Qualitative Research Method: Self -Observation

Qualitative data are sexy
(Miles and HUberman 1994:I)

As I'm going to observe Thai EFL lecturers' classrooms. I have been thinking about the best way to make the lecturers realize that I am not going to criticize or finding faults in their teaching. I don't want them to feel uncomfortable and threatened. On the contrary, I value their experiences and their emergent pedagogical practices that fit into their teaching environment.

After I study the qualitative research approach. I have an idea to try the self-observation-- I will let the lecturers investigate themselves, their own thinking, their feeling, and evaluation. Actually, I am just a novice teacher trying to learn more about expert teachers how they think and transform what they believe into the real-life classroom teaching. It might be better to focus on the participants and let them know that they are the center of the study. That's how I think the data will turn to be more authentic and fresh from the core of teachers' cognition.

Qualitative Research Method: Observation

Observational procedure

There are two main kinds of observation: human observer and instrument observer.
For a complex situation, human observer is necessary because it allows the research flexibility when exploring what new and sometimes unexpected phenomena might be uncovered.

Strength – having chance to obtain quality information, information rich, researcher become personally close to the data collection. Researchers often use recording devices (audio or video) to aid in further analysis.

Interesting observational techniques: Self as observer

Self as observer mean the method of collecting data using participants as the observer. This procedure requires participants to observe their own internal cognitive (or emotional) states and processing strategies either during an ongoing task, referred to as introspection, or after they have completed the task, known as retrospection.

What the researchers usually do:
- record participants’ thought on audiotape during a think aloud task
- ask participants t identify the strategies they were using.
- record their introspections during the teaching then analyse and transcribe data later.


The strength of introspection technique is that it gets the researcher as close as possible to the inner workings of the participants’ minds. However the study should be done carefully, participants may simply tell the researchers what they think the researcher want to hear. The act of reporting what they think may be disruptive. These intrusions can interfere with the natural cognitive process, thus distorting the data and making them less authentic.

Therefore, the researcher can inform or give a training to participants beforehand about how to introspect and reflect themselves naturally. Participants should feel comfortable to share their thoughts and rely on the reseracher. The researcher should make sure that the participants are familiar with the think-aloud procedure.

Observational study should not be interpreted as criticism. Rather, they should give us an appreciation for the complexity of trying to obtain data fresh out of the minds of participants. This is as close as we can get the authentic data. The study is just ‘a part of overall picture’. As we keep approaching our research questions from different angles (triangularity) we begin from a picture of what is actually happening. Any research using observation techniques should make the most of the 'authenticity' of the data from the participants.

Well why are qualitative data sexy?
- totally unpredictable
- flexible- you can handle them as far as your imagination can reach
- you will never get bored of analysing them
- much more tempting to explore than statistical findings
- You will be the most important tool in your research - very personal