Understanding Qualitative Research in Education

 
 

Qualitative research in education offers a way to explore student, parent, and educator experiences to paint a richer picture of our learning environments. 

Unlike quantitative research focusing on hard numbers and statistical analysis, qualitative research studies education through detailed, descriptive data. It goes beyond test scores and grades to provide rich insights into educational experiences, motivations, and outcomes.

This article covers all things qualitative educational research, including how this constructive approach helps improve our educational systems from the top down. We'll also show some examples of what qualitative research in education looks like in the field.

What Is Qualitative Research in Education?

Qualitative research in education involves studying the experiences and perspectives of individuals within educational settings. It includes various qualitative methods such as interviews, observations, and document analysis to gather rich, descriptive data. 

Let’s consider Eric, a student who is struggling in math class. Can we fully understand Eric’s struggle just by looking at his test results? Numbers (test scores, grades) may offer a glimpse into his situation but still leave us with the all-important “why” side of what’s going on.

Quantitative research shows Eric’s objective performance, but qualitative research lets us understand more context behind his experience and perspective. Maybe he lacks a strong foundation in a core concept that can explain his poor test results. Or perhaps his learning style doesn’t match the teaching approach. Qualitative research helps personalize these challenges. 

The “why” matters because it can reveal deeper insights into systemic issues, societal influences, and cultural factors impacting Eric (and others like him). Using a qualitative lens, you gain these deeper insights that help personalize learning and link theory to classroom practice.

Benefits of Qualitative Research in Education

So, when you need to understand the complex realities of educational environments, you can gain a lot from taking a qualitative approach to your research. Some key benefits include:

  • Uncovers Hidden Experiences: Qualitative research in education reveals the lived experiences of students like Eric, educators, and administrators within the system you are studying. By understanding these experiences, you can address the unique needs of these stakeholders, making education more personalized and effective.

  • Provides Context: Numbers can be misleading without context. Qualitative research exposes the factors influencing those numbers, painting a more complete picture of cause and effect. This context helps you understand the underlying reasons for student performance and develop more effective strategies.

  • Generates Detail-Rich Data: Using interviews, observations, and focus groups can provide detailed information about learning processes, classroom dynamics, and school culture. This rich data helps you see the bigger picture and make informed decisions.

  • Inform Effective Practices: Understanding the "why" behind educational challenges and successes can help you develop more effective teaching strategies. This approach ensures that your teaching methods are grounded in real-world experiences.

  • Empowers Stakeholders: By involving participants in the research process, qualitative research can empower educators, students, and families to have a voice in shaping their educational journey. This involvement fosters a sense of ownership and collaboration that can lead to better educational outcomes.

It's important to note that not every educational study requires qualitative research. Standardized tests and surveys play a role, but sometimes, you need to go beyond the numbers to understand the human stories behind the data. We'll circle back to qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research (combining them) later in this article.

Considerations for Qualitative Educational Research

While qualitative research offers many benefits, there are a few things to keep in mind when considering whether it is right for your research. For example, qualitative research is generally time-consuming because gathering and analyzing detailed data tends to require a lot of effort. 

However, there are ways to balance the effort needed to gain the rich, nuanced understanding that qualitative research can offer. Qualitative data analysis (QDA) tools like Delve make organizing, coding, and analyzing qualitative data easier. Delve helps you focus on gaining insights without being bogged down by the logistics of managing your data. 

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When To Use Qualitative Research in Education

Let’s look at how qualitative research might be applied in real-world educational settings. Here are some examples of where you might use this approach:

  • Understanding Student Engagement: A researcher might conduct interviews and classroom observations to explore how students like Eric and his classmates engage with a new curriculum. This could reveal areas where the curriculum needs to be adapted to cater to different learning styles.

  • Evaluating a New Teaching Method: Focus groups with teachers who implemented a new teaching method can provide insights into its effectiveness, challenges, and potential for improvement. These discussions can help identify what works well and what needs adjustment.

  • The School Culture Impact: Interviews with students, teachers, and parents can illuminate the school's culture and its impact on student well-being and academic performance. Understanding the experiences of Eric and his peers can highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the school environment.

These are just a few examples of when you might use a qualitative approach. The beauty of qualitative research is its adaptability to a wide range of educational questions and concerns.

Examples of Qualitative Research in Education

1. New Lives of Teachers (Day, 2012)

Teachers need to manage a range of challenges and stresses in their professional lives to achieve and sustain a healthy state of well-being. In a study conducted by Christopher Day (2012), the lives and experiences of teachers were explored to understand these challenges better. This research used narrative analysis, a qualitative method where researchers analyze stories and personal accounts to uncover deeper insights.

Method Used: Narrative Analysis

Day's research involved extensive semi-structured interviews with teachers to gather their stories and experiences. Through this narrative approach, the study highlighted how teachers navigate their professional lives, manage stress, and maintain their commitment to teaching despite various challenges. This method allowed for a detailed exploration of the personal and emotional aspects of teaching, offering a richer understanding of the factors that influence teacher well-being and effectiveness.

Impact and Findings

The findings from this study have implications for how educational institutions support teachers and address issues related to teacher retention and professional development. By understanding these teachers, policymakers and educators can create more supportive environments that promote teacher well-being and improve educational outcomes.

2. A Narrative Inquiry into Rural School Leadership in South Africa (Smit, 2017)

In a study conducted by Brigitte Smit (2017), the experiences of rural school leaders in South Africa were explored to understand their challenges. This research used narrative inquiry, a qualitative method in which researchers analyze stories and personal accounts to uncover deeper insights.

Method Used: Narrative Inquiry

Smit's research involved guided conversations and observations over five years with two school principals. By using narrative inquiry, the study captured the emotional and relational aspects of their leadership experiences, shedding light on how they navigate challenges such as poverty, hunger, and lack of support.

Impact and Findings

The findings revealed the intense emotional labor and relational leadership required to manage rural schools. Understanding these experiences can inform how educational policies and support systems are designed to assist rural school leaders better.

How To Do Qualitative Research For Education

You won’t find a one-size-fits-all approach to qualitative educational research. Depending on your specific research questions, a handful of qualitative data and methods are often used to gather the in-depth data required for this type of educational study. 

Common Qualitative Data Types

In traditional educational settings, qualitative data often includes:

  • Observations

  • Journal entries

  • Document analyses

  • Interviews

  • Focus groups

In a remote learning environment, qualitative data can also cover:

  • Check-in records

  • Notes from students

  • Personal well-being surveys

  • Observations from online classes and virtual meetings

Typical Qualitative Methods in Education Research

  1. Case Studies: One of the most common qualitative methods in education, case studies provide an in-depth look at a single instance or a small number of instances within a real-life context. If you’re studying a student with a specific learning disability or analyzing a new teaching method in a classroom, case studies can help. They reveal the intricate factors that influence learning experiences for a particular student or group, providing a deeper understanding of educational topics.

  2. Ethnography: The value of being a fly on the wall! Ethnography involves immersing yourself in the educational setting, observing interactions, and participating in activities over a sustained period. This deep dive allows for a deeper understanding of the culture and dynamics within a school or classroom. Ethnography is particularly useful for exploring unspoken rules, traditions, and the overall "feel" of a learning environment.

  3. Narrative Analysis:  This method involves analyzing existing documents and records, like student journals, historical school reports, or policy documents. Narrative analysis helps us understand how educational practices have evolved and how they shape current experiences. For example, you might analyze student essays written over a period of time to see how their views on a particular subject have changed.

  4. Qualitative Content Analysis: Similar to narrative analysis, qualitative content analysis involves coding and interpreting textual data to identify patterns and themes. Educational researchers use document analyses to analyze materials like student essays, curriculum content, teaching materials, and policy documents. This method provides insights into participants' experiences within the educational system and explores how educational content is structured and conveyed, making it valuable for educators and policymakers.

  5. Phenomenology: Interpretative phenomenological analysis begins with specific examples and uses them to develop broader theories. It focuses on understanding individuals' lived experiences from their own perspectives. Using a phenomenological research design, you might interview students about their experiences with math anxiety, aiming to capture the essence of that feeling and how it impacts their learning. This gives you a deeper understanding of their subjective experiences within educational settings.

  6. Grounded Theory: This method is about generating theory from the data rather than starting with a pre-existing hypothesis. Researchers might begin with open-ended interviews with teachers about a particular challenge and then analyze the data to identify emerging themes and patterns. Grounded theory allows for the development of new theories based on the realities of educational practice.

These methods give you a deeper understanding of educational content and practices by uncovering underlying themes and patterns. This richer insight helps create more effective and inclusive educational environments, which can make a real difference in the lives of students.

Tips: Turning Qualitative Research into Educational Practice

Your research might not always solve a specific problem through social policy, but it can lay the groundwork for future studies and social policy changes. That is to say that even if your work isn’t directly integrated into practice today, it can still have a lasting impact in the future.

Here are some ways your qualitative research can be impactful:

  • Informing Professional Development: Your research might inform future professional programs for teachers. These programs can use your findings to create training grounded in real-world experiences and address the actual needs of educators and students.

  • Shaping Policy Making: Your research insights could eventually shape educational policies. Even if this doesn't happen immediately, your work can influence policies that address students' and teachers' real needs and experiences over time.

  • Collaborative Research: Work with educators and policymakers during your research process for on-the-ground feedback. The benefit of collaborative qualitative research is that your findings are more relevant and can be more easily applied in real-world settings.

By understanding these aspects of how your work fits into the larger conversation on education, you can maximize the potential impact of your qualitative research.

Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Approaches for Educational Research

Earlier, we pointed out that qualitative and quantitative methods have their place in educational research. While numbers can’t tell the whole story, they play an integral role in the puzzle. Tests and surveys reveal trends and patterns, giving you a snapshot of overall classroom performance—it's like seeing the big picture on a map.

Qualitative research zooms in and fills in the gaps. You learn directly from students and educators through interviews, observations, and focus groups. This is all part of understanding the "why" behind their challenges. It's how qualitative education researchers identify areas where teaching strategies need to be adjusted to meet their needs better.

There is also a benefit to using a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach to qualitative education research. Think of it like having a detailed map (quantitative data) and insightful field notes (qualitative insights). The map provides direction, while the field notes highlight potential obstacles and hidden paths with additional context along the way.

Example of Qualitative Quantitative Mixed Approaches to Educational Research

For example, a study on student achievement might use quantitative methods to measure test scores for Eric and his classmates. A qualitative method would help explore this group’s attitudes and experiences.

By blending quantitative and qualitative data, you would better understand what's working (and what's not) in their classrooms. This empowers you to offer data-driven suggestions that target student needs, fostering an environment with better educational outcomes.

Helpful Qualitative Education Journals and Publications

High-quality qualitative research journals are a great resource and idea generator for your own study. These journals provide a platform for sharing innovative methodologies and findings that can influence educational practice and policy. Here are some recommended journals to consider:

Educational Journals

  • Qualitative Inquiry (https://journals.sagepub.com/home/qix): Publishes a broad range of qualitative research in education, exploring themes like curriculum development, teacher education, and student experiences.

  • International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education (https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/tqse20): Focuses on international perspectives in qualitative educational research, addressing issues of equity, inclusion, and social justice.

  • Educational Researcher (https://www.aera.net/): While not exclusively qualitative, it publishes strong qualitative work on various educational topics, from classroom interactions to policy analysis.

  • ERIC (https://eric.ed.gov/): The Education Resources Information Center is a comprehensive database that provides access to a vast range of education-related literature, including qualitative research studies.

General Qualitative Research Journals (with a focus on education)

  • Journal of Educational Ethnography (https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/reae20): Dedicated to ethnographic research in education, exploring the cultural dynamics and lived experiences within educational settings.

  • Teachers College Record (https://journals.sagepub.com/home/TCZ): Covers a wide range of educational research, including qualitative approaches. Look for articles exploring issues like teacher identity, student engagement, and classroom discourse.

Additional Qualitative-Focused Journals

  • Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education (https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/cdis20): Explores the power dynamics and cultural influences shaping educational practices through qualitative methods.

  • Gender and Education (https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/cgee20): Focuses on qualitative research related to gender and education, examining issues like gender equity, identity formation, and classroom experiences.

  • Urban Education (https://journals.sagepub.com/home/uex): Explores the complexities of urban education through qualitative research, addressing topics like race, poverty, and social mobility within educational institutions.

By learning from and contributing to these journals, you participate in the ongoing conversation about education and potentially influence future educational practices and policies.

However, keep in mind that more qualitative education journals exist, each with a specific focus. Review each journal's editorial interests to ensure your research aligns well with their mission and focus. 

Tools For Qualitative Research in Education

When it comes time to actually do qualitative research for education, Qualitative Data Analysis tools like Delve can simplify all facets of the research process. It organizes coding and data analysis, making it easier (and more efficient) for you to uncover patterns and themes. 

 
 

Whether you are conducting interviews, focus groups, or document analysis, Delve provides a user-friendly, web-based platform that supports the rigorous analysis required for high-quality qualitative research.

Why Choose Delve QDA Software?

  • Efficiency: Delve streamlines the coding process, saving you time and effort.

 
 

  • Collaboration: The platform supports collaborative research, allowing multiple researchers to work together seamlessly.

 
 

  • Insights: Delve's powerful analysis tools help researchers identify key themes and insights from their data.

 
 

Wrapping Up Education Research

Qualitative research in education helps us study the rich, complex realities of our educational settings. Going beyond the numbers to explore the lived realities of participants provides valuable insight into the inner workings of educational experiences and outcomes. You now have the tools to choose a qualitative approach for your educational research.

To simplify the qualitative analysis portion of your study, try Delve with a free 14-day trial

References:

  1. Day, C. (2012). New Lives of Teachers. Teacher Education Quarterly, Winter 2012, 1-25.

  2. Smit, B. (2017). A narrative inquiry into rural school leadership in South Africa. Qualitative Research in Education, 6(1), 1-21. doi:10.17583/qre.2017.2276

Cite This Blog Post:

General ResourcesDaniel Politz