Methodological Critique: Quantitative and Qualitative Research Comparison Crystal Clark
86670015 ETEC 500-65E
University of British Columbia Janet McCracken
Quantitative and Qualitative Research Comparison
Research methodologies consist of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method approaches. As a novice researcher it is important to understand the methods prior to delving into the research process, as it will shape my own research decisions and ways of looking at research. The following is a methodological critique that looks at the similarities and differences between qualitative and quantitative research methods using two study samples. This paper includes a descriptive analysis and critique of two samples and will attempt to describe the major differences between them. After comparing the two types of research, I will discuss possible methodologies for my future research and present my perspective on which method is more appealing to me as a new researcher.
Quantitative Research Critique and Analysis
The quantitative study by Hamre, and Pianta (2005) examined whether teachers’ instructional and emotional support within the classroom encourages higher achievement in students who may be at risk of early school failure. Nine hundred and ten children between the ages of 5 and 6 who were identified as at-risk were studied in the classroom setting. Data collection and analysis took place from birth to first grade. Functional and demographic risk assessment was done to determine each child’s risk level at 54 months and then in kindergarten. The child’s outcomes were assessed through achievement tests, student-teacher relationships, and classroom processes. Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the data. Data collectors spent one day observing each classroom to rate quality and teacher behavior, yet I feel that one day is not enough to monitor these factors.
The article did not reveal how the teachers in the study and non-study groups were prepared for the study. Ethically I feel that the non-participant group was put at risk, for the
teachers may have purposely been distant and unsupportive to students. Although the research was proven, the group which did not receive support could have been required to receive future support to correct the neglect that was purposely given in classes during the study. The study does prove that heightened instructional and emotional support contributes to achievement in early-grade children. Qualitative elements involving teachers’ insights may further advance this study, and therefore a mixed-method approach or follow-up study may increase its validity. Qualitative Research Critique and Analysis
A qualitative case study done by Sleeter (2009) was designed to understand how a teacher’s thinking regarding a multicultural curriculum develops through the length of their education program. A second-year teacher in the researcher’s graduate-level course in Multicultural Curriculum Design was chosen to participate. The case study participant was chosen based on experience, openness to learning, and current diverse classroom setting. After the participant was selected and had agreed to participate, data were collected through in-class assignments, papers and unit plans, the researcher’s journal, observation of the participant, and a taped interview. The researcher developed tools to measure the subject of learning in order to think about the multicultural curriculum. A rubric was developed for reflection and analysis, and research and personal experience on the subject matter were drawn from. The conclusions revealed that reflective discussions and writings rooted in the classroom can decrease new teachers’ assumptions.
This study lacked reporting of related literature, yet this could be defended as being a qualitative research characteristic. It seems that the researcher was able to guide the participant into
meeting the desired outcomes of their study through this type of research which could result in predetermined outcomes. Because the study was done to see how thinking develops throughout
the span of the teacher education program, I feel that there could have been a wider variety of participants with different multicultural experiences, and pre-, id-, and post-assessments of their growth could have been done to measure any changes in the development of their thinking. Comparison
The quantitative educational research sample involved used a scientific method process and number and statistical analyses while the qualitative research sample did not; rather, the process was about collection, analysis, and interpretation of narratives, reflections, essays, journals, and conversations in order to gain insights into the topic. The qualitative researcher developed a deep personal interaction with the participant being studied, whereas the quantitative researchers had limited personal interactions with a large number of participants. The qualitative researcher hand-selected her participant to meet the needs of the study, where the quantitative researchers began with a pool of 5416 mothers, then randomly selected 1364, and finally choose 910.
The qualitative approach was subjective, while the quantitative was more objective. The quantitative researchers had a clear plan for what they were seeking to find out or prove, and every detail of the study was planned before data collection took place. The qualitative research study unfolded over time to reveal unknown conclusions, and the design developed as the study evolved, which is reflective of inductive reasoning. The quantitative studies research was done with researcher-controlled settings and conditions, and the data collection and analysis was done without the participants’ involvement. The qualitative studies research was done in
non-controlled settings, and the data collection and analysis included participant involvement. Unlike the quantitative research process, which can use surveys, questionnaires, polls, statistical tests, or machines to collect and analyze data, the qualitative researcher is the main
instrument in data collection and analysis. The sample study displayed qualities of experimental and causal-comparative studies, as it provided information about cause-and-effect relationships. The data collection methods involved in the qualitative research was a case study which focuses on one or some personal experiences. The ethics of qualitative research have additional concerns because plans may change as the project evolves. As well, the qualitative researcher becomes more personally involved, and this relationship may unintentionally influence how data is interpreted.
Reflection and Analysis
Educational research ranges from quantitative to qualitative to mixed-method, which blends both. The characteristics of quantitative design that I see as most important to articulate and consider are participant selection, scientific process, and data collection and analysis. The characteristics of qualitative design that I see as most important are ethical considerations, the less prescribed process, and the personal connection the researcher has with participants. As a new researcher, my first instinct is to gravitate towards qualitative research. Because I am relatively inexperienced in the scientific process, I find the quantitative data collection process and analysis overwhelming at this point. Because I come from a humanitarian arts background, I think I would have more ease approaching a small qualitative project, which is not to say that I do not value the quantitative approach.
The analysis of data through number-crunching and participant selection is overwhelming to me at this point, and the validity of my study would be weak if I proceeded full-force into a major quantitative study. As well, my conscience would be affected knowing that I was
initiating the support of one group of students while purposely neglecting another group if were to do a study in the same manner as the qualitative sample. I felt more connected with the
qualitative case study approach because it had a narrative flow, offered personal insight and a voice to the participant, and was less of a prescriptive process.
These studies gave me insight into how to design an educational research project and which approach I should take as a new researcher. I think that blending both methods would add validity to a study, for it opens the door for a variety of ways of collecting and interpreting the data, yet I will still gravitate towards a purely qualitative method until I am more of a seasoned researcher.
References
Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2005). Can instructional and emotional support in the first‐ grade classroom make a difference for children at risk of school failure?. Child Development, 76(5), 949-967. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2005.00889.x
Gay, L.R., Mills, G.E., & Airasian, P.W. (2012). Educational research:
Competencies for analysis and application (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Sleeter, C. (2009). Developing teacher epistemological sophistication about multicultural curriculum: A case study. Action in Teacher Education, 31(1), 3-13. doi.