Applying Qualitative Methodology - Research Paper Example

HERE HERE YOUR HERE HERE Applying qualitative research methodology to an educational problem When inquired as to whether the study habits of online versus traditional students differ, it becomes important to apply an appropriate study template in order to determine the solution. Online students, as one hypothetical example, might prefer a situation in which they study randomly in order to fit their personal schedules. In opposite accord, traditional students may congregate together to discuss their personal ambitions as well as the mutual receipt of educational learning. Whatever the specific objective might be for the study, the qualitative approach is most appropriate using structured and semi-structured interview templates, observational research scenarios, or a blend of survey assessments designed to examine subject responses. Are the study habits of online versus traditional students different? This research question can be answered using the structured and semi-structured interview. First, an appropriate sample population must be determined based on researcher tools at his or her disposal and the feasibility of getting consistent results from students in the online environment. For this study, using interactive media tools, online interviews can be conducted using chat technology and similar social networking sites. Recruiting the population would involve achieving participation with the online college or university website to distribute a notice that interviews for academic study habits are available and to register for this event. This could achieve a potential sample population of 5 to 15 students, depending on willingness to participate in the online interview. Personal interviews with traditional, on-campus students could be conducted at any local college or university, with a recruitment sample of 5-15 students additionally who might be willing to be interviewed for this research study. The interviews will ask specific questions pertaining to study habits, to both the traditional and online students. Questions such as Do you prefer to study alone or in groups? and similar templates will spotlight behavioral responses regarding the performance of studying. These would be determined based on the available secondary literature on the subject and the professional/expert theories regarding previously-examined study behaviors of both groups. This secondary research could potentially create a template of potential interview questions which remove issues of researcher bias or other situations which may impact validity. The interview format is most appropriate for this study because it allows the research to gain valuable insight on whether specific socio-economic factors contribute to the recruited groups’ responses. It also brings an element of human behavior and psychology into the study which, if analyzed by a credentialed researcher, can contribute significantly to this study. Data collection would be achieved by administering the interviews over the online messaging systems over a period of several weeks, based on participant registration volumes. These conversations would be transcribed and stored electronically for assessment. Particular behavioral nuances, such as exclamations during certain points of the interview, would give clues to the attitude and sensations being experienced by the recruited interview subjects. This is part of the qualitative design as some instances of participant responses need to be analyzed by the researcher using their skills and aptitudes related to the subject and its analysis. If a pattern was identified in the interviews, with both the online group and the traditional group, which indicated specific, predictable study behavior patterns for the different groups, it can be charted or graphed on a traditional X/Y axis (or appropriate model diagram) showing the results of the study. Presentation would differ based on the assessed research data, however there would be a description of the various behavioral attitudes of the groups, emphasizing any noticeable or interesting social situations which were spotlighted in participant responses. There would be a discussion of how this might impact other students in both environments or make a call for further research to be conducted because expected results were not achieved by the study. The analysis and discussion of the project would also involve assessing the behavioral responses of participants based on observed attitudes, body language, gesturing, or other social situations which raised higher interest in a particular interview-related question. This might generate future interest, for other researchers, to spotlight this particular behavioral response and find, as one example, the potential link between online and traditional studying which had not been conceived previously by other research studies. A secondary study design for discovering whether the study habits of online versus traditional students differ would be strict adherence to observational research guidelines. Using a simplified journal format which allows for researcher reaction to different events in the observed environment (or vocal recording device) would allow for real-time documentation to avoid any issues with short-term memory of the researcher. This approach would be blended with a questionnaire which would be distributed electronically to participant groups. An observational approach to this problem would involve recruiting students who are currently attending school in the traditional environment. Between classes, at a large university, the researcher can attend a series of observational scenarios which view individuals who are studying alone or in groups in the university library. Certain environmental stimuli will be present such as a passing librarian or students who are searching the aisles for a particular book, which will add to whether environment might appear to impact study habits for online students. Without intervening in the environment, journal notations can be made about whether group study is significant for achievement or any other notable events. In this scenario, recruitment totals would vary greatly between 50 and 1500 students, based on the volume of sessions the researcher can schedule to attend to make qualitative judgments of what is being witnessed. In this study’s design, the recruited, traditional student populations would not know that they are being observed so as to ensure that the environment is not tainted or otherwise damaged by attitudes which might be generated by anxiety of researcher presence. This would also satisfy ethical responsibility as it would guarantee anonymity for all participants in the study. The questionnaire distribution would take place by simply visiting a local college or university as it is contemporary policy in many of these organizations to have students attending a portion of their course curriculum online. By achieving senior administrative approval to conduct a study, the list can be made available to the researcher to distribute surveys and have them delivered back to the researcher upon an agreed deadline. This sample recruitment would require between 50 and 100 questionnaires. The questionnaires would consist of specific questions regarding the study behaviors and attitudes of the recruited sample group. As with previous studies, preliminary examination into existing secondary source material would assist in developing the questions necessary to achieve a reliable study instrument. The questionnaires would be designed to allow the respondent to give, in 50 words or less, their particular view on studying in the online environment. Without using a multi-tick, structured approach, this can give cues to emotional or behavioral responses if notable signs of expression are added or whether excessive exclamatory remarks are observed in analysis. Should such pattern exist, they can be correlated, if appropriate, by age group, gender or other situation for the online student. The point of this qualitative analysis is to determine the differences between both the traditional and the online group, if any, while also making notations for further research study. This is part of this study’s qualitative design. The observational results would also involve reading through all of the journal notations made from each session, paying special attention to whether observable patterns exist in terms of group study, gender, or environment which may impact how these study behaviors differ or can be measured as similar. There could be a wide variety of factors which impact students in a university library environment such as a big win for the local team or other distraction which causes abrupt changes to previously-observed study habits in this environment. For this study, as indicated by the previous analysis methodologies, the presentation of data would vary greatly on participant responses and any observed patterns of values, behaviors or social structures associated with the study question. A competent researcher recognizes that the study to answer one particular research question, such as whether study habits of online versus traditional students differ, could lead to unexpected research results which take the study in a different direction upon analysis. However, generally when conducting a study of this fashion, it would be appropriate to show a charted or graphed representation of what has been measured and discovered from the chosen instruments. Presentation in this study would likely create noticeable situations or events which are linked to both the online group and the traditional group. These can be noted in presentation of the data results. Because observational research requires a blend of hard educational skills for analysis and social skills to achieve analysis (and answer the research question), it is important to reinforce the justification behind all assumptions or advices given in analysis. Depending on where these results will or might be published, this would be especially important to ensure validity and reliability in the appropriate areas of research design and discussion of results. Because it would be impossible to predict the outcome of the blended observational and survey approaches, the hard data of presentation would take different routes based on specific responses and observed behavioral or environmental trends. For this study, it is vital that issues of researcher competency be identified in the research. A third approach to the study of whether online versus traditional students’ study habits differ would involve the completion of surveys for both groups. Because students are generally already accustomed to taking online courses and are familiar with messaging and other media technologies, recruitment for this project would not be difficult. Surveys are the most viable research methods as it gives researcher control over the limitation of participant responses to keep them focused on the questions being proposed and would also give the ability to chart respondent demographics with specific survey instruments. Recruitment would involve visiting a local college or university and inform administrative leadership that participation in a research study is required. The survey template could be shown to leadership, in a scheduled meeting, to discuss issues of survey content and distribution. Should the leadership require any specific changes which will not impact the study’s design, these changes can be made and the surveys returned to the school for distribution either in the academic administrative offices or via in-school courier system to classrooms. Recruitment expectations for a research project of this design would be between 150-300 students. If surveys were distributed in-person, they could be completed in just one or two sessions without interrupting the activities of the university by any substantial measure. If they were distributed in the academic offices, the time for completion would increase in order to get a more substantial recruitment sample volume. The online portion of the survey instrument distribution would involve distributing the surveys to online students who are currently attending online courses. This could be arranged by appointment with school leadership to identify the most viable method of contacting students for participation in the online survey. A link would be provided to all interested candidates, via the school’s message board or other e-communications network, which could be accessed by the researcher after the survey’s deadline, in this study three days. An achievable sample population for this group is 25 to 50 students. Assessment of the surveys will first be conducted to identify any noticeable patterns which are discovered during analysis. For instance, a specific demographic may have responded similarly to like questions, offering the potential for gender to be incorporated into the analysis portion for future research options. It could be that there is an observed pattern with all demographics from a particular city which highlight a potential trend toward geography impacting educational decision-making, or some other trend identified. The point of assessment of the surveys is not only to gather the more quantitative aspects of survey analysis but to look beyond the statistical data to observe the factors which drive these actions. The qualitative approach also identifies that the researcher has performed the action of survey administration and can recall the socio-economic or geographic factors which are associated with participant responses. Social nuances can also be observed with the distribution of the survey in the traditional environment and also be incorporated into the research results. As with other studies, based on these observed trends and the hard data from the survey instruments, an appropriate graphical analysis or charted demography should accompany the presentation of the data prior to discussing future areas of interest for research studies. Assessment might also uncover the individual talents and aptitudes of different survey respondents, in both the online and the traditional environment, by commentaries made during the return of the surveys. A competent researcher, in the portion of analysis which is qualitative by design, recognizes issues of human behavior and psychology as well as environment, if they have the credentials to support these related assessments, can bring significant value to the analysis and presentation of information. This suggests that qualitative approaches require a professional analysis which remains within the scope of tangible, certifiable research capabilities. Assessment also involves looking at the hard data which was returned with the surveys, such as their specific responses to the questions based on how they are developed. If they are developed with multi-tick responses, such as a ratings scale on a 1-10 basis, they can be easily charted to show averages or other correlating events discovered through analysis. Though the approach to research was qualitative by design, there is a quantitative portion of this process. By comparing the returned surveys, first within the group and then comparatively to the other group, results will likely uncover interesting opportunities for further study. This is the most viable series of instruments for this study. The recruited sample totals, these being between 170 and 350 students, would represent a nice cross-section of both the online and traditional student communities. Having an appropriate student sample, based on the extent to which the researcher wants to either prove or disprove a theory related to the research question, will only enhance reliability and validity when the final reader accesses the presented research results. These are also realistic sample sizes for the scope of the research project and for current researcher capabilities in terms of cost and organizing survey distribution efforts with local school administrators. The method of recruitment, also, is appropriate for reaching a similar volume of both online and traditional students to ensure that there is a balanced approach to gathering research data. Read More