COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE SYLLABUS Qualitative Research for Education: Theory and MethodsFall 2008Instructor:Professor Ling LiCollege of EducationSouthwest UniversityOffice hours in TJB Building #219 by appointment lingli2@I. Course DescriptionII. Course ObjectivesIII. Course Textbook and Readings IV. Course RequirementsV. EvaluationVI. Course Outline and SchedulesEducation research is a complex endeavor involving several different methodological approaches. This course focuses on one kind of approach: qualitative methods. Qualitative research has a different tradition and founding theories from quantitative research, and the two modes of methodology are mutually complementary. This course includes two modules. The first module focuses on an introduction and inquiry into the theories and methodologies of qualitative research. And the second module will present a series of qualitative research projects to show how qualitative research is done in specific cases.The first module is divided into seven sections. (1) Origins, development and theoretical underpinnings, which will cover Chicago Sociology, the Sociology of Education, European connections and the Social Movement, and many other political, ideological and social events that promoted the development of qualitative research, and cover theories such as phenomenology, symbolic interaction, feminism and postmodernism. (2) Research design, which will introduce the designing of different types of qualitative research such as case studies and multi-site studies. (3) Field work, including issues and challenges for access, cultural, political and emotional issues in the field and approaches of doing fieldwork like interview and tape recording. (4) Collection of qualitative data, introducing approaches of data collection such as field notes, transcripts, photography, documents and others. (5) Data analysis and interpretation, focusing on data category, the coding system, and interpretation. (6) Writing process, which touches the decisions to be made in the process, and what a good qualitative research writing is like. (7) Application in education, covering evaluation and policy research, action research and others. In this module, the major forms of instruction will be lectures based on the course text. Also, students are required to read lists of reading materials, relevant to the section topics. Based on their personal understanding of the lecture and readings, and on the real issues that they come across in doing qualitative research projects, student groups are requested to give 30-minute presentations on the following weeks after each lecture, and they are responsible for leading the class discussion about the topics and their presentations. In this way, the course aims to enhance and ensure students’ real acquisition of the knowledge and theories of the qualitative research methodology.The second module will focus on the real practice and application of qualitative research methods. It includes a series of qualitative research projects presentations given by two students, the course instructor, and several professional scholars from Canada and the US, who are specialized in qualitative research methods, via long-distant internet videos. Apart from the theories of qualitative research, this course is intended as a practice for conducting fieldwork and applying techniques to researching and analyzing educational phenomena on a practical setting. Therefore, the second module, on the basis of the first, attempts to make students really involved in the real context of qualitative research and to make them learn by doing it themselves and learn by viewing how others are doing it. The long-distant lectures by the international professors aim to contribute international perspectives for students to view and understand qualitative research in different cultures.1.Develop a basic understanding of the theoretical orientations that underliequalitative methods in education.2.Understand the kinds of questions which have been and can be addressed withqualitative research.3.Understand the features and procedures in qualitative research methods andapproaches.4.Know how to formulate a viable research question independently.5.Learn about and practice qualitative data collection methods.6.Learn and practice qualitative data analysis and interpretation.7.Know how to prepare and conduct a research project8.Begin work on a small research project in the field, requiring the use ofqualitative data collection and analysis methods.9.Prepare and write a qualitative research proposal/paper/report/thesisIII. Course Textbook and ReadingsRequired TextBogdan, R.C. & Biklen, S.K. (2006). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theory and methods. (5th edition.). Boston: Pearson.Other Required ReadingsCreswell, J.W. (2004). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. (2nd edition.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:Merrill Prentice Hall.Li, L. (2008). Constructing teacher’s professional identity in China and Canada：Life stories in context. Saarbrucken, Germany: VDM Verlag Dr. MüllerAktiengesellschaft & Co. KG.Li, L. & Niyozov, S. (2008). Negotiating teacher's professional identity in a changing Chinese society. Education and Society, 26 (2), 69-84.Li, L. (2006). Constructing professional identity through narrative inquiry into educational experiences of four generations of women in my family. Paperpresented at The 2006 Annual Meeting of the Canadian Society for the Study of Education, in Toronto, Canada.Maxwell, J.A. (1996). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.Maxwell, J.A. (2004). Qualitative research design. (2nd edition.). Sage publications. Miles, M. & Huberman, A.M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis. (2nd edition.). Sage publications.Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. (3rd edition.). Sage publications. (see more in VI. Course outline and schedules)Classes will be a combination of instructor lectures, student-led discussions on lectures and readings, student collaborative presentations, and finally practice project presentations. In addition to class participation, students are required to complete assignments and a final course paper using what will be learned through the course and in the practice. Students who are going to use qualitative research as methods in the graduation thesis will be required to submit thesis proposal and draft accordingly.(1) Class Participation (10%). Students will be expected to attend all the lecturesand contribute to class discussion. Students are encouraged to proposequestions and opinions related to the instructor’s lectures, preparation of theclass and required reading materials. Students should participate and interactactively with the lecturer’s and other classmates’ presentations(2) Weekly Presentation (30%). Students will be divided into seven groups, withfour or five in each group. The groups will be expected to give a 30 minutecollaborative presentations of their work concerning a topic related to theprevious lecture theme. Presentations will pertain to the additional readingsfor the previous week lecture and should come to class prepared to leaddiscussion and critique about the readings of that topic.(3) Research Paper (60%). This is the main requirement for the course. The paperwill serve as an important exercise in how to design an educational researchproject using qualitative research methods and based on fieldwork. For thosewho plan to conduct empirical research in their graduation thesis, this papercan be replaced by a thesis proposal or even the thesis draft. Students shouldconsult with instructor about the research question at some point during thesemester and begin the development of a conceptual framework for aqualitative research study as soon during the process of the course.V. EvaluationGrading Policy:Students will receive a grade for their class participation (10% of the final grade), group presentation (30%) and the final paper (60%).VI. Course outline and scheduleWeek 1: Course orientation1. What the course is about?2. What you will learn?3. What you will do?4. What we will read?5. How I will grade?6. What is “Qualitative Research”?7. The difference between qualitative and quantitative research8. What you will be able to do after the course?9. DiscussionWeek 2: Foundations of Qualitative Research for Education1. Characteristics of Qualitative Research2. Traditions of Qualitative Research2.1 Disciplinary Traditions2.2 Chicago Sociology2.3 The Sociology of Education2.4 European Connections and the Social Movement2.5 Ideological and Political Practices2.6 Ideologies and Social Change2.7 Politics and Theory in the Academy3. Theoretical Underpinnings3.1 Phenomenological Approach3.2 Symbolic Interaction3.3 A Story3.4 Culture3.5 Ethno-methodology3.6 The Current Theoretical Scene: Cultural Studies, Feminism,Postmodernism,3.7 Critical theory and Institutional Ethnography3.8 On Methods and MethodologyWeek 3: Student-led Presentation and DiscussionAdditional readings:Bruner, J. (1990). Acts of meaning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1994). Handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2000). Handbook of qualitative research (2nd edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2004). Handbook of qualitative research (3rd edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Gadamer, H. (1975). Truth and method. New York: The Seabury Press.Husserl, E. (1965). Phenomenology and the crisis of Philosophy. New York: Harper Torchbooks.Mills, C. W. (1970). The sociological imagination. Harmondsworth: Penguin.Ryle, G. (1949). The concept of mind. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.Week 4: Research Design1. Choosing a Study2. Case Studies2.1 Historical Organizational Case Studies2.2 Observational Case Studies2.3 Life History2.4 Documents2.5 Other Forms of Case Studies2.6 Case-study Design Issues2.7 Multi-case Studies3. Multisite Studies3.1 Modified Analytic Induction3.2 The Constant Comparative Method3.3 Multi-Site Ethnography4. Additional Issues Related to Design4.1 Proposal Writing4.2 Interview Schedules and Observer Guides4.3 Team Research and the Lone Ranger4.4 Qualitative Research and Historical ResearchWeek 5: Student-led Presentation and DiscussionAdditional readings:Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J. G. (2001). Lives in context: The art of life history research.Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.Gubrium, J. F., & Holstein, J. A. (Eds.) (2001). Handbook of interview research: Context and methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Heshusius, L. (1994). Freeing ourselves from objectivity: Managing subjectivity or turning toward a participatory mode of consciousness. Education Researcher,23(3). 15-22King, T. (2003). The truth about stories: A native narrative. Toronto, ON: House of Anansi Press.Lawrence-Lightfoot, S., &Davis, J. H. (1997). The art and science of portraiture. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, Ch. 3.Merriam, S. B. (1988). Case study research in education: A qualitative approach. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Ch. 5.Sparkes, A. (1994).Life histories and the issue of voice: Reflections on an emerging relationship. Qualitative Studies in Education, 7(2), 165-183.Week 6: Fieldwork1. Gaining Access2. First Days in the Fields3. The Participant/Observer Continuum4. Doing Fieldwork in Another Culture5. Research Characteristics and Special Problem with Rapport6. Be Discreet7. Researching in Politically Charged and Conflict-Ridden Settings8. Feelings9. Interviewing9.1 Focus Groups9.2 Audio Recording10.Visual Recording and Fieldwork11.Triangulation12.Leaving the FieldWeek 7: Student-led Presentation and DiscussionAdditional readings:Morgan, D. L. (2001). Focus group interviewing. In J. F. Gubrium & J. A. Holstein (Eds.) Handbook of interview research: Context and methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Schram, T. H. (2003). Conceptualizing qualitative inquiry: Mindwork for fieldwork in education and the social sciences. Upper Saddle River, NJ/Columbus, OH:Merrill Prentice Hall.Burgess, R. G. (1989). Grey areas: Ethical dilemmas in educational ethnography. In R.G. Burgess (Ed.). The ethics of educational research. Barcombe, Lewes, EastSussex: Falmer Press.Kvale, S. (1996). Ethical issues in interview inquires. InterViews. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, Ch. 6.Phtiaka, H. (1994). What’s in it for us? Qualitative Studies in Education, 7(2), 155-164.Riddell, S. (1989). Exploiting the exploited: The ethics of feminist educational research. In R. G. Burgess (Ed.). The ethics of educational research. Barcombe, Lewes, East Sussex: Falmer Press.Week 8: Qualitative Data1. Some Friendly Advice2. Fieldnotes2.1 The content of fieldnotes2.2 The Form of Fieldnotes3. The Process of Writing Fieldnotes4. Transcripts from Taped Interviews4.1 The Form of Transcripts4.2 Recording Equipment5. Documents5.1 Personal Documents5.2 Official Documents5.3 Popular culture documents6. Photography6.1 Found photographs6.2 Research-Produced Photographs6.3 Photographs as Analysis6.4 Technique and Equipment7. Official Statistics and Other Quantitative Data8. Concluding RemarksWeek 9: Student-led Presentation and DiscussionAdditional readings:Hill, M.R. (1993). Archival Strategies and Techniques. Newbury Park: Sage Publications.Jupp, V. (1996). Documents and Critical Research. In Roger Sapsford and Victor Jupp (eds.) Data Collection and Analysis. (pp. 298-316). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.Plummer, K. (2001). Documents of life: An invitation to a critical humanism.Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, Ch 8.Wengraf,Tom.(2001). Qualitative Research Interviewing. London: Sage Publications. Week 10: Data Analysis and Interpretation1. Analysis and Interpretation in the Field1.1 More Tips2. Analysis and Interpretation after Data Collection2.1 Developing Coding Categories2.2 Preassigned Coding Systems2.3 Influences on Coding and Analysis3. The Mechanics of Working with Data4. Computers and Data Analysis5. Interpretation6. Concluding RemarksWeek 11: Student-led Presentation and DiscussionAdditional readings:Cole, A. L., & Mclntyre, M. (2004). Research as aesthetic contemplation: The role of the audience in research interpretation. Educational Insights, 9(1),c.ubc.ca/publication/insights/v0901/articles/cole.html.Wolcott, H. F. (1994). Transforming qualitative data: Description, analysis, and interpretation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Denzin, N. K. (1997). Interpretive ethnography: Ethnographic practices for the 21st Century. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, Ch. 8.Week 12: Writing It Up1. Writing Choices1.1 Decision about Your Argument1.2 Decision about Your Presence in the Text1.3 Decision about Your Audience1.4 Decision about Disciplines1.5 Decision about the Introduction1.6 Decision about the Core of the Paper and Strategies for CommunicatingEvidence1.7 Decision about the conclusion2. More Writing Tips2.1 Call It a Draft2.2 Styles of Presentation2.3 Overwriting2.4 “Yes. But…?”2.5 Keep It Simple Up Front2.6 Whose Perspective Are You Writing From?2.7 Jargon and Code2.8 On Giving V oices2.9 General Advice3. Criteria for Evaluating Writing3.1 Is It Convincing?3.2 Is the Author in Control of the Writing?3.3 Does It Make a Contribution?4. Texts5. A Final Point about Getting StartedWeek 13: Student-led Presentation and DiscussionAdditional readings:Hewett, H. (2004). In search of an “I”: Embodied voice and the personal essay.Women’s Studies, 33, 719-741.Richardson, L. (2000). Writing: A method of inquiry. In N. K Denzin, & Y. S.Lincoln (Eds.) (2000). Handbook of qualitative research (2nd edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Week 14: Applied Qualitative Research for Education1. Writing a Qualitative Research Proposal and Report1.1 Writing a Qualitative Research Proposal1.2 Writing a Qualitative Research Report1.3 Qualitative Research: New Directions2. Action Research2.1 The Case of It Not Adding Up: Description2.2 The Case of It Not Adding Up: Discussion2.3 Political Action Research2.4 What Action Research Can Do?2.5 The Action Research Approach to Data2.6 Action Research and the Qualitative Tradition3. Practitioner Uses of Qualitative Research3.1 Employing Qualitative Research to Improve Your Teaching3.2 The Qualitative Approach and Teacher EducationWeek 15: Student-led Presentation and DiscussionAdditional readings:Eisner, E. (1991). Do qualitative case studies have lessons to teach? In The enlightened eye. New York: Macmillan, ChIX (pp. 197-212).Kvale,S. (1995). The social construction of validity. Qualitative Inquiry, 1 (1). 19-40. Neilsen, L. (2002). Learning from the liminal: Fiction as knowledge. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 48(3). 206-214.Peshkin, A. (1993). The goodness of qualitative research. Educational Researcher, 22(2), 24-30.Week 16: Doing Qualitative Research —A Series of Presentations1. 教育专业免费师范生职业认同研究Presenter: Wu Yang-Ping2. 免费师范生专业承诺与就业情况调查—以某大学为例Presenter: Jia Ju-PingWeek 17: Doing Qualitative Research —A Series of Presentations1. Carving Beautiful Lives: Shaping Folk Arts in the Yangtze Three GorgesInstructor: Professor Li Ling2. Ethnic Minority Education of Southwestern ChinaInstructor: Professor Yao Jia-LiWeek 18: Doing Qualitative Research —A Series of Presentations1. Ethnographical Approach to Teaching and LearningInstructor: Professor Grace Feuerverger（OISE/University of Toronto）2. Narrative Inquiry: Narrative in Educational StudiesInstructors: Professor Micheal Connelly（OISE/University of Toronto）Associate Professor Xu Shi-Jing (University of Windsor）andAssociate Professor Fang Yan-Ping（Nanyang TechnologicalUniversity, Singapore）3. Qualitative Research and Ethical Review in CanadaInstructor: Dr. Terry Sefton (University of Windsor)。