MACOED 7211-Research Methods in Education 1
Module 002 – Qualitative Research Designs
Module 002 – Qualitative Research Designs
Course Learning Outcomes:
1. Understanding the importance of research design in order to enhance the
validity and reliability of their studies and produce meaningful and
impactful research.
2. Developing strong research proposals characterized by clear objectives,
rigorous methodology, and comprehensive literature review.
3. Applying various research designs in qualitative studies, allowing them to
conduct rigorous and insightful research while maintaining
methodological coherence.
Introduction
This chapter will begin with an overview of the concept of research designs, before moving
on to a discussion of the most common designs used in qualitative research studies.
Research Designs
A research design provides the structure upon which a research endeavor is built. It's like a
recipe: It has everything you need to do your research and know how to do it. The design
plays a pivotal role in providing a framework for conducting the research and answering its
fundamental questions. Researchers improve their odds of getting useful results and
ensure their discoveries can be replicated by using a good study design. It should:
Explain why you chose this particular research subject and methodology and how
you ruled out other, equally good options.
Examine and synthesize the existing literature on the topic of the study.
Focus on the problem's core by precisely defining your hypotheses (or research
questions).
Provide a detailed account of the information that will be required to properly test
the hypotheses, and specify where and how that information will be gathered.
Outline the procedures that will be used to analyze the data and determine whether
or not the hypotheses are correct.
Meaning of Research Design
A research design is a blueprint for a study's execution; it dictates choices like what
to study, how to study it, and when to evaluate the results. A research methodology
is a subset of the research design that determines how that data will be collected
and analyzed.
The research design provides decisions with respect to the following:
For what purposes is this research being done?
In what setting will the research be conducted?
Where can we locate the information we need?
When will the study begin and how long will it last?
Course Module
MACOED 7211-Research Methods in Education
2
Module 002 – Qualitative Research Designs
What will the sampling strategy be?
How will the information be gathered?
How will the information be interpreted?
How will the report be formatted?
Why Should We Care about Research Design?
For effective and trustworthy research, a well-thought-out research design is
essential. A research design is like a house's blueprint in that it lays out the steps to
be taken before, during, and after data collecting and analysis begin. A good study
plan is like a vacation that ends in success:
Opens up our horizons.
Gives you a ride you won't forget.
Provides insight into the world around us Facilitates communication with
others.
Provides enjoyment and payoff, but may also be incredibly boring and
repetitive at times.
Methods for Creating a Study Plan
It's crucial to take precautions in order to prevent mistakes. when designing a
research project, it's important to build a solid base around which to build the rest
of the investigation and make sure that the project is feasible, of an appropriate
difficulty, succinct, clear, and complete.
Step 1: Reason for doing this research
Starting with a well-defined and understandable rationale that explains why
you're conducting this study is an essential first step in any research strategy.
Step 2: Identify the important unknowns
Following the formulation of your research question, you should conduct a
comprehensive literature review to ascertain that your study adds new
insights and has not been done before, and to identify research questions
that have not been addressed.
Step 3: Identify the important unknowns
Your study's goal statement should be clear and succinct, addressing the
most pressing questions raised thus far.
Step 4: The testing hypothesis's nature
One or two hypotheses that will guide your research should be developed.
Your research hypothesis should build on your review of the relevant
literature and your identification of key known and unknowns.
Step 5: Identify the key deliverables
The primary findings and observable results of your study are known as its
"key outcomes and deliverables." A better grasp of the topic at hand;
numerical data; conceptual frameworks; process analysis; characterization;
and the identification of certain characteristics pertinent to your research
topic.
Step 6: Identification of resources
Course Module
MACOED 7211-Research Methods in Education 3
Module 002 – Qualitative Research Designs
You should make a list of everything you need to do your research project so
that you don't forget anything. Considerations including the number and
length of field trips, software requirements, and the availability of a
statistician should be factored in at this stage.
Step 7: Time frame
Including a timetable or Gantt chart in your research design will help you
estimate the amount of time needed to complete each major milestone in
your study. Using this timeline, you can see how much time has been set
aside for each goal and plan accordingly.
Step 8: Prepare a workflow model
Following these procedures, you will need to develop a consistent workflow
model to depict the progression of your research. The study's stated
objective should come first, followed by potential explanations. The
necessary inputs and resources should be listed underneath the hypotheses..
Step 9: Risks and risk prevention
It is crucial to identify and manage any threats that may arise during
fieldwork for your research. This entails doing things like pinpointing risks
and coming up with plans to mitigate or avoid them.
Step 10: Undertake your research
You can start your investigation straight away. You have picked a subject that
is both interesting and meaningful to you. With a solid research strategy in
hand, you can rest assured that your findings will be of interest to other
scholars as well as the general public.
Types of Research Designs
Qualitative Research Designs
Researchers can learn a great deal about human behavior and what motivates it by
using qualitative research designs..
Varieties of Qualitative Study Plans
Methodology of Action Research
Action research is a popular method used by educators to investigate issues
including pedagogy, classroom management, and student engagement.
Types of Action Research Designs
Individual Action Research
Collaborative action research
School-wide action research
Phases of Action Research
1. Selecting an area or focus
2. Reviewing and clarifying theories
3. Identifying research questions
4. Collecting data
5. Analyzing data
6. Reporting results
Course Module
MACOED 7211-Research Methods in Education
4
Module 002 – Qualitative Research Designs
7. Taking informed action
Scope of Action Research Design in Education
The field of education is only one place where an action research design
could be put to use to solve problems or make improvements.
Advantages and Limitations of Action Research Design
Advantages:
1. The entire academic community can benefit from action research.
2. Practitioners who engage in action research may be able to draw more
meaningful conclusions from their work.
3. Participatory research is a hallmark of action research.
Limitations:
1. It is harder to do than conventional research.
2. Some examiners have expressed dissatisfaction with this result.
3. It's likely that your familiarity with action research is limited.
4. Action research libraries require more time and effort to research.
5. Reporting on action research is more challenging, especially if you're
doing it for a thesis.
6. The length of an action research thesis is likely to exceed that of a
traditional thesis, all other things being equal.
Case Study
The goal of a case study is to obtain insight and understanding into a specific
research subject by evaluating a single case or unit of analysis. Research can be
conducted on anything from an individual to a group to an event to a community to
an institution.
How to Approach Writing a Case Study
Choosing a research problem is a crucial and thoughtful process that requires
careful consideration. There are three common approaches to selecting a research
problem:
Research supervisor's suggestion: Your supervisor may provide a general
topic, and you have the freedom to choose a specific aspect within that topic
for your study.
List of possible topics: Your supervisor may provide you with a list of
potential topics that align with your interests. From this list, you can select a
topic to investigate.
Personal selection: You have the autonomy to choose a research topic that
aligns with your interests and goals. However, you may need to seek
permission from the university dean to ensure the suitability of the chosen
topic.
Course Module
MACOED 7211-Research Methods in Education 5
Module 002 – Qualitative Research Designs
Writing a Case Study Research Paper
The following factors should be taken into account when choosing a case:
Is your case study an out-of-the-ordinary instance of a pressing research
issue that calls for additional study?
Is your case study drawing attention to an issue that has been overlooked?
Does your case study present novel insights or a different perspective on a
familiar topic?
Can a problem be solved by the steps suggested in your case study?
Does your situation suggest a fresh line of inquiry?
Structure and Writing Style
Your university or college will want you to use a specific format and writing
style for your case study report. To help you structure and create your case
study research report, consider the following tag.
Introduction
Literature Review
Method
Discussion
Conclusion
Strengths of Case Study Research Design
Provides insight into a difficult problem by analyzing a small set of
related events or conditions in great detail.
Uses a wide range of research techniques and data sources to probe a
topic.
Increases the depth of one's understanding by building on prior work.
In particular, this research strategy is utilized to investigate current,
practical circumstances, which in turn serve as testing grounds for
theoretical propositions and methodological developments.
Describes distinct and unusual cases in great detail.
Limitations of Case Study Research Design
Provides scant support for drawing broad conclusions or establishing
credibility because it is based on an insufficient sample size.
Exposure to a case for an extended period of time can skew a
researcher's perspective on the data.
Doesn't help in determining what led to what.
Potential for the omission of key details that would otherwise
facilitate case analysis.
It's possible that this isn't a good example of the broader problem
being studied.
Represents a one-of-a-kind phenomenon or research issue, limiting
the applicability of your conclusions to that one instance.
Ethnographic Research Design
Course Module
MACOED 7211-Research Methods in Education
6
Module 002 – Qualitative Research Designs
The primary purpose of an ethnographic study is to record both objective and
subjective details of a given environment. Everything that occurs there, not simply a
few key events, informed the design.
Stages in Conducting Ethnography
Problem formulation
Selecting a research setting
Gaining access
Presenting oneself
Gathering and recording information
Advantages and Limitations of Ethnographic Design
Advantages
Ethnography can be conducted entirely by one individual.
It is longitudinal in nature, allowing you to observe and record
changes over time.
It can be carried out almost at any place.
It focuses on working with others rather than treating them as
objects.
It provides you with a detailed and rich database for further
investigation and writing.
Limitations
Time requirement
Presentation of results
Reliability
Ethnographic Research Design
Numerous fields of study, particularly those concerned with education, have made
use of grounded theory. Theoretical approaches are a subset of qualitative research
methods.
Types of Grounded Theory Designs
Systematic Design
Emerging Design
Constructive Design
Key Features of Grounded Theory Research Design
Process approach
Theoretical sampling
Constant comparative
Core category
Theory generation
Memos
Grounded Theory Data Collection and Analysis
Course Module
MACOED 7211-Research Methods in Education 7
Module 002 – Qualitative Research Designs
Interviews are the most frequently used technique of data collecting, but other
methods such as observations, focus groups, and documentation are also important
for gathering information that can be used to formulate testable hypotheses.
Steps in Grounded Theory Design Research
Step 1: Decide whether a grounded theory design suits the research problem.
Step 2: Plan a feasible process to study.
Step 3: Seek approval and access.
Step 4: Theoretical sampling.
Step 5: Code the data.
Step 6: Use selective coding and develop the theory.
Step 7: Validate the emerging theory.
Step 8: Write a grounded theory report.
Advantages and Limitations of Grounded Theory Design
Advantages
It takes researchers’ perceptions into account in the research process.
It offers opportunities to the researchers to use their values and
understanding in order to generate a new theory for a very complex
phenomenon.
It permits researchers to have a glance at the studied phenomena with new
angles and constructs new perspectives without restriction. Thus, grounded
theorists are able to understand the studied phenomena holistically.
Limitations
The theory is complex and difficult to be followed by novice researchers.
It is difficult to present the findings of the study in an effective way.
It is not perfect for all research questions.
Historical Studies
Research of the historical variety is still another possibility. Examining primary
sources, such as historical records and relics, can reveal important information
about the past.
Purpose of Historical Research
To study and learn from the past failure or success
To understand fully the present education practices and policies
To assess accurately the past and make predictions accordingly
To study the evidence ascertained by the probability of obtaining a clear
snapshot of the present
To identify reasons to develop educational theories and practices
Advantages and Limitations of Historical Research
Advantages
A better understanding of many current educational practices, theories, and
issues within the context of experiences of the past
Course Module
MACOED 7211-Research Methods in Education
8
Module 002 – Qualitative Research Designs
Researchers can rationally and objectively analyze events of the past
Limitations
No scope to control and manipulate any variable
No way the researcher can affect events of the past
The researcher cannot collect data by administering instruments of data
collection
The research excessively relies on secondary data
Phenomenological Research Design
Phenomenological approaches and research largely ignore the material world in
favor of a focus on subjective experience.
Main Characteristics of Phenomenology
Methodology
Sampling
Data Collection Methods
References and Supplementary Materials
Books and Journals
1. Research Methods in Education, SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd, 2018.
Online Supplementary Reading Materials
1. [Link]
Online Instructional Videos
1. [Link]
Course Module