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

interview schedule was presented to the participants one week prior to the interview so
that they could think about the issues raised and provide some depth in their answers as
opposed to providing superficial answers 'offthe cuff'. Participants were at liberty to
refrain from answering any question they deemed 'sensitive'. All participants, however,
were happy to answer all questions posed. All interviews were conducted at participants'
schools, except for one that was conducted at a participant's home. This was at the
request ofthe participant. Each interview lasted for approximately thirty minutes. During
the interview I used a series ofprompts and probes in order to make the meaning ofthe
responses clearer. All interviews were audio taped and transcribed. From the set ofseven
initial interviews, I personally transcribed the first two interviews. This process allowed
me to reflect on the interview process and to begin a tentative analysis ofthe interview
data. A preliminary interview report was compiled and presented to each participant for
verification. Such a strategy enhances the 'internal validity' and accuracy ofthe data
(Cresswell 1994). Apart from a few minor changes and initial anxieties at seeing their
spoken words in text, all teachers were satisfied that the interview report was an accurate
reflection oftheir biography, their perceptions ofEMS and the reasons for their
participation in the research study.
In the later analysis ofthe interview data, I was mindful ofDelamont's (2002) warning
that when gathering data it is wise to lookout for 'contrastive rhetoric and rosy-trimmed
nostalgia'. Participants may believe that the past was better. The researcher's task is to
record such views and to be mindful ofbelieving them.
4.5.2 .Keeping a journal
Journal entries were made regularly, at least once a week. Field notes are an
indispensable data source (Anderson 1999). These should contain everything the
researcher finds worthwhile. Field notes are the researcher's detailed and descriptive
record ofthe research experience, including observations, a reconstruction ofdialogue,
personal reflections, a physical reflection ofthe setting, and decisions made that alter and
direct the research process. Delamont (2002) argues that field notes are not a closed,
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