**3. Purpose and methods**

#### **3.1 Purpose**

This research aims to highlight the connections between Canadian and Chinese teaching practices to identify similarities and differences within the educational systems of Canada and China. Such research will identify best practices in Chinese classrooms and teaching adopted within traditional, mainstream, Canadian science classrooms.

#### **3.2 Methods**

The following subsections outline the participants and procedures engaged in order to obtain the data that was analyzed for key and emerging themes.

#### *3.2.1 Participants*

In this narrative inquiry case study, the participants were two in-service science teachers from a local Windsor school board. Purposeful sampling was used to select these two individuals from all qualified individuals interested in participating in the Reciprocal Learning Project. These teachers visited science classrooms within the Sister Schools in Chongqing, China and observed science teachers and practices within science classrooms. For purposes of confidentiality the following pseudonyms were given to the teachers: Teacher A and Teacher B. Teacher A is a male science teacher who has been a Canadian classroom teacher for 15 years. Teacher B is a female science teacher who been a Canadian classroom teacher for 3 years.

#### *3.2.2 Procedure*

Two in-service teachers were allowed to observe science teachers and classrooms in Chongqing, China. These teachers were provided with opportunities to attend Chinese classes, meet students, and speak with Chinese educators to learn more about their

classroom and education style in China. Once the teachers returned to Canada, they were individually interviewed and asked questions related to their definitions of student engagement, if and how inquiry-based teaching practices in China compared to those in Canada, and what types of learning equipment were available in classrooms.
