Observation Guidelines
Site visits and interviews are designed to get you to experience first hand the people and behaviors linked to the Buddhist traditions studied in the course. In SacCT, you will sign up to visit a particular local worship site; you will then then visit the site at the scheduled time, observe participants, and interview one of them to get a sense of what they are thinking. This experience will serve as the foundation for the observation report. Choose a local place of worship
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that you have NOT previously visited yourself and OR known much about from friends or family;
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that is reasonably accessible (see me if you have problems with transportation or commute from a distance);
- whose times of formal worship match your schedule. (I recommend going with at least one classmate, family member or friend.)
NOTE: I strongly recommend that you go with at least one classmate, family member or friend. Though the people in charge of these sites are always welcoming, you should take the same precautions as in any other public place.
IMPORTANT: you must observe one of events listed under Local Sites, not simply visit the site and talk to people. Although you may at other times have interesting informal interactions with community members there, it will be difficult to tell what they normally do when outsiders are not present based exclusively on such interactions.
Timeline |
Local Sites |
Advice About Observing |
Advise about Interviewing |