Methodologies: Exploring the Intimate

Since 2002, the Bush Tracks (BT) Research Group, based at the University of New England, has used various methods of researching rural teaching. While some have been standard quantitative and qualitative methods, others, including 'shadowing', are emergent methodologies developed in response to gaps in the literature and research responses. The approaches used by the Bush Tracks Research Group in investigating the opportunities and challenges associated with rural teaching are described in this chapter. The first study, termed Bush Tracks I (BTl), was concerned with teaching transitions in rural contexts. The second study, Bush Tracks 2 (BT2), focused on the challenges faced by principals of small rural schools. This discussion takes a reflective and critical look at the methodologies employed and focuses on their affordances in researching rural teaching and leadership.