Social Statistics Commons^™

What Demotivates Foreign Efl Teachers? A Case Study In Turkish Context, Turgay Han, Zinat Mahzoun

The Qualitative Report

This article is the report of a qualitative case study proposed to investigate the demotivation factors of foreign EFL teachers in Turkish context. To that end, two foreign teachers of English language were chosen as the subjects at a primary/ secondary school in east of Turkey. Face-to-face interviews, profile forms, field notes and diaries were used to obtain the necessary data for the research. The findings indicated that lack of effective communication with school administration and colleagues and lack of interest, attention and respect from behalf of students were the main causes of demotivation at work for both teachers.

Transmission Of Araquio Music, Songs, And Movement Conventions: Learning, Experience, And Meaning In Devotional Theatre, Florante P. Ibarra

The Qualitative Report

Araquio, a verse play on the search of the holy cross, is an indigenous folk theatre in the town of Peñaranda, province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines that has survived for over a hundred years. This ethnographic-phenomenological study explores the holistic nature of the transmission and learning processes of araquio music and songs as a theatre-ritual. Its transmission as a social phenomenon is an avenue for music learning that may in fact overshadow its being a diminishing tradition. Using the framework of three modes of enculturation (Merriam, 1964) and interpretation of culture (Geertz, 1973), I investigate the music transmission and learning …

Qualitative Analysis Using R: A Free Analytic Tool, Samantha Estrada

The Qualitative Report

R (R Development Core Team, 2011) is a powerful tool to analyze statistical data. In recent years R has gained popularity because the software is free and open source. However, evaluators and researchers do not exclusively use quantitative data. It is possible to perform qualitative analysis in R. Using data from a case study exploring a family psychoeducation recovery course, this article provides users a tutorial on how to perform a qualitative analysis and data visualization using R.

Employer Attractiveness Through Social Media: A Phenomenological Study, Chetna Priyadarshini, Yln Kumar, Rajneesh Ranjan Jha

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this paper is to gain insights into the subjective experience and perception of job seekers about the extensive use of social media as a source of recruitment and selection by the employers and its influence on the overall employer attractiveness. Four focus group interviews were conducted, audio-taped, transcribed, and analyzed by following the procedure of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) laid down by Smith and Osborn (2007). By employing IPA, the themes which emerged under the study are: ease of information; navigational usability and user friendliness; person-job fit and person-organization fit; reliability and timeliness; positive and cost effective …

Analysis Of Worcester's Youth Employment Sector, Laurie Ross Phd, Ramon Borges-Mendez Phd, Alex Rothfelder

Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise

Overall, the employment rate for Worcester youth has improved since 2000; yet mirroring the nation, Worcester continues to have a smaller share of youth 16-24 employed. This situation is intensified for youth of color and young people facing barriers such as homelessness, exiting foster care, juvenile justice involvement, and limited English proficiency. Mass, Inc. estimates that in Worcester there are 3400 disconnected youth—756 are between 16-19 and 2644 are between 20-24. From the youth employment program inventory, we learned that the city’s programs offer many opportunities for “first job” experiences; has some exemplary programs that integrate youth development and workforce …

How To Conduct A Mini-Ethnographic Case Study: A Guide For Novice Researchers, Patricia I. Fusch Ph.D., Gene E. Fusch, Lawrence R. Ness

The Qualitative Report

The authors present how to construct a mini-ethnographic case study design with the benefit of an ethnographic approach bounded within a case study protocol that is more feasible for a student researcher with limited time and finances. The novice researcher should choose a design that enables one to best answer the research question. Secondly, one should choose the design that assists the researcher in reaching data saturation. Finally, the novice researcher must choose the design in which one can complete the study within a reasonable time frame with minimal cost. This is particularly important for student researchers. One can blend …

Developing Competency Model Using Repertory Grid Technique: The Case Of Spinning Master, Praveen Kumar Srivastava, Bhavna Jaiswal

The Qualitative Report

This paper aims to develop the Competency Model using Repertory Grid Technique. 15 Spinning Master of a large textile company in India were interviewed using repertory grid technique. The study identified 9 competencies in 3 competency clusters that are Interpersonal Relationship, Operational Efficiency and Individual Traits. The study is the first attempt to develop competency model in any textile company and can be useful in implementing competency based HR practices in the organizations. The Repertory Grid Technique used in the study helps in developing competency model in a quick and comprehensive manner that may reduce the time, labor and cost …

Analysis Of Marital Expectations In African Immigrant And United States-Born Married Couples, Evadne Ngazimbi, Andrew P. Daire, Ryan G. Carlson, Matthew D. Munyon

The Qualitative Report

The current phenomenological qualitative study aimed to understand marital expectations in married African immigrants and United States-born (U.S.-born) married couples. Eighty-five African-born immigrant and U.S.-born couples from a predominately Seventh-day Adventist sample residing in the U.S. completed the Marital Expectations Questionnaire (MEQ). We analyzed data collected in response to the first question. Data analysis revealed 12 codes associated with four themes related to marital expectations: (a) Care and Support; (b) Love and affection (c) Commitment and (d) Shared Values. We present implications for marital relationships and future research.

Demystifying The Analysis Process Of Talk Data: A Review Of Analyzing Talk In The Social Sciences: Narrative, Conversation & Discourse Strategies, Andrea E. Lypka

The Qualitative Report

In Analyzing Talk in the Social Sciences: Narrative, Conversation & Discourse Strategies, Katherine Bischoping and Amber Gazso introduce three analytical approaches to talk data: narrative analysis, conversation analysis, and discourse analysis. Taking a sociological perspective, the authors engage in critical dialogue on research that employs these approaches, and provide step-by-step guide to analyzing talk data, using these strategies. They expand on introductory qualitative research concepts by taking up the complex interrelationships among epistemological, ontological, paradigmatical, and theoretical lenses that guide these analytical strategies. Through examples from a wide range of studies and their own research and advising experiences, Bischoping and …

Twenty Years Of Technology Integration And Foreign Language Teaching: A Phenomenological Reflective Interview Study, Nilsa Becho Sullivan, Kakali Bhattacharya

The Qualitative Report

The evolution of the use of technology in the foreign language classroom has proven to be a challenge. In this paper, we highlight a study whose purpose is to understand how one retired foreign language educator reflected on the ways in which she integrated different modes of technology in her classroom. In this interview study, the participant discussed how technology has evolved in the span of her twenty-year career as a foreign language educator and how she integrated various technologies as they evolved in her classroom. The researchers employed a modified van Kaam method as defined by Moustakas (1994) to …

Improving Patient Safety Through High Reliability Organizations, Jared Padgett, Kenneth Gossett, Roger Mayer, Wen-Wen Chien, Freda Turner

The Qualitative Report

Preventable medical errors result in the loss of 200,000 lives per year with associated financial and operational burdens on organizations and society. Widespread preventable patient harm occurs despite increases in healthcare regulations. High reliability organization theory contributes to improved safety and may potentially reverse this trend. This single case study explored the introduction of a safety culture and subsequent improvements in patient safety in a reliability-seeking organization. Fourteen participants from a subacute nursing facility were selected using purposeful sampling criterion. Data were collected through participant interviews, document reviews, and group observation. Five themes emerged from an analysis of collected data …

A Framework For Using Qualitative Comparative Analysis For The Review Of The Literature, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, Rebecca K. Weinbaum

The Qualitative Report

Onwuegbuzie, Leech, and Collins (2012) demonstrated how the following 5 qualitative data analysis approaches can be used to analyze and to synthesize information extracted from a literature review: constant comparison analysis, domain analysis, taxonomic analysis, componential analysis, and theme analysis. In a similar vein, Onwuegbuzie and Frels (2014) outlined how discourse analysis can be used. Thus, the purpose of this article is to provide a framework for using another qualitative data analysis technique to analyze and to interpret literature review sources—a process that we call a Qualitative Comparative Analysis-Based Research Synthesis (QCARS). Using a real review of the literature, we …

Language Teachers’ Evaluation Of Curriculum Change: A Qualitative Study, Seyyed Ali Ostovar-Namaghi

The Qualitative Report

This study aims at theorizing language teachers’ evaluation of a top-down curriculum change by eliciting their perspectives through open-ended qualitative interviews. In line with grounded theory procedures, concepts and categories were theoretically sampled from the perspective of participants who were willing to share their views with the researcher. Iterative data collection and analysis revealed a set of categories which show the conflict of interest between practitioners and policy-makers. Practitioners focus on immediate classroom concerns and reject the syllabus change because of its lack of small-scale try-outs, inappropriate timing, vague methodology, inappropriate in-service program, learner homogeneity fallacy, unrealistic expectations and increased …

The Value Of Value-Added: Science, Technology, And Policy In Educational Evaluation, Daniel Douglas

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In the first decade of the 21^st century, researchers and policymakers in K-12 education began to focus on evaluating teacher and school performance based on students’ standardized test scores. One evaluative technique, value-added assessment (VAA), has been given particular attention. This research presents a comprehensive study of the theoretical, technical, historical and political dimensions VAA. Theoretically, the assumptions that underlie value-added diverge significantly from the observed operations of the schools and classrooms these models are supposed to evaluate. Technically, even if the theoretical assumptions are accepted, teachers’ actual value-added rankings are shown to be unstable across time periods and …

United Against Poverty: Social Return On Investment Step And Msgp: Executive Summary, Amy Donley

Institute for Social and Behavioral Science (ISBS)

No abstract provided.

Ideology, Race, And The Death Penalty: "Lies, Damn Lies, And Statistics" In Advocacy Research, Anthony Walsh, Virginia Hatch

Journal of Ideology

We use the literature on race in death penalty to illustrate the hold that ideology has on researchers and journalists alike when a social issue is charged with emotional content. We note particularly how statistical evidence become misinterpreted in ways that support a particular ideology, either because of innumeracy or because—subconsciously or otherwise—one’s ideology precludes a critical analysis. We note that because white defendants are now proportionately more likely to receive the death penalty and to be executed than black defendants that the argument has shifted from a defendant-based to a victim-based one. We examine studies based on identical data …

Organisational Problems And Solutions In Oncology: A Content Analysis Of The Narratives Of Italian Cancer Unit Professionals, Simone Cheli, Luca Pezzullo, Francesco Velicogna

The Qualitative Report

The aim of this qualitative research is to explore the perception of the organizational climate in Italian cancer units. The survey was the first step of a two year action-research project, involving 14 hospitals and different professions (n=475). We report the methodology and the thematic clusters that emerged in analysing the answers to three questions: (i) perceived problems with colleagues, (ii) perceived problems with patients and their relatives, and (iii) coping strategies. Narratives were analysed through computer aided qualitative data analysis software. The results identify two main significant issues in describing problems and solutions: interpersonal communication and group cohesiveness.

“Tackling The Difficult:” A Review Of Janet Salmons’ Doing Qualitative Research Online, Cade Allen

The Qualitative Report

Researchers are increasingly utilizing online data in completing and broadening the scope of their work. Janet Salmons has authored a guide for novice researchers on appropriate methodologies, data collection, and analysis procedures for pursuing qualitative online research.

Religious/Spiritual Coping In Older African American Women, Danice B. Greer, Willie M. Abel

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this study was to identify religious/spiritual coping behaviors of African American women with hypertension (HTN) and explore how religious/spiritual coping influences adherence to high blood pressure (HBP) therapy in older African American women. A mixed-method research design guided this study. Twenty African American women with primary HTN were enrolled in this study using a mixed methods concurrent triangulation design. Data collection included physiologic, descriptive, and sociodemographic data. Adherence was measured using the Hill-Bone Compliance to High Blood Pressure Therapy scale (Kim, Hill, Bone, & Levine, 2000), and religious/spiritual coping was evaluated with the Brief Religious/Spiritual Coping scale. …

Use Of Grounded Theory In Cardiovascular Research, Patrick J. Dunn, Vasileios Margaritis, Cheryl Anderson

The Qualitative Report

While grounded theory is often cited in the qualitative literature as the methodology, there are few good examples of publications that follow the principles of grounded theory and result in an actual theory. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how the Corbin and Strauss (2015) method of grounded theory was used in a study looking at how patients with cardiovascular disease and diabetes develop health literacy skills that are used to manage their condition. The key principles of grounded theory include theoretical sampling, constant comparison, open, axial, and selective coding, the use of memoing, and theoretical saturation. Data …

Depression/Bipolar Peer Support Groups: Perceptions Of Group Members About Effectiveness And Differences From Other Mental Health Services, Joe Behler, Allen Daniels, Jennifer Scott, Lewis Mehl-Madrona

The Qualitative Report

Peer support services remain poorly understood by many mental health service providers. In this study we explored the views of people who use peer led support groups. We asked how adding peer support groups changed, balanced, or augmented the use of conventional mental health services. Participants were 43 adults attending 4 peer led support groups for depression/bipolar disorder. Data consisted of observations of all 43 participants interacting in their group, in-depth interviews of 20 participants, and results from 2 standardized questionnaires to ballpark the level of symptom severity relative to other groups. Through constant comparative analysis, 12 categories emerged. The …

Teaching Moral Literacy Through Critical Pedagogical Bricolage: A Co-Constructed Auto-Ethnography Of An Educational Leadership Program, Chetanath Gautam, Charles L. Lowery

The Qualitative Report

In this collaborative auto-ethnographical inquiry, two developing scholar–practitioner educational leaders explore the notion of moral literacy through a lens of critical pedagogical bricolage. This study aims to reveal certain experiences of two doctoral candidates engaged in an educational doctorate, contemplating their identities as emergent leaders from diverse backgrounds. By approaching this inquiry from a qualitative and strictly post-positivist understanding of research, we aim to present critical components of our program and the literature presented in that program that led to our understanding of moral literacy’s role in theoretical and pragmatic provinces of educational leadership. Our analysis is presented in three …

Smoking Selectivity Among Mexican Immigrants To The United States Using Binational Data, 1999–2012, Nancy L. Fleischer, Annie Ro, Georgiana Bostean

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

Mexican immigrants have lower smoking rates than US-born Mexicans, which some scholars attribute to health selection—that individuals who migrate are healthier and have better health behaviors than their non-migrant counterparts. Few studies have examined smoking selectivity using binational data and none have assessed whether selectivity remains constant over time. This study combined binational data from the US and Mexico to examine: 1) the extent to which recent Mexican immigrants (< 10 years) in the US are selected with regard to cigarette smoking compared to non-migrants in Mexico, and 2) whether smoking selectivity varied between 2000 and 2012—a period of declining tobacco use in Mexico and the US. We combined repeated cross-sectional US data (n = 10.901) on adult (ages 20–64) Mexican immigrants and US-born Mexicans from the 1999/2000 and 2011/2012 National Health Interview Survey, and repeated cross-sectional Mexican data on non-migrants (n …

Making Sense Of Making Meaning, The Semiotic Way: Emotional Journey Of A Novice Learner, Papia Bawa

The Qualitative Report

I write this auto-ethnography as homage to my teachers and peers, both in the classroom and in scholarly realms, who inspired me to soar beyond the horizons of self and find meaning within the cosmic consciousness that surrounds us. As a novice learner in an introductory semiotics course, I learned about the process of meaning making. This paper is a product of my learning and understanding of a semiotic worldview. Encouraged by my professor, I delved deeply into the “thinkings” of two semiotic masterminds: Charles Sanders Peirce and Jakob von Uexküll, whose philosophies, ideologies and beliefs helped make sense of …

Foreign Language Teachers’ Perceptions Of Error Correction In Speaking Classes: A Qualitative Study, Nuriye Değirmenci Uysal, Selami Aydin

The Qualitative Report

Limited studies have been conducted on the effects of error correction on acquiring oral proficiency and the teacher’s role as error corrector. Thus, the present study aims to investigate English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ perceptions of error correction in their speaking classes, reasons and types of errors they correct and their error correction strategies. The sample group in the study consisted of 15 English instructors working at a state university in Turkey. The data collection instruments consisted of a background questionnaire, reflections, interviews and essay papers. Results showed that EFL teachers seem to make corrections to improve learners’ …

Life Plan Development In Young Adult Women: An Exploration Using Grounded Theory, Christina Zambrano-Varghese

The Qualitative Report

Although research exists that explores career planning, romantic relationships, and decision making in women, it is not yet known how women understand and develop the goals that they hope to achieve throughout their lives. The current study aims to answer how women understand and go through the process of developing the life plans that they hope to pursue after college graduation. This research question was answered with Charmaz’s (2006) model of grounded theory by conducting 13 interviews with young adult women approaching college graduation, followed by one focus group which was used to validate emergent themes. It was found that …

Race, Age, And Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status In Low Birth Weight Disparities Among Adolescent Mothers: An Intersectional Inquiry, Sheryl L. Coley, Tracy R. Nichols

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction: Few studies examined socioeconomic contributors to racial disparities in low birth weight outcomes between African-American and Caucasian adolescent mothers. This cross-sectional study examined the intersections of maternal racial status, age, and neighborhood socioeconomic status in explaining these disparities in low birth weight outcomes across a statewide sample of adolescent mothers.

Methods: Using data from the North Carolina State Center of Health Statistics for 2010-2011, birth cases for 16,472 adolescents were geocoded by street address and linked to census-tract information from the 2010 United States Census. Multilevel models with interaction terms were used to identify significant associations between maternal racial …

Developing Morally Sensitive Policy In The Nicu: Donation After Circulatory Determination Of Death, Michael Van Manen, Nicole Kain

The Qualitative Report

Policy development is an important activity for the practice of healthcare. Policies, after all, may cultivate common practices and ensure that best available evidence is employed in clinical decision making. Qualitative research and individuals with expertise in qualitative research methods have much to offer policy makers. We were confronted with the situation of developing policy for donation after circulatory death (DCD) for our newborn intensive care program. Due the moral-ethical complexities surrounding DCD, and the limited experience with DCD in this context, we approached policy development from an iterative design perspective employing qualitative methods. We describe our experience in employing …

Understanding Health Literacy Skills In Patients With Cardiovascular Disease And Diabetes, Patrick J. Dunn, Vasileios Margaritis, Cheryl L. Anderson

The Qualitative Report

Health literacy is the ability to understand and act on health information and is linked to health outcomes. It is unclear how health literacy skills are developed in patients with complex conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to gain perspectives of both patients and healthcare professionals on how health literacy skills were developed in patients with cardiovascular disease or diabetes. The research questions addressed how knowledge and skills were acquired, the role of digital tools, instructional strategies used by healthcare professionals, and how the instructional strategies of the healthcare professionals matched …

Consumers' Perceptions Of Voluntary And Involuntary Deconsumption: An Exploratory Sequential Scale Development Study, Kranti K. Dugar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory sequential mixed methods study of scale development was conducted among baby boomers in the United States to render conceptual clarity to the concepts of voluntary and involuntary deconsumption, to explore deconsumption behavior under the tenets of the attribution theory of motivation, and to examine the components, structures, uses, and measurement properties of scales of voluntary and involuntary deconsumption. It was also an attempt to reiterate the importance of the baby boomer segment(s) for marketing practitioners based on growth, economic viability, and the power of influence, and to establish a deep understanding of the deconsumption processes, which could enable …