1. Contrasting Research Traditions
EDUC 894
Week 2

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

3. 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?

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

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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)

8. 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

9. 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

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

11. 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…”

12. 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)

13. 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

14. 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