Humanising the Researcher: The Influence of Phenomenological Research on a Teacher Educator

Abstract

Phenomenology as a 'Way' of ResearchingPhenomenological research is one way that teacher educators can research phenomena of interest. Indeed, phenomenological research is a 'way' of researching that has the teacher educator immersed in a 'lived experience' of the phenomenon itself. While researching the lived experience of others, researchers are found living a 'way' of researching that opens experiences of the phenomenon for themselves. In light of the researchers' involvement in the research, van Manen (1990) suggests that those who engage in phenomenology should research phenomena that seriously interest them.Phenomenological research is influenced by the researcher's 'way of being' in the process. The researcher is called to a 'way of being' that is open to how the phenomenon might show itself in the participant's experiences (Gadamer, 1994; Heidegger, 1996; van Manen, 1990). Researchers search beneath taken-for-granted understandings as they seek to describe the essence of the phenomenon. The researcher seeks the 'essence' of the phenomenon a priori - that is, as the phenomenon is experienced pre-reflectively. Such an 'essence' lies beneath our takenfor- granted assumptions about the phenomenon. The researcher seeks the essence of phenomenon that is typically taken-for-granted in our everyday existence. The 'essence' of the phenomenon is the enduring meaning of the phenomenon within the lived experiences. In the research process, phenomenological researchers search for meanings that satisfy their own experience (Koch, 1999). In this way, the essence of the phenomenon is also found to reside in our own lived experiences.The place of the researcher 'in' the research is vital to the uncovering of the phenomenon. It is critically important that the researcher is found in a way-of-being that is focused towards the phenomenon of interest. The researcher's turning towards the phenomenon supports the researcher's growing attunement to that phenomenon. In this way, researchers comport themselves towards the phenomenon. Their attention, focus of concern and openness stay alert and 'towards' the phenomenon. This is not a static state of being but rather a dynamic and fluid process that sensitively follows the disclosure of the phenomenon as and when this occurs. Martin Heidegger (1996), arguably the founder of Hermeneutic Phenomenology, suggests that the research process has the researcher turning towards a phenomenon that is in play and constantly withdrawing from us. What is of interest to the researcher is that which withdraws from our immediate grasp. The phenomenon of interest, which we are seeking to uncover, withdraws from our view as the researcher's prejudices and taken-for-grantedness blur her or his vision. Importantly, Heidegger calls for phenomenological researchers to sustain their attention on that which withdraws, like a 'signpost' that points towards the withdrawal. The phenomenological researcher is called to remain open despite the to-and-fro movement of the phenomenon's withdrawal from our theoretical deduction and control. van Manen (1990) suggests that the researcher must 'trust the process' as this allows the possibility of 'seeing' the meaning of the phenomenon - a process of openness that is more akin to a revelatory moment than theoretical deduction.Phenomenology as aWay of IncreasingOur 'Attunement' to a PhenomenonA critical aspect of phenomenological research is the researcher's increasing attunement to a phenomenon. Each researcher must find her or his own way of tuning into the phenomenon. The researcher's attunement sensitises the researcher to her or his own prejudices as well as the possibility of 'seeing' the meaning of the phenomenon (Giles, 2006; van Manen, 1990).The research experience involves a 'deepening' consideration of the participant's lived experiences. The deepening consideration focuses on that which lies beneath our taken-for-granted assumptions. …