One to One Tutorial 31st March

Straight after the online group session yesterday, I had a one-to-one tutorial with Paula to discuss Data Analysis. As I have mentioned on my blog (Inquiry Stage), I felt a underprepared to begin the data analysis process. Paula has send me some authors and books that will help me to make sense of the data analysis and these include: Mason (2002); Blaxter, Hughes and Tight (2010); Denscombe (2010).

Data Analysis: General Purposes

Paula explained that the data analysis is looking at what people have said in your inquiry and what people have done in your inquiry and comparing these with your opinions and the literature.

In the analysis you are separating out emerging findings. In terms of my own inquiry where I carried out observations and interviews, this will be recognising common themes between interviews and observations and significant instances that stand out amongst my observations and interviews. I will then compare these to my own expectations and the work in the literature. When using qualitative data from interviews, Paula said I have to state what participants actually said, using quotes, and then explain my interpretations of this.

1. What happened in the inquiry? What did participants say/do?
2. Compare this to what is written in the literature and my own opinions and expectations
3. Explore if the findings from observations/interviews are in alignment or in juxtaposition with literature and opinions

How to Analyse Data

Paula said to first listen back to the interviews I have audio recorded. She said not to transcribe the whole interview, but to only type/write up quotes that I think are significant or interesting. For my observations, Paula said to note two or three things that stand out from each observation. Paula also suggested that colour coding each of these things to help me categorise emerging themes. Next, Paula said to create a ‘Matrix’ grid, to compare what I believed and what each participant said or did that related to this.

Paula suggested that I could either write the observations and interviews up together, by using thematic analysis, suggesting that I only using a handful of the most important themes (5 or 6), or I could analyse the observations and interviews separately with a summary of both at the end of this.

Discussion about Artefact

We then discussed my ideas for my artefact. Paula said that the artefact should be bringing all of my ideas together and communicating them to a professional audience. Paula also said the Artefact should be a way of providing solutions in my new professional practices and this may be that I give examples of this too (almost like a ‘Tahdah’ moment!)

I said that my professional audience would be teachers in both the Secondary Sector, as this is where my current work practices are, and the Primary Sector, as this is where my future teaching career will be. I told Paula how I would like to create a video for my artefact, where I draw images, key words and mind maps of how I carried out my inquiry and what I found. This is then made quicker with an incorporated voice over explaining the process in more detail. I would like to do this for two reasons. Firstly, because I believe teachers, after a long day or reading, marking, lesson planning and data entry, would much rather have a visual source to receive information. Secondly, I have found in my inquiry, so far, that both visual aids and collaborative group work are used as engagement strategies. Therefore, a video would make use of visual and audio sources as well as giving me the opportunity to work collaboratively with the creative team in my school to learn new skills.

Paula said that I needed to have some way of summarising the inquiry with my solutions to some of the problems I have found. This way, I can ‘pick up’ my findings again. Leaving the artefact with just theories and questions isn’t enough. Paula suggested maybe adding my ideas of what an engaging lesson would look like using the findings of my inquiry. This could be either a lesson or workshop plan. I really like these ideas Paula suggested. Through the Data Analysis process, I think that this final solution or ‘Tahdah’ moment will become more clear, however any suggestions would be greatly appreciated too!

Thoughts, Reflection and Action Plans

The one to one, in combination with the online session, gave me some very significant ideas to think about. I feel I have a clearer idea of what I need to do in order to analyse my data effectively now. I feel that I still need to take time to look at the resources that Paula has suggested, to ensure that I fully understand the task ahead. I am hoping to send Paula a ‘sample’ of my analysis by the end of next week to gain some formative feedback on this. Paula has also given me some really exciting ideas to consider for my artefact and I will continue to reflect upon these in my reflective journal.

ACTION POINT: Read sources suggested by Paula and make detailed notes

ACTION POINT: Highlight two or three significant ideas from each observation, colour coding these.

ACTION POINT: Create a Matrix grid either using thematic analysis or analysis of interviews and observations separately

ACTION POINT: Send a sample to Paula for formative feedback