Schneider+research

__10/7__

Purpose (cont. 2)
As I work on this inventory, it strikes me that perhaps I am being too evasive about the spirituality issue. As we have worked to simplify my purpose statement, it becomes clear that I am going to have to operationalize whatever constructs I choose to pursue. It doesn’t seem like it should be any more difficult to do that for spirituality than for constructs like identity or meaning – and it would keep my reading focused around the topic that I actually want to pursue (the “passionate” concern). There seems to be a lot of literature coming out around the issue of spirituality in higher education. Surely some of that literature should help me narrow the concept to one that can be studied.

So how would this work for a purpose statement:

The purpose of this research is to explore how the spirituality of five teachers in higher education informs their teaching philosophy and transformative learning experiences.

That statement would require that I operationalize “spirituality”, “teaching philosophy”, and “transformative learning experiences”. That doesn’t seem like it should be any more complicated than has been true for the other terms we’ve been discussing.

In your presentation on Friday evening, I was struck by your remark that qualitative research provides a forum for those whose voices, otherwise, are not heard. So, whose voices should I be calling forth – whose voices are not being heard? The most obvious answer, relative to higher education, would be either students or teachers. Some of what I’ve read, thus far, takes the position that higher education does a poor job of connecting with students at their deepest levels (which gets me back in the “transformative” arena, I think). Still my interest lies with the teacher side of the learning dynamic; what happens in teachers that enables them to reach – or not to reach – students on those levels? What parts of their own journeys have shaped the ways they have learned and the ways they choose to teach? What is the “spiritual” component (if they identify it so) that underlies the ways in which they relate to the role of being a teacher?

__10/7__

Purpose (cont.)
Below is some of the dialogue I’ve been having with myself regarding the narrowing process:

Research Purpose:

The purpose of this research is to explore how transformative learning experiences shape the belief systems and teaching philosophies of five teachers in higher education.

Above is the purpose statement we came up with on Wednesday. As I reflected on it, in preparation for the interview I was doing on Thursday, however, I wondered if I had it backwards. Is the reverse dynamic what I’m trying to get at – how belief systems and teaching philosophies inform transformative learning experiences? Also I inserted belief systems in place of beliefs. I’m not sure if that was a good change or not. At any rate, those thoughts generated this possibility for a purpose statement:

The purpose of this research is to explore how the belief systems, teaching philosophies, and experiences of five teachers in higher education shape transformative learning opportunities.

Another concern I had was whether it would be good to name their experiences as transformative on the front end. I think this may be a similar concern to the one you were expressing about me using terms like identity and integrity.

The purpose of this research is to explore how five teachers in higher education construct meaning based in their belief systems, teaching philosophies, and transformative learning experiences.

I know “construct meaning” is broad, but it has some of the sense that I’m trying to get at about what drives the choices that teachers make about shaping their belief systems and philosophies – what causes them to shape the constructs they do that support their choices relative to the teaching experience. I’m not so much interested in the various techniques they use, but the ways their thinking, feeling, and believing support those choices. Still the balance didn’t feel right, which generated the version below:

The purpose of this research is to explore how the belief systems and experiences of five teachers in higher education inform their teaching philosophies and transformative learning.

I don’t know if that’s what it needs to be, but it is what I ended up with in constructing my research questions and interview questions (see below) for going into the interview that day.

Research Questions:

1. In what ways do the belief systems and experiences of teachers in higher education inform their teaching philosophies?

2. In what ways do the teaching philosophies of teachers in higher education inform their belief systems and experiences?

3. In what ways do the convergence of teaching philosophies, belief systems, and experiences shape transformative learning experiences for teachers in higher education?

The research questions kind of go back and forth – e.g. is it the experiences shaping the philosophies or the philosophies shaping the experiences? It seems like that is a synergic dynamic. Is it best to explore only one side of the dynamic or is the interplay of the synergy the key point to be described?

I know these have to align better with whatever I come up with above for a purpose statement.

The next page is the list of interview questions I took into the interview with me. Across the top of the page, I listed five terms that I hoped to address in the course of the interview – in case the questions themselves didn’t evoke these. In some ways that was helpful for approaching the information through various perspectives; in other ways, it felt like I was all over the place.

Professional experience Belief system Meaning Teaching philosophy Transformative learning

Interview Questions:

In today’s interview, I want to ask you about some of the “critical moments” that have informed your role as a teacher in higher education. By “critical moment” I mean an experience that you consider to have been pivotal in shaping the choices you have made about being an educator.

1. Could you tell me about a critical moment that guided you toward being a teacher in higher education?

2. Could you tell me about a critical moment in your experience that shaped who you want to be as a teacher?

3. Could you tell me about a critical moment in your experience that shaped your philosophy about teaching?

3. Could you tell me about a critical moment in your experience that caused you to alter your philosophy about teaching?

4. Could you tell me about a critical moment in your experience as a teacher that changed how you viewed yourself as an educator?

5. Could you tell me about a critical moment in your experience as a teacher that reinforced how you viewed yourself as an educator?

6. Could you tell me about a critical moment in your experience as a teacher that has created meaningful learning experiences for your students?

7. Could you tell me about a critical moment in your experience as a teacher that changed you as a person?

Probes:

What led up to the situation?

How did you handle the situation?

What was the outcome of the situation?

What did you learn from this situation?

What made this a critical incident for you?

10/4

Research Purpose:
> identity > integrity > transformative **experiences** >> sense of calling >> sense of purpose? sense of meaning >> who i am created to be >> think >> try to learn >> evocative >> energizing > > different ways of knowing > get outside their own experience > understand someone else's perspective > respectful > gets out of their own experiences > construct a safe environment to have a range of thoughts > > > transformative experiences > values and beliefs > personal contexts as a human being > professional context as a teacher > > ===The purpose of this study is to explore how transformative learning experiences **shape teachers'** beliefs **and** teaching philosophies**.**======> where they felt that their teaching experiences informed their beliefs about self======> where they felt they had a growing experience======> where they felt they learned something new about their own teaching philosophies======> where they felt they played a critical role in creating meaningful learning experiences for the students=== > > > learned about something about yourself as a teacher > felt that you grew as a teacher professionally > felt that you grew as a person > felt that you changed your teaching philosophy > felt that shaped your teaching philosophy > shapes, directs, informs > > The purpose of this research is to understand the meanings the 5 instructors in higher ed attach to their role as teacher. Particularly, as these meanings have informed these instructors' teaching philosophies and in turn how these philosophies have fostered transformative learning within the teachers' experience and sense of authenticity. > > The purpose of this research is to explore how transformative learning experiences shape the ways 5 instructors in higher education think of their roles as teachers and inform them both personally and professionally. By looking at personal and professional impacts I am specifically interested in exploring > - how they interact with their students > - what they understand about themselves as a person (?) > - how they view their role as an educator > - how the iterative nature of interactions and experiences help them learn and grow as teachers and as people with some sort of values, beliefs > > **how teaching meets the need -- the need to have their life speak to that system of values -- what is it about teaching that is more fulfilling** > can you tell me about some experiences in teaching that have given you a sense of being who you are > > > In summarizing critical incidents, Kain (2004) explained, “the critical incident > interview invites the respondents to tell a story and explain why it is significant for a > given context” (p. 74). For example, Kain asked his participants to “think of a time when > you and your team members were especially effective in working together to create an > integrated or interdisciplinary unit or activity for your students, and then tell me about it” > **(2004, p. 83). I examined this approach in the development of my interview guide** > because it seemed like an appropriate technique to assist teachers in identifying the > events that were emotional for them. > > __10/2__
 * figure out which chunk of spirituality you want to explore
 * vocation
 * values and beliefs

Feedback
Gary

Here are my first impressions on this. Try to keep things simple and operationalize terms in very measurable terms. By measurable I don’t mean quantify but be clear in terms of what might be your indicators of transformative, identity, integrity etc. Stay as close as you possibly can to developing a purpose that can tap into people’s lived experiences. So, with that in mind, I am going to read really closely and provide my thoughts.

Purpose of Research: The purpose of this research is to understand the meanings that five instructors in higher education attach to their role as teacher, particularly as these meanings inform their sense of identity and sense of integrity in living in concert with those meanings. These issues of identity and integrity will be addressed by exploring the experiences that have informed the instructor’s teaching philosophies and, in turn, how these philosophies have fostered personal growth and transformative learning. Consistent with the precepts of the methodology to be applied (symbolic interactionism), the goal of the study will be to “understand the meaning that individual participants place on the objects that facilitate their interpretations and choice(s) of action” (Darby, ___, p. 70).__

The purpose reads very confusing and it feels like it’s in a puddle of identity, integrity, teaching philosophies all sort of ambiguously tied together. This needs to be tightened up considerably so that you can really line up the rest of your research. The reason being when it is tightened up then you can really explore deeper into your issue of interest. I understand that this is not easy and it took me six months before I was comfortable with my research questions. So you are in good company. Hang in there and keep at it.

Try the word explore instead of understand. It’s a personal preference because while the general goal of descriptive interpretive frameworks is to understand, I think purpose statements could be tighter with better words.

so as I see this you want to explore

how experiences in higher education [|[MSOffice1]] their roles identities and their teaching philosophies. transformative learning

You need to come up with some way to tighten that and focus focus focus and language that will allow you to lay out a well aligned research design.

you might consider aiming at this from the transformative learning perspective à the purpose of this research is to explore how transformative learning experiences inform instructors about their roles and teaching philosophies in higher education. (or something to that effect) keep playing but keep it simple and focused and operationalized.

Then you have to do a very thorough lit review work on identities and teaching philosophies and what will you be specifically focusing on.

Rationale: By engaging in conversation with instructors in higher education, I hope to better understand the ways in which their professional experiences have informed their teaching philosophies and the ways in which these philosophies have affected the teachers’ interpretations of the environment and their choices of action with respect to those interpretations. Much has been written about the power of transformative learning from the perspective of the “learner”. I hope to better understand the ways in which the act of teaching is transformative for the “teacher”. By conducting this study, I hope that I will become more informed about educational pedagogy in such as way as to better inform my own interpretations and choices with respect to being a teacher.

In addition to my own personal gain, I think such a study could be of use to the broader higher education community by fostering constructive discussion about the roles and purposes of higher education, as well as the ways in which these are manifested in today’s higher education environment. As information technology increasingly moves higher education toward a learner-centered model of pedagogy, it is important that those who are charged with constructing and maintaining the learning environment (teachers) be self-aware and informed in making the choices necessary to do those tasks well.

Research Questions: In what ways do teachers in higher education inform their sense of [|[MSOffice2]] through their professional experiences and their teaching philosophies? In what ways do teachers in higher education inform their sense of [|[MSOffice3]] through their professional experiences and their teaching philosophies? In what ways do teachers in higher education engage in[|[MSOffice4]] through their professional experiences and their teaching philosophies?

Interview Questions: these are great questions. Play with other types of questions as well as we learned from Spradley. For example, grand tour questions, mini tour questions, structural questions, etc. so that you can elicit information from multiple perspectives. Using the framework provided by Darby, (_, p. 76) and the questions we discussed earlier this week, the type of interview questions to be used in this study are provided below: 1. Could you tell me about an experience as an educator that informed who you wanted to be as a teacher? In as much detail as possible, describe the context of the situation and what happened. 2. Could you tell me about a time in your experience as an educator that really changed how you viewed yourself as a teacher? 3. Could you tell me about a time in your experience as an educator that reinforced how you viewed yourself as a teacher? Areas to probe for the above questions: What led up to the situation? How did you handle the situation? What was the outcome? What facilitated or prevented you from handling the situation the way you would have liked to? When you reflect back on the incident, what would you have done differently? How would you describe the changes that came about within you at that time? What did you learn about yourself from this experience? What made this experience memorable for you?

Methodology: The methodological framework that will be used for this study will be symbolic interactionism. Taylor and Bogdan (1984) state that, “Symbolic interaction emphasizes the meaning people attach to their social interactions and the world around them” (as cited in Darby, _, p. 68). This framework seems ideally suited to the types of questions this study hopes to address. “In interactions, participants use symbols such as language to understand their environment. Blumer’s (1998) theory of symbolic interaction rests on three guiding principles: 1) Human beings act toward things on the basis of the meanings that the things have for them; 2) The meaning of such things is derived from, or arises out of, the social interactions that one has with one’s fellows; and 3) These meanings are handled in and modified through an interpretive process used by the person in dealing with the things he or she encounters” (as cited in Darby, _, p. 69).

Terminology: I stated earlier that I hope to better understand how these instructors in higher education construct meanings that inform their sense of identity and sense of integrity in living in concert with those meanings. [|[MSOffice5]] My goal is to better understand these issues of [|[MSOffice6]] [|[MSOffice7]] One of the most significant concepts that has intrigued me since beginning the degree program in which I’m enrolled is the need for education to be transformative. That term encapsulates a call for education to be about helping people change at foundational levels – in Kegan’s (1994) words, “not only to increase our fund of knowledge (a change in //what// we know), but to transform qualitatively the very //way// we know” (p. 133). It seems to me that this type of learning – and the foundational changes it fosters -- must be true for teachers as they engage in learning via the act of teaching. It is my hope that this research will help me to understand these transformational processes. I think you should really focus on this transformative angle. That seems to be a much better place from where you can aim this research.

Sources of Data: The primary sources of data for this study will be critical incident interviews, participant observation, and archival data. Each of these sources within itself will be a distinct means for increasing my understanding of the issues to be addressed, but it will be the confluence of these distinct sources that will best portray the comprehensive aspects of learning in which these teachers are engaged. By critical incident interviews, I am using the concept as described by Kain (2004): “seeking the unique experiences of meanings of individuals (such that) we can illuminate patterns that may apply to other persons and contexts … invit(ing) the respondents to tell a story and explain why it is significant for a given context” (as cited in Darby, _, pp. 74-75). By participant observation, I mean to observe these teachers in various settings that provide an environment for their professional experiences. This, most certainly, would include their classrooms, but also, perhaps, faculty meetings, professional conferences, student conferences, and student advising. By archival data, I mean documents and records that have been used to communicate information related to the teaching process. These would include class syllabi, personal and course websites, records of meetings, and correspondence (mail or e-mail) with students, peers, and the professional community. This looks good to me but then do the work on critical incident interviews as darby did.

References: Darby, A.N. (n.d.). //Living in a fishbowl: Teachers’s emotions during a comprehensive school reform initiative//. Retrieved on September 28, 2006 from http://kakali.org/8562/dissertation%20chapter%203's/darby_alexandra.pdf Kegan, R. (1994). //In over our heads: The mental demands of modern life//. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Palmer, P. (1998). //The courage to teach: Exploring the inner landscape of a teacher’s life//. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

 [|[MSOffice1]]there is that word again J [|[MSOffice2]]need to operationize this in clearly measurable terms. what is identity? whose definition are you going to use? there is a huge literature out there on identity. if you don’t want to go there then use this phrase “negotiate their experiences” … this helped me skip away from identity literature but got me talking to people in terms of what meanings they were making out of their lived experiences.  [|[MSOffice3]]same argument here. what is integrity? how are you informing yourself and what literature are you grounding your thoughts in? You need citational authority to be able to add more rigor to that statement.  [|[MSOffice4]]operationalize this as well.  [|[MSOffice5]]these are still really vague terms. you have to still connect this to a tangible way to understand experiences. evolving nexus is a very nebulous term and you have to find a way to conceptualize it into some sort of measurable terms. Like what would the participant have to say to you for you to know that they had an experience of evolving nexus of all forces of life converging? what if that never happened? when would you know that had happened if a person does not use that exact specific language? If I say to you I really liked when Karen said this is the reason she came to grad school and made me feel really good, is that your evolving nexus? So think about this on much much more tangible terms.  [|[MSOffice6]]this sounds much better and simpler and cleaner if you can situate the identity and integrity piece in more tangible terms. Another possibility is to leave that out and just go with roles and then in your analysis make arguments about identity and integrity. That might be easier to do than to do it on the front end.  [|[MSOffice7]]ground this again in a broader teaching philosophy literature.

10/1 > =Research Project (cont.)= > ===Purpose of Research:===The purpose of this research is to understand the meanings that five instructors in higher education attach to their role as teacher, particularly as these meanings inform their sense of identity and sense of integrity in living in concert with those meanings. These issues of identity and integrity will be addressed by exploring the experiences that have informed the instructor’s teaching philosophies and, in turn, how these philosophies have fostered personal growth and transformative learning. Consistent with the precepts of the methodology to be applied (symbolic interactionism), the goal of the study will be to “understand the meaning that individual participants place on the objects that facilitate their interpretations and choice(s) of action” (Darby, n.d., p. 70). > > ===Rationale:===By engaging in conversation with instructors in higher education, I hope to better understand the ways in which their professional experiences have informed their teaching philosophies and the ways in which these philosophies have affected the teachers’ interpretations of the environment and their choices of action with respect to those interpretations. Much has been written about the power of transformative learning from the perspective of the “learner”. I hope to better understand the ways in which the act of teaching is transformative for the “teacher”. By conducting this study, I hope that I will become more informed about educational pedagogy in such as way as to better inform my own interpretations and choices with respect to being a teacher. > > In addition to my own personal gain, I think such a study could be of use to the broader higher education community by fostering constructive discussion about the roles and purposes of higher education, as well as the ways in which these are manifested in today’s higher education environment. As information technology increasingly moves higher education toward a learner-centered model of pedagogy, it is important that those who are charged with constructing and maintaining the learning environment (teachers) be self-aware and informed in making the choices necessary to do those tasks well. > > ===Research Questions:===In what ways do teachers in higher education inform their sense of identity through their professional experiences and their teaching philosophies? > In what ways do teachers in higher education inform their sense of integrity through their professional experiences and their teaching philosophies? > In what ways do teachers in higher education engage in transformative learning through their professional experiences and their teaching philosophies? > > ===Interview Questions:===Using the framework provided by Darby, (n.d., p. 76) and the questions we discussed earlier this week, the type of interview questions to be used in this study are provided below: > 1. Could you tell me about an experience as an educator that informed who you wanted to be as a teacher? In as much detail as possible, describe the context of the situation and what happened. > 2. Could you tell me about a time in your experience as an educator that really changed how you viewed yourself as a teacher? > 3. Could you tell me about a time in your experience as an educator that reinforced how you viewed yourself as a teacher? > >> Areas to probe for the above questions: >> What led up to the situation? >> How did you handle the situation? >> What was the outcome? >> What facilitated or prevented you from handling the situation the way you would have liked to? >> When you reflect back on the incident, what would you have done differently? >> How would you describe the changes that came about within you at that time? >> What did you learn about yourself from this experience? >> What made this experience memorable for you? > ===Methodology:===The methodological framework that will be used for this study will be symbolic interactionism. Taylor and Bogdan (1984) state that, “Symbolic interaction emphasizes the meaning people attach to their social interactions and the world around them” (as cited in Darby, n.d., p. 68). This framework seems ideally suited to the types of questions this study hopes to address. > “In interactions, participants use symbols such as language to understand their > environment. Blumer’s (1998) theory of symbolic interaction rests on three guiding principles: 1) Human beings act toward things on the basis of the meanings that the things have for them; 2) The meaning of such things is derived from, or arises out of, the social interactions that one has with one’s fellows; and 3) These meanings are handled in and modified through an interpretive process used by the person in dealing with the things he or she encounters” (as cited in Darby, n.d., p. 69). > > ===Terminology:===I stated earlier that I hope to better understand how these instructors in higher education construct meanings that inform their sense of identity and sense of integrity in living in concert with those meanings. By identity, I follow the definition provided by Palmer (1998): “an evolving nexus where all the forces that constitute my life converge in the mystery of self … a moving intersection of the forces that make me who I am, converging in the irreducible mystery of being human” (p. 13). Similarly, I apply Palmer’s definition of integrity: “whatever wholeness I am able to find within that nexus as its vectors form and re-form the pattern of my life. Integrity requires that I discern what is integral to my selfhood, what fits and what does not – and that I choose life-giving ways of relating to the forces that converge within me. (p. 13). > My goal is to better understand these issues of identity and integrity by exploring the ways in which teachers’ professional experiences inform their teaching philosophies. By professional experiences, I mean the actions and relationships in which they engage on a day-to-day basis in the course of fulfilling their role as teacher as they understand and shape that role. By teaching philosophies, I mean the ways of thought and understanding that underlie and support the choices that shape those experiences. These philosophies embrace the spectrum of how the teachers understand the respective roles of teacher, learner, and their chosen subject area and give voice to the broader context of their understandings about life and the world in which we live. > One of the most significant concepts that has intrigued me since beginning the degree program in which I’m enrolled is the need for education to be transformative. That term encapsulates a call for education to be about helping people change at foundational levels – in Kegan’s (1994) words, “not only to increase our fund of knowledge (a change in //what// we know), but to transform qualitatively the very //way// we know” (p. 133). It seems to me that this type of learning – and the foundational changes it fosters -- must be true for teachers as they engage in learning via the act of teaching. It is my hope that this research will help me to understand these transformational processes. > > ===Sources of Data:===The primary sources of data for this study will be critical incident interviews, participant observation, and archival data. Each of these sources within itself will be a distinct means for increasing my understanding of the issues to be addressed, but it will be the confluence of these distinct sources that will best portray the comprehensive aspects of learning in which these teachers are engaged. > By critical incident interviews, I am using the concept as described by Kain (2004): “seeking the unique experiences of meanings of individuals (such that) we can illuminate patterns that may apply to other persons and contexts … invit(ing) the respondents to tell a story and explain why it is significant for a given context” (as cited in Darby, n.d., pp. 74-75). > By participant observation, I mean to observe these teachers in various settings that provide an environment for their professional experiences. This, most certainly, would include their classrooms, but also, perhaps, faculty meetings, professional conferences, student conferences, and student advising. > By archival data, I mean documents and records that have been used to communicate information related to the teaching process. These would include class syllabi, personal and course websites, records of meetings, and correspondence (mail or e-mail) with students, peers, and the professional community. > > ===References:===Darby, A.N. (n.d.). //Living in a fishbowl: Teachers’s emotions during a comprehensive school reform initiative//. Retrieved on September 28, 2006 from http://kakali.org/8562/dissertation%20chapter%203's/darby_alexandra.pdf > Kegan, R. (1994). //In over our heads: The mental demands of modern life//. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. > Palmer, P. (1998). //The courage to teach: Exploring the inner landscape of a teacher’s life//. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. >

> 9/28 > = = > =Research Question Brainstorm:=the purpose of this research is to explore the role of professional experiences of instructors in higher education in manifesting their identity > we teach who we are > how they perceive themselves as a human being > what they understand about themselves > what motivates them > spirituality - being > - living in the most full way that they can in terms of the values they developed > in terms of how they decided what is important in terms of being part of the human community > how i can best love and be loved > > what makes these experiences meaningful > > why do you want to know this? > we teach who we are > there are a lot of barriers - we get into systems that don't necessarily support or feed people being able to express who they really are as a teacher, people being able to make connections so that they can learn in a transformative way > > transformative way > learning that helps people change > learning that helps people let go of some of what they brought to that moment and proceed in a different way with a different sense of themselves and that their actions down the road are probably changed as well > > what sorts of professional experiences inform instructors in higher education about their teaching philosophies > where does that teaching philosophy come from? > what particular aspects of that philosophy is important to them? > > Research purpose > **the purpose of this research is to explore how instructors in higher education inform their teaching philosophies through their professional experiences. furthermore, this study will also explore aspects of professional experiences that can be perceived as potentially transformative for instructors in higher education** > > operationalize: > professional experiences > teaching philosophies > transformative > > Research Questions > **1. In what ways do higher education instructors inform themselves about their teaching philosophies from their professional experiences?** > 2. What aspects of the professional experiences of higher education instructors create transformative learning experiences in terms of their own teaching? > > Interview questions** > 1. could u tell me about an experience as an educator that informed who you wanted to be as a teacher > 2. can you think of a time in your experience as an educator that really changed how you viewed yourself as a teacher > 3. can you think of a time in your experience as an educator that really reinforced how you viewed yourself as a teacher > > 9/25__ > ==Research project== > > I’ve been struggling with the issue of how to move forward on the class project and potential dissertation topic. When we wrote some of our questions in class a few weeks ago, you spent some time helping me to formulate questions around the broad issue of spirituality in teaching. The questions didn’t feel comfortable to me, however, and I think I’ve figured out why. We ended up focusing on what teachers do in order to be good teachers. Although that is important, the piece I’d like to look at is how what they do speaks to them about who they are (as a teacher, but also as a human being) – how teaching gives expression to the ways in which they understand themselves as persons – how teaching has become an avenue for them to express their identity (as they perceive themselves to be).

The situation that got me going in this direction was reading one of Parker Palmer’s books (//The Courage to Teach//) for another course. He says things like, “We teach who we are” and, “We did not merely find a subject to teach—the subject also found us,” and, “Knowing of any sort is relational, animated by a desire to come into deeper community with what we know.” I’d like to know what people who are educators think about those kinds of statements. How do these concepts make sense in the experiences of people who are educators? We talk a lot about the importance of learning being transformative; has teaching been transformative for these teachers? I think those would be important stories to tell.

Given the above, I’m thinking I’d like to provide some of these kinds of comments to a participant prior to the interview to give them time to reflect on pieces that they may consider worth reflection. Then, in the interview, in addition to getting feedback about their reactions to some of these remarks, I would have questions like the following:

· Could you describe what experiences in teaching (if any) have most enabled you to express what you understand about who you are as a person? · Could you describe what experiences in teaching (if any) have most enabled you to feel connected to life in any larger sense? · Could you describe what kinds of language (if any) you have used to communicate these experiences to yourself and to others? · Could you describe what experiences in the field of education (if any) have hindered these experiences from occurring more readily or more intensely? · Could you describe ways (if any) in which you have been able to build on these experiences in your personal and professional growth? · Could you describe ways (if any) in which these experiences have changed for you over time? · Could you describe ways (if any) in which teaching has been transformative for you? · Could you describe ways (if any) in which your identity or integrity has been compromised or violated in being an educator?

These types of questions feel closer to where I think I’d like to go in studying this issue. Do they make sense in the context of good qualitative research?