Multicultural Resetting

This qualitative study is based on the Grounded Theory methodology, a design of inquiry from a sociological perspective in which a researcher derives a general abstract theory of a process or interaction grounded in the views of participants in a study to analyze the data. This theory has two unique concepts: the constant comparison of data with emerging categories and a theoretical sampling of different groups to maximize the similarities and differences of information (Creswell, 2009, p. 13). The basic concept of this research method is to choose research participants who have lived through the phenomenon that you want to study. This meant that participants are experts of the phenomenon that the researcher sought to understand (Auerbach and Silverstein, 2003). These techniques involve a): filtering texts, which means explicitly stating your research concerns and theoretical concerns and selecting the relevant text from your interviews, which is done by reading through the transcripts one-by-one with step one in mind and highlighting relevant codes; b): listening to the transcripts for relevant information, which involves recording repeating ideas by grouping together related passages of your

The interview technique chosen was a semi structured individual interview design in an attempt to compare individual thoughts and emotions. Interviews lasted between fifteen and thirty minutes and were recorded by the interviewer via hand written notes. Certain background questions were used at the beginning of the interview to allow the participant to feel relaxed, questioned choice was ensured to be non-directional with prompting only used in aid of the participant (Smith & Osborn, 2003). (A copy of the question sheet can be seen in Appendix 4).

Each of them has been recorded and abruptly transcribed so that it is possible to have access to all the data that could be required for a future study on the subject, since it would be impossible to replicate the study. In fact, when an interview method is used for a study, with the decrease of rigid structure, reliability decreases too. However the author's choice of using this method is understandable since the aim of the study was to show how does it feels living outside the constructed structure of society and no other method could be more accurate in the description of this. Interviews allow a deep analysis of facts are one of the most powerful ways for getting the story behind a participant’s experiences (McNamara, 1999).

Reflection is an important part of the planning process. “Ongoing learning and reflective practice is one of the five principles of the early years learning Framework” (DEEWR, 2010. p. 7). It gives the educators an opportunity to look at the planning process, the successful areas of planning, the areas of improvement and progress and to get motivated to work better for the learning of children. The following reflection will highlight the merits of implementing the inclusion improvement plan, some of the issues that impact on educators’ capacity to provide an inclusive care environment and how can the educators manage the competing demands of inclusion of children with additional needs, with the demands of providing an inclusive environment for all children.

In this essay i will be discussing equality amongst children, inclusion, inclusiveness and diversity and how to put these things mentioned into practise when working with children and young people.

The reading by Atkinson provides information on using life stories approach in various disciplines. By using life stories the researcher noted that we gain context and recognize meaning about individuals experiences. There are four classic functions of stories including psychological, social, mystical-religious and cosmological. The reading also highlighted some benefits of telling one’s life story. For instance, sharing one’s story is a way of releasing certain burden and gives us a better sense of how we want our story to end. The last part of the reading explained guidelines that will prepare or get one ready to do an interview. The guidelines includes finding out who you want to interview and learn more about. The last step is encouraging the individual to share their story by being a good listener and asking open ended questions. The reading by Silverman discussed in-depth information about open-ended interviews. There are several problems the interviewer must resolve when doing open-ended questions such as deciding how to present yourself, gaining and maintaining trust to ask sensitive question and establishing rapport with the respondents. The reading also expressed many interactional practices when conducting qualitative interviewing. These practices involves trying to interact with the person by understanding their experience and that interviewers are active participants.

Stemming from the humanities, narrative research is considered adequate to understand the meanings with which people make up the world (Creswell, 2018). In this sense, the study of stories allows us to understand the meanings that are expressed, organized and created in them. Another reason that justifies this type of research is that the narratives allow to illuminate to a large extent the personal thing. In fact, stories that people tell are useful because they provide information about the internalized worlds of themselves or others, allowing researchers to delve into the lived experiences of people in the postmodern world (Riessman, 2008).

Julie- educator 2 is a white Australian female in her late 20’s. She is a qualified group leader currently working in a Kindy room with children aged 2.5- 2.5 years; she is also assistant director (2IC) of her centre that she has worked at for the past ten years. The interview was a one on one scenario, conducted in her staff room after work, the interview was recorded. Both educators signed a letter of consent to participate in this research project, allowing the interviewee to explore the educators’ experiences and personal beliefs in relation to diversity and difference with the families and children in their centres.(As seen in Appendix 1 & 2). Key aspects and issues in relation to families, diversity and difference were considered essential data to be analysed for this research report.

To begin, chapter 15 is about narrative approaches to research. In a narrative approach, research is completed in a way that looks at people’s experiences by living, telling, retelling, and reliving them. This can also be done in a linguistic way, nonlinguistic way, or a mix of both. Narrative research is a qualitative way to see the world through someone else’s eyes from their experiences. The experiences can be captured in many different ways including journals, notes, artifacts, audio and video recordings, and other forms of writing. In general, narrative research includes examining the experiences recorded and then interpreting them. This is completed by taking information from multiple resources and molding it together into a collective narrative.

Participant will be invited and interview at the NHS therapy center; a safe, comfortable and familiarize environment. Researcher will use high-quality recording material (Dictaphone) to record interviews, explain the purpose to interviewee and ask concise questions considering the age of participants. Interview will be uploaded as MP3 files, transcribe and keep strictly safe. At the end of each interview, participants will be asked to draw the experience they could not describe with word. Creative techniques act as catalyst to open ended interview question, actively involve the children and compliment interview (Driessnack & Furukawa, 2012). Debriefing will take place immediately after interview.

Part B: How does this impact you as an early childhood educator? Your response should be specific and demonstrate that you can make links from the theoretical bases (readings) to the practical situation (your centre’s practice). Here you should make some connections with current professional documents (for example, NQS & EYLF in Australia). Suggestions for practice should be developmentally sound and acknowledge (1) the likely diversity of needs that will exist in any group of children and (2) equity issues.

Qualitative research is good at simplifying and managing data without destroying complexity and context. Qualitative methods are highly appropriate for questions where preemptive reduction of the data will prevent discovery. If the purpose is to learn from the participants in a setting or a process the way they experience it, the meanings they put on it, and how they interpret what they experience, the researcher needs methods that will allow for discovery and do justice to their perceptions and the complexity of their interpretations. Qualitative methods have in common the goal of generating new ways of seeing existing data. If the purpose is to construct a theory or a theoretical framework that reflects reality rather than the researchers own perspective or prior research results, one may need methods that assist the discovery of theory in data. If the purpose is to understand phenomena deeply and in detail, the researcher needs methods for discovery of central themes and analysis of core concerns. Each of these suggestions has a flip side. If one knows what is being hypothesized and what they are likely to find, if one do not need to know the complexity of others’ understandings, if one is testing prior theory rather than constructing new frameworks, or if one is simply describing a situation rather than deeply analyzing it, it is possible that one should not be working qualitatively. Perhaps the research question that one is tackling with in-depth interviews would be

Phenomenological interview limitations may appear due to the researcher’s lack of experience in conducting interviews (Downey, 2015); which may interfere with the researcher’s focus and intentionality (Ashworth, 2017). Limitations may occur with the relationship between the researcher and the interviewee, including power struggles which might affect trust and honest participant reflections (Boucher, 2017). Further, time limitations could impede upon a participants deliberation process during the interview process (Downey, 2015). If a researcher is to understand the essence of a phenomenon; a suspension of judgment is required during participant interviews (Ashworth, 2017). Additionally, the researcher will need to be extremely attentive to experience the study through the participants’ eyes (Kelley, 2016). Individuals may choose not to answer every question, which is acceptable; yet, missing data can also become a limitation to the study. However, if enough participants do not answer the same question, the question might need to be reframed or removed; additionally, secondary data, such as technical reports, white papers or additional publications might be necessary to validate the research question (Johnston, 2014).

This is because it is an on-going observation and interview that will lead to interpretive analysis through themes, patterns and narrative synthesis among others. The method will lead to inductive findings through creative and critical reflection of the researcher. The situation therefore, requires an ongoing process so that the researcher may understand the situation through the changes that he or she observes in the course of time. This method is a journey in which experiences are built on the previous ones.

The chapter provides an overview of the journey of the scholarship from research design to implementation discussing the challenges of conducting research outside of a researchers personal perspectives. It begins with a reflection on the research from the original research framework to the final design, the contextual, conflictual, and cultural realities that influenced the process. Then I reflect more closely of the role of the role of my own identity in the research process, looking at the challenges of western methods and the concerns of creating valid feedback when multiple worldviews are present.