Volume: 18  Number: 3  Page: 158–178

Second-order Theoretical Analysis of Observations: Data Analysis Through the Study of Dilemmas

Asher Shkedi1 and Miri Harel2 1The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, School of Education, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, Israel and 2Oranim, Academic College of Education, The Kibbutz Movement, M.P. Tivon, Israel

This paper explains the principles and procedures of second-order theoretical analysis of observation data. The second-order theoretical procedure is illustrated by analysis of the student-teachers seminar on the subject of the Holocaust, focusing on dilemmas of Holocaust survivors. Analysing observational data allows two distinctive method of analysis: first-order analysis and second-order analysis. Firstorder analysis of observation is a process based on the direct descriptions and explanations of the informants who participated in the observed event. Second-order theoretical analysis of observation is used when we cannot construct a full description and explanation of the observed event directly from the informants. While the data gathered from participants indeed focus on the informants, they are not accompanied by their direct descriptions and explanations. Second-order theoretical analysis is used to analyse the data we collected on and from our informants which contain valuable indicators suggesting a possible theoretical explanation with the potential to express the informants' worlds. The paper suggests procedures for verifying the trustworthiness of descriptions, explanations and theory derived from observation.

Keywords: evaluation, observation, qualitative research, observation analysis, secondorder theoretical analysis, dilemmas

© 2004 A. Shkedi & M. Harel

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