Prior To Beginning Work On This Discussion, Read Chapter 1

Prior To Beginning Work On This Discussion Read Chapter 1 In The Fros

Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read Chapter 1 in the Frost e-book, Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology, and the required journal articles for this week. Also review last week’s PSY635 Week Two Discussion Scenario. In that scenario, the three instructors realized there are limits to the insights they can gain through anonymous counting of discussion posts. The instructors would like to answer two additional research questions: (a) How do their students actually feel about the intervention? and (b) How do students view the influence of the intervention on their learning inside and outside of the classroom (if applicable)? In your initial post, compare the characteristics of appropriate research designs and recommend a qualitative research design that would facilitate answering the instructors’ additional questions. Explain the philosophical paradigm underlying the recommended approach. Evaluate the required articles for this week and describe the assumptions the instructors might have to set aside as they enter into a qualitative research study. Be sure to identify any ethical issues that may apply to the research. Review the characteristics of the quantitative approach you described in the Week Two discussion. Explain the ways in which the quantitative approach and paradigm differs from the qualitative approach and paradigm you have recommended here.

Paper For Above instruction

In educational research, selecting an appropriate design is critical for accurately capturing students’ perceptions and experiences, especially when exploring subjective phenomena such as feelings and perceptions about an intervention. Given the instructors’ interest in understanding how students feel about the intervention and its influence on their learning, a qualitative research design is best suited for these questions due to its focus on rich, in-depth data and understanding contextual meanings.

Characteristics of Appropriate Research Designs

Qualitative research designs are characterized by openness, flexibility, and an interpretive approach. They aim to uncover perceptions, experiences, and the meanings individuals assign to their experiences within natural contexts. These designs typically employ methods such as phenomenology, ethnography, grounded theory, or narrative analysis. For exploring students' feelings and perceptions, phenomenology is particularly suitable as it seeks to understand lived experiences, capturing subjective realities in detail. Conversely, ethnography could provide insights into cultural or social aspects influencing students' views about the intervention.

Recommended Qualitative Research Design

For this scenario, a phenomenological approach is recommended because it centers on understanding students’ personal perceptions and emotional responses to the intervention. Phenomenology involves collecting in-depth interviews or reflective journals, which enable capturing nuanced feelings and views about the intervention’s impact. This approach allows the instructors to explore how students interpret their experiences, providing meaningful insights into their emotional and cognitive responses.

Underlying Philosophical Paradigm

Phenomenology operates within an interpretivist paradigm, which emphasizes subjective meaning-making and the importance of understanding social phenomena from the perspective of those experiencing it. This paradigm recognizes that reality is constructed through individual perceptions, and researchers aim to interpret these perceptions without imposing their own biases. The interpretivist paradigm aligns well with exploring personal feelings and perceptions, as it values the richness of individual lived experiences over quantifiable, objective measures.

Assumptions to Set Aside

Entering a qualitative study based on phenomenology requires researchers to set aside assumptions of objectivity and generalizability to wider populations. Unlike quantitative research, which often assumes that findings can be statistically generalized, qualitative research acknowledges that insights are context-dependent and specific to individual experiences. Researchers must also suspend their biases to genuinely interpret participants’ descriptions, maintaining reflexivity throughout the process.

Ethical Considerations

Ethical issues in qualitative research include ensuring informed consent, maintaining confidentiality, and respecting participants’ emotional well-being, especially when exploring personal feelings. Given the personal nature of the data, researchers should be cautious to protect students’ identities and handle sensitive disclosures appropriately. Additionally, transparency regarding the purpose of the study and voluntary participation is essential to uphold ethical standards.

Differences Between Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches

The quantitative approach, as discussed in Week Two, focuses on measurement, hypothesis testing, and statistical analysis. It seeks to identify patterns and relationships between variables through objective, standardized instruments. Quantitative paradigms assume an ontological stance that reality is measurable and exists independently of perceptions, aligning with positivism.

In contrast, the qualitative approach embraces an interpretivist paradigm, which views reality as socially constructed through individual perceptions. Qualitative research is flexible, emphasizing depth and context over numerical generalizability. While quantitative methods provide broad, generalizable data about the effects of interventions, qualitative methods prioritize understanding the nuanced, subjective experiences of participants.

Conclusion

In summation, a phenomenological qualitative design is highly suitable for exploring students’ perceptions and feelings about an educational intervention. Its interpretivist paradigm allows for rich, contextually situated insights, which are necessary for answering the nuanced questions posed by the instructors. Recognizing the methodological and philosophical differences from the quantitative approach underscores the importance of aligning research design with research questions to generate meaningful knowledge.

References

Carper, B. A. (1998). Foundations of qualitative research: Ethical considerations. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 30(4), 319-324.

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage publications.

Given, L. M. (2008). Writing guidelines for qualitative research (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.

Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. Sage.

Ponterotto, J. G. (2005). Qualitative research in counseling psychology: A primer and handbook. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52(2), 126–136.

Smith, J. A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory, method, and research. Sage.

Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods. Sage publications.

Vaismoradi, M., Turunen, H., & Bondas, T. (2013). Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study. Nursing & Health Sciences, 15(3), 398-405.

Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage.

Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods. Oxford University Press.