Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) is an established methodology in health psychology, and is growing in application in education related areas. It is underutilised in educational teachnology research (Cilesiz, 2010).

IPA interviews aim to have the interviewer to enter the interviewee’s lifeworld through the participants’ recollection of their experiences (Smith et al., 2009). Other key references include Mayes (2006), Hefferon and Ollis (2006) and Shaw (2010). It provides a structured approach for examining recounts of a particular phenomena, and should be further explored as a methodology for our field.

• Cilesiz, S. (2010). A phenomenological approach to experiences with technology: current state, promise, and future directions for research. Education Technology Research and Development. Online early: DOI 10.1007/s11423-010-9173-2
• Hefferon, K. M. and Ollis, S. (2006). ‘Just clicks’: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of professional dancers’ experience of flow. Research in Dance Education, 7(2), 141-159.
• Mayes, T. (2006). LEX: the learner experience of e-learning: Methodology report. Glasgow Caledonian University.
  http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/elearningpedagogy/lex_method_final.pdf
• Smith, J. A., Flowers, P. and Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: theory, method and research, London: Sage.