Discussion: Meaning-Making Tools And Introduction

Discussion Meaning Making Toolsnoteplease Read Theintroduction To Al

Discussion: Meaning-Making Tools Note: Please read the Introduction to all Discussions. Then proceed to participate in the required Discussion A, and your choice of Discussion B or C. There is also an Optional Open Forum you may participate in at any time.

Discussion Introduction (Applies to Discussions A, B, and C) As you have been exploring qualitative data in this week’s Learning Resources, you may have considered problems that might be addressed by collecting this type of data. Once you have collected and interpreted data—whether quantitative or qualitative—you still have the important step of communicating your conclusions to others.

Telling a story is a great way to communicate an idea. Just as a picture might be worth a thousand words, a story of words can paint a picture and impart deep insight. The speeches assigned in this week’s Learning Resources contain stories told by the speakers. Similarly, in the Discussions that follow, you read scenarios that are types of stories that describe situations. Through these stories, rather than data, you may gain meaning and understanding of a problem.

Photo credit: Permission language: Romero, N. (Photographer). (2013). Rocky Mountain Photo [Print Photo].

Discussion A (Required for all students)

Each of the three speeches in this week’s Learning Resources deals with a problem in society. The speaker identifies a problem and uses stories to illustrate the problem and suggest possible solutions. These stories are used as meaning-making tools in the presentations.

Select one speech to address in this Discussion. Submit an evaluation of how, in the speech you selected, the speaker’s stories add to or subtract from your understanding of the problem as it is described. State whether the speaker used stories effectively. Provide support for your position. By Day 3 Post a minimum of 100 words to Discussion Question A.

Be sure to support your ideas by connecting them to at least one of this week’s Learning Resources. Additionally, you may opt to include an academic resource you have identified or something you have read, heard, seen, or experienced. By Day 5 Respond to the posts of at least two different colleagues. One must be a response to a colleague’s post about the question you did not select. Respond in one of the following ways: Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting or expand on your colleague’s posting.

Discussion B (Select B or C)

During a job interview for a position that requires considerable conflict management, the interviewer presents a scenario to the job applicant and asks how she or he would respond. As you read the interview scenario below, consider what the hiring committee hopes to glean from the qualitative data they obtain from the job applicant’s response.

The Interview Scenario: You are in line at large discount store. The checkout clerk begins to berate the customer ahead of you, using inappropriate language, offensive comments, and bullying behavior. The customer becomes cowed and apologetic. While berating the customer, the clerk looks at you, as if challenging you to do something about it. Explain how you would respond to this situation. Submit a brief explanation of what the hiring committee hopes to glean from the qualitative data they obtain from the job applicant’s response. Then, state whether you think the hiring committee can make an accurate assessment of the job applicant’s skills based on this response.

By Day 3 Post a minimum of 100 words to your choice of Discussion Question B. Be sure to support your ideas by connecting them to at least one of this week’s Learning Resources. Additionally, you may opt to include an academic resource you have identified or something you have read, heard, seen, or experienced. By Day 5 Respond to the posts of at least two different colleagues. One must be a response to a colleague’s post about the question you did not select. Respond in one of the following ways: Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting or expand on your colleague’s posting.

Paper For Above instruction

The discussion about meaning-making tools in qualitative data collection emphasizes the importance of storytelling in communicating complex ideas and social issues. Stories serve as powerful means for illustrating problems, conveying experiences, and engaging audiences emotionally, thereby deepening understanding beyond mere data presentation.

In the context of the first discussion prompt, selecting a speech that deals with societal issues allows the evaluator to analyze how narratives influence perception and comprehension. For example, if a speech employs personal stories of individuals affected by a particular social problem, it can evoke empathy and foster a more nuanced appreciation of the issue. Conversely, if stories are poorly constructed or irrelevant, they may detract from the message or oversimplify the problem, thereby reducing clarity.

Effective storytelling in presentations hinges on authenticity, relevance, and emotional resonance. When stories are authentic and directly related to the central theme, they tend to strengthen understanding by providing concrete examples that humanize abstract problems. For instance, Romero (2013) highlights how photographs and stories combine to create compelling narratives that can influence perceptions and drive social change. Such examples demonstrate how stories can be meaning-making tools that complement empirical data by adding context and emotional depth.

Similarly, in the scenario of a job interview involving conflict management, qualitative responses provide insight into the applicant's interpersonal skills, composure, and ethical judgment. When asked how they would respond to an aggressive clerk, the applicant's answer reveals their capacity for conflict resolution, assertiveness, and professionalism. The hiring committee aims to glean these qualities, which may not be evident through resumes alone. Nonetheless, relying solely on qualitative responses can pose limitations, as real-world behaviors are complex and context-dependent. Therefore, qualitative data from responses should be complemented with other assessment methods for a comprehensive evaluation (Patton, 2015).

Overall, storytelling and qualitative responses serve as valuable tools in understanding social issues and assessing personal qualities. When used effectively, these methods humanize data and facilitate deeper insights, fostering more informed decision-making in both social advocacy and hiring contexts.

References

• Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
• Romero, N. (2013). Rocky Mountain Photo [Print Photo].
• Stake, R. E. (1995). The Art of Case Study Research. Sage Publications.
• Seidman, I. (2013). Interviewing as Qualitative Research: A Guide for Researchers in Education and the Social Sciences. Teachers College Press.
• Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Sage Publications.
• Bloomberg, L. D., & Volpe, M. (2018). Completing Your Qualitative Dissertation: A Roadmap from Beginning to End. Sage Publications.
• Guba, E. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1989). Fourth Generation Evaluation. Sage Publications.
• Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (2016). Designing Qualitative Research. Sage Publications.
• Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. Sage Publications.
• McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2014). Research in Education: Evidence-Based Inquiry. Pearson.