Teacher Learning in a Community of Practice: A Case Study of ...

completed, final text: rather, they are indeterminate, subject to reading, rereading, coding,
recording, interpreting, and reinterpreting. She also notes that most researchers are
protective about their field notes. They are rarely seen by anyone other than their author,
and not discussed.
My journal served several purposes. Recording entries allowed me to capture and
organise my observations during workshops or after informal conversations with
participants. My role during initial workshops entailed making a professional input at
TEMS workshops. While performing this role, I was also performing a role as researcher,
observing and recording data for research purposes, adopting the role of 'participant as
observer' (Merriam 1998).
This research study was characterised by an emergent design in that initial data collected
influenced how the TEMS research project was to unfold, the nature ofthe lesson
observations, and the framing ofthe final interview. The journal allowed me to reflect on
and analyse my observations and conversations with teachers and principals, as well as
on observations during the workshop sessions. The journal was a key instrument that
influenced the form and shape ofthis research study.
Myjournal writing, which I made available to my supervisor, served as a basis for
discussions during supervisory sessions. It also served as an important data source for the
preparation oftwo conference papers.
My initial 'writings' in the journal proved to be a frustrating and painful exercise. I would
often have to remind myselfofthe need to write. I sometimes experienced difficulty
deciding what to write about. My revisiting the work ofDelamont (2002), Wragg (2001)
and Walford (2001) was useful in helping me understand the effective use and value of
maintaining a purposeful and efficient journal. While the writing was relatively free­
flowing, from my re-reading (at later stages in the research process), I could detect that
my initial writing was not as free flowing as it could have been. I found that I was in fact
writing in a style that would allow for easy comprehension by my supervisor. As I
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