The role of the researcher

In qualitative research, the researcher is not only the primary instrument or medium through which the research is conducted, but also the interpreter who makes meaning of the data. The researcher’s knowledge, values, emotion, and personal experience inevitably shaped his or her project in important ways (Hammersley, 2005). Rossman and Rallis (2003) argued that “data are filtered through the researcher’s unique ways of seeing the world---his lens or worldview” (p.36), it is crucial for researcher to be reflective about his or her approach, knowledge, assumptions and bias during the research journey.

Hammersley and Atkinson (1983) pointed out that “there is no way in which we can escape the social world in order to study it. Put simply, a relationship always exists between the researcher and those being researched” (P.15). Rossman and Rallis (2003) also argued that “the personal biography of the researcher and the role she takes influence the research” (p.49). In this sense, it is primordial for the researcher to develop an acute sensitivity to her identity, cultural and social context, as well as the relationship with the researched in his or her work. Research is value relevant, but an overemphasis on neutrality and value-free alone may not be feasible, what is important to the research is that “we try to be aware of and vigilant about the baggage we carry into the inquiry” (Rossman & Rallis, 2003, p.51). Delamont (1992) stated that the researcher is “constantly self-conscious about role,

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interactions……as long as qualitative researchers are reflexive, making all their purposes explicit, then the issues of reliability and validity are served” (p.8).

In this study, I adopted the role of both an insider and outsider. As I came from China and I myself used to be a kindergarten teacher in China for two years, I was a member of the same ethnic group as the participants. In this sense, I regarded myself as an insider. I understood the value and culture in Chinese social context. I knew the early childhood education system in China, the kindergartens and class composition, as well as the teachers’ daily life. This allowed me to generate constructs from my cultural knowledge to describe and explain the actions I observed and the words I heard in kindergarten and classes. However, Chen (2000) argued that in a sense, the ‘real insider’ does not exist, because when a researcher is conducting a study on the culture in which she lives, there is distance between her and the culture. Although I know the social value of China, I am an outsider of the participant kindergartens, a complete stranger to the teachers and children, and I am not a member of them. Thus, I do not understand the specific context, reasons and explanations for teachers’ belief and behavior. I can only construct knowledge by asking them questions, staying in the context and carefully observing their behaviours. Therefore, in this sense, I considered myself to be an outsider who entered the field, interacted with kindergarten practitioners and sought to understand their perceptions, feelings, and behavior fully and intimately.

Bearing the roles in mind, I became aware that reflexivity on my assumptions, biases, opinions, and prejudices was an ongoing task in this research (Rossman & Rallis, 2003). I attempted to set them aside temporarily, and accepted the fact that I was a stranger to the setting, and I sought to establish rapport with the participants, and continually reflected on our relationships during the research process.

Upon my initial meeting with the kindergarten principals, they expressed a warm welcome to me and hoped that this research could help them make improvements for their teaching practice. I also expressed my gratitude to them for providing good opportunities for me to conduct the research and to communicate and discuss problems with kindergarten colleagues.

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On the next formal visit, a principal suggested to arrange a seminar for me and all the teachers in the kindergarten to discuss some of the practical questions of early years’ education. I participated, listened, discussed, learned and most importantly, got familiar with the teachers through this chance of dialogue. All three principals kindly permitted me to buy lunch from the kindergarten refectories and arranged a room (conference room or computer room) for me to stay and have a break during children’s naptime, as the kindergartens were far away from where I live. Therefore, during the fieldwork, I had more time to meet the teachers and interact with them. I also helped them with the classroom wall decorations. Through all these interactions, I was able to establish rapport with the participating teachers, and built my identity as a friend of theirs who knew early childhood education, had a passion for it, understood their work and was willing to listen to them whenever they shared opinions and stories, and help them when they needed.

Since the current research involved children, my relationship with them also needed to be carefully developed during the research process. I adopted the role of ‘other adult’ advocated by Christensen (2010, p.155). She suggested that:

‘adults doing childhood research should present and performance themselves as an ‘other’adult, one who is seriously interested in understanding how the social world looks from the children’s perspective but without making a dubious attempt to be a child. Through this the researcher emerges first and foremost as a social person and secondly as a professional with distinctive and genuine purpose’ (Christensen, 2010, p.155).

At my first meeting with the children of the observed class, I introduced myself as a guest who was studying in a university in Britain, and was visiting the kindergarten. I wanted to write a book about how children play with their peers and how the teachers were involved in, and helped them in their play. I brought a video camera to help me to do this. After I gained their permission to video record their play, I told them that “when you see me carrying this video camera, this means I am working, if you got a question or you want to talk to me, please wait a few minutes, I would like to talk with you after I have finished my recording

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work” (field notes, on 13th Sep, 2011). During the observation period, I noticed that when a child wanted to talk to me while I was video recording, other children would remind him/her, “Candy (my English name) is working, you should not interrupt her.” (field notes, on 29th Sep. 2011). When I interacted with the children, I talked and acted in an adult way, rather than in a childish manner, which some researchers preferred. When participating in their activities, I did not get involved in “telling children off, solving conflicts among the children or protecting and looking after them” (Christensen, 2010. P.155). Gradually, my reactions to the children helped me to build my identity as an ‘other adult’ who was different from the adult role of a teacher, a member of staff or a parent.