Unpacking complex phenomena through qualitative inquiry: The case of teacher identity research

Abstract

Despite the key contributions of qualitative inquiry in developing deeper understandings of people’s lived experiences within varied contexts, the field of educational psychology has not been fully engaged in understanding, advancing, and advocating qualitative inquiry. In this article, we unpacked the processes, affordances, and challenges in conducting qualitative studies in the context of researching teacher identity. We discussed our constructionism epistemological assumptions, the kind of research questions we were proposing, and related methodological choices including longitudinal qualitative research and case study. Concrete methods to generate thick descriptions were addressed including purposeful sampling, various forms of data, and inductive analysis procedures. Questions and challenges related to trustworthiness of qualitative research and our approaches to attending to them were also discussed. This article illustrates how and why employing qualitative inquiry is beneficial for unpacking complex phenomena such as teacher identity, and contributes to advancing methodological diversity within the field of educational psychology.