Qualitative Research Methodology Course Outlines

What is Research Educational Research

What is Search and what is Research?
o What research Is and what research is Not?
Sources of Knowledge/Ways of Knowing
What is Educational Research
Why is Educational Research important?
Characteristics of Educational Research
Steps in the Process of Educational Research
Identifying a research problem - Reviewing the literature - Specifying a purpose for
research - Collecting data - Analyzing and interpreting the data - Evaluating and
Reporting Research

What is Qualitative Research

What is Qualitative Research
What are the different types of qualitative researches, and what are the defining features of
each of these?
Ethnographic Research - Case Study Research - Action Research Phenomenology Grounded Theory
Strengths and Weaknesses of Qualitative Research

SAMPLING AND ITS TYPES

What is sampling?
What is Universe? - What is Population? - What is Target Population? - What is
Available/accessible Population?
The need of Sampling?
The purposes of Sampling?
Issues in Sampling Sampling Errors
Chance - Sampling Bias
General Rules for Sampling Size

QUALITATIVE DATA COLLECTION

Definition and Purpose
Data Collection Sources and Techniques
Observations - Participant observation - Non participant observation - Recording
observations
Interviews Structured interviews Semi structured interviews Unstructured
interviews Focus Group Email Interviews
Questionnaires
Examining Records Archival Documents Journal Maps Videotape and Audiotape
Artifacts
Validity and Reliability in Qualitative Research.
Validity Descriptive, interpretive and theoretical and evaluative validity

 Reliability - Generalizability
Strategies for ensuring the validity of Qualitative Research

ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH

Definition and Purpose

The ethnographic research process
Key characteristics of ethnographic research
Types of ethnographic research - Realist ethnography - Confessional ethnography - Life
history Micro ethnography - Ethnographic case study - Critical ethnography - Feminist
ethnography - Postmodern ethnography - Ethnographic novels
Ethnographic research Techniques
Triangulation
Participant Observation
Active participant observer - Privileged, Active Observer - Passive Observer
Field notes

CASE STUDY

Definition and Purpose

When to use the Case study Research Approach
Characteristics of Case study Research
Designing Case Study Research
Determine the research questions - Define the case under study - Determine the role of
theory - development in case selection - Determine the theoretical and conceptual
framework of the case study
Determine whether a single , a multiple , or collective case study is appropriate
Sample selection Data collection techniques

ACTION RESEARCH
Definition and Purpose
Key Characteristics of Action Research
Persuasive and Authoritative Relevant- Accessible - Challenges the intractability of
reform of the educational system - Is not a fat
Types of Action Research - Critical Action Research - Practical Action Research
Levels of Action Research

ACTION RESEARCH
The Action Research Process
Action Research Techniques
Identifying and Gaining Insight into an area of focus
Gaining insight through self-reflection
Gaining insight through descriptive activities
Gaining insight through explanatory activities
Collection Analyzing and interpreting Data

LITERATURE REVIEW
Review of related literature
Definition, Purpose and Scope
Qualitative Research and the Review of Related Literature
Identifying keywords
Identifying your sources
Searching for books on your Topic in library
Consulting Computer Databases to Locate Journals, Articles, Reports, and Other
Publications
Searching the Internet and the World Wide Web
Becoming a Member of Professional Organizations
Evaluating your sources
Abstracting
Analyzing, Organizing and Reporting the literature

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

Definition and purpose
Data analysis during data collection
Data analysis after data collection
Steps in analyzing qualitative research data
Reading/memoing
Describing
Classifying
Data analysis strategies
Coding qualitative data Example
Qualitative data analysis: An example
Using computer software to assist with data analysis
Data interpretation
Ensuring credibility in your study