Studying teacher collaboration
2017
Levine, Thomas
Interviews have the potential to uncover other peoples lived experience, beliefs, and world view with more depth than other research methods. Despite this potential, interviews also pose challenges for interviewers when they address sensitive topics or interview reluctant subjects. In this case, successful completion of a dissertation depended upon getting teachers to share their perceptions of collaboration with peers, of their own teaching, and of any influence collaboration might be having on their individual work. Beyond the challenge of asking insiders questions that invited self-critique and critique of peers, I also worked with one teacher at each of the two research sites who proved initially reluctant to participate. I describe strategies I used to build rapport and trust, including positioning myself as having much to learn from interviewees; consistently expressing gratitude forand being cognizant ofthe time I was asking from teachers; opening with grand tour questions to establish the right conversational dynamic; preparing a semi-structured interview protocol with carefully worded questions, and the most potentially sensitive questions coming toward the end of the interview; and seeking to give back without making the research less trustworthy.
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