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Unit 6 Learning Activities
Colin Madland
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2017-11-24 06:49:51 -0800

Unit 6 Learning Activities

This week in Unit 6 you will be exploring a different approach to research: qualitative research methods. Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015) define qualitative research as "a set of procedures for collecting, analyzing, and reporting text and image data to answer research questions by exploring participants’ views" (p. 286).

Qualitative research has three distinct purposes:  to describe, to explore, and to build theory.   Quantitative research and qualitative research designs differ significantly in what data are collected, how data are collected, how data are analyzed and how findings are reported.

As someone who was trained as a quantitative researcher, I would sometimes hear people in my discipline discredit the qualitative approach to research. However, as qualitative research has become more mainstream over the last 20 years, now I would say the most widely held opinion is that there is no best method. “It all depends on what you are studying and what you want to find out” (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007, p. 43). I can certainly appreciate understanding a problem or a phenomenon from both a quantitative and qualitative perspective.  For example, in order to understand the complexity and “messiness” of real-life organizations, it is important for leaders to not just rely only on statistics, but to also examine what employees, consumers, and leaders have to say from a qualitative perspective.

It is really important that you read through the textbook chapters on quantitative (chapters 6, 7, 8) and qualitative research (9, 10, 11) so that you can understand the distinct differences in the two approaches to research.

Topic 1: Qualitative Research Design

Qualitative research has been “mainstreamed” in recent years, although in certain disciplines its use is not as widespread. In order to understand the complexity and “messiness” of real-life organizations, leadership investigation is turning increasingly to qualitative research.

Qualitative research designs typically are less structured than in quantitative designs, and are far more flexible. In contrast to quantitative research design’s resting solidly on theoretical frameworks, in qualitative research design the use of theoretical frameworks is not nearly so clear. While some qualitative researchers do employ theoretical frameworks, at least to some degree, others, such as Corbin and Strauss “prefer not to begin our research with a predefined theoretical framework or set of concepts” (Corbin & Strauss, 2008, p. 39). Consequently, qualitative research design has been characterized as an “evolving, flexible, general hunch as to how you might proceed” (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007, p. 45). Theoretical frameworks are employed in qualitative research design to suggest alternate explanations, to help the researcher determine appropriate methodology, and to provide the basis for building and extending theory. The primary consideration for the qualitative researcher is that they remain “open” to new ideas and concepts that might not fit the concepts of the adopted theoretical framework (Corbin & Strauss, 2008, p. 40). Part Four of your reading of the course text (Plano-Clark and Creswell, 2015) focuses on four qualitative methods: narrative, grounded theory, case study, and ethnographic research designs.

Learning Activity 6.1 - Read, Evaluate and Reflect

  • Read chapter 9, "Qualitative Research Designs," in Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015).
  • Select one of the servant leadership articles listed under the unit 6 resources. Read the abstract and methods and results section to answer the questions in this learning activity.
  • Next, using the criteria on pg. 301 in Plano-Clark & Creswell (2015), evaluate the research design in the servant leadership article you chose. The figure on page 302 provides a template for recording your rating and rationale for your evaluation.
  • In your reflective learning journal, discuss the following questions:
    • What research design was used to guide the study? Was it justified?
    • Does the qualitative research design address the study's purpose?
  • Note that these questions make up Part 1 of your Blog assignment for this unit.  See Unit 6 Assessment for more details.
 

Topic 2: Qualitative Data Collection

Qualitative research data collection is typically based on one or more of the following methods: observation (including participant observation), open-ended interviewing, first person accounts, and the review of various documents. Data collected is descriptive, and may consist of personal documents, field notes, various records of people’s own words (including video and voice recordings and written transcripts), photographs, official documents, and other artifacts. Data is collected from small, non-representative samples selected through various sampling strategies including theoretical, purposeful, and snow ball sampling (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007, p. 45).

A dominant word encountered in qualitative research is triangulation. Triangulation is a term borrowed from navigation and surveying, and conveys the notion that multiple sources of information will help establish a fact (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007, p. 115). Multiple sources of data are seen to lead to a fuller, more complete, and more defensible understanding of the phenomena observed. Consequently, multiple methods of data collection are frequently employed within the same qualitative research study. These commonly consist of the researcher’s field notes, interviews, researcher observations, and analysis of various documents.

In qualitative research, data is usually collected until saturation is achieved. Saturation is a term employed that simply means that no new information relevant to the development of categories, properties, dimensions and variances is forthcoming from continued data gathering (Corbin & Strauss, 2008, p. 143). In effect, findings begin to replicate, and not add anything substantially new (Gall, Gall & Borg, 2007, p. 278). Qualitative researchers often make statements about collecting data until saturation is reached in an effort to demonstrate that sufficient data was collected to support the conclusions that will be reported.

Learning Activity 6.2 - Read, Evaluate and Reflect

  • Read chapter 10, "Participants and Data Collection," in Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015).
  • Using the criteria on pg. 349 in Plano-Clark & Creswell (2015), evaluate the participants and data collection in the servant leadership article you chose. The figure on page 350 provides a template for recording your rating and rationale for your evaluation.
  • In your reflective learning journal, discuss the following questions:
    • What sampling strategy is used?
    • Is the sample size appropriate?
    • Are the data gathered ethically and thoughtfully?
  • Note that these questions make up Part 2 of your Blog assignment for this unit.  See Unit 6 Assessment for more details.
 

Topic 3: Qualitative Data Analysis and Findings

Qualitative research data analysis typically employs analytic induction, is ongoing throughout the research, and seeks to identify themes and concepts emergent in the data (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007, p. 46). This is a dynamic process in which the researcher breaks data apart into its various components in order to identify their properties and dimensions (Corbin & Strauss, 2008, p. 46). Because data might suggest more than one story, analysis is an interpretive act that often begins, as in Glaser and Strauss’ constant comparison, from the very onset of data collection (Gall, Gall & Borg, 2007, p. 469).

Data analysis involves “working with the data, organizing them, breaking them into manageable units, coding them, synthesizing them, and searching for patterns” (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007, p. 159). Analysis involves data interpretation where ideas about the findings are related to broader concerns and concepts. Levels of analysis can range from the superficial description to theoretical interpretation (Corbin & Strauss, 2008, p. 80). The task is monumental. Software such as HyperRESEARCH© is of great assistance in helping the researcher assign codes to text data, which assists in the identification of concepts and themes. Qualitative research findings or results are usually presented in a narrative form. This can take many forms, and be organized in a variety of ways including the use of tables and figures when appropriate. Chapter 11 of the course text provides a concise discussion of this topic.

Because qualitative research can involve the investigation of as few as one research participant (as in a case study), great caution is exercised in making sweeping generalizations. In fact, because the term generalizability itself is strongly associated with quantitative research with much larger samples, Gall, Gall and Borg suggest the term applicability is more appropriate to the different processes and types of evidence associated with qualitative research (2008, p. 477).

Learning Activity 6.3 - Read, Evaluate and Reflect

  • Read chapter 11, "Data Analysis and Findings," in Plano-Clark and Creswell (2015).
  • Using the criteria on pg. 377 in Plano-Clark & Creswell (2015), evaluate the data analysis and findings in the servant leadership article you chose. The figure on page 378 provides a template for recording your rating and rationale for your evaluation.
  • In your reflective learning journal, discuss the following questions:
    • Did the researcher(s) use at least three strategies to validate the findings?
    • Did the findings include a good description of the people, places, or events in the study?
    • Did the findings include appropriate themes about the central phenomenon?
    • Did the findings provide a good exploration of the central phenomenon?
  • Note that these questions make up Part 3 of your Blog assignment for this unit.  See Unit 6 Assessment for more details.

Learning Activity 6.4 - Reflect

In your reflective learning journal discuss the following questions:
  • As a consumer of research reports what were the most important aspects you need to consider in the methods and results section of  of a high-quality qualitative research report?
  • Are there any elements of this section that you still have questions about or finding confusing?
  • How can you apply this knowledge to your work context or current leadership experience?
Note that these questions make up Part 4 of your Blog assignment for this unit.  See Unit 6 Assessment for more details.

Unit 6 Summary

In this unit you have learned that qualitative research has three distinct purposes:  to describe, to explore, and to build theory.  Qualitative research designs typically are less structured than in quantitative designs, and are far more flexible. The data are usually collected from a few cases or individuals so findings cannot be generalized to a larger population, but issues can be examined in great detail. Findings can however be transferable to another setting.

 

Assessment

Go to Unit 6 Assessment for more details on your Blog.

 

References

Anderson, C. (2010). Presenting and evaluating qualitative research. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education ,74 (8), 1-17.  Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2987281/pdf/ajpe141.pdf

Bogdan, R., & Biklen, S. (2007). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theories and method (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research (3rd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Gall, M., Gall, J., & Borg, W. (2007). Educational research. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2010). Practical research: Planning and design. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.

Plano-Clark, V., & Creswell, J. (2015). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.