The Experience of Learning/Teaching Qualitative Research Approaches: An Ethnographic Autobiography

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to use reflexive methodology to describe the emotions and experiences of doctoral students and a professor who collaboratively conducted a research study using triangulated qualitative research data. The study was the major learning strategy in a doctoral seminar focusing on qualitative research approaches. In using an ethnographic autobiography, the authors were the subjects of their own research. Data were examined from journals kept by the students and the instructor during the semester. Four themes are discussed: learning by risk-taking, learning by doing, learning by working together, and learning by reflection. The value of examining learners' emotions and implications for teaching research methods using experiential learning are addressed.

Generating Benefits and Negotiating Tensions through an International Doctoral Forum: A Sociological Analysis

“…Though not specific to doctoral workshops, similar findings were reported elsewhere (e.g., Leiper, Horn, Hu, & Upadhyaya, 2008). Additionally, doctoral seminar participants have reportedly enhanced their scholarly learning by risk taking, working together, and reflection (Henderson et al, 2008). Findings from the study of Dinkelman et al (2012) indicated that a doctoral seminar for future teacher educators help participants map the terrain of their research, prompt the topic of their research, learn a language for teacher education, value collaboration, and define purpose and care for the practice of teacher education.…”

A Mixed Research Synthesis of Literature on Teaching Qualitative Research Methods

“…The materials included visual sources like videos (Barrett, 2007), visual texts (photographs and drawings) (Davidson et al, 2009) practical and workshop exercises (Brandão, 2009;Harper et al, 2008;Healey-Etten & Sharp, 2010;Hein, 2004;Humphrey & Simpson, 2012;Roberts et al, 2013), assignments (Drisko, 2008), reflective journals (Hein, 2004;Koro-Ljungberg, Cavalleri, Covert, & Bustam, 2011;Reisetter, Yexley, Bonds, Nickels, & McHenry, 2003;Roulston et al, 2003), web-based instructional modules or learning objects (LOs) (Raddon, Raby, & Sharpe, 2009), using existing or publicly available data sets (Rogers, 2011), and problembased materials (Wiggins & Burns, 2009). A combination of practical materials has also been found useful (Forrester & Koutsopoulou, 2008;Henderson et al, 2008;Pratt & Dolbin-MacNab, 2003). The authors of the research articles identified numerous advantages of using these methods to teach qualitative research: Some of the challenges of using practical materials included the need for intensive support, the pressure of completing practical assessments in time, ensuring that students have the necessary theoretical background before embarking on practical applications, and class assignments not being as authentic as real-life research (Davidson et al, 2009;Hein, 2004;Humphrey & Simpson, 2012;Roberts et al, 2013;Rogers, 2011;Roulston et al, 2003;Wiggins & Burns, 2009).…”

“…Talking about common challenges has been found to be helpful in these cases (Harper et al, 2008). Another disadvantage of working in groups is the need to reconcile different backgrounds and viewpoints (Henderson et al, 2008). Some students found it difficult to work in a large (such as eight-member) group instead of having the freedom to conduct their own studies and would have preferred smaller teams to enhance group cohesiveness and make it easier to find time for everyone to meet to discuss their progress (Sidell, 2007).…”

“…The findings from the empirical studies confirmed that, when students engaged in experiential and practice-based learning, they underwent a paradigm shift about qualitative research (Hein, 2004;Pratt & Dolbin-MacNab, 2003;Reisetter et al, 2003); they made personal connections with the stories shared by their interviewees (Cooper, Fleischer, & Cotton, 2012;Hein, 2004;Nash, 2011); and they also learnt to draw on their own knowledge and subjectivity to develop their identity as qualitative researchers (Barrett, 2007). Furthermore, many of the studies (see, e.g., Belcher & Hirvela, 2005;Harper et al, 2008;Hein, 2004;Henderson et al, 2008;Roulston et al, 2003) reported that the lives of students became apparent through the narratives they wrote about their learning experiences as well as the personal transformation they underwent as a result. Students thus learnt more than research skills when doing research.…”

“…Hein (2004) and Koro-Ljungberg's research team (2011) both found reflective journals for students very helpful in documenting their journey through a qualitative research methods course. Using journals to capture personal experiences of conducting qualitative research, however, may be met with resistance, if students know that their intimate disclosures are going to be used as data for a project and, thus, may not reveal their real feelings (Hein, 2004;Henderson et al, 2008). Koro-Ljungberg and colleagues (2011) also recommended that (a) students be encouraged to include visual material in their journals; (b) students be made aware from the beginning of the course that their journals could be used for analysis of their learning, and (c) data be collected over a longer period of time (e.g., including the dissertation-writing process) to increase our understanding of how various tensions in learning are resolved.…”