1. Quantitative and Qualitative Data Analysis: What’s the Difference? Jim Smith & Christine Maidl Pribbenow 2012 Research Residency

2. Session Outline Difference between Quantitative and Qualitative Data Using Mixed Methods Statistics and their Use in Education Research Analyzing Qualitative Data Questions??

3. What are some of the assumptions that you have about educational research? How are they helping or hindering the development of your study?

4. Research in the sciences vs. research in education “Soft” knowledge Findings based in specific contexts Difficult to replicate Cannot make causal claims due to willful human action Short-term effort of intellectual accumulation– “village huts” Oriented toward practical application in specific contexts “Hard” knowledge Produce findings that are replicable Validated and accepted as definitive (i.e., what we know) Knowledge builds upon itself– “skyscrapers of knowledge” Oriented toward the construction and refinement of theory

5. Sources of Quantitative Data Multiple choice or closed questions GPA, grades Concept inventories Rubrics SAT/ACT/GRE - standardized tests Anything you can count (stars, population)!

6. Sources of Qualitative Data Lab notebooks Field notes from observations Open-ended exam or survey questions Written papers, homework Journal entries, reflections On-line discussions, blogs Email Texts or notes from interviews or focus groups

7. Qualitative Data: Oxymoron or inherent tensions? Hard vs. soft (mushy) Rigor Validity and reliability Objective vs. subjective Numbers vs. text What is The Truth?

8. Mixed Methods Designs: Taking the Best of Both!

9. QUAN Data & Results Interpretation QUAL Data & Results QUAN Pre-test Data & Results QUAN Post-test Data & Results Intervention qual Process Interpretation Convergent Parallel Design Embedded Design Concurrent Mixed Methods Designs

10. 10 QUAN Data & Results Interpretation qual Data & Results Following up QUAL Data & Results quan Data & Results Interpretation Building to Before- intervention qual QUAN Intervention Trial QUAN Intervention Trial After- intervention qual Interpretation Exploratory Design Explanatory Design Sequential Embedded Design

11. Quantitative Data and Statistics Back to Jim…

12. Qualitative Data Analysis Qualitative analysis is the “interplay between researchers and data.” Researcher and analysis are “inextricably linked.”

13. Qualitative Data Analysis Inductive process –Grounded Theory Unsure of what you’re looking for, what you’ll find No assumptions No literature review at the beginning Constant comparative method Deductive process –Theory driven Know the categories or themes using rubric, taxonomy Looking for confirming and disconfirming evidence Question and analysis informed by the literature, “theory”

14. Definitions: Coding and Themes Coding process: –Conceptualizing, reducing, elaborating and relating text– i.e., words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs. Building themes: –Codes are categorized thematically to describe or explain phenomenon.

15. Let’s Code #1 Read through the reflection paper written by a student from an Ecology class and highlight words, parts of sentences, and/or whole sentences with some “code” attached and identified to those sections.

16. What did you highlight? Why?

17. Let’s Code #2 Read through this reflection paper and code based on this question: What were the student’s assumptions or misconceptions before taking this course?

18. What did you highlight? Why?

19. Let’s Code #3 Read through this reflection paper and code based on this question: What did the student learn in the course?

20. What did you highlight? Why?

21. Can we say that the students learned something in the course using reflection papers? Why or why not?

22. Ensuring “validity” and “reliability” in your research Use mixed methods, multiple sources. Triangulate your data whenever possible. Ask others to review your design methodology, observations, data, analysis, and interpretations (e.g., inter-rater reliability). Rely on your study participants to “member check” your findings. Note limitations of your study whenever possible.

23. Questions?

24. References Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research, Creswell, J.W., and Plano Clark, V.L., 2006, Sage Publications. Discipline-Based Education Research: A Scientist’s Guide, Slater, S.J., Slater, T.F., and Bailey, J.M., 2010, WH Freeman. “Educational Researchers: Living with a Lesser Form of Knowledge,” Labaree, D.L., 1998, Educational Researcher, 27(8), 4-12. Resources Atlas.ti and NVivo (qualitative analysis software)