The repertory grid technique is an instrument that has been widely used for many purposes in different settings. It is an instrument that is developed to elicit personal constructs. A repertory grid is a very rich and complex description of one person’s view (Jankowicz, 2004). Some would say that the repertory grid technique is not so much a technique in itself as it is a mathematical representation of Kelly’s theory of personal constructs (1955). The latter seems likely because besides being a physicist, Kelly was a mathematician. This technique isn’t a technique like any other in the sense that it is fully intertwined with the theory on personal constructs. This is different from an interview or survey technique, those techniques are not driven by a specific theory. Yet some would argue that the connection of the repertory grid to its original theory runs the danger of getting lost. The repertory grid technique has for example been used as a psychometric, test-like instrument. In this case it is suppose to measure cognitions behind the behaviour of human beings. At the same time it has been used as an interview-like instrument, serving more interpretative purposes. This paper is a report on the results of a pilot study about the way the repertory grid can be administered for the purpose of eliciting teacher’s moral constructs about their own practice. Not only from a practical point of view but also from a more philosophical stance. This pilot study is undertaken to test the best way to elicit teachers moral constructs about bumpy moments in their own practice. A bumpy moment consists of a mini dilemma about the course of action to take in classroom interactions with children. Choosing one course of action means letting go of a perfectly legitimate and competing other course(s) of action (inspired by Romano, 2004). The term “bumpy moment” is not described for the participating teachers as moments in which they no longer know what to do (i.e., an incapacity to act) but simply as moments in which they have the feeling that they just as well could have acted differently. Before describing the pilot studying more detail some general information is given about the broader research context in which this pilot study is embedded. In several theories about teacher practice, the claim is made that teaching is more than anything else a moral endeavour. That teacher practice is morally informed by definition is especially succinct in theories about action research. In action research teachers develop theories based on their own practice. Interpreting practice situations is one aspect of theorising. It is assumed that in interpreting their own practice, teachers always include moral constructs. Moral constructs in this research are seen as teachers’ thoughts about what is or isn’t in the best interest of the students. Moral constructs in teachers’ thinking have been raised on a regular basis in recent literature but empirical research in this area is rare. That was the reason behind the decision to address in the main research project the question which moral constructs teachers’ have when interpreting so called bumpy moments in their own practice. In order to answer such a question a suited research technique needs to be developed. This important issue is addressed in the present article. The problem definition of this article is how and in what way could the repertory grid technique best be attuned for the purpose of getting hold of teachers’ moral constructs.

Repertory grid technique

The global setup of the original procedure as used in the pilot study needed to be scrutinized for shortcomings and applicability. In the full paper the theoretical assumptions, the practical considerations behind the steps as well as the alterations on the basis of the pilot findings will be further elaborated on. The main point of discussion will be that in order to get a hold of meaningful constructs the preferred course of action to take is to elicit both elements and constructs instead of providing them. To further specify this claim one could argue that in order to develop a grid that helps explore teachers’ moral theories, the elements need to be elicited from teachers’ individual practice and the construct from teachers’ individual interpretations.