Transforming a methodological dilemma into a rewarding research opportunity

This article focuses on an investigation of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher (de)motivation in Spain which underwent a methodological transformation from mixed methods to a qualitative approach. Unexpected statistical results from the questionnaire in the piloting phase led to the creation of interview prompts, a dynamic data collection instrument based on reliable items from the questionnaire which was disregarded from the main study at a later stage. The interview prompts provided a card-based data collection method which engaged participants in reflective and challenging tasks. This paper will discuss an unsettling challenge in the research process, how it was seized and the positive outcome which emerged from this unpredicted pitfall. A research breakdown welcomed a methodological turn enabled by the researcher’s reflection on the research dilemma. Authors are encouraged to defy and embrace research obstacles while learning from them and sharing the solutions with the research community.