Navigating Methodological Challenges in Grounded Theory: A Multilingual Data Coding Perspective

Abstract

This contribution reflects on methodological issues and challenges in coding qualitative data in two languages derived from the same study. Data was collected in the context of an ongoing study on leadership practices exercised by professionals in schools across the French-speaking region of Switzerland (canton of Vaud) and the German-speaking region (canton of Aargau). As Spillane (2006) points out, the model of distributed leadership focuses on the interactions between actors rather than on the actors themselves, taking into account any leadership activity regardless of whether it is attributable to a formal or informal leader. Our research approach is inspired by the principles of Grounded Theory, which views research as a process where theoretical and empirical work are closely intertwined in a constant interplay (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). The data is derived from comprehensive interviews conducted with principals, deans, and teachers, accumulating a total of 10 schools (5 in French-speaking Switzerland and 5 in German-speaking Switzerland) for a total of 20 weeks of observation per team or 40 for the whole survey).

This presentation focuses on the reflection of methodological issues across different linguistic regions, specifically honing in on the analysis of leadership as it is authentically practiced, scrutinizing the terminology employed by actors within the educational system. Grounded Theory, emphasizing closeness to data and theory emergence, involves meticulous examination during open coding, where labels or codes are assigned to reveal concepts expressed succinctly through words or phrases capturing the essence of the data.

Our investigation has revealed that the use of the German term 'Schulentwicklung' has no direct equivalent in French: its literal translation as 'school development' is unsatisfactory because it refers to a domain that does not exist in French-speaking Switzerland. Similarly, we delve into terms such as 'pädagogisches Führungsverhalten' in German or 'influence pédagogique' in French, examining how they align or diverge in capturing the same reality. This not only involves dealing with words lacking corresponding translations but also navigating the nuances of Swiss dialects like "Schwyzerdütsch." This comprehensive analysis seeks to understand not just linguistic variations but the underlying intricacies of educational systems within the same country.

These challenges become pivotal points of reflection, shedding light on the nuances in educational leadership across linguistic divides within the same national context.

As we navigate the complexities of multilingual data coding, our findings aim to contribute to the broader discourse on the methodological intricacies of conducting educational research in multilingual contexts.