Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Judy Constructs a Genuine Question: A Case Study Paper Report Instructor: Ron Wakkary

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Judy constructs a genuine question: a case for interactional inclusion, Lesley A. Rex, Teaching and Teacher Education, 16(2000), pp

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Description of the study A single-case study that is embedded in a six- year ethnography study The study focuses on one student, Judy and presents two detailed interactions within the classroom.

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Description of the study The study examines how best to create “interactional inclusion” (affirming and connecting academic contributions) for students with learning disabilities. The author claims that the study provides –a) a sociocultural lens for looking at inclusion practices in the classroom and –b) it focuses on “discursive constructions” or discourses.

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Description of the study The study examines three discourse dimensions: –1) learning the language of AFS; –2) socioliteracy, asking a “genuine question”; –3) self and peer constructions and reconstructions of standing in the class. The study provides heuristics for contextual conditions and teacher “gatekeeping” and “mediational” moves that lead to interactional inclusion.

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Roles of the researchers For six years leading up to the study the researcher was a supervisor of student teachers at the school in the study Researcher was a participant observer in the AFS classroom during the study Teacher and researcher were “co-researchers” (not an author of the paper or other papers?)

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Qualitative method The method used was a case study It was challenging in two respects, firstly it is a single case study (one student); and secondly it was part of an ethnographic study The authors apply Mitchell’s (1983, 1984) concept of a “telling case” rather than a “typical case”.

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary The qualitative method For six years leading up to the study the researcher was a supervisor of student teachers at the school in the study Researcher was a participant observer in the classroom during the study Teacher and researcher were “co-researchers” (not an author of the paper or other papers?)

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Data collection and participants Collected data included participant- observation, field notes, videotapes (student collected), student artifacts, “performance products”, institutional records, teacher and student interviews The classroom is an AFS (Acadmic Foundation for Success) class and curriculum that brings together GATE (Gifted and Talented) students with “general” students and those with learning disabilities Judy).

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Data analysis and design The data analysis was in design complex: Spradley’s (1980) ethnographic method (mixing of ethnomethodological and ethnographic) Discourse Analysis (Green & Wallat’s (1981) method) for analysing data Interpretive Method (Erickson, 1986) for emergent questions and theorization Range of semantic and intercontextual approaches cited

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Data analysis and design Researchers examined specific teaching- learning events that established expectations of academic literacy and competency Researchers discuss a part-whole analyses informed by the transcription of 14 interrelated cycles of academic activity (e.g. homework, free writes, report, etc). Patterns across activities were analyzed. “Telling interactions” were selected and presented (two in the paper)

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Surprises and further questions The degree to which the paper rested on two “telling cases”. The complex data collection and analysis was not evident. Related to the above the resting on a single case: “Judy” The lack of investigation into the more significant factor for interactional inclusion: teaching practice or curriculum (or at least the interactions between them)

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Value of the study The study provides a detailed account of interactions in a classroom within a particular setting The study provides heuristics for contextual conditions and teacher “gatekeeping” and “mediational” moves that lead to interactional inclusion.

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Creswell’s criteria We use a tradition of inquiry: the paper was a mix of ethnography and case study that resulted in a weaker approach Analyze data using multiple levels of abstraction: the authors incorporated educational and qualitative methods literature extensively but the resulting analysis seemed less then promised given the design Writing is clear, engaging…: The writing was often in specialist language and left many concepts unexplained

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Areas of improvement Extend the discourse analysis to other interactions with other participants. Strengthen the case study with analysis of other data (non discourse analysis). Separate units of analysis more clearly: e.g. Judy, class, teacher, curriculum Study the roles of teacher and curriculum Show more evidence of the operationalization of the data analysis design

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary What did I learn Consider “telling” approach over “typicality” approach in case studies Pulling out of case studies in longer ethnographic studies The pressure on single cases to carry the evidence Follow-through from design to implementation

Week 5 - Feb. 4, 2008 IAT 801 Qualitative Research Methods - Ron Wakkary Sept 4, 2007IAT 334 Interface Design Instructor Ron Wakkary Questions? Ron Wakkary