5.2.3 Lesson Plans and Teaching Logs
Lesson Plans with Teaching Logs are described as sources of documentary data,
or tools, or even formats used for collecting data in research. (Denscombe 2003, 216-
217
;
Nunan 1992, 120) According to Donald Freeman
44
´Lesson plans´ describe the objectives of a class, the materials and processes
planned to meet those objectives, and the expected roles of participants.
´Teaching logs´ record what happened during a lesson. (1998, 212)
Donald Freeman defines “Although they can be used separately, Lesson Plans and
Teaching Logs are most effective when done together.” (1998, 212) The previously
mentioned authors agree that because ´Teaching Logs´ provide a rich source of data in
non-standard format a kind of structure suitable for a particular type of research should
be created. (Freeman, 1998, 212
;
Nunan 1992, 120) During my own research,
comments were written into the printed Lesson Plans immediately after the lessons, see
appendix No.6 and No.7. Later these comments were typed into a different format kept
on PC to make the further analysis easier, see appendix No.8. This means that each
lesson was planned ahead, commented on immediately after the lesson by writing notes
into the lesson plan, and during the same day (usually after coming home) the teacher B
sorted the gained information and retyped them on PC.
When the 25 Teaching Journal Entries, Lesson Plans, and Teaching Logs put
together, a kind of analysis was to follow. To be able to know procedure used for such a
data analysis, the next chapter deals with the characteristics of the particular research
type called ´qualitative research´.
5.2.4 Qualitative Research
This chapter characterizes the research type called ´qualitative research´.
Qualitative research is considered to be such a research that lasts long, is
intensive, detailed, and produces large volumes of data. (Gavora 2000, 142
;
Denscombe
2003, 270) Furthermore, the person doing the research performs the role of both the
researcher and active participant at the same time. (Denscombe 2003, 270
;
Gavora
2000, 142) Peter Gavora stresses the strength coming from the fact of being both the
researcher and active participant by saying that long-term observation and face-to-face
contact with the target group allow detailed knowledge of observed reality to be gained,
as the observed group gets to know the person, starts behaving naturally and openly.
(2002, 154) Qualitative research produces ´words´ not number such as quantitative
research. The target group is always chosen with purpose, random choice of target
group is never used. The target sample is smaller than in quantitative research type.
(Gavora 2002, 142-145)
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As there were ten learners regularly attending the lessons, in terms of the
research they were considered to form a ´small scale sample´.
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