supporting tiriti-based curriculum delivery in mainstream early ...

4.1 Overview
Chapter Four: Methods of Data Collection
“Before the research I wouldn‟t go and try” (FG: D, 15/12/08).
In Aotearoa New Zealand there has been a growing amount of co-research
by teachers and academics, encouraged by funding from the Ministry of Education.
When teachers have the opportunity to be involved in such research, for example
my study, or in the two projects completed by Ritchie and Rau (2006b, 2008), they
become more able to develop confidence and skills in Tiriti-based curriculum. As
D says, the opportunity of this project enabled her to try new things.
This chapter focuses firstly on discussing the case study approach, which
is frequently applied in educational research. Decisions that led to the selection of
the three case study centres are described and justified. Given the difficulties
practitioners have with Tiriti-based aspects of Te Whāriki it was important to me
that research into implementing this curriculum occurred within authentic settings.
Above all, I wanted the research to reflect the realities which teachers experienced
over time. My reasoning was that I wanted to uncover and analyse triumphs,
challenges, and barriers to Tiriti-based practices. I argued at the outset of this
study, and continue to reason now at the conclusion of this study, that the most
effective way for this to occur involves constructing research with a whole team of
teachers. As I discuss in the previous chapter I was unwilling to involve a centre as
a case study unless every member of the team was in agreement with participating
in the research.
Finally, methodological matters that pertain to the whole study are also
discussed in this chapter. Discussions on reliability and validity show that the
research was carried out in a robust manner. Because of the mixed methods
approach, triangulation of the data was possible through utilising multiple data and
multiple methods. Analysis for qualitative and quantitative data was carried out
manually and with the aid of appropriate computer programmes.
Of particular importance, however, were three research processes which
permeated the study seamlessly. The first involved the use of autoethnography
(Ellis & Bochner, 2003) and the second entailed my participation in a series of
“critical conversations” (Brookfield, 1995). Stemming from these was a third and
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