Table 2.1 Outline of participant activity Terms/Dates Activity Purpose Method/Methodology Term 1/2 RDC1 Required before research RDC1 completed and submitted to University. (2010 Ethical approval undertaken. Organisational approval sought. – 2011) from University November and 2010 Organisation – January 2011 Term 2 Brief outline of Raise awareness of Meeting with Head of Quality and cross-college management staff delivering on February research and research project within Foundation Degrees and DTLLS. (Exo-system level.) 2011/ request for the organisation; seeking March 2011 participants curriculum areas for participation March 2011 Visits to classes: Explanation and Explanation of research proposal and involvement required. Q & A with potential introduce discussion around action participants. Discussion of ideas. (Micro- and meso-system levels.) research idea, research focus and role obtain volunteers of participants. Term 2/3 Initial combined Discuss reasons for Recorded interviews digital voice recorder (DVR). Individuals discuss interest in April 2011 meeting with Pair involvement in the being involved, anticipated potential advantages and disadvantages (micro- – 1 and Pair 2 research level - individual, meso-system level in terms of own professional practice as – teacher phenomenological teachers). Anticipated benefits for (meso-system level). (Links to learner ‘partners’ participants. ontology. Informed identities and perceived trajectories.) Teacher participants also exo-systems level Initial individual consent. viewpoint. Additional researcher notes for reference and to prompt follow-up meetings with questions. Fully transcribed for subsequent coding and analysis. Also added to Pair 1 and Pair 2 ideas around content for pro-forma (Appendix Three) being used by participant learner observers designed to encourage focus of observer on the learning taking place – participants. (links to metacognition and expert learner). 30 40 minutes per interview. –
Table 2.1 Outline of participant activity Terms/Dates Activity Purpose Method/Methodology Term 1/2 (2010 – 2011) November 2010 – January 2011 RDC1 Ethical approval from University and Organisation Required before research undertaken. RDC1 completed and submitted to University. Organisational approval sought. Term 2 February 2011/ March 2011 Brief outline of research and request for participants Raise awareness of research project within the organisation; seeking curriculum areas for participation Meeting with Head of Quality and cross-college management staff delivering on Foundation Degrees and DTLLS. (Exo-system level.) March 2011 Visits to classes: introduce research idea, obtain volunteers Explanation and discussion around action research focus and role of participants. Explanation of research proposal and involvement required. Q & A with potential participants. Discussion of ideas. (Micro- and meso-system levels.) Term 2/3 April 2011 Initial combined meeting with Pair 1 and Pair 2 teacher participants. Initial individual meetings with Pair 1 and Pair 2 learner participants. Discuss reasons for involvement in the research – phenomenological ontology. Informed consent. Recorded interviews digital voice recorder (DVR). Individuals discuss interest in being involved, anticipated – potential advantages and disadvantages level - individual, meso-system level in terms of own professional practice as teachers). Anticipated benefits for ‘partners’ (meso-system level). (Links to learner identities and perceived trajectories.) Teacher participants also exo-systems level viewpoint. Additional researcher notes for reference and to prompt follow-up questions. Fully transcribed for subsequent coding and analysis. Also added to ideas around content for pro-forma (Appendix Three) being used by participant observers – designed to encourage focus of observer on the learning taking place (links to metacognition and expert learner). 30 – 40 minutes per interview. (micro-