Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies Commons^™

Voices From Within: Student Teachers’ Experiences In English Academic Writing Socialization At One Indonesian Teacher Training Program, Amirul Mukminin, Raden Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Jaya Fadloan Ashari

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of Indonesian student teachers in English academic writing socialization at one public university teacher-training program in Jambi, Indonesia. The theoretical framework of cultural capital was used to guide the study. The data were collected through demographic profiles and semi-structured in- depth interviews with student teachers. The constant comparative method guided the data analysis. Five salient themes that emerged in this research were (1) no writing cultural backgrounds, (1) needing long-lasting exposure and internalization, (3) lack of academic writing socialization, (4) lack of institutional supports, and (5) lack of lecturers’ …

Are We There Yet? Data Saturation In Qualitative Research, Patricia I. Fusch, Lawrence R. Ness

The Qualitative Report

Failure to reach data saturation has an impact on the quality of the research conducted and hampers content validity. The aim of a study should include what determines when data saturation is achieved, for a small study will reach saturation more rapidly than a larger study. Data saturation is reached when there is enough information to replicate the study when the ability to obtain additional new information has been attained, and when further coding is no longer feasible. The following article critiques two qualitative studies for data saturation: Wolcott (2004) and Landau and Drori (2008). Failure to reach data saturation …

Inference Of Cultural Transmission Modes Based On Incomplete Information, Bryan Wilder, Anne Kandler

Human Biology Open Access Pre-Prints

In this paper we explore the theoretical limits of the inference of cultural transmission modes based on sparse population-level data. We approach this problem by investigating whether different transmission modes produce different temporal dynamics of cultural change. In particular we explore whether the distributions of the average time a variant stays the most common variant in the population, denoted by t_max, conditioned on the considered transmission modes are sufficiently different to allow for inference of underlying transmission modes. We assume time series data detailing the frequencies of different variants of a cultural trait in a population at different …

Good Governance In Basic Education In Egypt: Paradoxical Or Self Explanatory?, Yasmin Khodary

Political Science

Despite the numerous initiatives suggested and implemented to reform education in Egypt, very little was achieved in terms of improving education quality and, consequently, boosting development and democratic transition processes in Egypt. This paper argued that basic education in Egypt suffered variant degrees of weaknesses in applying good governance dimensions, including participation, accountability, responsiveness, fighting corruption, effectiveness and transparency, which ultimately affected negatively the overall performance of the basic education sector in Egypt. Building on the results of an assessment to governance in basic education in Egypt, the paper evaluated the degree to which basic education service providers in Egypt …

Published: A Grounded Theory Of Successful Publication For Midcareer Scholars, Walker Karraa, Mark Mccaslin

The Qualitative Report

How do some scholars publish successfully while others perish from professional pressure? Literature has demonstrated the challenges of professional advancement through scholarship, yet has yet to explore how scholars manage these challenges successfully. The problem to be addressed in this grounded study was the lack of knowledge regarding the nature of success in peer-reviewed publication for midcareer scholars. Midcareer was defined as (a) employed professors with 5-15 years of doctoral level teaching experience, (b) having mentored at least one doctoral student to completion, and (c) successfully published in a peer-reviewed journal within the last academic year. A purposive sample of …

Demystifying The Mystery Of Second Career Teachers’ Motivation To Teach, Yvonne Hunter-Johnson

The Qualitative Report

Within the field of education, there has been much discussion regarding what prompts the career change of second career teachers. This study examines motivational factors that influence second career teachers’ decision to teach and how their previous careers influence their teaching experience. The theoretical framework that acts as foundational platform is the Expectancy Theory. The study utilized a qualitative approach. Data was collected using focus groups and analyzed utilizing open coding consistent with Corbin and Strauss (2010). The results of the study revealed that most participants were intrinsically motivated to transition to the teaching profession.

The Writing Exercise: An Autoethnographic Short Story, Peter Joseph Gloviczki

The Qualitative Report

This paper is an autoethnography about writing as a form of communication in the age of new media.

Transportation And Sanitation Drivers Of Land Use/Land Cover Change: Loss Of The Jamaica Bay Wetlands, Margaret Joy Cytryn

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents an analysis (1830-2014) of the historical events of land use/land cover change in the Jamaica Bay estuary, identification of the agents of change, and a perspective on the potential drivers of transportation and sanitation in land use/land cover change.

Straight Lives: The Balance Between Human Dignity, Public Safety, And Desistance From Crime, Lila Kazemian

Publications and Research

This report looks at how the academic and practitioner worlds must collaborate to develop an effective, desistance-promoting approach to criminal justice. Interventions need to be desistance-focused and tailored to individual circumstances rather than standardized programming. Interventions should shift away from an emphasis on risk and criminogenic needs and help individuals overcome obstacles to desistance.

Giving A Voice To The Powerless: Participatory Monitoring & Evaluation As A Tool For Inclusive Development Through Microfinance, Evan T. Burke

Capstone Collection

The greatest experts on the situation of the marginalized peoples of the world are the marginalized communities themselves. This paper explores how participatory monitoring & evaluation can be a powerful tool for giving voices to marginalized communities, ensuring that the voices of beneficiaries and local stakeholders are heard and inform sustainable project design. It analyzes a participatory monitoring and evaluation methodology implemented for women’s credit cooperatives in Gujarat, India by the Human Development & Research Centre, and examines lessons to be learned to design evaluations facilitating inclusive development.

Strategies for the monitoring and evaluation of microfinance have evolved along with …

The Alternate Assessment Based On Alternate Achievement Standards Eligibility Decision-Making Process, Karren Streagle, Karen Wilson Scott

The Qualitative Report

Under No Child Left Behind (NCLB), students with significant intellectual disabilities (ID) are allowed to take alternate assessments based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS) in lieu of the standardized assessments taken by their peers, however evidence suggests that IEP teams inconsistently and sometimes inaccurately apply established participation criteria in finding students eligible to participate in AA-AAS. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to describe the decision-making process used by Individual Education Program (IEP) teams to identify students eligible to participate in AA-AAS. Thirteen case managers of students taking the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) from central Virginia participated …

Teachers’ Perceptions And Conceptualizations Of Low Educational Achievers: A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Of Disengagement For Future Neets, Gabriella Agrusti, Francesca Corradi

The Qualitative Report

The NEETs phenomenon in Italy is not a recent one, but it increased dramatically after the Global Financial Crisis. As in France many different factors influence it, but the prevailing two are the skills mismatch and the youth generations’ discouragement. Whereas in France the role of the school is crucial into tackling NEETs, in Italy the initiatives are mainly carried out by local authorities and small and medium enterprises. Therefore, more research is needed that sheds lights on teachers’ role in dealing with low educational achievers. This exploratory study investigates teachers’ perceptions and conceptualizations of low educational achievers in upper …

Call To Resistance: A Review Of Denzin And Giardina’Squalitative Inquiry: Past, Present, & Future, Paul Rhodes

The Qualitative Report

This book is a compendium of papers presented at the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry from 2005 to the present. It serves as a call to arms for critical researchers, to engage deeply with theory and praxis, directing their efforts against our conservative neo-liberal culture. The book is suitable for academics and students alike and will not disappoint in its capacity to perturb and challenge.

Consistencies And Inconsistencies Between Teachers’ Beliefs And Practices, Mohammad Tamimy

The Qualitative Report

This instrumental-comparative qualitative case study attempts to investigate the relations between teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices. For this purpose, five Iranian EFL teachers from three private language institutes were interviewed for their beliefs. Then, their classroom practices were observed and videotaped. The data were analyzed using the constant comparative method around common categories, which were identified as distinctive features of teachers’ beliefs; these same themes were then compared with their practices. The data for each case were also compared with the others so that possible causes of the inconsistencies could be traced. Based on the causes, some suggestions for teacher …

Understanding African American Males’ Schooling Experiences: A Qualitative Inquiry, Edward E. Bell

The Qualitative Report

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how African American males feel about their schooling experiences. Eighteen participants were selected for this inquiry. This study took place in eastern North Carolina. Many African American males lack early learning experiences to adequately prepare for a positive schooling experience. The findings from this study might prove helpful for working with African American males in an educational setting.

Contrasting Classic, Straussian, And Constructivist Grounded Theory: Methodological And Philosophical Conflicts, Méabh Kenny, Robert Fourie

The Qualitative Report

Grounded Theory (GT) is an innovative research methodology, consisting of three prevailing traditions: Classic, Straussian, and Constructivist GT. Despite arising from the same root, and sharing a number of the original methodological techniques, Classic, Straussian, and Constructivist GT have nevertheless diverged to such an extent that they are neither homogenous nor interchangeable methodologies. They are differentiated by contrasting philosophical frameworks and conflicting methodological directives. Through a careful analysis of the literature, the authors propose that the incongruity of the three GT traditions hinges on three principal and paramount demarcations: Firstly, their contending coding procedures; secondly, their opposing philosophical positions; and …

Perceptions Of Violence In Morrisania (The Bronx), Sheyla A. Delgado, Jeffrey A. Butts, Laila Alsabahi

Publications and Research

The NYCCure study measured changes in violent norms and attitudes in areas of New York City operating Cure Violence programs. Respondents were men aged 18-30 from the Morrisania area of The Bronx.

Perceptions Of Violence In Bedford-Stuyvesant (Brooklyn), Sheyla A. Delgado, Jeffrey A. Butts, Laila Alsabahi

Publications and Research

The NYCCure study measured changes in violent norms and attitudes in areas of New York City operating Cure Violence programs. Respondents were men aged 18-30 from the Bedford-Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy) area of Brooklyn.

Perceived Father Roles Of Married African American Men: A Phenomenological Study, Felicia Murray, Shann Hwa Hwang

The Qualitative Report

Data is limited regarding the cultural and racial variations of fatherhood. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of eight married African American fathers focusing on their perceptions of father roles and responsible fathering behaviors. Specifically, the study highlighted two critical issues: (1) men’s perceptions about their roles as fathers; and (2) how historical characterizations of father roles can serve as a mechanism for understanding males’ current perceptions. The researchers identified seven role themes: provider, role model/sex role model, disciplinarian, leader, supporter, teacher/spiritual teacher, and guide. Implications for family science practitioners and researchers as well …

Investigating Food Development In An Area Of Norway: An Explorative Study Using A Grounded Theory Approach, Kai Victor Hansen

The Qualitative Report

This paper investigated food development in the southern part of Rogaland County in south-western Norway. Food is considered a local development part in many municipalities in Norway in terms of new business, employment, etc. This region includes some of the more spectacular geographical structures openly visible in nature. The aim of the study was to investigate the development of food based on a broad understanding in this region. The method used was CurroCus® group interviews, or fast focus groups. Six CurroCus® groups were used, and they completed their participation in six hours. Altogether, 39 persons participated from different age groups …

Teaching Qualitative Research: Fostering Student Curiositythrough An Arts-Informed Pedagogy, Jennifer Lapum, Sarah Hume

The Qualitative Report

Creative pedagogical approaches in higher education can facilitate students’ journey in thinking like and becoming a qualitative researcher. Pedagogical approaches tend to focus on procedural steps of qualitative research neglecting students’ development of cognitive skills and reflective capacity. Arts-informed teaching methods for qualitative research show promise as an educational development in stimulating student interest and expanding their understanding of qualitative research through an experiential approach to learning. In this article, the use of an arts-informed pedagogy to structure a graduate level qualitative research course is discussed. This pedagogy, grounded in experiential teaching-learning theories, was developed to foster students’ curiosity as …

Respondent-Driven Sampling: Evaluating The Effects Of The Cure Violence Model With Neighborhood Surveys, Kwan Lamar Blount-Hill, Jeffrey A. Butts

Publications and Research

This report gives insight into how researchers at the John Jay Research and Evaluation Center used Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) to measures changes in violence-related attitudes and values of young men (age 18-30) in at-risk neighborhoods and compares areas with and without Cure Violence programs. The RDS method allows researchers to reach difficult-to-recruit populations and helps to increase the credibility of the study.

Positionality And Racialization In A Par Project: Reflections And Insights From A School Reform Collaboration, Elizabeth R. Drame, Decoteau Irby

The Qualitative Report

This paper shares findings from a critical reflection on a collaborative participatory research initiative called “The Improving Schools Project." The first author’s reflections explored the interaction of race, space, and positionality within the context of a cross-racial participatory research project. She considered how the racial identity of organizations and individuals nested within organizations impacted patterns of engagement and participation in this project. Through engaging in critical reflexive work facilitated by co-inquirers, she developed a clearer understanding of how the racialization of organizations played a critical role in mediating participants’ engagement in terms of control, collaboration, and commitment. Organizational histories and …

Identity Construction In The Margins:A Case Study Involving Non-Conforming Youth, Alice M. Harnischfeger

The Qualitative Report

This qualitative instrumental case study explores how student members of an alternative educational program in a successful public middle school constructed identity, and how they interpreted their schooling experiences in relation to hegemonic educational practices. It draws on sociocultural and postmodern theories to focus on these youths’ identities and on their perspectives of self and school practices. Its multiple methods collected data through alternative and mainstream classroom observations, focus group sessions, semi-structured individual interviews with students, parents, and school professionals, and an analysis of school documents. The youth participants of this study held multiply-constructed identities, and actively resisted and affirmed …

Assessing The Facts: A Mnemonic For Teaching And Learning The Rapid Assessment Of Rigor In Qualitative Research Studies, Mohamed El Hussein, Sonya L. Jakubec, Joseph Osuji

The Qualitative Report

Teaching and learning research appraisal strategies is a challenge in undergraduate education and for practitioners alike. The appraisal of rigor in qualitative research papers is particularly complex and sophisticated work for many undergraduate research students and practitioners who want to develop their critical reading skills. The mnemonic strategy (The FACTS) explained in this paper is one pedagogical strategy for establishing a simplified approach to teaching and learning the appraisal of rigor in qualitative research. While not a comprehensive tool, the FACTS are a useful introduction to the complex challenge of qualitative research appraisal.

Converting Research Findings Intoaction-Able Pattern-Languages, Greg Paine

The Qualitative Report

This paper describes an approach to developing and formatting research findings with the aim of making those findings easily understood within the wider “lay” community to encourage take-up and action. It is of value to researchers seeking to extend their findings beyond the immediate research participants and the academic literature. There are similarities with action research, but with an intended wider potential audience. The approach formats research findings as “instructive advices” able to be used by others beyond the research, drawing on similar work first developed in the field of architecture—wherein they are referred to as “patterns.” This is the …

Psychosocial Distress: A Case Study Of A Male African American Veteran With End-Stage Colon Cancer, Frances R. Nedjat-Haiem, Iraida V. Carrion, Terri Wingate Lewison

The Qualitative Report

This in-depth single-case-study explored the emergent trauma of psychosocial distress of an older male African-American veteran after being diagnosed with end-stage colon cancer. Using a qualitative case study methodology, three in-depth interviews were conducted which identified the following five themes: (1) the emotional impact of being diagnosed with cancer, (2) experiencing inescapable loss of control and independence, (3) adjusting to nursing home placement, (4) lacking social support, and (5) navigating complicated services. The findings expand our understanding of the need for identifying and managing psychosocial distress. Implications for behavioral health practitioners are discussed.

Past, Present, And Future Of Assessment In Schools: A Thematic Narrative Analysis, Stephanie Green, Jessica Kearbey, Jennifer Wolgemuth, Vonzell Agosto, Jeanine Romano, Mike Riley, Aimee Frier

The Qualitative Report

As a diverse group of educationalists, we worry about the role of assessment in K-12 schools and current neoliberal education policies. In this paper, we aim to highlight some of the unintended or often overlooked consequences of these policies by taking an arts-based approach to our research. We interviewed various educational stakeholders about their past and present experiences with assessment, as well as their imagined futures. By creating poetic representations to present the results, we aim to shed a new light on the otherwise familiar contexts of assessment in the schools. Many are afraid of a future where neoliberal policies …

Intersubjective Sensibilities: Memory, Experience, And Meaning In Natural History Interpretation, Joshua E. Hunter

The Qualitative Report

This ethnographic account examines the perceptions of a group of outdoor educators or naturalists in a mid-western state park in regards to memory construction and how early memories impact their practice of interpretation. Findings show that early personal memories are not only fundamental to their eventual life as a naturalist but further; these memories motivate their work within the park. Of primary focus is highlighting the intersubjective continuity between the memories of naturalists and what they hope for others and the eventual goal of meaning making by way of affective memories. By describing and interpreting their perceptions of experience and …

Education For All:Hearing Minority Parent Voice About Public Education In India, Barbara R. Wilson

The Qualitative Report

This research article explores minority parents’ unique hopes, challenges and fears concerning public education in India. Global efforts to provide Education for All have fallen short of achieving educational equity. Lack of educational equity persists due to a variety of conditions, including the failure to take into account local peculiarities. To inform programming of one local school project, the perspectives of minority parents were collected during a focus group held in Aurangabad, India in 2013. Focus group comments were coded and analyzed to identify significant themes. The findings identified factors explaining why minority students are not successful attending public schools …