Teacher Learning in a Community of Practice: A Case Study of ...

RESEARCH DESIGN
4.1 INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER FOUR
The empirical field for this research study was the TEMS (Teaching Economic and
Management Sciences) teacher development project, a teacher learning community. This
chapter is focused on the methodological issues relating to conducting this research
study. Specific attention is given to issues related to conducting research on Economic
and Management Sciences teacher learning during the TEMS project. The chapter
concludes with a comprehensive discussion ofthe methodological orientation and
research design, the coherence ofthe methodology and theoretical framework, procedures
for attaining access and acceptance, sampling and data collection instruments.
4.2 THEORETICAL PRINCIPLES THAT INFORMED THE RESEARCH
DESIGN
As stated in the previous chapter, contextual factors play an important role in influencing
teachers and teacher learning and it is for this reason that a qualitative research study was
considered to be most appropriate. The choice ofmethods and instruments was informed
by symbolic interactionist theory as outlined in Chapter Two, and a desire for
'workability', flexibility and adaptability. A detailed discussion ofthe methods follows.
The main reasons for using a qualitative framework are:
• A qualitative approach allowed me to become involved in the experiences of
the research participants and to develop detailed accounts ofindividual
participants and the contexts in which they operated. This is particularly
important in South Africa, a country with complex social, economic and
political peculiarities. Quantitative methods ignore complex contextual
factors.
• The complexity ofthe process ofteaching and learning did not warrant a
quantitative approach (see discussion in Chapter Two).
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