Course: EDUC364: Qualitative Research Methods
Faculty: Sue Ellen Henry
DP&S Liaison: Todd Suomela
Date: Fall 2018
One of the key experiences of learning about research on any topic is discovering how research is conducted – what are the methods used by people to answer a research question. There are many different methods to approach research in the social sciences. Qualitative methods might be chosen because more detailed information is needed, the boundaries of a situation are unclear, or when numbers fail to capture the complete story. Interviews, focus groups, and textual analysis can be used to develop a deeper understanding of a topic and answer questions about what it is like to experience being an immigrant student, or a member of a sorority.
Students in Sue Ellen Henry’s education class were introduced to the theory and methods of qualitative research. Students were also introduced to NVivo, a computer assisted qualitative data analysis software. DP&S worked with faculty to introduce the program to students, import data, and begin the process of analysis.