Research in Music Teaching

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Research in Music Teaching

• Miksza - Fall 08
• WEEK THIRTEEN
• Introduction to Qualitative Research

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Contrasting Quantitative and Qualitative
Paradigmsholds implications for method,
purpose, and role of the researcher (Glesne,
1999)

• Quantitative
• Positivist Concerns
• Reality exists as a relatively fixed entity that
  is external to the individual
• Social facts have objective reality
• Discrete variables can be identified and
  objectively measured

• Qualitative
• Interpretivist
• Constructivist
• Reality is socially constructed by the
  participants in their settings
• Variables are interwoven, and difficult to
  measure

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Aims/Goals of Quantitative and Qualitative
Paradigms (Glesne, 1999)

• Quantitative
• Generalizability
• Causal explanations
• Prediction

• Qualitative
• Contextualization
• Understanding
• Interpretation

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Methodological Approaches of Quantitative and
Qualitative Paradigms (Glesne, 1999)

• Quantitative
• Hypotheses/theory at outset (whether formal or
  informal)
• Stresses objective measurement
• Strictly controlled conditions
• Often deductive
• Data reduced to numerical indices
• Data parsed empirically according to statistical
  patterns
• Writing in third person

• Qualitative
• Hypotheses/theory often the result
• Research is the primary data collection tool
• Naturalistic setting
• Often inductive
• Data primarily verbal and occasionally pictorial
• Patterns and meaningful themes sought for by the
  researcher
• Writing in first person more common

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Researchers Role in Quantitative and Qualitative
Paradigms (Glesne, 1999)

• Quantitative
• Researcher detached
• A non-participant
• Strives for objective interpretation of findings

• Qualitative
• Researcher personally involved
• Participation may vary greatly
• Strives for interpretation and understanding
  while acknowledging subjectivity tries to
  balance credibility with empathic interpretation
  and personal insight

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Other General Characteristics of Qualitative
Research

• Holistic Perspective
• Study topic is a complex system that is more than
  the sum of parts
• More on the Type of Data
• Detailed, thick description, quotations
• Dynamic Systems
• Attention to process vs. product, change is
  constantly occurring in the individuals and
  setting
• Design Flexibility
• Methodology is adapted as the research unfolds,
  new participants may be added, new questions may
  arise

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Approaches to Qualitative Research

• Ethnography
• Goal is to obtain an holistic picture of a
  society, group, institution, setting, situation
• Emic perspective an insiders perception of
  reality
• Culture the sum of a groups social patterns,
  customs, ways of life the ideas, beliefs, and
  knowledge that characterize a particular group
• Emphasis on social interaction
• Many data sources (e.g., interviews,
  observations/field notes, key informants,
  artifacts, are used)

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Approaches to Qualitative Research

• Phenomenological Study
• Investigating experiences (e.g.,
  reactions/perceptions) individuals have when
  faced with a particular phenomenon
• Focus is on lived experience and
  subjective/personal meaning
• In-depth interviews are prominent

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Approaches to Qualitative Research

• Case Study
• Can be of an individual, a class, a school, a
  program, a particular event, a particular
  activity, etc.
• Intrinsic case study interested in
  understanding a specific individual/situation
• Instrumental case study interest in studying a
  particular case as a means towards a larger goal
• Multiple case study more than one case

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Approaches to Qualitative Research

• Grounded Theory
• Purpose is to inductively generate a theory
  grounded in data systematically gathered and
  analyzed
• Employs constant comparative method continual
  interplay among researcher, data, and theory
  continuously revising in light of new evidence
• Categories/themes are created, logically analyzed
  in light of data and discarded or accepted by the
  researcher
• Interviews are common for data collection

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Approaches to Qualitative Research

• Action Research
• Purpose is to obtain information or solve a
  problem to inform local practice
• Practical action research to address a specific
  problem within a classroom, school, or other
  community
• Participatory action research to investigate a
  local issue in order to empower individuals and
  groups to improve their lives and/or bring about
  social change

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Approaches to Qualitative Research

• Mixed Methodology
• Incorporating both quantitative and qualitative
  methodology
• Triangulation collect both quantitative and
  qualitative to compare results
• Explanatory Collect and analyze quantitative
  data, then follow up by collecting qualitative
  data to refine the findings
• Exploratory Collect and analyze qualitative
  data, the follow up by collecting quantitative
  data to extend the findings

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Qualitative Data Collection Methods

• Field Notes describing the context of the
  research, can keep field notes and journal in
  same text (use brackets to differentiate one from
  the other)
• Direct Observation/Transcriptions
  (video/audio/live/verbal) script taking that
  describes specific events, transcribing
  recordings is perhaps the best way to do this
  accurately, includes more than simply writing
  each word spoken, includes actions, inflections,
  etc.
• Journals (personal reflection) higher
  inference, beginning of the analysis phase
  (starting to draw researcher inferences)
• Proxemics/Mapping (use of social space)
  diagrams of people or objects in the field in
  the research space being observed

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Qualitative Data Collection Methods (continued)

• Interviews surveys, open-ended interviews
• Verbal protocol, Think Alouds subjects
  describing their experience while they are in the
  moment, while they are doing
• Artifacts/pictures of artifacts
• Content analyses of existing documents
  unobtrusive measures

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Qualitative Data Analysis

• Time Coding Flanders interaction analysis
• Select codes for behavior
• Observe for intervals of time, record for
  intervals of time (e.g., 5 seconds)
• Results can be displayed in a time-series graph
• Category Coding organizing or whats commonly
  called parsing the data
• All statements must be coded
• Focused coding anticipate themes, highlight
  relevant notes/statements (or use computer
  software) A priori
• Open/Emergent coding themes jump out at the
  researcher while they read they data,
  notes/statements are highlighted from initial
  impressions, the categories are then decided
  later
• Constant Comparison always reevaluating the
  coding over time (new vs. old), journal vs.
  transcription

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Qualitative Data Analysis (continued)

• Steps to coding
• 1) raw data 2) interpret the data/code 3) create
  categories 4) think of how the categories fit
• Use an independent coder
• Identify negative cases look for things that
  indicate the theory is perhaps falsifiable
• Coding can also be quantified
• Problems with coding - data may eventually be
  double-coded, some categories may emerge that
  were not anticipated
• The categories that are arrived at are the
  primary findings

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Parallels with Reliability and Validity

• Internal Validity/Credibility richness in
  writing, transparent logic, understandability
• External Validity/Transferability limited in
  most cases due to small, often purposive sample
• Reliability/Dependability thoroughness,
  multiple data sources/triangulation
• Objectivity/Confirmability member checks,
  admitting own bias, independent coding, negative
  case analysis