Dr. Ian​​​​ M Cowley​ MEd ePortfolio

Artefact 1

MDDE 602 - Research Methods in Distance Education

 

Artefact: Qualitative Data Analysis

 

Summary

It is with a blend of fondness and terror that I reflect back on my first course in the MDDE program, 602 - Research Methods.

 

Athabasca University based my acceptance into the program on a prior learning assessment because I had not completed an undergraduate degree. I was informed on a Friday afternoon in April 2012 that I could attempt one course beginning the following Monday. If I succeeded in MDDE 602, I would be granted full acceptance in September. At that point, I had no knowledge of research methodology. Further, I was about to leave on trips to Portugal, New York, and Honduras. I recall deciding that this was the perfect time to test the ‘distance’ in distance education (6.5). I still smile to this day when I see Athabasca University ads with the tagline “Everywhere”. It is so true.

 

Once I began to study research methods in MDDE 602, my pragmatic brain loved the idea of quantitative research yet developed a strong scepticism about the validity of qualitative research methods. How could personal observations based on my own frames of reference, world-views, interpretations, and coding decisions ever be considered research?

 

I selected Qualitative Data Analysis as an artefact for my ePortfolio precisely because of my journey from sceptic to believer during the writing of this assignment.

 

Reflections

I owe much of my learning and success in MDDE 602 to both the excellent course text (1.4), Lawrence Neuman’s Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches (Neuman, 2011), as well as my instructor, Cynthia Blodgett.

 

Neuman’s book, though presenting me with entirely new learning, was laid-out well with a logical, constructivist approach. What was an intimidating (for me) assignment on qualitative research became a systematic process thanks to this text (5.3, 5.4).

 

I approached the steps of the assignment in a linear fashion, as I am inclined to do with most things. I soon realized that the coding and interpretation of qualitative data is far from a linear process (1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8). The process was iterative and the concept of successive approximation (Neuman, 2011) forced me to become comfortable with revisiting the data numerous times in order to condense themes and categories and distill them down to what I interpreted to be their true meanings (1.1).

 

It was because of this process that, I believe, I take a more inductive approach to new information to this day. In other words, I accept concrete evidence as it is presented to me, then move to abstraction before developing theories. While I recognize this as a good qualitative research technique, I now find that it prevents me from turning abstract information into hard and fast beliefs that I may then hold on to tightly, perhaps too tightly. In short, I now possess many more ‘theories’ about adult education than I do ‘beliefs’. This grounded theory approach (Glazer & Strauss, 1967) keeps my thinking nimble and I am more able to change my views (5.5, 5.6, 5.8).  

 

Finally, Dr. Blodgett turned what was a difficult first course into something far less intimidating. Research methods aside, I also experienced the added bonus of learning the exact tone to establish when facilitating at a distance. Mid-course, when my classmates and I were feeling overwhelmed, she posted a lovely treatise on how to proceed holistically. She reminded us to “curl up with Neuman” as often as we could and, recognizing that the reading was at times dry, encouraged us with “if you feel sleepy, sleep”. My retelling of this seems insignificant in print, but it profoundly affected me as a learner and as someone who facilitates distance courses at SAIT myself.

 

As an aside, when looking back on my first graduate school writing for MDDE 602, I am surprised that the quality of my writing was not that bad, considering it was three years ago (4.1). However, I wrote excessively in the passive voice then – something I do less of now but still struggle with.

 

Conclusions

While working my way through MDDE 602, I recall a colleague advising me that research does not have to prove something empirically; it just needs to improve knowledge over previous knowledge.

 

Though my learning curve was steep in MDDE 602, I feel I managed to grasp not only the technical side of qualitative data analysis with this artefact, but also the validity and usefulness of qualitative research (1.9). I came to realize that, after all, we interpret things all day long in everything we do (1.10, 1.11). Much like coding data, we use symbols daily, like language, for everything. The difference between inductive qualitative research and life is that we do not preconceive a hypothesis during research as we often do in our day-to-day lives.

 

I came to enjoy the concept and practice of qualitative research so much that I became a little obsessed with coding during the writing of this artefact. As I described in my course journal one day “Today was a travel day from Calgary, to Houston, to San Pedro Sula, and a long one, as my luggage did not arrive with me. No work on the assignment today. However, I did catch myself subconsciously coding things around me all day long. Things on the ground from the airplane, other passengers and people in the airports, clothing, children, luggage on the belt …. Maybe this is a good thing”.

 

I am currently involved in two mixed methods research projects at SAIT Polytechnic – one on the effects of classroom design on student learning, and the other on the effects of peer coaching on first-year instructors. I am also seeking a position in an EdD program, which will see me involved deeply in research.

 

Though I still have much to learn, my brief sojourn through MDDE 602 is already paying dividends (4.2, 4.3, 4.6, 5.2).

 

Works Cited

Glazer, B., & Strauss, A. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Chicago: Aldine Publishing Company.

 

Neuman, W. L. (2011). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.