CLER Conversation Series with Natalie Donohue (PGR)

Conducting an online, longitudinal qualitative re-search project with novice EFL teachers

In this talk I will illustrate how I conducted an online, longitudinal qualitative research project, taking into consideration the justification and benefits of such a research design, the practicalities of carrying out data collection, the ethical challenges this design can present, and the limitations of this approach.
I will discuss my longitudinal PhD project involving five novice English as a Foreign Language teacher participants in their first year of teaching. Data collection was predominantly online, with interviews, questionnaires, and diary entries used to collect rich, in-depth data in relation to the novice teachers’ motivation, self-efficacy, and cognition as they navigated their first year of teaching in a variety of contexts.
Although there are a range of challenges inherent to this particular research design, requiring continuous reflexivity and dynamic thinking from the researcher, I will argue that online, longitudinal qualitative research can be an effective approach in exploring the experiences and development of participants, providing valuable, rich insights into the lives of those at the heart of English Language teaching.