EDU 715

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EDU 715

• 9.10.08

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Agenda

• IRB forms
• Also be sure to turn in forms to Dr. Mac
• Methodology
• Focus on Observation
• Observation exercise

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Objectives

• TSWBAT submit IRB forms that meet criteria for
  approval.
• Identify various data collection techniques in
  qualitative research.
• Differentiate between methodology and methods.
• Conduct an observation of a public setting.

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Qualitative Research

• Please take one minute and write your definition.
• What does it entail?
• Who is involved?
• Where does it take place?
• How are data collected?
• Similar to quantitative? Different?

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Methodology

• Arguably the easiest section of your paper.
• First lets define it
• Methodology v. methods
• Methods are what you do
• Methodology is the justification or theory of it
• You need both
• Connect research question with the methods

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Data in Qualitative Research

• Data are constructed and interpreted by the
  researcher as s/he interprets the words and
  actions of the people studied through talking
  with people, observing actions and
  interactions, and paying attention to physical
  surroundings to learn aspects of the social
  world (Rossman Rallis, 1998, p. 116).

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Focus on observation this week

• Different types
• Participant observation
• Non-participant observation
• Fly on a wall
• Field notes
• O.C.
• Laptop2 windows? (check with teacher first)

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Observation Tips

• Excellent outline on p. 367 of book.
• Write whats happening, not your interpretation
  (save that for later).
• Later means ASAP.
• Good idea to draw a diagram of what is taking
  place.
• Also look at Spradleys Description Matrix.

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Vignette

• A very detailed example.
• Take a few minutes to read these two vignettes.
• What do they tell you (from a research
  perspective)?
• (and please do not tell Dr. Cunningham about the
  web design on these pages ?)

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Validity and Reliability

• Virtually every classroom in the United States is
  roughly the same in terms of appearance
  (lighting, number of children, and number of
  adults) but Erickson (1986) proposes that each
  classroom (even those in the same building)
  possesses a unique culturethis serves as the
  root cause of substantial differences in
  patterns of student achievement among different
  schools and different groups of students (p.
  129).

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Validity and Reliability

• How do you know what youre seeing?
• Assumption that it is impossible to go into a
  research setting tabula rasa (Erickson, 1986,
  p. 140).
• Can be to your advantage as you are reflective
  and aware of what is happening.
• The reader should be able to experience
  vicariously the setting that is described
  (Erickson, 1986, p. 145).

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Sois this research?

• There are no numbers
• Wheres the n?
• Were not looking for proof, but plausibility
  instead (Erickson, 1986, p. 149).
• Need to triangulate data.

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Observation exercise...

• Please observe a public setting (Benson Center,
  coffee shop, anywhere on campus, etc.) for 15
  minutes.
• Define a research question.
• Please prepare fieldnotes on what you observed
  along with comments and a diagram.
• Think of it as people watching with notes.

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References

• Erickson, F. (1986). Qualitative methods in
  research on teaching. In M. C. Wittrock (Ed.),
  Handbook of research on teaching (pp. 119-161).
  New York Macmillan.
• Rossman, G., Rallis, S. (1998). Learning in the
  field An introduction to qualitative research.
  Thousand Oaks, CA SAGE Publications, Inc.
• Spradley, J. (1980). Participant observation. New
  York Holt, Winehart, and Winston.

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Please keep working on

• Literature review outline
• Any comments?
• Rememberoutline first, then find the literature.