ELP 687SEM - Top:

This course is designed to offer doctoral students an introduction to core components of doing rigorous and ethically grounded qualitative research. Students will examine epistemological, theoretical, and practical aspects concerned with how qualitative research constructs and disseminates knowledge to the public. To do so, students will consider how their positionality influences their research interests, study design, and analysis. Students will learn about core qualitative research methodologies. They also will review and have the opportunity to practice key data collection and analysis strategies. Unique to this course is that students will utilize both educational and social science scholarship to develop a five-part qualitative research study working plan. This plan is designed to help students develop specific skills and competencies needed to do qualitative research in the field of educational leadership and policy. By the end of the semester students will: -Be knowledgeable about the fundamentals of qualitative research, including the important role of epistemology and positionality -Be knowledgeable about key qualitative methodological approaches and steps within the research process -Be aware of how methodological appropriateness and selected strategies can effectively or ineffectively answer research questions -Be able to write a qualitative research epistemological statement -Be able to write a qualitative problem and purpose statement -Be able knowledgeable about and be able to design qualitative research questions -Be knowledgeable about and be able to employ key qualitative data collection and analysis strategies including those related to observation, interviewing, and transcription -Be knowledgeable about core aspects of data security including IRB and be able to draft required IRB letters

Credits: 3