Workshop — Understanding qualitative research

This workshop is designed for those who already have some understanding of educational research methods who want to gain a deeper understanding of qualitative research. Participants will work in small groups to co-construct their understanding of quantitative and qualitative research paradigms and epistemology. At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to (1) compare and contrast quantitative and qualitative research paradigms, (2) compare epistemological perspectives in qualitative research, and (3), describe five research strategies commonly used in qualitative research. This knowledge can be later applied by participants to better understand engineering education research articles and proposals that use qualitative methodologies. An approximately 60-page handbook entitled Qualitative research basics: A guide for engineering educators by Nancy Van Note Chism, Elliot Douglas, and Wayne J. Hilson, Jr. will be distributed to attendees. Completion of Fundamentals of Educational Research or other workshop or course which discusses the basics of educational research is considered a prerequisite for attending this session. This workshop is sponsored by the National Science foundation through Expanding and sustaining research capacity in engineering and technology education: Building on successful programs for faculty and graduate students (DUE - 0817461).