Educational Action Research Todd Twyman Summer 2011 Week 1

Topic Selection: Focus Group Find a group of people. Find a group of people. You will each serve as a facilitator one time. You will each serve as a facilitator one time. Facilitators: Have 1 person from the group share his/her topic (Assignment 1), and lead the rest of the group through a discussion of the topic. Facilitators: Have 1 person from the group share his/her topic (Assignment 1), and lead the rest of the group through a discussion of the topic. Every 3 minutes switch. Every 3 minutes switch. Work on: getting input from everyone, prompting deep discussion, respectful interactions. Work on: getting input from everyone, prompting deep discussion, respectful interactions.

Two Major Traditions Qualitative Attempts to figure out why things are the way they are, to describe cultures, groups, events Attempts to figure out why things are the way they are, to describe cultures, groups, events Microscopic look at phenomena Microscopic look at phenomena Research questions Research questions Quantitative Attempts to figure out the extent to which something is related to something else; to generalize to a larger population Wide-angle look at phenomena Research hypotheses

Qualitative Research Goal: to understand deeply Goal: to understand deeply Intense and/or prolonged contact with life situation Intense and/or prolonged contact with life situation Approach: Interpret as you go; keep questions open so you don’t miss new insights that lead to discovery, open to emerging themes as you go. Approach: Interpret as you go; keep questions open so you don’t miss new insights that lead to discovery, open to emerging themes as you go.

Qualitative Research Situated in context: thick, rich description. Situated in context: thick, rich description. Keen awareness of the subjective nature of human experience. Researcher as instrument. Keen awareness of the subjective nature of human experience. Researcher as instrument. Look at the phenomena as a whole rather than trying to parse out individual components. Look at the phenomena as a whole rather than trying to parse out individual components.

Qualitative Research Types include: Types include: Case Studies, Historical Analyses, Ethnographies Case Studies, Historical Analyses, Ethnographies Data might come from: Data might come from: Field observations, interviews, focus groups, document analysis, surveys with open-ended questions. Field observations, interviews, focus groups, document analysis, surveys with open-ended questions.

Case Studies Goal: to learn about a phenomena of interest by studying a particular case (or multiple cases) Cases are selected purposively Cases are selected purposively Extreme cases Extreme cases Typical cases Typical cases Contrasting cases Contrasting cases Typically involves long-term involvement Typically involves long-term involvement

Historical Analyses Goal: To learn about a phenomena or event that happened in the past by studying old documents, interviewing people instrumental in the event, etc. Documents are read exhaustively in order to capture the full range of perspectives on events. Documents are read exhaustively in order to capture the full range of perspectives on events.

Ethnographies Goal: To understand a culture, how the lived experiences of people in a particular group interact to form a phenomena that can be studied. Insider (emic) perspectives are particularly useful for the researcher. Insider (emic) perspectives are particularly useful for the researcher. Important to question motives / biases. Important to question motives / biases. “Culture” is very broadly defined. “Culture” is very broadly defined.

Examples How do first year doctoral students who receive their classes via distance education in an off-campus location define the ‘graduate school experience’? How do first year doctoral students who receive their classes via distance education in an off-campus location define the ‘graduate school experience’? Why do some children from low SES backgrounds excel in school while others perform so poorly? Why do some children from low SES backgrounds excel in school while others perform so poorly?

Your turn! Using your topic (Assignment 1), write research questions that would be appropriate for: A case study. A case study. A historical analysis. A historical analysis. An ethnography. An ethnography. Back to the focus groups: Facilitators, keep the discussion moving!

Homework Read Chapters in Glanz (after class) Read Chapters in Glanz (after class) Read the Gersten and Baker article if you haven’t done so already! Read the Gersten and Baker article if you haven’t done so already!