Southern Illinois University Carbondale s1

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Michigan State University EAD 955b: Field Methods in Educational Research Spring 2007

Dr. Kristen Renn Office Hours: 428 Erickson Hall Tuesday, some wks 2-5, some 3-5 353-5979 (office) and by appointment [email protected] 349-0797 (home)

PURPOSE AND COURSE OBJECTIVES

This course addresses the foundations, design, application, and implementation of qualitative research field methods. Readings, class materials, and assignments are designed to help doctoral students in education and the social sciences learn to conduct various methods of qualitative research. Interdisciplinary theoretical and research literature will emphasize the history and philosophy of qualitative research, including current controversies in the field.

The course is structured to accommodate two simultaneous tracks: the theoretical underpinnings of qualitative research and the practice of various techniques for collecting and analyzing data.

Assignments include course readings, research technique exercises, and a set of essays on individual goals for the course. Students have the option of conducting a series of data collection and analysis exercises or conducting a small scale qualitative research study. Doctoral students at the pre-proposal or proposal stage are encouraged to consult with their dissertation committees to consider using this class project as a pilot or preliminary study for the dissertation itself.

The course objectives are:

1. To become acquainted with the history, philosophy, current state, and ethical standards of the field of qualitative research in education and the social sciences.

2. To explore systematic applications of theory to practice in conducting qualitative research.

3. To develop an understanding of the purposes of various methods of collecting and analyzing qualitative data and their uses in educational research and practice.

4. To develop skills of critical analysis, synthesis, and written and oral communications concerning concepts, issues, and applications of qualitative research.

5. To develop competency in designing and conducting qualitative research.

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REQUIRED TEXTS

Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (2nd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Rossman, G. B., & Rallis, S. F. (2003). Learning in the field: An introduction to qualitative research (2nd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (referred to in syllabus as R&R)

Additional readings noted in syllabus, either in ANGEL or for you to access online via electronic journals.

SUGGESTED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Miles, M. B. & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Schwandt, T. A. (2001). Dictionary of qualitative inquiry (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Seidman, I. E. (1991). Interviewing as qualitative research: A guide for researchers in education and the social sciences. New York: Teachers College Press.

SOME USEFUL/INTERESTING WEB LINKS

Qual Page: Resources for Qualitative Researchers (UGa): http://www.qualitativeresearch.uga.edu/QualPage/

Qualitative Research Journals (SLU): http://www.slu.edu/organizations/qrc/QRjournals.html

The Qualitative Report (Nova Southeastern): http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/

Qualitative Research Bibliography (Bobbi Kerlins) http://kerlins.net/bobbi/research/qualresearch/bibliography/

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ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATION

• Readings as assigned. You should come to class prepared to discuss readings, and also to use readings as background for class exercises and discussion. Evaluation of your reading of assignments is included in participation grade.

• Weekly topical assignments as listed in “Course Content” section. (30%) Each week you will have an assignment that, in addition to readings, will prepare you for the following week’s discussions. Completion of these assignments is necessary to learn course material and to participate in class discussions. Therefore, failure to complete these assignments will have a negative effect on your evaluation in this area as well as in the class participation area.

• Active participation in class discussions. (15%) Active participation requires attendance, preparation (through readings and weekly assignments), and willingness to contribute to discussions in a variety of group configurations (pairs, small groups, entire class, etc.). Absence from any session will result in a deduction in your grade in this area.

• Three short essays (1-3 pages each). (10%) -Essay I: Self and course objectives: Due 1/17. -Essay II: Midsemester self and course evaluation: Due 2/28. -Essay III: End of semester self and course evaluation: Due 5/2.

• Final paper: either a series of data collection and analysis experiences or the results of an actual small-scale qualitative research project. Due 5/1. (45%) By the start of our fourth class, each student will decide whether s/he will engage in a unified research project or in a series of data collection/analysis experiences. Students who are early in their doctoral programs, who have not decided on a dissertation topic, or who plan to use non-qualitative methods in their dissertations are encouraged to use this opportunity to practice qualitative methods on a series of topics (which may or may not be related to one another). Other students, including those who have already made significant progress on a prospectus and those whose committee’s agree, are encouraged to conduct a small research project which might serve as a pilot or preliminary study for the dissertation. There is no penalty for deciding on one or the other format, and scholarly rigor will be expected in both kinds of projects. In either case, the subject(s) of the actual or proposed research should be agreed upon with me prior to engaging in the project. More information about this assignment and an agreement form to be completed with your adviser will be distributed in class.

In class, you will receive more explicit instructions for completing these assignments. Please ask if you have questions regarding how you will be evaluated in this course.

All papers should be double-spaced in 12-point font with margins of 1 inches all around

All citations and reference lists must conform to the style manual of the American Psychological Association (5th edition).

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Note on absences and late assignments: Class attendance is required and is included in the class participation grade. Nevertheless, students may occasionally need to absent themselves from class meetings for reasons of illness, family, or work. In fairness to students who attend and participate in every class session, an absence for any reason will result in a reduction in the absent student’s class participation grade. This reduction is on the order of 1 point per class missed, or 1 point for partial absence. For example, if you miss one face-to-face session but are otherwise present on time and actively contributing, you could receive up to 14 of the 15 possible points for participation (out of the 100 total points for the course). For the purposes of this policy, being late to class or leaving early for any reason constitutes a partial absence and will result in a 1 point reduction in accumulated points toward your final grade. Everyone gets one “free miss” or “free late arrival/early departure” (but not both!) before losing any participation credit. Missing more than 3 class sessions will result in no credit for the course. Whenever it is possible, advance notice of absences is appreciated. An email message or phone call to someone who will be in class (instructor or student) is generally adequate to keep us from worrying about you. It is critical that you find out what happened in class the day you were absent; be sure to contact a peer or me for announcements, etc. Absence from class to observe a religious holiday, to serve jury duty, or to participate in required military service are exceptions to the above policy. If you anticipate being absent for any of these reasons, please make arrangements with me in advance and there will be no deduction in your grade. All assignments are expected during the session noted on the syllabus. Unless prior arrangements have been made with me, late submissions will not be accepted and will result in a grade of 0 for that assignment. Grades for late submissions that are accepted may be reduced.

Evaluation of assignments: Assignments earning an “A” grade will be of excellent quality, reflecting critical thinking, creativity, and mastery of course material. They will be well organized and clear. They will be free of errors in syntax, grammar, and APA format. An “A-” grade might result from minor deductions in any of these areas.

Assignments earning a “B” grade will be of good quality, reflecting a solid grasp of the course material and clear, well-organized writing style. They might contain some errors in syntax, grammar, or APA format, but will not be seriously flawed. A “B-” grade might result from more significant reductions in these areas.

Assignments earning a “C” grade will be of acceptable quality, reflecting familiarity with course material. They might contain weaknesses in organization and errors in syntax, grammar, or APA format. A “C-” grade might result from more severe weaknesses.

Assignments earning below a “C-” are unacceptable and will receive no credit.

Course grades: The grading system at MSU is on a four-point scale, with course grades reported in half points (4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, etc.). Any grade below a 3.0 is a sign of serious problems for continued graduate work and merits discussion with me and/or your academic advisor. For the purposes of assigning a final grade, the following table applies: 94 or more points = 4.0 88-93 points = 3.5 81-87 points = 3.0 74-80 points = 2.5 73 or fewer points = 0 (no credit for course)

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A note for students with disabilities: If you require any accommodation or services, please inform me or contact the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (www.msu.edu/unit/rcpd), 120 Bessey, 353-9642.

Additional MSU resources: - The Graduate School (www.grad.msu.edu), 118 Linton, 355-0301 - Learning Resources Center (www.msu.edu/unit/lrc), 209J Bessey, 355-2363 - Ombuds’ Office (www.msu.edu/unit/ombud), 129 North Kedzie, 353-8830 - Writing Center (http://writing.msu.edu), 300 Bessey, 432-3610

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COURSE CONTENT and READINGS

January 10 - No class meeting - review draft syllabus posted online in ANGEL site - read assignment for self/course goals essay (posted in ANGEL) - read agreement form for final project (posted in ANGEL) - if you have not already done so, complete the requirements for IRB certification (http://www.humanresearch.msu.edu)

January 17 - Overview and Introductions; Intro to Field Observation

Readings for today: - R & R chapter 1 - R & R on Observations – read from chapter 7: pp. 169-178 and about observations pp. 194-196

- Assignment due: Bring your self/course goals essay to class

January 24 - 5 Qualitative Approaches to Inquiry - Researcher as learner

Readings for today: - R & R chapters 2 & 4 - Creswell chapters 1, 4, & 5

January 31 - Field Observation, continued; Organizing Field Notes - Designing a Qualitative Study

Readings for today: - R & R chapter 5 - Creswell chapters 3 & 6

- Assignment due: Agreement for final project - Assignment due: Observation: 1 hour of observation on the topic determined by the class; bring 4 copies of typed, organized fieldnotes from Observation

February 7 - Conceptual Mapping & Qualitative Coding - Planning entry into field; Informed Consent; Human Subj. Review

Readings for today: - R & R chapters 3, 6, 10, & 11 - Creswell chapter 8

- Assignment due: begin coding your and classmates’ fieldnotes

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February 14 - Generating Grounded Theory - The theory behind grounded theory - Validity, trustworthiness, triangulation

Readings for today: - Arminio, J. L., & Hultgren, F. H. (2002). Breaking out from the shadow: The question of criteria in qualitative research. Journal of College Student Development, 43, 446-460. [ANGEL] - Talburt, S. (2004). Ethnographic responsibility without the “real.” Journal of Higher Education, 75 (1), 80-103. [ANGEL] - Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1998). Grounded theory methodology: An overview. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Strategies of qualitative inquiry (pp. 158-183). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. [ANGEL] - Creswell, chapter 10 & Appendix D

- Assignment due: finish coding fieldnotes and combine into conceptual map; bring copies of conceptual map for your group

February 21 - Introduction to Qualitative Interviewing - continue validity, trustworthiness, etc. if necessary - Ethnography

Readings for today: - Creswell chapter 7 & Appendix E - R & R chapter 7 - Seidman, I. E. (1991). Interviewing as qualitative research: A guide for researchers in education and the social sciences. New York: Teachers College Press. Excerpted: Chapter 6 [ANGEL]

- Assignment due: combine your conceptual map with your group’s and generate grounded theory - Also: contact a participant and schedule a thirty-minute, audio-recorded interview for sometime after our class meeting during the week of 2/21

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February 28 - Working With Interview Data - Collaborative Qualitative Research - Narrative Research

Readings for today: - Wilhelm, R. W., Craig, M. T., Glover, R. J., Allen, D. D., & Huffman, J. B. (2000). Becoming qualitative researchers: A collaborative approach to faculty development. Innovative higher education, 24 (4), 265-278. [ANGEL] - Woods, P., Boyle, M., Jeffrey, B., & Tromon, G. (2000). A research team in ethnography. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 13 (1), 85-98. [ANGEL] - Creamer, E. (nd). Interpretive processes in collaborative research. Retrieve from http://scholar.google.com/scholar? hl=en&lr=&q=cache:N9k51yqIpLgJ:filebox.vt.edu/users/creamere/egchome/ Chapters%2520%26%2520Papers/AEQ_doc_ecreamer.pdf+ %22collaborative+qualitative+research%22 - Creswell Appendix B

- Assignment due: conduct interview as scheduled; write up field notes and transcribe at least 15 minutes of interview - Also: think about how the interview data confirms or contrasts with observation data; What’s going on? - Assignment due: Mid-semester course/self goals essay.

March 7 No class: SPRING BREAK

March 14 - Conducting Focus Groups - Ethics; Relationships in the field - Phenomenology

Readings for today: - R & R chapter 9 - Creswell Appendix C - Magolda, P., & Weems, L. (2002). Doing harm: An unintended consequence of qualitative inquiry? Journal of College Student Development, 43, 490- 507. [ANGEL] - a focus group reading TBA

March 21 - Introduction to Document Analysis - Representation, Voice, and Authority - Case Study

Readings for today: - Luttrell, W. (2000). Good enough methods for ethnographic research. Harvard Educational Review, 70, 499-523. [ANGEL] - Creswell Appendix F - a document analysis reading TBA continued next page

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March 21, continued

- Assignment due: find a qualitative journal article on a subject of interest to you; bring a copy to class and be prepared to discuss how the author represents research participants

March 28 - Document Analysis continued; Intro to Using Drawings in QR - Writing up Qualitative Research

Readings for today: - Creswell chapters 9 & 11 - R & R chapter 12 - Haney, W., Russell, M., & Bebell, D. (2004). Drawing on education: Using drawings to document schooling and support change. Harvard Educational Review, 74 (3), 241-271. [ANGEL]

- Assignment due: locate and analyze a document related to our class research project; bring copies for your group

April 4 - Drawings continued - Return to Coding, Conceptual Mapping, and Grounded Theory - Philosophies of Qualitative Research

Readings for today: - Creswell, ch 2 - R & R chapter 4 - Broido, E. M., & Manning, K. (2002). Philosophical foundations and current theoretical perspectives in qualitative research. Journal of College Student Development, 43, 434-445. [ANGEL]

- Assignment due: analyze and code drawings made by class last week - Also: ask two people you know to draw a picture related to our class research project; make copies for your group

April 11 - The Experience of Doing Qualitative Research as a Graduate Student

Guest speakers: TBA

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April 18 - Coding, Mapping, Theorizing continued - Using QR in Mixed-Method Research Designs

Readings for today: - Burke Johnson, R., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (2004). Mixed methods: A research paradigm whose time has come. Educational Researcher, 33 (7), 14- 26. [ANGEL] - Teddlie, C., & Yu, F. (2007). Mixed methods sampling: A typology with examples. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 1 (1), 77-100. [ANGEL] - Caracelli, V. J., & Greene, J. C. (1993). Data analysis strategies for mixed- method evaluation designs. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 15 (2), 195-207. [ANGEL]

- Assignment due: write 2-3 pages about a theme from our class research project; your group may decide to divide up themes or you may each choose your own to write up

April 25 - Papers due, Project Presentations, Course Evaluations

May 2 - Final Goals Evaluation due today by 5 pm to ANGEL dropbox

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