Walking through the grounded theory process: A research experience

1. Walking through the grounded theory process: A research experience Esthery Dembo Kunkwenzu Postgraduate student Stellenbosch University

2. Overview • Introduction • The GT process • The research experience • Concluding comments and contentions

3. Overview of GT • GT was first discovered by Glaser & Strauss (1967) in the discovery of grounded theory. • Since then, Grounded theory has been refined and developed by many other interpretive scholars including: • Corbin & Strauss (1990); • Glaser (1978, 1992, 1998); • Morse & Johnson (1991); • Strauss & Corbin (1990, 1994, 1997, 1998).

4. Overview of GT • GT studies begin from a general research interest in an area or topic, which gradually narrows down to the discovery of a specific pattern or phenomenon. • GT is defined as an inductive approach to the study of social phenomena that attempts to generate a theory from data (Babbie, 2004).

5. The GT process • Open coding: Method of attaching a label that captures the detail, variation and complexity of the basic qualitative data. • Constant comparison: Method of comparing data instances, cases and categories for conceptual similarities and differences. • Theoretical sampling: A data collection method in which the researcher jointly collects codes and analyses data and uses this information to decide what data to collect next and where. • Memo writing: Writing theoretical memos helps to explore emerging concepts and links to existing theory. • Saturation: A stage reached when no new categories or ideas for the development of the theory emerge with subsequent data collection and analysis • Theoretical sensitivity: Means that a researcher has to be sensitive to the important issues in the data.

7. Overview of GT • Such explicit and systematic research procedures have enabled grounded theory to gain credibility over other general qualitative methodologies. • GT opens up ‘a range of new and exiting challenges and opportunities for research especially in areas where • existing theory is inappropriate, • too abstracted, or • absent entirely • This was especially useful in my study of beginning teachers because although literature in the area abounds, there is still no theory that can be used to guide a framework for understanding the experiences of beginning teachers (Colderhead & Shorrock, 1997; Flores, 2001)

8. The research experience • Methodology and data development techniques: • Questionnaire on biographic information • Face to face interviews • Classroom observations and reflection • Reflective diary • Focus group discussions

9. Reflection on the research process • Challenge 1 • To generate a compelling, credible and trustworthy process of conducting the study. • The grounded theory process as described earlier was adhered to throughout the field work and to the end of the study.

10. Reflection on the research process • Challenge 2 • Open coding • Use of both in vivo codes (that is the words used by the participants) and in vitro codes (expressions introduced by the researcher) in this coding.

11. Partial audit trail of initial face-to-face interviewTeacher identity: Dan Date of interview: 19th January, 2006

12. Reflection on the research process • Challenge 3 • Development of categories • Further constant comparison of categories • The use of visualization through use of logic diagrams (Strauss & Corbin, 1990)

14. Figure 3: High expectations School expectations Teaching senior classes Teaching examination classes Expected to improve national examination outcome in H/E Holding a degree High workloads Higher teaching load Teaching additional non specialised subjects- (sciences) School Roles Accorded more school responsibilities High expectations

15. Reflection on the research process • 3. Use of the coding paradigm helped to label the remaining categories accordingly as • causal conditions, • Phenomenon • Context • Intervening conditions • Action/coping strategies • Consequences (Strauss, 1987).

17. Concluding comments • Data collection vs Data development • Data is generated through human actions – face to face interviews, classroom observations, field diaries etc. (Jardine, 1998) • Discovery of GT vs generation of GT. • Constructivist revision also alerts to the fact that data should guide but should not limit theorizing, because to be able to generate a theory, researchers use their theoretical sensitivities which are brought in by their experience (Henwood & Pidgeon, 2003) • The challenge and excitement that using grounded theory brings lies in a researchers ability to go beyond the overwhelming maze of data and categories that result from the field work.

18. Thank you