Data Analysis

The four research questions, Communities of Practice and social-cultural theoretical elements (discussed in Chapter 3) and Bernstein and Tyler’s pedagogic identity model generated four positions (explained in Chapter 2) are key to structuring the analysis of data and the presentations of my findings in Chapter 8, 9 and 10. LeCompte (2000, p. 152) states that “analysis that is meticulously done, based on clearly articulated theories, and responsive to research questions can be good analysis.” Also central to my interpretation of the empirical data is key literature that informs this study. Thus a deductive data analysis approach that is research questions-informed and theory-driven is used to synthesise, interpret and make sense of the extensive amounts of data obtained from NICLE-participant observations, fieldwork notes, document collection, interactive interviews and teacher reflective journals. This method involved coding, categorising (grouping) and interpreting empirical data through provisionally preconceived categories (Bell, 1989; McMillan & Schumacher, 2001; Miles & Huberman, 1986). In this study the preconceived categories used to guide analysis of data and presentation of my research findings are the four research questions and the theoretical framework components and positions. This results in patterns of meanings emerging, and these are related to the conceptual framework selected for the inquiry and the research questions. Besides providing analytical tools, the sociocultural theoretical elements also provide a language to describe and explain how primary maths teachers learn and how their practices and identities change in relation to engaging in NICLE. A deductive approach is used for developing and refining the socio-cultural approach theoretical elements used in this study and to illuminate how teachers learn and how their identities and practices evolve in relation to participation in NICLE.

Using the deductive data analysis strategy my discussion in Chapter 8 is structured to interrogate the overarching and the 1st research questions, Chapter 9 investigates the 2nd research question and Chapter 10 addresses the 3rd research question. The discussion in Chapter 8 is guided by Lave’s notion of telos and Sfard and Prusak’s (2005) identity-as-story

construct (reframed stelos) to illuminate the overarching research which investigates ‘the nature of teacher learning within NICLE’.Also to structure the discussion in Chapter 8 and address the 1st research question on how primary maths teacher identities evolve, and the process of this evolvement, I use Wenger’s (1998) characterisations of identity as nexus of

multimembership and as a ‘learning trajectory’ and the component of ‘imagination’. To assist

in organising gathered data on activities, relations and forms of participation within NICLE and how these enable or constrain evolving primary maths identities and practices the discussion in Chapter 9 is illuminated by Wenger et al’s (2002) structural elements of a CoP and Wenger’s (1998) theoretical component of engagement. Bernstein’s pedagogic identity model (Bernstein, 2000; Tyler, 1999) and Wenger’s (1998) notion of alignment helps address the 3rd research question - on how teacher evolving identities and practices relate to the broader official pedagogic identities promoted nationally and to other contextual factors external to the CoP and illustrates the discussion in Chapter 10.

Whilst the outlined theoretical framework elements guide the organisation and presentation of data, the study does not ignore emerging themes from the teachers’ learning stories. This consequently resulted in modified and revised categories (Neuman, 2009; LeCompte, 2000) which more appropriately fit the gathered evidence and from which new patterns of meaning emerged that are informed but not restricted by the research questions and the theoretical framework. Such structuring and presentation of information pays attention to the teachers’ voices and key emerging themes arising from the empirical data and relates with the study’s unit of analysis which is the ‘numeracy teacher-in-NICLE’. Furthermore such data analysis strategies provide the study with rich thick descriptions on how teachers learn and how their primary maths identities and practices evolve and what enables or constrains such evolvement illuminated by the theoretical elements. The table below illustrates how data was analysed and how information was organised and presented in the discussion chapters.

Chapters Research question (RQ) addressed Theoretical elements used in data analysis

Main sources of data used

Ch8

Main RQ - what is the nature of primary maths teacher learning within an in-service CoP

Lave’s (1996) notion of telos

Sfard & Prusak’ s (2005) identity-as-story construct

Interactive interviews Journal entries

RQ 1 - How do primary maths teachers professional identities evolve in relation to participation in an in-service community of practice-inquiry (as well as in other overlapping communities of practice)? What are the processes through which primary maths teacher identities evolve?

Wenger’s (1998) characterisations of identity as nexus of multimembership,

as a ‘learning trajectory’

and the component of ‘imagination’

Interactive interviews Journal entries

Ch9

RQ 2 - What activities, relations and forms of participation within the Community of Practice enable or constrain evolving teacher maths identities and practices? How do these enable or constrain?

Wenger et al’s (2002) three fundamental elements of a CoP

Wenger’s (1998) concept of ‘engagement’

Interactive interviews Journal entries Document collection (NICLE hand-outs)

Observation fieldwork notes

Ch10

RQ 3 - How do these teacher evolving identities and practices relate or align to the broader official pedagogic identities promoted nationally and to other contextual factors external to the CoP.

Bernstein’s pedagogic identity model (Bernstein, 2000; Tyler, 1999)

Wenger’s (1998) notion of ‘alignment’

Interactive interviews Journal entries Document collection (official documents)