Ron Chenail, PhD TQR Inaugural Conference January 8, 2010

Abstract The next generation of qualitative researchers will be able to demonstrate their conceptual, perceptual, executive, evaluative, and professional skills in mastering designing, conducting, and presenting qualitative research competencies. To achieve these outcomes educators of these new qualitative researchers will need to create transparent environments that facilitate active learning through a supportive relationship of performance and feedback all leading to the creation of meaningful real-world products.

Accountability and Transparency Clarity in the marketplace Consumer demand Quality focus Best practices

Call for Outcomes-Based Education Shift from (a) a focus on the courses, hours of training, and other activities that have been assumed to produce competently trained individuals to (b) the knowledge and skills that those individuals actually obtain and can demonstrate (Nelson, Chenail, Alexander, Crane, Johnson, & Schwallie, 2007)

Core Competencies A core competency is a ‘‘measurable human capacity that is required for effective performance’’ (Marrelli, Hoge, & Tondora, 2004, p. 4 as cited in Nelson, Chenail, Alexander, Crane, Johnson, & Schwallie, 2007) A collection of the basic or minimum skills that each practitioner should possess in order to produce ethical and effective practice

Primary Domains and Subdomains

Primary Domains The developmental trajectory by which qualitative researchers begin and complete their work in an ethical and effective manner (Nelson, Chenail, Alexander, Crane, Johnson, & Schwallie, 2007)

Qualitative Research Consultants Association Professional Competencies (2003) Identify skills, traits and practices that constitute the professional conduct of QRCs Provide QRCs with a guideline for self-evaluation and continued growth Create a framework for QRC education in an ever- expanding and diversifying global society Help clients identify the quality they seek in a QRC, and to evaluate the performance they receive

Qualitative Research Consultants Association Professional Competencies Consulting Research Professional and Business Practices

Consulting Content Knowledge

Research Conceptualization and Design Research Interviewing Analysis

Professional and Business Practices Communication Professional Practices Project Management / Coordination Business Practices Commitment to the Profession

QR Primary Domains Designing Qualitative Research Conducting Qualitative Research Presenting Qualitative Research

Subdomains Conceptual Skills Perceptual Skills Executive Skills Evaluative Skills Professional Skills

Conceptual Skills What qualitative researchers know: Qualitative research methodologies and methods Epistemological and theoretical contexts Awareness of the researcher as an instrument

Perceptual Skills What qualitative researchers perceive or discern: Interpretation of data through epistemological and methodological lenses Tie theory or conceptual skills to what is happening in the research

Executive Skills What qualitative researchers do: Behaviors Actions Interventions

Evaluative Skills How qualitative researchers assess what they have done: Assessing and appraising the effectiveness of the research activities Assessing and appraising the effectiveness of the researcher

Professional Skills How qualitative researchers conduct research and themselves: Activities Attitudes

Designing Qualitative Research Conceptual Skills: Understand the major historical, epistemological, theoretical, methodological, and ethical orientations for conducting qualitative research Perceptual Skills: Recognize historical, epistemological, theoretical, methodological, and ethical coherence in qualitative research designs

Designing Qualitative Research Executive Skills: Design a qualitative research study that is historically, epistemologically, theoretically, methodologically, and ethically coherent Evaluative Skills: Evaluate qualitative research designs for their historical, epistemological, theoretical, methodological, and ethical coherence Professional Skills: Maintain records documenting the creation and evaluation of coherent qualitative research designs

Conducting Qualitative Research Conceptual Skills: Understand qualitative research quality control procedures Perceptual Skills: Recognize the appropriate use of quality control procedures in the conduct of qualitative research Executive Skills: Utilize appropriate quality control procedures in a qualitative research study Evaluative Skills: Evaluate the effectiveness of quality control procedures in a qualitative research study Professional Skills: Review research findings based upon quality control outcomes

Presenting Qualitative Research Conceptual Skills: Know the major elements of a qualitative research manuscript Perceptual Skills: Recognize the major elements of a qualitative research manuscript Executive Skills: Compose the major elements of a qualitative research manuscript Evaluative Skills: Appraise the quality of a qualitative research manuscript Professional Skills: Comply with appropriate professionals style guidelines for producing scholarly manuscripts

QR Competencies and Curriculum Commitment to QR competencies in the curriculum regardless of time commitment to QR in the curriculum By the course By the sequence By the program

From Competencies to Courses Design learning activities Construct direct and indirect measurements Measure student performance Facilitate mastery of competencies

Implications Maintaining environment transparency Facilitating active learning Relating performance and feedback Creating meaningful real-world products (Chenail, 2009a)

Maintaining Environment Transparency Stakeholders Documentation Accountability Example: Syllabus

Facilitating Active Learning Knowing and Doing Evaluation is learning Progressive Learning Example: QR Boot Camp

Relating Performance and Feedback Don’t leave learning behind Revise and resubmit Grade inflation Example: Track Changing Rubrics

Creating Meaningful Real-World Products Publishable and Presentable Service-learning Practical Example: BTI Projects

Next Steps Construct QR competencies Share resources (see Chenail, 2009b) Share Reusable Learning Objects Embrace a scholarship of learning

References Chenail, R. (2009a). Learning marriage and family therapy in the time of competencies. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 28(1), Chenail, R. J. (2009b). Teaching and Learning Qualitative Research. Retrieved January 5, 2010, from

References Nelson, T., Chenail, R. J., Alexander, J. F., Crane, D. R., Johnson, S. M., & Schwallie, L. (2007). The development of core competencies for the practice of marriage and family therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 33(4), Qualitative Research Consultants Association. (2003). Professional competencies of qualitative research consultants. Retrieved January 5, 2010, from p.pdf p.pdf

Contact Ron Chenail, Ph.D. The Qualitative Report Nova Southeastern University 3301 College Avenue Fort Lauderdale, Florida USA