Most of the data were collected before doing any formal analysis, although ongoing informal analysis began the first day in the field, and continued until the final draft of the thesis was complete. Bogdan and Bilken (1992) recognize that novice researchers may not be able to engage in concurrent data analysis and data collection to the extent that data are fully analysed by the time data collection is finished. Instead, first–time researchers should "borrow strategies from the analysis–in–the–field mode, but leave more formal analysis until most of the data are in" (p. 154). This was the approach taken in this study. Data were reflected upon and informally analysed during data collection in my journal, but formal analysis didn't begin until all interviews were complete. This may have been a necessary approach considering my lack of experience as a researcher, but it was not an ideal approach. During the formal analysis, I wished I could have returned to the participants to ask for clarifications or elaborations on insights revealed during this process.

Once formal analysis began, I followed Creswell's (1998) stages: reading and note–taking, describing, classifying, interpreting, and representing or visualizing the data. I read through all the narratives, the original transcripts, and field notes. As I read, I tried to capture the particular words or phrases that could signify commonalities. I used a pre–assigned coding system (Bogdan & Bilken, 1992) based on the four elements of situated learning: content, context, community of practice, and participation. The pages of data were cut and placed in piles according to the four elements. Data were then read through several times and reassigned until the four elements could be represented in a discrete manner. At times, this seemed to be a very artificial task because the elements often overlapped, and I was forced to capture the people, activities, and relationships in a categorical and unnatural way. Once four discrete data piles were developed, I began writing the analysis and continued to interpret and analyse the data as I wrote the findings chapter of the thesis.