In some ways, it seemed that this came too late in the process. But then again, it didn't seem necessary earlier on to haggle over meanings and interpretations until we had all the data and had undergone some initial analysis. It also did not work so well because people work, think and write with differing rhythms. You can't rush analysis and it doesn't matter what the deadline is, sometimes more time is needed to think and let ideas ruminate. However, in a collaborative project we all had to work to the same schedule or run the risk of tipping the balance and ruining the timing of the entire project.

Conclusion

As I stated earlier, this chapter is different from the chapters that follow. It is the story of how a group of women worked together to learn and carve out a new area of research. It is the story of how we learned to work together, while at the same time learning to engage in research on our practice. It is about the team and how we dealt with the research process, from the development of the proposal right through to the writing of the final research report and all the wonderful bits in between. We grappled with writing a proposal that needed academic edges and with deciding whether and how to do a literature review. We struggled with piecing bits of funding together and keeping the vision of our research goals alive. When we ran into difficulties with the journaling process and with deciding to drop a data source, we solved the problems by keeping a keen focus on our goal at hand: to define and articulate what it means to be an effective ABE/Literacy instructor.

Like some of the ABE/Literacy pioneers in the group, we are very much pioneers in research in practice, learning from each other and from the few who have worked before us. We were intent on doing research, reflecting on the process and therefore advancing not only what we know about ABE/Literacy but also how to do research. We learned a great deal in the process. We learned how to work collaboratively and what that meant for us. We learned how to pace ourselves to get the research and writing done, while at the same time teaching and doing the multiplicity of other things required of us as instructors. We learned how to push and support one another to get the best out of the pieces we were writing. Ultimately, we discovered that much of what we learned would help others who choose to engage in research in adult literacy practice. It is an exciting time to be in ABE/Literacy and even more exciting time to be working in this new area of research.