Reading my mind . . .

Again with my intentions . . . I had intended to write this when I got home after class.  I guess by now, we already know how that works.  =)  


I was actually quite relieved that class was let out early.  I, too, had just gotten off a plane . . . well, not "just" -- I landed in the morning.  I got home, took a shower, and then took what I thought would be a short nap.  I ended up oversleeping, which was why I was late for class.  Ugh!  I'm not good with sleeping on planes and the by the time we got home, I had been up for nearly 24 hours.  Why am I even telling you all this!?!  This is supposed to be course-related.  Sorry!  Now you know why I don't blog!  I could ramble forever about things nobody cares about . . . .  The point is that I wanted to thank you for dismissing us early . . . to work on our projects, of course (and, because I was home early, I got to catch the game from the best part -- right before Cruz missed Freese's hit to the right field wall in the 9th!).  


Anyways, I also intended to blog about my second interview that I conducted on the 18th that night, but . . . like I said in a previous blog, so much for my intentions.  Ugh!


Yesterday's class discussion brought several things to mind in regards to my interviews.  I think the audio-recordings definitely do change the "atmosphere" of the interview.  In my first interview, the teacher I interviewed was concerned about saying too much.  She started off with trying to say what she thought was the "right" thing to say in support of the DOE because she was being recorded and then quickly changed her tune when I told her I wanted her to be honest and the recording would not be "broadcasted"; I had to tell her I wanted to know how teachers truly felt about teacher evaluations.  In my second interview, the teacher I interviewed was concerned about not saying enough.  My second interviewee was very aware of the fact that the interview was being recorded and kept asking if my questions were being answered.  When she would say things that she felt was offending the DOE or someone in particular, she would make comments about striking that part out of the recording.  There were certain things she wanted to keep "off the record", so to speak.  She tended to ramble here and there during the course of the interview and caught herself.  I kept assuring her that nobody was going to hear the recording besides me and that I would strike names out of the transcript.  Both initially felt as if I was acting as an agent of the DOE as opposed to a student interested in what teachers (and administrators) really felt about teacher evaluations.  Thus, both started the interviews by answering the questions that they felt the DOE would want to hear.  I had to tell both that I wanted them to be as honest as they felt comfortable being before they started to really tell me how they felt.  


It was also mentioned in class how difficult it is to find people who are willing to be interviewed.  I was lucky in that the two people I have already interviewed sort of just appeared and were willing to do the interview -- more than willing, actually.  I guess, despite their initial hesitation when the interview started, they are very opinionated.  Neither were people I had initially intended to interview (there goes my intentions, again!).  I hadn't gotten around to asking the people I was intending to interview if they wanted to participate with the exception of one administrator, which I think I wrote about in a previous blog.  The administrator I had asked was very hesitant and concerned about who would know what she would say.  I had to assure her that nobody but me would know that she said what she said and that it was basically her opinion that I wanted.  How do we know what to fix if we don't know what the problem is, right?  I think, for me, I'm lucky because I am in a position that gives me access to a number of possible interviewees and to interviewees I have already established a positive rapport with (since, for the purpose of this project, we only need to interview 3-4 people).  However, I know it would be much more difficult for me if I had to interview 60 people and I would have to approach people I am not familiar with and have not already established that rapport with.  


Of course, I would need to be careful of who I interview because, as was brought up last night, sometimes my beliefs and opinions are imposed on others during the course of previous discussions and that would affect the validity of my project.  I do have a tendency to talk a lot about something I am passionate about (or maybe I just have a tendency to talk a lot about anything . . . have you seen all of my blogs?  Yikes!) and what I had said could influence an interviewee's response -- whether it be because the interviewee was lead to believe what I believe or because the interviewee knows the answers I would like to hear.  I have been good, though, in not inserting my own opinions during the course of my interviews.  I'm not sure, however, if I asked leading questions . . . something for me to look out for.  I know there is a difference between probing questions (to encourage the interviewee to say more about the topic) and leading questions (to get the interviewee to say what I want said).  The two people I have interviewed thus far are not people I talk to on a normal basis and I do not think I have ever discussed teacher evaluation with them prior to the interviews.  That's a good thing.


I also need to consider my position as an administrator and be mindful of the person I am interviewing.  I need to be sure that the people I interview are people who will react to me as a researcher interviewing them for a project rather than as their administrator.  I think this may not be a big problem for me now that I am part of adult ed rather than a K-12 school.  Teachers I would consider interviewing would not be part of my current school; thus, it would not be threatening (not that I am a threatening person . . . ).  


Lots more to think about.  I can see why people may choose quantitative over qualitative research.  Dealing with numbers seem to be easier than dealing with people and the issues that need to be considered when dealing with people (lots of variables!).  You can't truly measure the validity of an interview or observation (participant or not) on a numerical scale.  People are just not numbers.

One down . . .

Well, I conducted my first interview yesterday.  It was a little uncomfortable at first because it felt so formal.  But once my interviewee answered the first question, it got easier -- like we were just "talking story".  I think I did a pretty good job in keeping my opinions to myself, in regards to teacher evaluations at least.  We did, at one point, go off on a tangent and started talking about testing (the Hawaii State Assessment) and I did express my frustration with the reading portion of the test and had to pause the recording to tell her what some schools were doing (because I didn't want THAT to be on any record . . . ), but for the most part, the questions from my Interview Protocol did guide the conversation.  I found that the recording does come in very handy.  I tried to take notes during the interview, but it got to be too distracting at some points -- especially when she's saying so much because of her apparent frustration with the system. It was funny because at the beginning of the interview, her answers were "textbook" -- evaluations are done so that administrators know how teachers are doing in the classroom and know how to better support teachers, etc.  During the second question, however, she gave the textbook answer and then sort of snorted and said, "But, really . . . " and I had to tell her that I wanted to know what she really thought and that the purpose of the interview was not to get the answers that the DOE would like, but to find out what teachers and administrators thought about the actual teacher evaluation process and what they thought it should be.  I guess she felt like she had to be the model teacher with all the right answers.  I guess that's understandable because that's how I feel when I am "interviewed".  Once she knew I wanted to know what she really thought, then she started talking about how administrators do the evaluations because they have to and don't take the time to actually observe what is going to properly evaluate a teacher and so on.  So, it turned out to be a pretty good conversation, I thought.  I guess I'll get a better idea after I transcribe the recording . . . which I could have lost! So, I ended up using my phone to record the interview.  Yes, I'm going off-topic here . . . the night before the interview I had my phone updated to the iOS 5 (which I really like . . . now that I've gotten it working) and had problems restoring everything.  I got everything working and used it to record my interview.  However, I realized that my ringtones were missing (it's hard to hear your phone ring when it's a tone you're not used to hearing . . . or it's hard for me, at least.), so when I got home after my interview, I plugged my phone into the computer and it restored everything, again.  Since it restored everything to the backup I had the night before, the recording of the interview was erased.  LUCKILY, I emailed me the recordings before I restored, thinking I wanted it on my flashdrive so I could erase it off my phone.  Can you imagine if I didn't do that?  This entry would be filled with "censored" words (lots of $#!+ and others).    Anyways, so I completed my first interview and the interviewee got lunch in return.  I really did not say anything about how I felt about teacher evaluation, which was what I was worried about.  But I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that the interviewee shared a lot of how I felt.  It would be interesting to see how I would approach an interview in which a person felt differently.  Would I be able to keep my opinions to myself then?  Let's hope.  By the way, what do I do with the signed consent form?  I am assuming I can't include them in my paper nor should I turn it in since it would break confidentiality . . .  I guess I'll just store it separately.  I am attaching a copy of my researcher information sheet and consent form.  Let me know if I need to make any changes.  I basically took what was provided as an example on Laulima (The "Extending University Knowledge into the Community" one) and revised it to fit the purpose of my interviews.  I hope that's okay . . .  I guess you'll let me know.  Thanks! Have a great week!  Again, I will not be attending class on Thursday (the 20th -- I think I said the 25th in a previous email, but that would be my other class . . . ).  I will be attending class on the 27th.  I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Thank you!

researcher info.consent.doc 

I need to do what!?!

So, I have already decided that I will probably not be doing a qualitative study for my dissertation. It's not that I don't like qualitative studies, I just don't know if I can sit down with 50-60 people and conduct interviews. If you have not already guessed, I'm not much of a people-person. I know, I know . . . I'm in education (which might actually explain it . . . ). I don't consider kids as people. Just kidding! Students do not make me as nervous as adults do. And then I find out that I have to record my interviews! I hate being recorded. You can ask anyone who knows me well. Both schools that I worked in had a strong media program and I always refused to be interviewed or speak on camera. I just don't like it. I have hard enough time speaking in class! Ugh! But, there is still two months left. Maybe this class will change my mind . . . So, I guess I have to record my interviews. But, do I have to include the transcripts of these interviews in my paper? In the appendix? I cannot imagine typing out transcripts of 60 one-hour interviews. Wow! I give people who have done it or intend to do it a lot of credit for that. I don't mind typing out the transcripts, though. Of course, I don't have to do 60 interviews for this project. It's having to hear my voice on the recording that will bother me. =D! Okay, I'll stop whining! I do want to thank Ivy for helping me with my Interview Protocol. I am attaching it below so that you can comment on it if you want (I'm attaching a condensed version without the page breaks between the questions). I added probing questions in the event that they are needed. Like I've said in previous blogs (and you've noticed in my proposal), I just need to make sure I do not add in my own thoughts regarding the topic. I guess the recording will come in handy. It will make me more conscious about what I say. Sometimes that is needed. I often find it difficult to keep my opinions to myself (can you tell?). I think I may also have difficulty with "encoding" my project report. As an English major, I've learned that voice is very important in literature. Apparently, it is also important in academic reports. In my quantitative research classes, I have always chosen to write my papers to an audience that the assignment was geared towards -- usually a school or school district. Thus, I normally tried to write my paper in terms that a person without a statistics background could understand. I'm not sure who my audience is for this project because it seems so open. I would like my audience to be education administrators (at the state K-12 level), but if I am mimicking a dissertation, then my audience would be more "academic" -- not to imply that DOE administrators are not academic. You know what I mean . . . there is a difference between K-12 education and academia. So, encoding my paper will be a challenge. I'll want to sway towards one direction when I know I should be heading in the other. I have to make sure I am consistent in my voice throughout the paper. I liked the fact that Creswell outlines the structure of a grounded theory paper. It gives me a better idea of what my paper should look like. I needed this, especially since grounded theory is so new to me. I am so used to have a theory or hypothesis drive a research that having the findings of my paper be the theory instead is unfamiliar territory. The questions regarding teacher evaluation is what actually drives my paper. I think it's harder to start from scratch -- not having a theory or hypothesis -- than it is to start with a proposed "recipe" . . . in terms of the writing. In terms of the research, however, it may be easier to build starting from laying the foundation than it is to break down and rebuild . . . I guess I'll find out for myself. I have lots to think about and I need to start conducting my interviews very soon. Please let me know if you feel my questions need to be changed. Thanks! And, as a reminder, I will not be in class next Thursday (October 20). If anything is due on that day, I will be sure to submit it prior to the 20th. Thank you!

Interview Protocol.condensed.docx

Maxwell's Exercise 5.1: Reflecting on Your Research Relationships

I hope this is the right assignment . . .   That's what I get for being late to class . . .

I chose to focus my project for this course on teacher evaluation mainly because it is something I have become passionate about.  As an administrator, I believe it is my job to advocate not only for my students, but also for my teachers.  That being said, I believe it is my job to ensure my teachers are being "judged" fairly and that they are being supported so that they can perform their best in the classroom.  


As a former teacher and current administrator, I have access to a number of teachers and administrators that I can use to gather data for this project.  All of them have become friends through work, either when I was a teacher or since I have become an administrator.  I have been able to establish a positive rapport with a number of potential interviewees and have been talking about teacher evaluation for a while, so presenting myself and my project to interviewees will not be too difficult.  I think the most difficult thing about gathering the data I will need for this project (of course, I'm not even sure my project proposal passed, yet . . . ) is keeping my mouth shut and my ears open.  If I am too comfortable with my interviewees, I may offer too many of my opinions that could influence their responses.  I also have to keep in mind what I have already expressed in regards to teacher evaluation and to whom; I may have already influenced some potential interviewees with my own opinions.  I am not one who feels comfortable speaking in front of a group of people or speaking to people I do not know very well, but when I am comfortable, it is difficult to stop me from expressing my opinions.  


I know a number of teachers are frustrated with the current evaluation process as well as the non-evaluative observations that take place on campus.  I also know a number of administrators who are also frustrated with the current evaluation process and who have difficulty with the current evaluation tool because it is vague and left open to too many interpretations.  If I am able to approach teacher evaluation by using grounded theory, I am supposed to be a "blank slate" and my job will be to collect other educator's thoughts and beliefs.  Let the interviewees talk and "vent" and share their ideas.  What I will need to do is to ensure them that their responses, should they make any critical remarks about their administrators or district- or state-level administrators, will not be shared in the "So-and-so said . . . " way, I need to ensure that their identity will be protected if need be.  


Now that I think about this, I really do need to take into consideration my relationship with those I interview for this project because often, the people I feel most comfortable with are people who share my thoughts and beliefs.  Thus, I would need to consider interviewing people who are not within my close circle of friends or someone I have not seen or spoken to in a while to ensure I have not "tainted" them.  


I may not have completed this assignment as was outlined in Maxwell, but it has gotten me to think about who I choose to interview for this project.  I suppose that is the point of this.