Thank God for that....!!

I've been caught by structure rather than creativity and have now found what I need to liberate my thoughts!

Within a pragmatic approach, the researcher does not have to start out by identifying set methods which are followed through systematically. Pragmatism allows for ‘the truth’ to be determined by what emerge as the best methods at the time, thus avoiding conflicts for the researcher about what they intend to do and what actually happens.

This is backed up by my experience of finding the ‘’right’’ methods, methodology and approach throughout this assignment . Whilst it was necessary for me to start out with a framework based on methods that I felt comfortable with and that I thought would work, my original thoughts were to use concept mapping as a mucn more dominant part of the process, the analysis of which being supported by some form of discourse analysis. However, the more I researched these methods, particularly having carried out my research, the more I realised that the concept mapping process could not be a primary focus, nor could what I discovered be analysed through discourse analysis in a way that would produce the meaning that I was trying to find. This journey eventually led me to the CHAT framework and pragmatism via social constructionism and constructivism. This also support the concept of ‘agency’ which surfaces in much of the discourse about CHAT, that of my ability to choose and act upon issues, both structural and theoretical within my  field of research. 

Wish I could say that Vygotsky's 'double stimulation' technique was in my master plan originally, but hey, I can now say that this is what I've done! And it is pragmatism that allows me to focus on 'what works' rather than sticking to what would have been a  flawed and 'dishonest' process perhaps..