Promoting professional growth to build a socially just school through participation in ethnographic research

We have used the concept of ethnography as explanatory critique in earlier research in three projects in Spain relating to teacher professional development and leadership for socially just schools. This research involved participant observations, interviews, informal conversations, document analysis and virtual ethnography. However, we have also conducted a meta- ethnographic analysis on research products from the projects. Our intention was to try to identify any potentially common themes and ideas concerning how interaction between researchers and participants may have influenced the research and the contexts they were part of as a means to generate useful knowledge for leadership and professional development for educational change and social justice. We describe and analyse these themes in the present article and conclude by highlighting key aspects and possible implications.