NOTES ON THE STUDY
In January 1988, interviews were held with thirteen teachers who have worked as methods and resource teachers in New Brunswick school districts 28 and 29. Two of the thirteen were working in other capacities during the 1987-88 school year and reflected on their previous experiences. The interviews were held in the school where the teachers are on staff, and lasted from forty-five to ninety minutes. The interviews were taped and the resulting transcripts provided the information base for the study.
The study was based on qualitative research methods and utilised an inductive approach. The interviews were openended and the teachers were free to take the discussion where they wished. However, the focus of the interview was on their work as methods and resource teachers.
Ten of the teachers completed a time-use log over two work days in the weeks following the interview. They recorded their major activities for each fifteen-minute time period while they were at school. These were used for analysis of their actual work activities.
The information from the interviews and the time-use logs was used to generate the research findings. Time-use logs were also completed by all methods and resource teachers in 1989 and 1990. The results for 1990 are reported in the charts A1 to A5. The analysis and synthesis involved extensive sorting and organizing of the data to generate the themes that are described. The findings are firmly “grounded” in the recorded views of the methods and resource teachers.
