Validation and Reliability of the Data Among Participants

The multiple data collected through phase one and phase two were shared with the participants for the validation and reliability of data. Checking was conducted to have the JTEs both acknowledge and to be able to see interpretations of the data to know how they are being interpreted (Cole, 1996), especially on the transcriptions, which were shared with the participants. Each teacher was asked to read through the transcriptions in Japanese (which were later translated into English) and they gave feedback freely for confirming

credibility of data. This gave them the opportunity to discuss and clarify the data and add new or additional perspectives if any (Shulman, 2000). The timing of checking was carried out at each stage before going to the next stage. In addition, several researchers (Lincoln &

Guba, 1985; Creswell & Miller, 2000) agree to the inclusion of peer debriefing in to increase the credibility and dependability of qualitative research. Peer debriefing means getting a second opinion by selecting someone who is familiar with the research theme and can provide an objective analysis of the data. Thus, using peer debriefing can also reduce researcher bias (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). A colleague working at the same school site as the author and participants was chosen to assist in the peer debriefings. For example, the peer was asked to go through the data and label themes according to the categories. The labeling was compared with the author’s and similarities reinforced further substantiation of the final selection of categories. Differences occasionally emerged and were also discussed to refine the analysis.

3.7 Data Analysis: The use of memos to generate emerging themes An analytical device used to help construct themes and their relationships in the data was a form of note taking referred to as “memoing” (Corbin & Strauss 1990; Glaser, 1978;

Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Bogdan and Biklen point out that a weakness of researchers on first projects is that they use too much time on recording details and not enough on freeing themselves to contemplate what is going on. They write “Rather than allowing the recording of detailed description to dominate your activities to the exclusion of formulation hunches, record important insights that come to you during the data collection before you lose them” (1998, p. 161). Glaser refers to the importance of writing memos because they can lead to the formation of ideas. Glaser writes (1978), “Memo-writing continually captures the frontier of the analyst's thinking as he goes through his data, codes, sorts or writes” (p. 83). Charmaz also favours writing memos:

Memo-writing is the pivotal intermediate step between data collection and writing draft papers….Memo-writing constitutes a crucial method in grounded theory because it prompts you to analyze your data and codes early in the research process” (2006, p.72).

Memoing provides an analytic instrument that avails the researcher opportunities to conceptualize the data and at the same time prepares the researcher for writing up the study.

3.7.1 Memo Analytical Process (MAP)

Field Notes, Reflection Field Notes. They were conducted at each stage, and the range of the memos ranged from a few paragraphs to several pages. The length of memos can be anything from a short writing on how something in the text or codes relates to the literature, to several pages developing theoretical implications (Borgatti, 2004).

§ Text Analysis Notes (TANs)

TANs were memos that provided opportunities for the researcher to reflect on text transcripts of data taken from

• Interviews,

• Co-constructed dialogue

• Stimulated recall

Memos from TANs were used to draw on what to focus on in future interviews, LSC interventions or in classroom observations

§ Observation Field Notes (OFNs)

After every class observation, notes from the observations jotting down what was going on in real time were written out in prose style to generate analytical insights on the

participants’ instruction.

§ Reflection Field Notes (RFNs)

RFNs provided the researcher with a means to look at notations made in TAN and OFNs and draw on creative analysis that might lead to theoretical assumptions. In short, RFNs memos are similar to what Borgatti (2004) refers to as theoretical notes, which help the researcher to visualize the data by allowing for reflection and analytical insight without the pressure of working on (the paper” The memos were labelled and dated for analytical and record keeping purposes.

3.7.2 Documenting MAP

As mentioned, the MAP was conducted in each stage. The memos were labeled and dated, especially noting the type of memo and in what stage it occurred as shown in the Table 3.4 below:

Table 3.4

Memo Analytic Process (MAP)

TANs COFNs RFNs

1^st phase TAN-1 Interview note TAN-CO1 Classroom Observation

TAN-SR1 Stimulated Recall

COFN-1

Classroom

observation field note

RFN-1Reflection field note

2^nd phase LSC

1^st LS

TAN-2 Co-constructed Dialogue

TAN-CO2 Classroom Observation

TAN-SR2 Stimulated Recall

COFN-2

Classroom

observation field note

RFN-2 Reflection field note

2^nd LS

TAN-3 Co-constructed Dialogue

TAN-CO3 Classroom Observation TAN-SR3 Stimulated Recall

COFN-3 Classroom observation field note

RFN-3 Reflection field note

3^rd LS

TAN-4

Co-constructed Dialogue TAN-CO4 Classroom Observation TAN-SR4 Stimulated Recall

COFN-4

Classroom

observation field note

RFN-4 Reflection field note

4^th LS

TAN-5 Co-constructed Dialogue

TAN-CO5 Classroom Observation

TAN-SR5 Stimulated Recall

COFN-5

Classroom

observation field note

RFN-5 Reflection field note

5^th LS

TAN-6 Co-constructed Dialogue

TAN-CO6 Classroom Observation

TAN-SR6 Stimulated Recall

COFN-6

Classroom

observation field note

RFN-6 Reflection field note

3^rd Phase

TANs OFNs RFNs

The MAP throughout the study provided an important means to help code and generate coding categories. In the first phase, it helped with gaining insights for the first stages of coding data. The second phase MAP was crucial to developing understandings of the participants inquiry process as they went through the LSC. In the third phase during the CCA, data from MAP played a large role to further mobilize findings.

3.8 Summary of Methodology Chapter

In this chapter, detailed descriptions and rationales for the methodological approach taken in this study were presented. A qualitative approach was seen as appropriate because of the exploratory-interpretive nature of the study. Seeking an in-depth analysis of teaching, single case study was selected and CCA is included in the research design to look for

understandings of the data. Grounded Theory (GT) was selected as a method to conduct data collection and analysis because of its rigorous procedures. The inductive nature of GT allowing the data to grow into thematic categories through comparative analysis provides a richly formed organizational framework to explore and interpret the findings. In the next chapter, the abstracted categories and major core theme that encapsulate the data are presented.