Chapter 3 Methodology
3.5 Positions of the Researcher
Following the data collection phase, I had the opportunity to observe a teacher training programme. These observation and translation experiences proved valuable in identifying the key dilemmas surrounding the teaching of QOED. As I engaged with the interview data, I noticed a recurring pattern in the way teachers perceived various aspects of their teaching practice. Teachers often adopted a comparative perspective, assessing things in terms of good and bad, worse or better. This mode of perception was not limited to their observations of students but extended to their evaluation of ideas and approaches. I observed that teachers actively sought out better ideas and strategies while students worked on their group tasks.
Consequently, the themes were established, with the overarching theme being “difference”.
Building on this theme, I further explored three key inquiries within the realm of QOED teaching:
• How QOED teachers experience transformations and challenges when teaching QOED, especially in fostering collaboration.
• How QOED teachers value difference as a concept within QOED, and how they perceive and manage differences between students.
• How the teaching of collaborative group work further seeks to diminish difference.
These inquiries will be thoroughly examined in Chapters 4, 5 and 6. I turn now to discussing my own role and position as a researcher within this study.
an external standpoint. Furthermore, my own teaching experiences differ from those of the interviewees, as I have learnt how to teach QOED dance classes but not teach QOED in Chinese universities. As a Chinese international student pursuing a doctoral degree in New Zealand, I stand outside in terms of cultural context and geographical location. This
positioning outside of China enabled me to observe the research context from a broader perspective.
An insider researcher may conduct research in “communities, and identity groups of which they are also members” (Kanuha, 2000, p. 439). As an insider researcher, I align with the communities and identity groups that I am studying. My personal journey in dance began during my primary school years, when I actively participated in arts festival performances and dance competitions. My dance journey has spanned from that point in my life until now, encompassing my experiences during high school, undergraduate studies, master’s studies and now doctoral studies. While I was completing the bachelor’s degree (Musicology- Dance) at Hebei Normal University in China, I had many years of part-time teaching with high school students in preparation for their university entrance examinations (gaokao). This lifelong engagement with dance has provided me with a deep understanding of the arts curricula in China.
I also completed a master’s degree at Beijing Dance Academy (BDA), which not only enhanced my understanding of professional dance-teaching models but also afforded me the opportunity to delve deeper into the field of QOED. While completing the master’s degree, I observed many QOED classes, including those for teacher training and for students at primary, high school and university level. While I have not had the opportunity to teach QOED specifically in China, I have applied similar methods and ideas to teach in various contexts in New Zealand. This includes teaching QOED in different settings such as high schools, dance groups and universities. Despite the differences in location, I have been able to draw on my experiences and adapt my teaching approach to effectively deliver QOED instruction in these diverse environments. This extensive experience and knowledge within the same community allowed me to connect more intimately with the interviewees’ stories and experiences related to teaching dance in China.
Moreover, my unique identity as a researcher facilitated acceptance and rapport with the interviewees. Drawing from the insights of Dwyer and Buckle (2009), “[p]articipants might be more willing to share their experiences because there is an assumption of understanding
and an assumption of shared distinctiveness; it is as if they feel, “You are one of us and it is us versus them” (p. 58). In essence, the interviewees viewed me as one of their own,
belonging to the community, and possessing knowledge of QOED, particularly as a master’s student under Professor Lv, the innovator of QOED (see Section 2.6). During the interviews, I frequently encountered statements like “you know it” or “you understand”, and at times, they would even ask for solutions, saying, “do you know how to solve this? I am really struggling”. This acceptance stemmed from their recognition of me as one of them and their belief that I comprehended their experiences and perspectives. Occasionally, they would seek guidance from me, leveraging my knowledge in teaching QOED. Being an insider in this research context allowed me to ask questions in a more informal and relaxed manner in the interviews. As a result, the interviewees felt more comfortable and open to sharing their teaching experiences, including both the positive and challenging aspects.
As both insider and outsider, I stood in a unique position to understand the interviewee’s experiences, especially their dilemmas of teaching in a different way from their previous teaching and learning experiences (professional dance model, see Section 2.5). An insider position enabled me to interpret the interviewee data in relation to my own learning and teaching experiences in China, which allowed me to make an in-depth analysis. I could understand the context they were operating in and the difficulties they were facing. An outsider position prompted me to reflect and analyse the data from a broad perspective. For example, I often encountered the same dilemmas as interviewees while teaching in New Zealand. By standing outside of the research context, I was able to perceive the dilemmas and difficulties in a clear way by not always associating them with the educational contexts in China but focusing on the teaching purpose itself. This allowed me to understand the issues better, which in turn contributed to this research in a unique and meaningful way.
It is worth noting that this research sat within a wider project undertaken within the
University of Auckland Dance Programme in collaboration with dance programmes in China, entitled 'One Belt One Road: Dance Education in China,'. This project was led by my
supervisors Professor Nicholas Rowe, Professor Ralph Buck, Professor Rosemary Martin and Professor Yisheng Lv, and involved several international symposia, including one in New Zealand in January 2019 and another in Lanzhou, China, in November 2019. Academics in the field of dance from New Zealand, China, Uganda, the USA and Finland attended the Lanzhou symposium, which emphasised QOED, and a multi-authored book (forthcoming).
This wider project emphasised the growing scholarly interest in QOED, creativity and dance education in China, underpinning the significance of my PhD study. It also helped me recognise the importance of developing a much deeper historical theorisation of creativity and difference in dance education in China.