7.3 Methodological Considerations

Chapter 4 outlined the study’s methodology. Information was provided pertaining to the design of the study, the procedures, and participants, as well as to the challenges inherent in studying beliefs. The purpose of this section is to highlight some of the strengths and weakness related to the method of data collection used in this study. As well, suggestions are made in terms of different approaches that could be taken to studying teachers’ beliefs on this subject.

With the exception of the questionnaire, the methods used to collect the data represented an experiment with new and innovative research techniques. The online discussion list proved to be an effective means of promoting teacher talk and reflection. It also proved to be quite a learning experience for the researcher. It was enlightening to read about people’s experiences and their beliefs. It was interesting to observe commonalities in spite of geographic differences. However, what made this experience even more of a learning experience were all the unforseen occurrences in the course of the discussion.

One of the first surprises encountered was the intrusion in the CREO list of messages which were not sent by subscribers and which did not relate to the intention of the list. Information about CREO as well as the e-mail address for subscribing were listed online at a site which provided a repertoire of French lists. The inclusion of the address of the list meant that it could be easily incorporated into the automated mail-out lists of companies or individuals wishing to advertise products or services online. As a result, during the course of the study, members of the CREO list began receiving e-mail messages inciting them to visit sites of an explicit sexual nature. Some participants were understandably surprised by the messages. A message to the service provider of the CREO list promptly resulted in the list being closed so that only those who were subscribed could post to it. The incursion of the "unwelcomed message" into CREO raised the issue of the lack of censorship and of boundaries on the Internet. Participants reacted to the incident and expressed what they believed about the "open" nature of the Internet. What followed was a long discussion about the issue of the control and monitoring of students while they are working online.

Besides monitoring to ensure that there were no incursions such as the one described above, maintaining the discussion’s momentum also became an important preoccupation. Some topics appeared to invite more reaction and discussion than others. One suggestion provided by a member likely encouraged greater participation. This individual suggested that all e-mails sent out to members have an identifying "flag" so that messages from CREDO and CREO could be easily and quickly distinguished from their other messages. The suggestion was a useful one particularly in the case of members who were subscribed to a number of different lists who may receive many messages in the course of one day. The service provider was able to change the format of all messages forwarded to the list so that the subject line first included the name of the list either CREDO or CREO. Another feature which the service provider was able to add the list was an automatic "reply to all" feature. Without this feature, participants’ responses to a posting would go only to the individual who posted the message unless the responder expressly chose to reply to all. With the feature added, all responses automatically went to all members of the list unless the sender expressly chose to do otherwise. These added features greatly improved the efficiency of the discussion list as a means to collect data on teachers’ beliefs.

In spite of the efficiency of the service provider in adding features to the list, there were some problems related to the technique over which there was little or nor control. While use of computers and the Internet in the collection of data represents an effective and efficient technique, it is nonetheless susceptible to the inconveniences of computer viruses. The Happy99.exe virus or worm is a program that, when opened by the user, launches several files that monitor to whom e-mails are sent, keeps them in a file and then sends them a second message with the file attached. One of the members of the CREDO list unknowingly infected other members of the list with this virus during the course of the study. Thus, when participants posted a message, a second message automatically followed since their computer was infected. Members were alerted and those who were infected were provided with information on removing Happy99.exe.

In spite of these inconveniences, the list proved to be an effective means of generating meaningful discussion. Compared to the questionnaire where answers were often short, where there was little or no opportunity for follow-up or further questioning or clarification, the discussion list allowed for rapports to be established between the participants and the researcher on one hand and between participants themselves on the other. The discussion allowed for the generation of issues and questions by the participants as well as by the researcher. It allowed for a rich environment for reflection, communication, exchange, deliberation and discussion.

In terms of some of the challenges to using this approach, there is the lack of control, the large volume of material that the researcher needs to sort through in order to uncover the beliefs and the logistics of managing the list on a day-to-day basis for a ten- month period. In relation to the issue of control, a discussion list relies on the technique of multiloguing. This means that the discussion is, to a large extent, decentered. The researcher does not always control the topics, the depth of treatment or the length of time that is spent on one issue. There were issues which participants could have discussed in greater detail (for example the issue of evaluation and assessment) but sometimes participants did not appear interested in particular topics. This is why the dialogues were so important. The dialogues were controlled or driven more by the interests and agenda of the researcher than by the participants. The dialogues made it easy to focus on particular issues even though the method was more contrived and perhaps less likely to get at the very tacit beliefs. One way in which a researcher might exert more control over the range of topics discussed in a discussion list would be to narrow the scope or range of the study and to limit participation from one program area (i.e. Core French or French Immersion) and/or from one grade area (i.e. primary, elementary, etc.).

The questionnaires on the other hand were much easier to manage. At the same time, it took considerable effort to get people to return them. Some of the questionnaires were returned with few comments. Compared to the discussion comments which were so rich, varied and lengthy, the responses in the questionnaire were frequently short, sometimes unrevealing, sometimes absent. A further disadvantage with use of the questionnaire as compared to the discussion list was that the questions were determined in advance by the researcher thus limiting the range of issues which a participant might comment on. Nonetheless, the questionnaires did provide the contrast with the responses of discussion participants. Thus, they served their intended purpose.

The dialogues with the five questionnaire participants were often more revealing than the questionnaires. All of the dialogue participants lived in remote and isolated areas. Some were located in small communities in Labrador where, for many months of the year, an Internet connection represents the only means of access to the outside world besides the coastal boat. For some of these individuals, when the phone lines were good and they could get and afford access, online access meant that they could benefit from the same type of virtual travel as could people in the capital, St. John’s. The discussions with these individuals highlighted the value and importance of the Internet for people in remote communities.

From a more general point of view in terms of the study, the scope was very broad and allowed for an initial foray into an area about which little is known. The findings provide a general insight into beliefs on teaching and learning FSFL in OLEs. Some of the beliefs uncovered in this study pointed to a need for a more focused study with a narrower scope in order to provide a opportunity to focus on specific beliefs. Instead of focusing on OLEs in general, future research into specific areas or aspects of OLEs would prove useful. For example, researchers may wish to consider investigating beliefs of teachers of FSFL in relation to e-mail, chat rooms, web publishing, MOOs or MUDs to mention but some of the tools that teachers use in OLEs. Research into the potential of OLEs to promote the development of listening and speaking skills would prove to be of practical use to teachers of FSFL. The findings of this study also indicate that there needs to be a better understanding of issues related to online navigation by students and teachers. What skills and strategies prove more successful than others? In general, the issue of professional development needs to be given greater attention in order to determine how it might better meet the needs of teachers in terms of preparing them to work in environments that do not support traditional pedagogies. In this regard, research will also need to differentiate between the different levels of primary, elementary and high school. Some of the beliefs in this study suggest that use of OLEs by primary teachers and their students may present particular challenges which need to be addressed by a separate research agenda.

Other areas not addressed by the methodology include the beliefs of students. The present study focused exclusively on the beliefs of teachers. However what many of the beliefs uncovered in this study remind us of is that beliefs are developed and modified through a process of social negotiation. To understand how they might be changed, we need first to understand how they relate to larger systems of beliefs such as those of students. Studies might also investigate the beliefs related to an entire school in order to explore how school policies and conventions, beliefs of administrators, teachers, parents, and students influence, effect and compare with each other.

Researchers need to continue as well to develop innovative and effective ways to study beliefs. The discussion list used in this study provides an example of the type of instrument and approach that can be used to encourage teacher talk and reflection. Refinement of the procedures related to use of the discussion list could result in the development of an instrument and technique that is highly effective for investigation of different aspects of beliefs specifically and thought processes in general. Nonetheless, regardless of the type of instrument or approach used to study teacher beliefs, there will always be the challenge of trying to encourage teachers to reflect about and relate their experiences. It appeared, at many times in the course of the study, that teachers did not always have the language to express their beliefs nor did they appear accustomed to reflecting on, or talking about issues related to teaching and learning. However, this study did make some contribution by providing teachers with a forum to do more reflecting and ‘talking’. At the end of the study, a number of the discussion list participants sent messages of appreciation for the opportunity to share their experiences and to learn that others were struggling no less or succeeding no more than they were.