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

'connoisseurship'. I realised that my observations and descriptions were in fact affected
by my prior knowledge and personal teaching style. Wickham (1998:43) observes, "that
observation is neither objective or value-free and ... an observer's vision is skewed by
her own subjectivities, ... descriptive language contains evaluative elements and ... it is
difficult to divorce the two".
In order to establish how teachers taught EMS, I planned to observe teachers' lessons
according to a semi-structured observation schedule. I was mindful ofthe fact that
although I had had previous experience ofclassroom observation for research purposes,
every classroom observation was likely to be a new learning experience. For this reason,
a semi-structured observation schedule was developed. The work ofWragg (2001),
Delamont (2002) and Cohen and Manion (1994, 1997) was particularly useful in shaping
my perspective on classroom observations. Wolcott (cited in Delamont 2002: 132)
expresses scepticism about whether observational techniques ofa reflexive, ethnographic
kind can be taught. Research observation skills are best honed and refined during actual
observations. The observation schedule was used to guide my observations and to
foreground issues arising out ofthe critical research questions.
During the lesson observations, careful concentration and rapid shorthand enabled me to
obtain much valuable information on the content and flow ofeach lesson so as to create a
"thick description" (Geertz 1973:3). Critical incidents were documented. Ofparticular
importance was the need to immediately compile a report. On this issue, Cohen and
Manion (1997: 112) assert that one should:
... never resume your observations until the notes from the preceding observation are
complete... Until your observations and impressions from one visit are a matter of
record, there is little point in returning to the classroom .. , and reducing the impact of
one set of events by superimposing another and more recent set.
Delamont (2002: 138) supports this view by emphasising the importance ofimmediate
reflection on field notes as follows:
It is not possible to record too much about a person, place or interaction, but it is idiotic
to pile up lots ofmaterial without reviewing it and beginning to reflect upon it. Ten
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