeneutics as way of being, 3) the four lifeworld existentials, and 4) the significance of mood. This chapter will begin by presenting a brief summary of these four philosophical concepts. Then, this chapter will introduce three frameworks of curriculum theory, specifically as related to the use of curricular objectives in the practice of teaching. Finally, this chapter will present five distinct approaches to lesson planning and will apply each lesson planning approach to the teaching of these four core philosophical concepts.
TopIntroduction
The methodology of hermeneutical phenomenology is a popular method of social science inquiry (Harris & Kruger, 2020; Kim, 2012; Maltby et al., 2016; Morgan, 2019; Southgate, 2021; Wright, 2019). This methodology affords researchers with the opportunity to gain insight into the lived experience of participants, i.e., insight into the subjective meanings that are revealed through particular moments of being in the world. Such research can deepen readers’ appreciation for what it is like to be a human being in a particular situation, and this deepened appreciation can have implications for practice, such as in the professional fields of teaching and nursing (Crowther et al., 2017; Qutoshi, 2018; Suddick et al., 2020; van Manen, 2014).
Aspiring researchers who plan to utilize this methodological approach, however, must first understand not only this methodology’s particular recommended methods of data collection and data analysis (Errasti‐Ibarrondo et al., 2018; Roth, 2012; van Manen, 2014) but also the philosophical assumptions that provide the epistemological foundation for this methodology (Dahlberg & Dahlberg, 2019). The objective of this chapter, therefore, is to present a set of resources for instructors of research methodology coursework. Specifically, this chapter will present a set of resources for instructors who aim to introduce students to the research methodology of hermeneutical phenomenological inquiry.
This chapter explores different approaches to curricular design for the teaching of four of the core philosophical concepts that underlie the methodology of hermeneutical phenomenology. The four core philosophical concepts discussed in this chapter are i) the phenomenological attitude, ii) hermeneutics as way of being, iii) the four lifeworld existentials, and iv) the significance of mood. This chapter will begin by presenting a brief summary of these four philosophical concepts. Then, this chapter will introduce three frameworks of curriculum theory, specifically as related to the use of curricular objectives in the practice of teaching. Finally, this chapter will present five distinct approaches to lesson planning and will apply each lesson planning approach to the teaching of these four core philosophical concepts.