Making a difference by doing applied qualitative research in education: Three case studies

Human Affairs 22 (4):492-509 (2012)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

The paper explores the possibilities of using applied qualitative research to help to achieve changes in the context of education. It presents three case studies: an evaluation of an educational software package which may be implemented nationally; an assessment of the impact of a 1:1 Technology Rich Learning Environment experimental project conducted in two Slovak elementary schools; and international comparative research on the curricula of psychology courses in secondary schools. The authors ask three questions: 1. does qualitative research have the potential/resources/capacity to guide us in the process of making policy related decisions? 2. Does it have enough credibility in the eyes of the consumers—whether these are decision-makers themselves or a wider community that often plays a role in public decisions? 3. Could this type of work still count as academic inquiry? The discussion evolves around the reflection of the position of researchers in this type of research design, and the authors conclude that applied qualitative research could be the source of solid evidence for making decisions related to education—although this evidence is different to that provided by quantitative research.

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 93,990

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Qualitative Research in Education: The Origins, Debates, and Politics of Creating Knowledge.Aaron Cooley - 2013 - Educational Studies: A Jrnl of the American Educ. Studies Assoc 49 (3):247-262.
Analysis of Student Learning Results on Work and Energy Materials.Marina Marina & Padmi Adika Juvi - 2023 - International Journal of Education and Teaching Zone 2 (3):492-500.

Analytics

Added to PP
2014-01-20

Downloads
53 (#293,513)

6 months
12 (#304,934)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

References found in this work

What is Evidence-based Education?Philip Davies - 1999 - British Journal of Educational Studies 47 (2):108-121.

Add more references