A (research) hero’s journey

CRISIS

As every good hero knows, there had to be a crisis in my journey. All was going swimmingly … until it wasn’t.

Uh-oh. The crisis was a simple, silly slip. The ethics application details the why, what, how and when of the research. The application is 20 or more pages and involves a really thorough look at every aspect of the research: Why this methodology, why ask these students, why not those, what will you do with the data, how to protect the students, how to do a risk-assessment on myself the researcher.

After six months of preparation, crossing every ’t’ and dotting the ‘i’s - I finally submitted it. I had slayed the ethicsapplication-monster and now I could bask in the calm after the frenzied storm. Or so I thought. Instead the application sat in the internet-ether aka the University’s IT system – I had forgotten to press the ‘submit’ button!

The calm stretched for a month, then another. I was getting nervous as my timetable for data collection was set for Term 3 2020. Did the Committee hate the research question? Was my methodology of a quantitative survey followed by interviews somehow too radical or unethical? Had COVID-19 fired staff at UTS and left no one to review my application? A few phone calls to the UTS Higher Degree Research office revealed why they hadn’t received my application. However, by then the University Ethics Committee could not review my application until mid-October, at the start of Term 4. June 2019

July 2019 Formulate my research question.

Join Pymble Professional Learning group, discuss and learn from group about possibilities of research.

October 2019 Find a supervisor at UTS.

November 2019 Submit Masters of Research application outlining research purpose, literature review and methodology (survey and interviews).

December 2019 Be accepted by UTS for Masters of Research .

June 2020

June 2020 Submit ethics application for Pymble Ethics Committee to approve the conduct of survey and interviews.

Submit ethics application for UTS Ethics Committee to approve the conduct of survey and interviews.

August 2020 Pass ethics approval of both committees and start stage 1 data collection (survey students).

Every teacher knows how lightning fast Term 4 flies. There was nothing I could do but stare at my inbox every day and chew a few more fingernails.

CLIMAX

Two weeks before the end of Term 4 in November 2020 and many more iterations to the ethics application later – I conducted the survey as planned with Year 5 students. More than 100 students consented to take the survey. With immense gratitude to the ever-flexible Year 5 teachers – my 20-minute survey was slotted in on a Friday. Crisis averted, data collection done, and now for the denouement!

DENOUEMENT, END

Since this is my own heroic adventure, I can choose the ending:

FANTASY ENDING

I discover amazing eye-opening information that confirms my hypothesis. In 2021, the rabid-COVID-ogre has been banished and I can still meet students and parents face-to-face for the stage 2 interviews.

When I send out invites to interviews, I get an overwhelming response from students and parents vying to participate. I transcribe the interviews and write revealing analysis and a masterpiece of a Masters thesis about my research.

It gets published and academics contact me from around the world to speak about my ground-breaking research. My supervisor commends me for extending knowledge in my field. I design wellbeing programs for EALD students and families, and we all live happily ever after.

REALISTIC ENDING

At the time of writing, I have analysed the survey results and will present to Pymble Junior School leadership in Term 1 2021. A little later, I will present my Stage 1 Masters review to my supervisors and other researchers. The discussion and questions are a welcome critical check on my data and methodology. When I started on this journey, I did not see myself as a researcher, and I’m still not sure if doing this Masters makes me one. It has, however, definitely given me insight into the work of academics and tertiary education which is a nice counterbalance to teaching at the primary end. Studying, meeting deadlines and turning in assignments has made me a positive role model for my children, who see mum balancing family, study and work. With colleagues, the knowledge gained from this journey has enabled me to speak with authority and I am eager to find ways to translate my research findings and literature in the field into digestible information teachers and parents can use to understand students better.

In the end, dear reader, I hope you have taken heart from my research journey and will take the leap into your own challenging and rewarding research journey.

pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

Avon Road, Pymble NSW 2073 PO Box 136, North Ryde BC NSW 1670 +61 2 9855 7799

A school of the Uniting Church in Australia for girls from Kindergarten to Year 12, with boarding available from Year 7. ABN 78 619140 464. CRICOS 03288K