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

were cordial and professional. The research participants with whom I had established
contact in 2002 facilitated access to all participating schools. All teachers had sought
verbal agreement in principle from their respective principals. I did, however, formalise
the arrangement with letters to each principal requesting permission for me to conduct
research in their schools. The letter indicated the purpose ofthe study, the confidentiality
and anonymity which the schools and the teachers would enjoy and an undertaking that
my presence would cause minimum disruption to the schools' programmes (see
Appendix 5). Each teacher was also given a similar letter outlining his or her roles in the
research project (date ofcommencement, duration, interview procedures and classroom
observations and workshop participation) (see Appendix 1).
4.7 EXITING THE FIELD -TERMINATING FIELDWORK
While there may be no ideal or normal length oftime to be in any field setting, it is
important to stay long enough to appreciate the 'historical rhythm' ofthe institution one
is studying (Delamont 2002). In this research study, I spent seventeen months in the
research field gathering relevant data. Researchers could decide to stop collecting data
when they have exhausted their resources, where they have spoken with the necessary
people and have recorded sufficient data to complete the study. Ifa researcher has
saturated her categories and was only receiving 'tiny bits' ofnew information; or, the
emergence ofregularities, that is, when the researcher begins to observe consistency or
regularity in her themes, categories or constructs, then it was time to terminate the
fieldwork (Anderson 1999).
Finance is nearly always a major constraint that necessitates some compromise to be
made between what the researcher would ideally wish to do and what is possible
(Walford 2001). In ethnographic research, for example, financial compromises can
determine the amount oftime spent in the field, the extent to which interviews can be
fully transcribed and the extent to which the observer can truly participate in the lifestyle
ofthose she is studying. Time is also a fundamental constraint that impinges on all
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