This course explores a variety of research approaches, requires an evaluation of strengths and weaknesses of research studies, and discusses applications. Students select and design the parameters for a thesis project.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Blog #3: Qualitative Research Methodologies including Grounded Theory, Narrative Inquiry, Case Study, Ethnography, Critical Theory, and Action Research
How do any of the above research methodologies help us make sense of our world? Please state which methodology you want to discuss and then answer the question.
The research methodology I will talk about is narrative inquiry. This method is the oldest and most natural form of sense making. Narrative inquiry takes stories, first person accounts, life and oral history, biographies, autobiographies and autoethnographies to collect data. This form of data collection is a first hand research tool that allows us to make sense of our world. This method allows us to take an in depth look at the world around us while making sense of each persons individual perspective. Narrative inquiry emphasizes inductive processes, contextualized knowledge, and human intention.
I will discuss Grounded Theory. I believe that Grounded Theory can help us to make sense of our word because of the specificity of the methodology. Grounded Theory focuses on one specific theory and uses substantive evidence to build validity. Grounded Theory also can come from a variety of sources such as; interviews, observation, documentary materials, etc. With Grounded Theory you are constantly using a comparative method of data analysis ensuring you have the most accurate and valid data available. The authenticity and reliability of Grounded Theory can most definitely help us to make sense of things in our world.
I will talk about ethnography. Ethnography can help us make sense of our world because they are immersed in the culture. It's both a process and a product. They are looking at the culture and understanding the culture. One must spend time with the group being studied. With first hand participation you are learning about the language, daily activities in that setting. One can't talk about the culture without being immersed in the setting. It gives a thick description and gives meaning of the participants lives. Culture must be used to understand the phenomenon.
I will talk about narrative inquiry. In this theory a researcher works with participants in order to make sense of situations. This can take place over time, in a series of locations, and in a variety of social situations. This helps to understand our world through encounters that are authentic and unscripted. Different scenarios end up giving different examples of how a situation is perceived. This results in an ongoing conversation that explains the world in a particular moment. Sometimes that conversation will change depending on other variables, but it is almost like a time capsule. The result is dependent on the whole picture.
Ethnography helps us make sense of our world by taking a look at groups of people in a particular culture. A cultural group is a group of people that hold the same beliefs and live by similar interests, and behaviors. This type of methodology can help make sense of our world because a researcher gets a first hand account of how a particular group of people behave and live by joining that group and living as they do. The researcher can then take that information and inform others to educate them on that particular group. Taking data while being immersed in a particular group gives life experience and an understanding that otherwise couldn't fully be achieved just by observation and data reading. That data can then be used to fully understand why people in a particular culture do what they do and perhaps share their ways to better other areas or groups that may be struggling to survive.
I will discuss case studies. "A case study is an in-depth description and analysis of a bounded system." A case study can help us make better sense of the world, because it focuses on a unit of analysis. Typically, with a case study, a researcher is observing people in their natural environment to find out more about them, or looks at first-hand information on a particular topic. It is more about people's thoughts on a particular subject, and a researcher can obtain a lot of more information when the group of people is narrow, rather than large.
The research methodology I will talk about is narrative inquiry. This method is the oldest and most natural form of sense making. Narrative inquiry takes stories, first person accounts, life and oral history, biographies, autobiographies and autoethnographies to collect data. This form of data collection is a first hand research tool that allows us to make sense of our world. This method allows us to take an in depth look at the world around us while making sense of each persons individual perspective. Narrative inquiry emphasizes inductive processes, contextualized knowledge, and human intention.
ReplyDeleteI will discuss Grounded Theory. I believe that Grounded Theory can help us to make sense of our word because of the specificity of the methodology. Grounded Theory focuses on one specific theory and uses substantive evidence to build validity. Grounded Theory also can come from a variety of sources such as; interviews, observation, documentary materials, etc. With Grounded Theory you are constantly using a comparative method of data analysis ensuring you have the most accurate and valid data available. The authenticity and reliability of Grounded Theory can most definitely help us to make sense of things in our world.
ReplyDeleteI will talk about ethnography. Ethnography can help us make sense of our world because they are immersed in the culture. It's both a process and a product. They are looking at the culture and understanding the culture. One must spend time with the group being studied. With first hand participation you are learning about the language, daily activities in that setting. One can't talk about the culture without being immersed in the setting. It gives a thick description and gives meaning of the participants lives. Culture must be used to understand the phenomenon.
ReplyDeleteI will talk about narrative inquiry. In this theory a researcher works with participants in order to make sense of situations. This can take place over time, in a series of locations, and in a variety of social situations. This helps to understand our world through encounters that are authentic and unscripted. Different scenarios end up giving different examples of how a situation is perceived. This results in an ongoing conversation that explains the world in a particular moment. Sometimes that conversation will change depending on other variables, but it is almost like a time capsule. The result is dependent on the whole picture.
ReplyDeleteEthnography helps us make sense of our world by taking a look at groups of people in a particular culture. A cultural group is a group of people that hold the same beliefs and live by similar interests, and behaviors. This type of methodology can help make sense of our world because a researcher gets a first hand account of how a particular group of people behave and live by joining that group and living as they do. The researcher can then take that information and inform others to educate them on that particular group. Taking data while being immersed in a particular group gives life experience and an understanding that otherwise couldn't fully be achieved just by observation and data reading. That data can then be used to fully understand why people in a particular culture do what they do and perhaps share their ways to better other areas or groups that may be struggling to survive.
ReplyDeleteI will discuss case studies. "A case study is an in-depth description and analysis of a bounded system." A case study can help us make better sense of the world, because it focuses on a unit of analysis. Typically, with a case study, a researcher is observing people in their natural environment to find out more about them, or looks at first-hand information on a particular topic. It is more about people's thoughts on a particular subject, and a researcher can obtain a lot of more information when the group of people is narrow, rather than large.
ReplyDelete