Qualitative Research Intro for Educational Technologists

Research Continuum Poles -or- The Paradigm Wars  Positivistic l Goal is to describe the phenomena that we experience. The purpose of science is to stick to what we can observe and measure. Knowledge of anything beyond that is impossible.  Naturalistic (Postpositivistic) Goal is to hold steadfastly to getting it right about reality even though we can never achieve that goal. All observation is fallible and has error and all theory is revisable; need to be critical of our ability to know reality with certainty.

Decisions, Decisions  Is quantitative precise or trivia-preoccupied?  Is qualitative deep or fuzzy-headed?  “The questions a researcher strives to answer should drive the choice of methods.”

Qualitative: Historical Elements  Learner Analysis & Formative Evaluation  Tech evolution effects on teaching/learning  Philosophical evolution effects on tech use  New tech enables new research methods  Need to know what is actually happening

Qualitative: Assumptions  Qualitative studies take longer  Qualitative studies meet w/ greater resistance  Qualitative studies can be rigorous  Qualitative studies share identifiable characteristics

Qualitative Characteristics  Natural setting  Human data gatherer  “Felt” knowledge  Quantitative also  Purposive sampling  Inductive analysis  Grounded theory  Emergent design  Focus determines data  Boundaries may change  Negotiated “reality”  Multiple realities  Bound conclusions  Reluctant generalizing

Qualitative Research Methods  Observations  Interviews  Document & Artifact Analysis

Grounded Theory  Purpose- “Develop theory through an iterative process of data analysis and theoretical analysis with verification of hypotheses ongoing throughout the study”  Process l Collect extensive data l Continually examine data for patterns l Build theory from patterns l Collect more data to refine theory & questions l Continue until few or no new patterns emerge

Participant Observation Hallmarks  Researcher becomes part of the culture  Spend considerable time “in the field”  Interaction with participants (usual process) l Open-ended, unstructured interviews l Structured interviews based on above l Determine focus for observations l Conduct follow-up interviews based on emergent patterns

Participant Observation Concerns  Site Selection Issues l Suits research questions l Simplicity l Accessibility l Remain unobtrusive l Permissibleness l Frequency of activity l Degree of participation  Stages l Initial contact l Getting familiar l Intense data collection l Break l Focused study l Exhaustion/break l Frantic activity l Careful leave taking

Nonparticipant Observation 1  Types l Stream-of-behavior chronicle l Proxemics & kinesics l Interaction analysis protocols l Dramaturgical constructions of reality l Auto-observation  Characteristics l Data often coded into categories l Frequencies tabulated l Relationships analyzed l Unobtrusive as possible l Verify with multiple observers

Nonparticipant Observation 2  Scope may be broad and “rich” or narrow and “thick”  Biases are inevitable and therefor must be “bracketed”  Researcher is a legitimate member of the subject community  Data type and amount selected according to research questions  Sampling is purposive and representative but not random  Multiple observers need training to increase consistency