Contrasting Research Traditions EDUC 894 Week 2

Plan for Today Report-Outs Class Discussions Groupwork Research Traditions Human Subjects Issues Groupwork Research Planning Worksheet ----------Dinner Break------------- Wiki Tips & Organization Wiki organization Practical research planning Draft research questions due next week Research questions and approach report due in 2 weeks

Group Report Out What is your general project topic? What is the specific problem / issue you are addressing? What is your team currently thinking in terms of a research approach? Where you are at in terms of getting subjects?

Ontology - The Nature of “Reality” Realism There is an independently existing “objective” reality. Idealism “Reality” exists only in our minds

Epistemology - The Nature of Knowledge and Meaning 1. Objectivism Meaning exists in the world. 2. Constructionism Meaning comes from our interactions with the world (and others). 3. Subjectivism We impose meaning on the world.

Some Objectivist Research Traditions Postivism An independent reality exists and we can learn about it through empirical investigation. Post-positivism An independent reality exists but we can only know it indirectly. Big focus on the process of inference and warranting knowledge claims.

Some Constructionist Research Traditions Phenomenology The study of lived experience from the perspective of those who experience it (Trying to make meaning of a phenomenon) Hermenuetics Interpretation of signs and symbols as systems of meanings as they are used (Trying to make meaning of a symbol system) Ethnography Study of how people in a group manage and organize their lives as social actors (Trying to make meaning of a culture)

Some Subjectivist Research Traditions Post-modernist Research constructs, rather than reveals, meaning. Focus on subjectivity and plurality of meaning across (and within) participants and the researcher. Structuralist & Post-structuralist The study of how meaning is produced within a culture through its structures (linguistic, psychological, sociological). Post- structuralism does not assume critiques structuralist assumptions that structures are unitary, uncontentious and timeless Critical Inquiry & Feminist Driven by a concern with existing power inequalities, actively promotes social change, often begins begins with the standpoints and experiences of the less powerful

Of Course It’s Not Really that Simple… Questionnaires Positivism Objectivism Interviews Post-positivism Observation Ethnography Documents Constructionism Design Based Research Theme Analysis Phenomenology Descriptive Statistics Subjectivism Feminist Research Inferential Statistics Critical Inquiry Thick Description

The Key is Consistency & Alignment Epistemology Topic / Problem Research Approach Research Questions Methodology Data Collection Data Analysis Knowledge Claims using the logic of answer

Contrasting the Approaches Objectivism Constructionsim Subjectivism Goal: Explanation Exploration Empowerment Looking for: Truth Understanding Progress Subjectivity: Error Embrace Multiple Perspectives Specific Perspective Look at: States (static) Processes (active) Design is: Pre-planned Emergent Logic: Causal, “hard” Constraining Factors, “Soft” Extrapolation: Generalization (given representative sampling) Lessons learned, “petite generalizations” Kinds of Questions “Does…” “What…” “How…”

Some things to think about What do you want to be able to say when you are done? Think about what approach makes sense in terms of the kinds of questions you will ask: “Does…”, “What….” (Objectivist) “How does…” (Constructionist / Subjectivist) “How can…”? (DBR)

Research Ethics – Key Concepts Informed Consent What information How to consent Right to Withdraw Risks versus Benefits Evaluating the trade-off Anticipating & minimizing the risk Informing the subjects Confidentiality Data storage and collection Conflict of interest Oversight Course “review board” Providing my contact information

For Next Week Read about the different research traditions Discuss with your group: What are the tradeoffs in working in the different traditions? How do the traditions fit with your research topic and personal beliefs? What tradition will you work in? What specific research problems will you work on? Think about what pre-planning you need to do to get access to subjects Take action as needed